Transcript

Commander Buzz Corey (0:01)

Relic radio. This is Relic Radio. Sci Fi Old Time Radio Science fiction stories from relicradio.com.

Cadet Happy (0:33)

Wheatjacks, Rice Jacks and Good Hot Wilson Present Space Pitfall

Narrator (0:41)

I Adventure in the wild vast reaches of space. Missions of daring in the name of interplanetary justice. Travel into the future with Buzz Corey, Commander in Chief of the space platform. In today's transcribed adventure, Buzz and Happy are stranded on The Martian desert, 100

Commander Buzz Corey (1:02)

miles from the nearest city.

Narrator (1:03)

They've just come to an expanse of tiny green plants carpeting the desert for miles.

Cadet Happy (1:08)

Something's wrong with my throat, Commander. It feels tight, hard to breathe.

Commander Buzz Corey (1:12)

Mine's the same way, Happy.

Supporting Character (e.g., Happy or another crew member) (1:13)

It couldn't be the dust coming up from the ground.

Commander Buzz Corey (1:15)

No, it comes from the plant. Every time you take a step, the plants shoot out spores poisoning the atmosphere.

Cadet Happy (1:20)

It's getting worse, Commander.

Narrator (1:21)

What's still worse?

Commander Buzz Corey (1:22)

These are poisonous lich poison.

Narrator (1:25)

What are we going to do with it?

Cadet Happy (1:26)

We can't go back.

Commander Buzz Corey (1:26)

As we go on, these plant spores will paralyze our breathing muscles.

Narrator (1:30)

We'll suffocate. We'll be back in just a moment with today's Space Patrol story. The Electronic Burglar say you want to have some fun, gang?

Commander Buzz Corey (1:43)

Well, listen to this jet cycle.

Narrator (1:44)

There's nothing in the tank but ordinary fuel. And here's the result. Just a putt, putt. That's all it is with ordinary fuel. But pour in some super fuel.

Relic Radio Sci-Fi: "The Electronic Burglar" (Space Patrol)

Aired: May 11, 2026
Podcast: Relic Radio Sci-Fi
Host: RelicRadio.com
Episode: "The Electronic Burglar" (originally Space Patrol)

Episode Overview

In this classic episode of "Space Patrol," Commander Buzz Corey and Cadet Happy investigate a baffling high-tech burglary at the Marist Design and Development Company. The story rapidly escalates from a routine security case to a desperate struggle for survival in the Martian desert. Listeners experience old-school sci-fi charm, inventive gadgets, intrigue, and the unshakable morality of golden-age heroes—along with the ever-memorable dynamic between Commander Corey and his trusty sidekick.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. Mysterious Martian Mishap (00:01–01:30)

Opening Scene: Corey and Happy, stranded 100 miles from the nearest city on a Martian desert, encounter poisonous lichens that threaten to suffocate them.
Quote:
- "Something's wrong with my throat, Commander. It feels tight, hard to breathe." (Cadet Happy, 01:08)
- "Every time you take a step, the plants shoot out spores poisoning the atmosphere." (Commander Corey, 01:15)

2. The Burglary at Marist Company (02:55–05:37)

Setup: Security at the Marist vault has been breached by a sophisticated thief who bypasses advanced alarms and melts through the vault's endurium door.
Suspicion: Corey suspects an inside job but credits the integrity of Marist executives.
Key Clue: Fragments of glasses found inside the vault hint at the culprit.
Quote:
- "Whoever did this job was extremely familiar with your operations." (Commander Corey, 04:09)
- "The only sign of force inside or out is at the vault door...Yet several hours too late. By the time our men got here, the metal on the endurium door had cooled." (Maris, executive, 03:23–04:02)
Notable Detail: Stolen "analscope" plans are highly valuable, able to detect minerals deep underground.

3. The Inside Job Unfolds (07:22–08:31)

Behind the Scenes: The real thieves, machinist Ward Stokes and accomplice Bartram/Boucher, gloat over their successful heist and ingenious use of a "robot burglar."
The Device: The “electronic burglar” is cleverly disguised as an instrument case and is trained via a set built to duplicate the real office.
Quote:
- "Not even Buzz Corey would suspect this small box of being an electronic burglar." (Bartram, 07:03)
- "The toughest part of the whole job was getting a hold of Merritt's burglar alarm key long enough to make a duplicate." (Bartram, 08:24)

4. Tracking Down the Culprits (09:00–13:54)

Investigation: Despite brainograph tests clearing Maris and his chief engineer, suspicion falls on Stokes after linking him to both the crime scene and optical expertise.
Discovery: Corey and Happy visit Stokes, finding a stage set identical to Maris's office and witnessing the "robot burglar" in action.
Confrontation: The perpetrators pull weapons as Corey confronts them.
Quote:
- "How does that thing get started?" (Commander Corey, 12:41)
- "A very clever machine, Stokes. So that's how the alarm system was shut off." (Corey, 13:05)
- "That'll be enough, Corey. Get your hands up." (Bartram, 13:14)

5. Abduction & Stranded in the Martian Desert (15:34–17:59)

Capture: Corey and Happy are overpowered and taken, along with Boucher, to a Martian hideout.
Escape Attempt: Tied up and guarded, they plot an escape by exploiting Martian conditions—overheating the room to fog up the guard's glasses.
Quote:
- "If we can work loose before the ship lands, we might be able to fight our way out of this mess." (Corey, 15:55)
- "When Boucher comes into this heated room, I have a hunch he'll have some trouble with his glasses...." (Corey, 18:13)

6. Survival on the Martian Desert (20:01–22:36)

Crossing the Desert: With minimal supplies, the group attempts a trek across poisonous lichen fields toward a distant relay tower.
Danger: The plant spores cause respiratory distress, threatening to paralyze their breathing.
Decision: They decide to try to trigger a rescue by misaligning the relay tower’s power beam, risking technical consequences for their own lifesaving.
Quote:
- "If we keep inhaling them, they'll paralyze our breathing muscles. We'll suffocate." (Corey, 21:03)
- "If we were to turn those wheels, it would interrupt the power beam...They'd have to send somebody out to investigate." (Corey, 22:14–22:25)

7. Rescue & Final Showdown (23:41–25:14)

Rescue: A power commission ship responds and lands, rescuing the group.
Wrap-Up: Corey and Happy head for Lowell City, where they capture Stokes and the fence, Sark, in the act of trading the stolen designs.
Quote:
- "Commander, look—it's an atmosphere ship and it's headed right for us." (Cadet Happy, 23:41)
- "All right, Stokes, you had enough? ...How did you get out of the desert?" (Cadet Happy, 25:01–25:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"Every time you take a step, the plants shoot out spores poisoning the atmosphere." (Commander Corey, 01:15)
"Not even Buzz Corey would suspect this small box of being an electronic burglar." (Bartram, 07:03)
"If we were to turn those wheels, it would interrupt the power beam...They'd have to send somebody out to investigate." (Corey, 22:14–22:25)
"Let's relax...Ah, you got the heater? I told you Space Patrolmen were hearty souls accustomed to cold." (Corey, 18:39)
Showdown: The clever use of the Martian environment (fogged glasses) to turn the tables on their captors is classic Space Patrol ingenuity.

Important Timestamps

00:01–01:30: Opening stranded on Martian desert; poisonous lichens introduced.
02:55–04:34: Burglary at Marist vault recounted.
05:37–08:31: Discovery of glasses fragments and thieves' backstage plot.
09:26–12:11: Visit to Stokes; discovery of stage set office and robot burglar in action.
13:54–15:34: Corey and Happy captured at gunpoint.
16:58–18:54: In Martian hideout; escape by fogging glasses.
19:53–20:58: Venture across poisonous lichen desert.
22:36–23:41: Fiddling with relay tower, and rescue.
24:30–25:13: Final confrontation with Stokes and recovery of the stolen plans.

Episode Tone & Style

Language: Straightforward, sincere, optimistic, and briskly paced—a classic 1950s heroic sci-fi radio vibe.
Atmosphere: Adventurous, occasionally tense, but always with a tone of problem-solving and moral rectitude.

Next Week's Preview (26:43–27:17)

Teaser: Buzz and Happy face engineered sun mirrors wielded as weapons on a Venusian food farm.

"Happy, don't look at those reflectors. They'll blind you." (Corey, 27:04)
Danger escalates as villains close in with deadly heat beams.

This episode delivers the signature Space Patrol mix of clever plot mechanics, suspense, and optimistic heroics, painting a vintage picture of how sci-fi radio imagined interplanetary justice and technological intrigue.

wavePod

The Electronic Burglar by Space Patrol