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The Snatch was
Alan Hebden's first of two short stories, weighing in at only
three pages. It's not a classic by any stretch of the
imagination, and appeared as an extra strip in issue 17.
A
starship hovering above the earth observes life on the
planet's roads, and descends towards North America for closer
investigation. During the descent they knock a 747 from the
sky, but appear to be unconcerned about the "robotic
vehicle".
The
ship is witnessed by several motorists on a freeway; the
distraction causes a multi-vehicle pile-up. The unseen aliens
are concerned that the life-forms below are hurting themselves
in their eagerness to meet the aliens. They decide to snatch a
life-form from a remote area to question it. As they head
away, they are attacked by a squadron of fighter jets which
they consider to be "tiresome".
On
a quiet back road the aliens spot a lone police car and,
deeming it to be suitably remote, pick it up in a tractor
beam. The officers inside stare in disbelief. They are inside
a giant cargo bay when voices ring out to commence cleaning.
The officers have there guns at the ready as giant mechanical
grabs descend towards them. Moments later they are ejected
into space through a disposal chute. A mechanical voice rings
out that the cleaning process ahs finished and the waste has
been ejected. Inside the car, the police radio channel remains
open as the control room attempt to contact the dead officers.
The
final panel cuts away to the bridge of the starship, and its
crew of sentient cars. The controller leaves the bridge,
saying he will return when their new subject stops babbling.
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