JUSTICE FOR ALL

by Peter Stephenson

It's after sundown. Dredd is on patrol in a new, yet already seedy residential sprawl.

The recently devastated 'Sector 13' is already being re-claimed. As the blocks rise in construction the residents are herded back into each successively completed level.

Already re-named 'The New Rad Expanse'. The city, desperate for space, has been forced to build on land still poisoned with the deadly levels of radiation from a recent atomic. . . 'mishap'. Prolonged exposure to which tends to yield all kinds of odious medical conditions.

It seems a clandestine faction of techs had stowed reserve nukes underground on a grid across the whole city soon after the Apocalypse war. The idea being to have the option to selectively remote detonate them should any sector again fall under foreign occupation. Problem one being that the Chief Judge had no knowledge of this. Problem two being that it was brought to her attention after one had 'supposedly' self-detonated.

Hershey wasn't buying it and neither was Dredd. They were in agreement that it was half message, half threat and all declaration of intent from parties that were yet to be revealed. Dredd's mission was to weed out any weak links and get to the main cohorts.

The responsibility of supervising the re-construction and establishing a sector house for the New Rad Expanse was a good enough cover story. Not for the benefit of the tech faction. They'd know why he was there and he wanted them to. Sooner or later someone would get nervous and make a mistake, probably try to take Dredd out. Sticking your neck out was a risky way to get a look at who was gunning for you but desperate times and all that. It was the media. They'd taken to reporting on the cities most senior judges' activities and responsibilities as the Dredd maniacs that had grown in number over the years now constituted a sizable demographic as far as the vids were concerned.

If the real reason for Dredd's presence in New Rad got out there would be citywide panic.

All new residents are issued rad suits for 'extra block' excursions. Many of the minority who actually venture out from their now hermetically sealed block in their lifetimes sell (illegally) the suits and live with the later effects.

The city's resources were spread extremely thin so instead of manufacturing millions of new suits they'd declared a state emergency and confiscated all the citys' war surplus traders stock. Sorting though the war junk they gathered hundreds of thousands of rad suits that trophy hunting citizens had taken from the corpses of Kazans' Sov storm troopers decades ago. They were clumsy and ugly but built to last.

Most of the traders were aghast at having their prized relics taken, especially the ones lucky enough to own one with a genuine, lab certified 'Stub gun' slash. Quite a few were already doing cube time for either excessive protest or withholding offences.

The patrolling judges are rotated to minimise exposure. Whether or not to wear a cumbersome rad suit is left to the individual judges' discretion. All choose not to, concern for their street persona being a factor. Following Dredd's example though is the main impetus.

Dredd himself is philosophical. Every day a hundred dangers present themselves. The vague theories of complications twenty years down the line due to short-term exposure don't even rank as a faint worry. As far as Dredd is concerned, any Judge who expects to be on his feet in twenty years obviously isn't approaching the job with the right gusto.

There comes a time when even Dredd feels the strain of the complications of departmental machinations. A necessary evil for a Judge of Dredd's stature he well knows. Though something made easier by the occasional basking in the purifying glory that is a night of good old-fashioned, head cracking, justice dispensation. Dredd's' version of a night on the town. Nothing clears the head like a night clearing the streets.

Dredd gets his 17th call of the night from control.

CONTROL: "Control to Dredd. Got a 'Spy in the sky' report of an assault and robbery outside the 'New neo 2nd re-construct'."

DREDD: "Roger Control, ETA two minutes."

Every Judge knows the 'New neo'. There's even affection for it due to its dogged refusal to go down and stay down no matter what's thrown at it. It's both a legend and a joke. The giant multi hyper-block (a more than usually massive block whose extensions have caused it to encompass several other blocks) has had its fair share of disasters and it seemed it had been due.

The area and radiation go way back. Prior to it being the epicentre of the 'incident' it had bore the brunt of the apocalypse war and before that the atomic war whose circumstances had brought about the disposing of President Booth and the rise of the Judge system its self. Little was known of earlier times, except that it was a place called 'Three mile island'.

The constructors have taken to tagging signs to the site during work that read: 'They knock it down, we build it up.'

The New Neo though and a few of the other giant hyper-blocks closest to ground zero were, instead of being disintegrated by the shock wave, melted and instantly fused into a one mile high mound of molten glass as the rock-crete liquefied in the white hot, ultra high temperature. The city had then cranked up a snowstorm on weather control to muffle the radiation drifts. As a result the giant mounds were quickly cooled before they could ooze into a lake-sized puddle.

The city's ever tasteful building department decided that instead of removing the mound it would be easier, quicker and cheaper to burrow into it and carve out the new dwelling spaces. In a hurry to re-house the population of almost fifty blocks though, they tended to de-prioritise the small details. One of the more gruesome being the removal of the now petrified residents who were at home during the 'incident'. Many still visible in the semi-transparent walls, floors and ceilings. Some only partial corpses as the burrowing machines sheared off whatever part of their anatomy happened to be occupying space designated to be a hallway, kitchen or bedroom. The city planned to get around to cladding the inner walls of the new residences but cosmetics were low on their 'to do' list.

Dredd speeds along the main drag in almost complete darkness, as the public lighting, freshly installed along the new streets, hasn't yet been linked to a power source. Only his bikes headlight and visors' enhancement program illuminates the way.

As he approaches he notices two things. The usual tell tale signs of a mugging; shadowy figures scuffling in a well-concealed spot. Having not yet seen him, Dredd takes his bike in closer. The other thing; a blind two floors up, parted a little, just enough to afford a view. Then on his appearance the narrow shaft of light disappearing along with the voyeur.

Dredd sprays the scrum with grit and dust as he slides the Lawmaster to a sideways halt about twenty feet in front of them; the handlebars turned to the extreme right so the bike headlights light up (and blind) the melee.

He's already off the bike and on one knee behind it, his lawgiver out and trained on them before they even get to turning on him.

As they turn in anger at the grit hosing and disturbance to their work Dredd gets his first clear look at the group. Five muggers, all looking identical as they are kited out from head to toe in rad suits. Only the difference in size distinguishing them. In their midst, sans rad suit, is their victim, now frozen, like the wall encased corpses, in his semi crouching, cowering position.

For a moment the assailants too are frozen in Dredd's headlight as it takes a beat to register. Then as their eyes adjust to the new light source a lone figure is revealed and stupidly with Dredd's gun already trained on them and without speaking four of them draw on him. The fifth chickens out. Dredd drops all four with a single rapid shot to each. His aim faultlessly skipping over the Chicken and the Victim. Perp, Perp, Victim, Perp, Chicken, Perp.

The Victim remains frozen as the four corpses slump to the ground around him, only now looking even more shell-shocked.

The Chicken now past his initial hesitation twitches from delayed instinct as if to draw.

DREDD: "A cube or a box. Your choice Creep."

Of course it would be Resyk but old adages die hard.

The Chicken re-affirms what he is and carefully raises his hands.

The Victim now begins to thaw and a close up reveals the battering he's had. Drunk now with relief and rage he explodes at the Chicken, launching a barrage of punches and kicks.

It looks comical to see a weed assaulting a guy much larger than himself, his blows further cushioned by the Chickens rad suit. He has some impact though and by the time Dredd manages to stride over to them the Chicken is doubled over and has a crack in the faceplate of his suit. A little hiss of clean air vents from the fissure in the glass.

Dredd drags the Victim off the Chicken and then calling up a post cuffs the Chicken to it.

CHICKEN: "I wasn't gonna draw on no Judge man, I, I did a year at the academy. C'mon Dredd, Gimme a break."

DREDD: "You're alive aren't you? Control, got one on the south side of 'New Neo' doin twenty for assault & robbery. Another three for considering resistance."

CHICKEN: "Aw c'mon. He was askin f'rit walkin round showin off them kneepads like he owned the block."

DREDD: "You wanna continue this?"

The Chicken buttons it and Dredd, still holding the Victim a foot off the ground by the scruff of the neck, turns on him.

DREDD: "Where's your suit?"

VICTIM: "ah. . . his kind took it."

DREDD: "And I suppose they gave you the Puggs as consolation?"

Dredd and the Victim both look down at his incriminatingly expensive kneepads from the exclusive Pugg Ugly line.

The Chicken cracks up at Dredd's sarcasm.

DREDD: "Last warning creep."

The Chicken buttons it again.

Dredd dispenses with the dialogue and steams on into sentencing.

DREDD: "Theft and sale of City property: 8 years, Incitement: 4 years, Damage to city property: 6 years, assault & exposing a citizen to radiation: 10 years. . ."

The Chicken can't contain himself and cuts in.

CHICKEN: "WHOA!, see. I told you he deserved it!"

DREDD: "and you're doin another 2 for lip creep, that's 25. Wanna keep at it?"

VICTIM: "Wha?. . . that's. . er, th. . that's 28 years. That's 3 more than him. Hold on 'I'M' the victim here!"

DREDD: with a sadistic smile. "You got that right."

Dredd laves them posted and strides off as he calls in the Victims sentence and the Chickens update.

DREDD: ". . . you get any calls on this one Control?"

CONTROL: "Negative Dredd, snooped it with electronics. When you're done get over to Oppenhiemer Conappts, Appt 30403. Got a homicide."

DREDD: "Roger".

Dredd leaves his bike and strides over to the entrance of 'New Neo'. He punches through the air lock and sprints up the stairs, disregarding the elevator as habit.

The 3rd floor hallway to the block is a curious mix of unfinished refurbishing and vandalised dereliction. Mega City 1's bored masses waste no time in making the new block 'homely'. The odd face staring, in petrified horror at their coming death through the murky surfaces.

The apartment doors go by as Dredd gauges his position with his estimation of that of the peepers'. He passes a juve sprawled on the floor who spasms into a 'just hanging' pose upon seeing him. Dredd ignores the juve and breezes purposefully by. The juve can't believe his luck and cockily resumes his 'using' activities after Dredd passes him.

Dredd stops at 395 and pounds his fist on the door.

DREDD: "You got ten seconds to open up, then it's obstruction".

Dredd is in fine book throwing form tonight.

The door to 395 gingerly eeks open a crack only to be forced the rest of the way by Dredd as he invites himself in.

Dredd towers over a woman with a child hiding behind her.

DREDD: "Name." Said so procedurally it sounds like a statement rather than a question.

WOMAN: "Mmm, M, Mary Jane Ha, Haskil SSSir."

DREDD: "And the Juve?"

MARY JANE: "This is. . . Joey sir."

Dredd eyes the apartment and Mary Jane catches on.

MARY JANE: "Norm was at home when the 'Incid. . .' when it happened. Me and Joey were Visiting in Sector 29. We, we heard it even from there. Now there's just M,Me and Joey."

Dredd grunts his indifference at the hard luck story.

Little Joey is terrified and awe struck at the same time. He holds a 'Judge' play figure in his left hand. The tiny badge on it reads 'DREDD'. His idol now towering before him, so much bigger and obviously more powerful than even his Mom has struck him dumb.

Dredd notices the Judge figure.

This God like being, who until now he's only been able to worship at the altar of his vid screen, is actually standing before him.

Then, it all goes terribly wrong.

DREDD: "What's wrong with your com Citizen?"

MARY JANE: Slow on the up take. "nothing Judge, we keep a g g good home here."

DREDD: "It's a crime not to report a crime Citizen. You're doin 3 months."

The woman obviously shell shocked from recent events is now floored at the notion of going to the cubes and being torn from little Joey.

MARY JANE: "I, I, I, no, I, I, I."

DREDD: Dredd is unmoved. "In light of you being alone with the juve I'm giving you twenty four hours to get him to a family member or make arrangements with welfare. One minute over and you're doin more time."

JOEY: "Maaaaaaam!"

DREDD: "Kid's a little old but he shows an appreciation for the law. You might want to consider the academy for him. If so, they'll take him when you report to the sector house."

Dredd exits the apartment as abruptly as he entered. No point hanging around and giving things time to get to you. The truly guilty he can spend a little time with. Take extra care to crush their law breaking spirit. Now and then though a citizen will break the law innocently. Those are the hardest to judge but even the innocent have to pay for their crimes.

Sometimes he thinks that's uncomfortably close to the way Death thinks, but he knows where the line is.

He hopes she gives the academy a chance for little Joey. If she does though, better for him to experience first hand the harshness of the law if he's ever going to dispense it.

The youth is still sprawled as Dredd approaches again. This time He's convinced of Dredd's disinterest so stays casual.

Without even stopping or investigating Dredd stoops and grabs the youth by the hair, marching on with him. Before he's exited the block he's shaken a pouch of chewing tobacco from him.

As he punches out of the air lock the two on the post are already being picked up. Dredd moves over to them and tosses the youth into the back of the wagon.

DREDD: "Doin a year for tobacco offences."

The two on pick up duty are laughing as they acknowledge Dredd's sentencing. They've been trailing him all night picking up the lawbreakers who have been unfortunate enough to cross his path.

FRIAR: "You keep this up an there will be no one left to judge, cept yourself."

DREDD: "Wrong. You're both doin a months re-training for uniform irregularities."

Costillo looks at Friars uniform and notices the slight scruffiness here and there and the casual fit, on his own too.

COSTILLO: "Sheeesh."

DREDD: "Finish your shift then report in."

Dredd leaves them gawping and moves over to his Lawmaster.

The Chicken, cuffed in the back of the wagon, is hysterical.

DREDD: Walking away with his back still to them. "And that's another year for you."

The Chicken is past caring and continues laughing uncontrollably.

CHICKEN: "Oohh, go ahead, that was worth it."

Friar and Costillo pile into the back to shut the Chicken up.

As Dredd mounts the bike he looks impassive behind the helmet visor. In fact he's taking a moment to scan the Haskils window in his mirror. As he expected He sees little Joey, his face pressed against the glass of what must be his room.

Joey, named after Dredd himself by his law and order nut Father, is crushed. His bedroom is plastered wall to wall with Dredd memorabilia. From news vid print outs to official Justice Department propaganda/paraphernalia. His room is a shrine to the Justice Department and in particular Judge Dredd. Little Joey had inherited his father's fervour for the law, and then some.

As Dredd mounts up and after a moment or two rides off, Joey's head lowers and he lets the Judge figure fall to the floor. Something, something that's been keeping him warm for a long time and especially since the 'incident' took his Father, drains from him and he starts to become very, very hard inside.

In an oblivious instant and with repercussions that will eventually see tens of millions dead, Mega City 1's greatest lawman has created the next generation's worst criminal.

For his part Dredd is at peace with the judgement. The true price of law and order isn't the hardened criminal doing 20 for robbery. It's every citizen, from the devil to the saint being subjected without prejudice to the same standard of judgement. Sometimes the judgements give him a high, sometimes he feels a coldness in the pit of his stomach. They're all part of the same process. The one fuels the other. Not being partial in any case is what makes for fairness. And as much as even Dredd may feel for some of the citizens he knows he can never be self-indulgent. That's the beginnings of many an old timers decline as a judge.

Dredd doesn't serve the citizens, he serves the law. And it's the law that serves the citizens.

To be continued . . . .