Enter the Nebula

In Short

Jimmy Starr leads a secret double life as the Nebula, a legendary gentleman cracksman who steals from the wealthy elite to aid the oppressed on Mars. Framed for a brutal murder he did not commit, Jimmy is blackmailed by a mysterious woman named Andromeda into executing a series of dangerous vault thefts. Guided by her voice and joined by a persistent reporter and Andromeda herself, Jimmy uncovers a sinister plot involving parasitic figurines and a deadly canal-building conspiracy rooted in ancient Martian history.

The Story

Phil Hanley, a cynical reporter for the Martian Globe, receives a seemingly impossible assignment from his managing editor: secure a personal interview with the Nebula, the Galaxy's most elusive and celebrated gentleman thief. Intrigued by the challenge, Hanley begins investigating the criminal's identity. Meanwhile, Jimmy Starr—who is secretly the Nebula—wakes to horrifying news. A museum has been robbed, an aged watchman murdered, and a signature blue Orion card left behind. Jimmy knows he is innocent, realizing someone is cynically exploiting his dual identity.

Suddenly, Jimmy's visiphone rings. A sweet feminine voice identifies herself as Andromeda, proving she knows his secret. Threatening to expose him unless he obeys, she orders him to break into the Crater City Trust Company and empty an empty file. Despite the danger and the heavy police presence closing in, Jimmy completes the heist, realizing the trap is tightening. Soon, Andromeda contacts him again, revealing a horrifying truth: the thefts are connected to the recovery of his murdered father's stolen cipher and a monstrous plot threatening all life on Mars.

Following Andromeda's instructions, Jimmy breaks into Phobos Enterprises to steal three ancient Thro-Pahl figurines. These artifacts are carved from pxar, a rare material desperately needed to rebuild the crumbling Martian canal locks. However, these figurines are actually living, parasitic creatures that multiply by feeding off human bodies, capable of unleashing a devastating Martian black death that previously wiped out the first dynasty.

Guided by Andromeda's directions down the ancient Canal Grand, Jimmy encounters Hamilton Garth, the ruthless president of Crater City Trust and Phobos Enterprises, who is secretly spearheading the catastrophe to monopolize pxar production for personal enrichment. Garth poses as an ally trailing the Nebula, accompanied by bogus Interplanetary policemen.

With the help of Andromeda—revealed to be Linda Hall—and Phil Hanley, who miraculously survived Garth's previous attempt to kill him, Jimmy tracks the conspirators deep into the subterranean Tombs of the Dur-Par desert. Inside the ancient burial crypts, guarded by bizarre sarkonival creatures, Garth and his henchmen corner Jimmy and his companions at gunpoint.

Refusing to yield, Jimmy leverages a tactical explosive. When Garth panics and hurls the explosive into the vault, it triggers a massive blast that vaporizes Garth's corrupt henchmen and buries the parasitic figurine cache forever. In the aftermath, a lower crypt is uncovered, revealing a massive trove of pure, stable pxar ingots sufficient to complete the canal project safely. With his name cleared, the conspiracy smashed, and the threat averted, Jimmy returns to the surface alongside Linda and a chastened Hanley, ready to embrace a new future.

How It Unfolds

• The assignment begins: Phil Hanley is ordered by his editor to track down the elusive Nebula, sparking a city-wide journalistic investigation. Driven by curiosity, the reporter gathers clues from crime scenes to unmask the legendary gentleman burglar.
• A framed crime: Jimmy Starr discovers he has been framed for a brutal museum murder and the theft of priceless figurines. Shaken by the betrayal, he receives a mysterious visiphone call from a woman named Andromeda who blackmails him into compliance.
• Vault break-ins: Coerced by Andromeda, Jimmy executes daring night-time break-ins at heavily fortified financial institutions across Crater City. He utilizes clever holographic screens and precision drills to bypass advanced security systems while dodging relentless police patrols.
• The hidden conspiracy: Andromeda reveals that the stolen artifacts are actually parasitic Martian figurines made of pxar designed to spread a lethal plague. She explains that Hamilton Garth is orchestrating the plot to profit off the desperate need for canal construction materials.
• Descent into the tombs: Following secret messages, Jimmy travels down the desolate Canal Grand to the subterranean Tombs of the Dur-Par desert. There, he reunites with Linda Hall and a wounded Phil Hanley to locate the ancient burial crypts.
• Final confrontation: Cornered by Hamilton Garth and his fake I.P. guards inside the crypt, Jimmy uses a deceptive explosive to outwit the villain. The resulting blast destroys the parasitic cache, neutralizes the threat, and uncovers a safe reserve of pure pxar.

The People

Jimmy Starr is a wealthy young aristocrat who secretly operates as the Nebula to help the oppressed poor and plague the superior class. Standing in his way are relentless police forces, false murder charges, and Hamilton Garth's deadly conspiracy. By the end, Jimmy clears his name, destroys the plague, and finds genuine partnership.

Linda Hall, operating under the alias Andromeda, is a brilliant and courageous woman whose brother was coerced into the conspiracy. She wants to stop the catastrophic pxar plague and avenge the past. Her main obstacle is the immense danger of the investigation and Garth's tyranny. She succeeds alongside Jimmy, saving Mars from utter ruin.

Phil Hanley is a dogged reporter for the Martian Globe who initially wants a sensational headline and a personal interview with the Nebula. Standing in his way are lethal attacks by Garth and the sheer opacity of the criminal underworld. He survives attempted murder, uncovers the truth, and ultimately helps bring the villains to justice.

Hamilton Garth is the ruthless president of Crater City Trust and Phobos Enterprises who wants massive wealth and a monopoly on canal materials. Standing in his way are Jimmy Starr and the truth of his ancient discoveries. He ends up defeated, his conspiracy ruined, and his henchmen dead.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the legendary status of the story's protagonist, the text highlights his celebrated Robin Hood reputation across the planetary system.

The greatest cracksman in the Galaxy--The Nebula ... mocked by a gay voice that called herself Andromeda, who led him into danger--and into the hands of his enemy!

Reflecting on the unexpected turmoil that shatters his quiet life, Jimmy reacts to the sudden and bitter shift in public perception after being falsely accused of a brutal crime.

Now all that was over. The Nebula was a criminal. He was accused of murder.

Contemplating the terrifying historical threat hidden within the ancient Martian artifacts, the narrative underscores the grave stakes of the unfolding crisis.

Once started, the pxar plot will be a plague, a Martian black death.

What It's Really About

The novel explores the corrupting nature of corporate greed versus social responsibility across a colonized planetary system. It contrasts the luxurious, insulated lives of the ruling elite against the impoverished, toiling conditions of native populations on Mars and Venus. Beneath the sci-fi caper plot lies an anxious inquiry into technological progress, questioning whether rebuilding civilization through industrial expansion justifies catastrophic human costs. Furthermore, it examines the tension between individual rebellion and systemic justice, asking whether a gentleman outlaw can truly redeem a stratified society or if systemic corruption requires a deeper, collective reckoning to overcome ancient, buried evils and historical tragedies.

Why Read It Today

Readers who love classic pulp science fiction filled with retro-futuristic gadgets, daring heists, and high-stakes subterranean exploration will thoroughly enjoy this fast-paced novella. Reading it feels like stepping directly into the golden age of mid-century planetary romance, complete with visiphones, vacuum-tube transport shells, and vast red deserts stretching across an atmospheric alternate Mars. Modern readers should approach the story with an appreciative eye for its vintage pulp roots, readily accepting straightforward plotting, melodramatic dialogue, and period-specific narrative conventions without demanding contemporary psychological realism or complex character arcs. What stays with you long after finishing is the uniquely atmospheric blend of ancient Martian mythology and neon-lit urban noir, capturing a distinct, breathless sense of planetary adventure that defined the classic pulp magazines of its era and cemented its enduring pulp charm.