Turnover Point

"Turnover Point" by Alfred Coppel is a science fiction story set in the vastness of space where an old spaceman, Pop Ganlon, faces a devastating loss when his son, a Patrol officer, is murdered by the rogue John Kane. Pop's life takes an unexpected turn when he is hired to transport a passenger off Mars only to discover it is the violent killer, Kane. During their voyage aboard Pop's ship, "The Luck," Kane boasts about his criminal past, revealing that he was the one that killed Pop's son which ignites a deep desire for revenge. This pursuit of vengeance transforms Pop, who was once a quiet soul, into someone willing to confront darkness, ultimately leading to a dramatic confrontation where Kane's arrogance becomes his undoing and Pop finds a sense of closure amidst the cold reality of their isolated existence.