" Perry Rhodan - Atlan 01 - Spider Desert" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

тАЬI have it!тАЭ I cried out suddenly. тАЬThe word Zagooth is a composite made up from the names of the
desert dwellersтАФZagors, and Ooths. But why were the labyrinths named after them? After all, they were
built by the original inhabitants.тАЭ

тАЬBut the Zagors and the Ooths live here?тАЭ declared Fratulon. He indicated the tunnel that led off to
the right. тАЬIf weтАЩre lucky, maybe the labyrinths here are not choked up for considerable distances, and
we may be able to cover a good stretch of the way toward the Marauthanian ruins. Using the compass
we can get our bearings and wonтАЩt have to be afraid of getting lost. Atlan, would you go back to the
rover and fetch some of our gear? We only need the essentialsтАФwater and food for a day, the compass,
and my first-aid kit.тАЭ

I clambered back over the sand heap and hurried through the first cavern to the cave-in. The storm
had blown in more sand, but the rover had not settled any deeper. I drew myself up on the caterpillar
treads and ducked my head down against the storm, finally reaching the cockpit hatch and climbing
inside.

It only required a few moments to gather the equipment and supplies together that we would need,
and it didnтАЩt take much longer to stow them in a back pack and strap the whole thing over my shoulders.
I was about to retrace my steps when I chanced to see another flashlight. I picked it up and took it along
since it couldnтАЩt hurt to have two of the hand lights with us.
 When I climbed out of the cupola it seemed to me that the storm was blowing harder. The sand
whipped at me savagely, forcing me to close my eyes and hold my breath, I only dared to take a good
breath of air after I had gotten down into the cave again. I quickly covered the short distance to the
narrow side passage, but after taking a few steps inside I came to a halt.

Ahead of me everything lay in darkness. Why didnтАЩt Fratulon have the other flashlight turned on?
Cautiously, I groped my way forward to the opening at the end of the tunnel. Then I listened. I had an
impression of some furtive rustling or scraping sound, as though something were coming nearer.

I suddenly turned on my hand light. In its beam I perceived two Ooths who were creeping forward
and had just reached the slope of sand before me. When the light fell upon them they jerked back and
protectively raised boney hands in front of their faces.

Ooths were mutated Arkonides. They were reputed to be descendants of treasure hunters, whose
physiology had been altered by radiations from the silver web. They looked like the mummified cadavers
that had come in contact with the strands. Their faces were distorted masks that were devoid of nose,
eyes and ears. The teeth in their wide, lipless mouths were powerful enough to sever a manтАЩs arm with a
single bite.

They only came to the surface during the night because light had the effect of blinding them and
causing their bodily substance to decompose. Darkness was their element. They were night creatures
who guided themselves by ultra-sound.

When I perceived the nature of my opponents, all I had to do was aim the beam of my flashlight at
them in order to put them to flight. They cried out as the full intensity of the rays struck them and
retreated in horrified panic into the lefthand side passage. I waited until the sound of their running feet had
faded away, after which I negotiated the pile of debris and came down into the larger cavern.

There was no trace of Fratulon and Ice Claw.