" Perry Rhodan 0011 - (5b) Mutants in Action" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

Rhodan spoke into the microphone. "Shaft hatch opening!"

With a rapid movement the great hatch covering the flight entrance shaft of the fortress swung to one
side. On the panel, a control light and a buzzer indicated that it had stopped at the chocks.
"Shaft free," said Rhodan. "Ships away! And make it good, boys!"

With singing drivers the two fighter ships shot upward and disappeared into the great shaft. A fraction of
a second later the sound of their propulsion drives was blotted out. The fighters had left the base.

Bell took it upon himself to close the shaft cover again.

Klein and Deringhouse took a direct course for Ferrol. The distance was favourable, since Rofus and
Ferrol were coming into close opposition. The plan was simpleтАФinformation concerning important units
of the Topidian fleet movements, photo reconnaissance, and harassment of Topidian troop movements
with short-range weapons.

Klein and Deringhouse had not hesitated a second to agree to this plan. In view of their enthusiasm,
Khrest and Thora had desisted from offering further counsel.

The fighters needed only a few minutes to get out of the gravitational pull of Rofus. Deringhouse
observed his detector screen. "Nary a blip or a trace," he announced with a grin, speaking into the
short-range telecom mike.

Klein grimly confirmed the information.

They used full power acceleration, which meant that with no untoward event they would be able to
cover the distance from Rofus to Ferrol in a little more than one hour. As soon as they achieved light
speed, causing space around them to be darkened down to just a fringe of multicoloured light that circled
them like a giant wheel, they were out of any serious danger. Close formation flying for spaceships was
possible only at slower velocities. Beyond three-quarters of the speed of light, each ship was on its own
in space.

The hour passed uneventfully. Ferrol emerged from the darkness as the fighters reduced their velocity.
Simultaneously, the detector screens showed the blip of a Topidian ship that was leaning into their course
from the port side. Deringhouse switched his receiver on and heard harsh, croaking commands. He
smiled grimly and looked across at KleinтАЩs fighter.

"You want to put the first burr under their saddle!"

"IтАЩll buy that!"

"Maintain course! TheyтАЩll run directly across us."

With a mechanical movement of his hand, Deringhouse activated the disintegrator to fire readiness. The
lizard croakings faded in his receiver and the creeping blip on his screen indicated that the alien ship was
suddenly in a hurry to inspect these two bogeys at close range, Finally the ship itself showed up on the
visiscreen, looking, like all Topidian vessels, as if it were a flying pregnant sausage.

"Sixty thousand," announced Klein.