" Perry Rhodan 0012 - (06) The Secret of The Time Vault" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

mutant corps, was preparing for a reconnaissance flight. Haggard, the famous
hematologist from Australia, assisted him in his preparations. 'I miss Bell,'
said John wistfully. 'I'm really looking forward to seeing his silly grin
again.' 'What loneliness won't do to some people,' kidded Doctor Haggard.
'Wherever Reg shows his face, you can bet that Perry, Khrest and Thora won't
be long in putting in an appearance. That's what's probably at the root of
your nostalgic feelings.' 'Yes, especially Thora,' admitted John, and
adjusted the transmitter in his helmet. 'What a woman!' 'She's colder than
all the ice of Iridul!' Doctor Haggard pretended to shiver with cold. He
grinned. 'If you should as much as entertain the thought in your wildest
dreams тАж' 'Don't worry, Doc. I wouldn't poach on Rhodan's territory.' The
physician watched silently as Marshall climbed into the cockpit of the plane
and closed the hatch behind him. Haggard stepped over to the switch-panel next
to the hyperwave sender and depressed a lever. At the same time he activated
the regular wireless set to keep in touch with the pilot. 'All set?' asked
John. 'You can start. Good luck!' 'Thanks.' The fighter took off suddenly
on anti-grav skids, gliding along the brightly lit tunnel. The airlock gates
closed behind it. Pumps began to hum. Then the door to the outside world
opened up ahead. John moved the joystick, and the tiny machine, its cabin just
large enough to accommodate one person comfortably, shot out into the dim
sunlight. Vega was much too far away to cause the glittering ice crystals of
this small satellite to sparkle properly. The wide snowy expanses reflected
the light coming from Vega and other stars, but only because of the total lack
of any atmosphere on Iridul. The shadows stood out starkly and formed an
uncompromising barrier between darkness and light. John climbed slowly,
hardly accelerating. He rose leisurely up into the star-studded sky, enjoying
the view. His eyes searched for a certain constellation he knew from back on
planet Earth. He located it almost immediately. The contours had shifted
somewhat, and an entirely new star stood almost at the center of the familiar
picture. The star shone yellow and not too bright: the stun, Sol, twenty-seven
light-years away. John had just turned four when the light he was seeing this
very moment had started on its long journey through space. In the meantime,
John had overtaken the sun's rays. And now they met up again. I've seen the
same light now for the third time, thought John. Extraordinary! Unique! Is it
at all possible to see the same light more than once? He couldn't pursue
these philosophical speculations further, that never led to a tangible result
anyhow, for something aroused his attention. At first he wasn't even aware
what it had been, but then his brain began to work: no star could move as fast
as that. No planet either. And there are no glowing meteors moving through
empty space. A spaceship? He turned his fighter plane around and
accelerated. He wasn't afraid of being attacked: He knew he could pick up
speed much quicker than any enemy ship. Long before they could get ready to
charge, he would have fled to safety. John couldn't exclude the possibility
that the invaders might have recovered in the meantime from their terrible
defeat. He was sure the loss of the gigantic spherical cruiser had been rough
on them - but they still had left a battleworthy fleet of faster-than-light
spaceships. Another flash of light! John switched on the search-robot, which
at once activated its reflecting rays. Seconds later the fighter's nose moved
slightly to one side and pointed directly at the slowly approaching
star. Here it was! A Topidian ship! The magnification magically produced a