" Perry Rhodan 0021 - (2c) Menace of Atomigeddon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

again under their own power, having already exhausted their sources of thrust. They would be
doomed to wait together with TomisenkowтАЩs 500 ships until the next transport with a cargo
replenishing their propulsive force arrived.
Pjotkin tried to figure out whether a fleet of 1000 ships would be enough to refurbish the
fuel-mass of the 700 spaceships stranded on Venus, and if so, wouldnтАЩt the result be that 1000
ships would be stuck in the jungles of Venus instead of a mere 700?
60% of PjotkinтАЩs crew were women and he wondered what the planners had in mind when
they assembled his fleet with this ratio. The women were specialists such as physicians,
technicians and biologists. Did they intend to set up a permanent base on Venus, a base that was
independent of Terra in every respect, even biologically?
Had Pjotkin known that his mission was a matter of life or death for Tomisenkow and his
expedition, he would undoubtedly have taken his task much more seriously. There was no radio
communication between Venus and Earth due to the prevailing constellation as the sun stood
between the two planets. Nobody on Earth knew that TomisenkowтАЩs forces had already been
pulverized by Perry Rhodan, the Chief of the New Power and Commander of the super
spaceship Stardust, and that they were bereft of virtually all technical means of resistance.

****

At this time the Stardust was on its way flying back to Earth. The machinery of the powerful
spherical ship was revved up to high speeds and accelerated the Stardust in the span of a few
minutes within the range of relativity forces. The potent protective screen and impact fields
surrounding the vessel helped to disintegrate all matter in space from cosmic dust to asteroid
debris before they could endanger their safety.
Rhodan didnтАЩt particularly relish flying in this manner. Detection by microwave rangefinders
over short distances became unfeasible at such speeds and the structure disturbance sensors
which operated on hyper-gravitational principles had a lower limit of effectiveness at
approximately one astronomic unit or about 150 million kilometres. Not that the structure
sensors failed to function within such a radius but there was no advantage in using them under
these circumstances because the microwave detectors furnished results almost as quickly and
with more accuracy.
Consequently the Stardust was virtually travelling blind although nothing could happen to the
ship itself because its protective screen guarded it with unfailing dependability. But woe to
those who happened to cross its path!

****

An ugly green blip emerged on the radar screen of the Kossygin. It had just appeared at the
edge of the screen but before the radar officer reacted to it initially it had already traversed one
quarter of the screen.
With a response practiced in his training a thousand times before, the officer slammed his
hand down on the red alarm button of his console. Sirens shrilled through the intercom and the
alarm was spread to the other 200 ships.
PjotkinтАЩs voice blared from the loudspeaker.
тАЬRadar! WhatтАЩs going on?тАЭ
тАЬUnidentified object approaching our fleet. VelocityтАж oooh!тАж almost speed of light!тАЭ
The rangefinder technician could hear Pjotkin gasp. тАЬWhich units of our fleet are threatened?
Talk fast, man!тАЭ
тАЬThe centre, sir!тАЭ
PjotkinтАЩs voice sounded weaker as he turned to another mike. The radar officer heard him