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

vessel itself, caused the air molecules to radiate or become ionized. The result was the creation
of a fireball almost 10 kilometres big whose sight Capt. Welinski would never forget as long as
he lived.
The missiles of the fighter planes were detonated at the periphery of the defence shield and
didnтАЩt even cause as much as the slightest ripple inside the sphere. But the pilots followed the
path of their projectiles and killed themselves with their own weapons.
The Stardust maintained unerringly its course on Karaganda and Rhodan was prepared to use
the occasion to deploy a psychological weapon for the first time.

****

The high officers of the Airforce Base Karaganda-East had received the news of the total loss
of the 23rd Fighter Squadron with terror stricken faces. What kind of an opponent were they up
against?
The Stardust diminished its speed as it passed over the city. It raised a storm which was mild
compared to those raging earlier on its way. The gusts reached a magnitude of 11 but did no
damage to the city nor the base.
It was more peculiar that the mighty ship came to a halt east of the city and began to ascend
vertically after a few seconds. At the altitude of 40 kilometres it stopped again and remained
suspended, eclipsing the sun to the horror of KaragandaтАЩs citizens as well as the vexation of the
officers at Karaganda-East.
тАЬBombardment,тАЭ one of them suggested. тАЬHit it with all our defence rockets at once!тАЭ
The idea was rejected out of hand. In order for defence rockets to be effective they had to be
equipped with nuclear warheads and to fire a salvo of at least 100 such missiles only 40
kilometres above the city seemed to be much too reckless to the commander of the base.
However Brig. Gen Chandikarh consented to shoot a single rocket at the Stardust. He
instructed the technical staff to observe the effect of the explosion. тАЬPerhaps we can arrive at
some useful conclusion as to the best way how to tackle the monstrous warship,тАЭ he said with
circumspection.
The proposal was regarded as the most reasonable response and the launching of the rocket
was prepared like a difficult experiment. The shot was planned to go off at 15:30 to give the
technical staff enough time to set up its instruments.
тАЬCheck the height of the explosion and take pictures of it. Measure the light intensity and the
radioactive fallout,тАЭ Chandikarh ordered. тАЬThen let me have your evaluation.тАЭ
15:00 hours. Chandikarh and his officers sat in the mess hall and waited for the minutes to
pass, drumming the table with their fingers. Although the Stardust had not moved from its spot
in the meantime, Chandikarh was afraid that the vessel would resume its flight before he had a
chance to go through with his experiment.

****

At 15:03 Perry Rhodan issued his instructions to activate the big psycho-beamer whose vast
cone put the city of Karaganda and the base Karaganda-East under his hypnotic influence.

****

At 15:03 Brig. Gen. Chandikarh began to doubt that his experiment made sense and he
suddenly called off the attempt.
At 15:04 the officers of the technical staff shook their heads because they were unable to
understand ChandikarhтАЩs indecision but at the same time they felt a certain relief that they were