" Perry Rhodan 0024 - (17) The Venus Trap" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

them all together far onto the colourful and shimmering jellyfish.

The reaction was instantaneous. The nuts had, hardly touched the animal when the colours began to fade
away. Within a few seconds the glittering ceased completely. A rumbling noise started as the gigantic
jellyfish began to contract itself around the spot where it had been hit by the nuts in order to pull down its
catch.

The first breakers hit the boat. About 100 feet from the boat, the heretofore peaceful fluorescing carpet
had formed a hemispheric lump of nondescript colour.

The waves threw up foamy crests as the huge mass of jellyfish commenced to submerge. Marshall gaped
with open mouth and wide eyes and lost his hold as the boat began to roll. HeтАЩd have gone overboard if
Rhodan hadnтАЩt grabbed him just in time.

"Watch out!" Rhodan shouted.

Son Okura held his hand on the enclosure.

The jellyfish was still growing. Now shaped like a sphere, the lower part of its gelatinous body was
sinking with ever increasing speed deeper into the water. A few moments before the creatureтАЩs body had
been spread out over a few square miles of the oceanтАЩs surface; now, in a matter of seconds, it
contracted into a compact volume, creating in its proximity heavy storm-sized swells.

Rhodan let Marshall watch the strange display until the boat had taken on so much water that it was a
serious hazard. Only then did he shout to Okura: "Close up and hang on!"

Okura pulled the flexible cover up, seeing the boat against the huge waves threatening to sink it. Marshall
went down flat on the bottom of the boat and held onto the safety straps at the walls. After closing the
cover the Japanese was thrown from his feet by a tremendous breaker and hurtled across Marshall.

For the next 10 minutes the ocean played ball with them. The boat spun around its axis. A severe jolt
strained RhodanтАЩs wound and forced him to release his grip on the safety strap. Son Okura, who was
unable to grab a hold in time, was turned upside down and rolled against the toolbox in the bow with an
audible crash.

After several fruitless attempts Rhodan managed to work his way to the motor and shut it off. The
constantly changing load was hard on the motor and it was useless in the violent disturbance anyhow.

Marshall, for whom the show had been performed, lay in the middle of the boat swearing loudly. He was
still swearing when the sea finally calmed down and Rhodan told the Japanese to open the boat.

Marshall pulled himself up to the rim of the boat. "I didnтАЩt think it could be that bad," he panted.

Rhodan smiled ruefully. "Next time youтАЩll know better. ThereтАЩs nothing more treacherous than a
Venusian jellyfish." He started the motor up again and set his course. He had no idea how far the boat
had been driven off its course by the incident but he didnтАЩt figure that it could have been enough to make
a substantial difference for the landing on the northern continent.

For awhile they were kept busy scooping out the water with which they were inundated by the waves
the monstrous jellyfish had stirred up. Although the work was easy they became quite exhausted. They