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

sat leaning against the wall of their boat for some time fighting the fatigue that threatened to close their
eyes.

If it hadnтАЩt been for the ambitious aspirations of the Eastern BlocтАЩs government, Rhodan wouldnтАЩt have
been exposed to such a precarious situation as that in which he now found himself. That government was
overthrown a year ago after it had taken advantage of RhodanтАЩs absence to launch two great spacefleets
destined for Venus for the purpose of wresting the base of the New Power from them. Without their
brazen interference, Rhodan thought, heтАЩd probably be somewhere else, safe and sound.

Rhodan would have kept philosophizing to himself but Okura suddenly jumped up in the bow of the boat
with an astonished cry.

Rhodan saw that he stared into the sky. He followed with his eyes but was unable to detect anything.
"WhatтАЩs the matter, Son?" he called. "What do you see?"

As Rhodan went close to him, he could see that OkuraтАЩs eyes were wide open in anguish. He breathed
heavily and before he could answer, Rhodan heard the swishing noise that came from above and filled
him for a second with the same fright as the Japanese.

"A flying reptile!" Okura gasped. "About north east but flying straight toward us."

"How high?"

"Approximately 300 feet."

"Big?"

The Japanese wrinkled his brow. "A wingspan of 100 feet, IтАЩd say."

They waited. The droning that brought the tension of their nerves nearly to the breaking point came
closer and grew louder.

"ItтАЩll soon be on top of us," the Japanese murmured. And then: "ItтАЩs turning now and circling above us!"

RhodanтАЩs shoulders drooped. "Son, you stay at the bow. Marshall, take the centre. IтАЩll go to the motor.
From now on weтАЩll have to remain still. Son will tell us when the beast swerves down. If it does, we must
fire at it. Take careful aim so we wonтАЩt have to shoot more than once. The thermo-beams will be visible
for several hundred miles. I donтАЩt have to explain to you what will happen if RaskujanтАЩs observers notice
our shots."

Several minutes passed. The motor hummed monotonously and the sluggish water splashed softly.

A shrill scream from Okura broke the ominous quiet:

"Here it comes!"



***
 Colonel RaskujanтАЩs relief armada landed at the same place as General Tomisenkow had touched down