" Perry Rhodan 0044 - (36) Man and Monster" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

Rhodan had landed on this remote planet in Star Cluster M13 merely to wait safely out of the main
spaceship routes for the arrival of the fighter shipGanymede , whose commander had received the order
to bring a fresh crew of men and shipтАЩs armament and equipment from Earth, 34000 light-years away.
The situation in the Greater Empire, whose rule by Arkonides had recently been taken over by a giant
robot brain, had in itself permitted no further delay in providing the super-giantTitan with adequate
manpower.

So Rhodan had waited until the silent, primitive natives had appeared with their enchanting house pets.
Only later did they discover, after a heavy battle on Honur, that these animals were being bred by
unknown intelligences. The poison produced by them had been chemically converted into one of the most
frightful drugs in the galaxy. This had been the first clue of the existence of intelligences that Khrest had
called Aras. The only thing known about them previously was that this strange people had acquired a still
stranger monopoly: the Aras called themselves the Medical Masters of the Galaxy. Only a few beings
from this race had been found and they revealed no more than their claim to galaxy-wide medical
supremacy.

Once more, Rhodan mentally reviewed the most recent events.

After Col. Freyt had delivered 800 men to theTitan , at least the ship was again flight- and
battle-worthy, although the minimum coverage still wouldnтАЩt account for manning the 40 lifeboats of the
giant spacer. Then, too, even RhodanтАЩs most valuable co-workers had fallen ill. And even the men and
women of the Mutant Corps had not been aware of justhow dangerous the little animals could be.

Only Rhodan, the Arkonide Khrest, the furry creature named Pucky, the mutant Wuriu Sengu and Lt.
Tifflor had escaped the calamity, because at the time of the general poisoning they had been out of the
ship on a patrol flight. For this reason they were the last healthy members left of the original crew.

Other men who were experienced from the Vega Sector campaign, came on board. Although all had
been processed through the Arkonide hypno-schooling, it had been considered necessary to acquaint
them with the equipment and organization of the super-battleship. TheTitan had been and still was the
ultimate development of the EmpireтАЩs spaceship technology.

Suddenly, in the large OfficersтАЩ Mess, a heavy cabinet was torn out of its deck fastenings. The rugged
wardrobe piece reeled up into the air, only to come down shortly afterward in a thundering crash. One
man emitted a resounding yell. He had been wounded in the foot.

"ThatтАЩs the end!" blurted out Prof. Kaerner, deeply disturbed. "In the name of Heaven, sir, if the mutants
bring their strengths to play, the greatest calamity can occur! That was Tama Yokida, the telekineticist. I
saw him concentrating on that! You must give the order!"

RhodanтАЩs face drew tight in anguish. In recent days his tall figure had taken on a slight slump. What the
shipтАЩs scientists had recognized as a necessity twisted the depths of his being.

"Is it absolutely necessary?" he whispered. "Professor, I canтАЩt just subject them allтАФ"

Tina Sarbowna broke in with her rough, deep voice. "You can and you must!" It was a voice that
commanded respect because it belonged to a woman who had achieved her position through hard work
and great knowledge. "I maintain now as before that we are dealing with a poison. Which nerve centres
are the most sensitive to it, we donтАЩt know, or at least not yet. The fact is obvious, however, that they
reject both food and drink. I believe that physical consumption and possible atrophy are beginning. Do