" Perry Rhodan 0048 - (40) The Red Eye of Betelguese" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

тАЬHe just got back today,тАЭ said Kowalski and Harper knew who he meant. They
had both seen the mighty spherical spaceship land, such a ship as the Earth had
never before beheld. The giant vessel had an approximate diameter of one mile.
The name Titan stood out on its hull of Arkonide steel. тАЬIтАЩm anxious to hear the
news heтАЩs going to give us.тАЭ
He referred to Perry Rhodan, the man who had united the Earth and brought it
to the status of a great galactic power. Perhaps he was the only living human who
had no enemies, at least not on the Earth or among humankind. Beyond, in the far
reaches of interstellar space, howeverтАж
тАЬWeтАЩll soon find out,тАЭ Harper rejoined, as he lounged in his chair. тАЬAt least one
thing hasnтАЩt changed: the delays for station identification are still a part of
television!тАФAh! Now it begins!тАЭ
The glittering Milky Way faded from the screen to be replaced by the face of a
man who was known to everyone. This was Col. Albrecht Klein, RhodanтАЩs
second-in-command. During the absence of the Administrator he acted in the
interest of the New Power and conducted the affairs of the World Government,
energetically supported by Allan D. Mercant.
тАЬFriends! Terranians!тАЭ Col. Klein made an effective pause and looked into the
camera with a friendly smileтАФthereby looking into the eyes of more than 2 billion
humans. тАЬPerry Rhodan has returned from his expedition into outer space and will
briefly inform you concerning the more important events that were involved. A
fuller report will be forthcoming in the next few days. And so I ask your
indulgence if the Administrator is brief. I now turn you over to Perry Rhodan.тАЭ
Col. Klein smiled and moved to one side, disappearing momentarily from the TV
screenтАЩs field of vision.
тАЬWell, so far, that was fairly short and painless,тАЭ observed Harper, looking on
with interest as the receding camera picked up Klein again and then revealed the
assembly hall in which the delegates of the World Government Council were
seated around a horseshoe-shaped table. тАЬThereтАФthatтАЩs him!тАЭ
Kowalski nodded. He had known Rhodan for a long time. The smartly tailored
uniform of the spacefleet accentuated his lean figure as he arose with a slight
smile and walked to the speakerтАЩs podium. He shook hands with Col. Klein, then
stood before the camera, which brought his image to all parts of the world, even
into smallest villages of the farthest continents. Simultaneously, his words were
translated by interpreters into the language of each country in which the sound and
image were being received. By this means, each person could understand his
words, even though he spoke in English.
тАЬTerranians!тАЭ Although he continued to smile, RhodanтАЩs voice sounded slightly
strained. In his grey eyes gleamed the timelessness of infinite space, which had
become his second home. However, this quality did not radiate from him as
before, but seemed rather to be suppressed by an overriding expression of anxiety.
тАЬDuring the past 6 months, very much has come to pass, both here on Earth and in
the far reaches of space. You will all recall that we launched an expedition in
search of the Arkonide Empire, which exists at a distance of 34,000 light-years in
the star cluster M-13. Well, we found Arkon, the chief stellar system, but we
experienced a sharp disappointment: 6 years prior to our arrival, the Arkonides
had been superseded by an inconceivably tremendous positronic brain, which now
rules a stellar empire larger than anything that has ever existed in the known part
of the galaxy.тАЭ Rhodan made a slight pause to let the effect of his words sink in.
The camera swung away from him slightly and revealed a close-up of the two