" Perry Rhodan 0049 - (41) The Earth Dies" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

imminent attack. Topthor lifted a communication lever on his command console.
"Hey, Regol! Are you asleep on your post?"

The answer did not sound in the least sleepy. "The communications central is on open reception standby,
Topthor. We have not been able to make contact yet with Talamon."

"DonтАЩt we have any secret frequency?"

"No answer on the special frequencies, either. Talamon simply is not acknowledging our signals."

Topthor hit another control lever and interrupted the communication with the radio central. For 2 minutes
he cursed to himself before he reconnected the intercom.

"Send Gatzek up here at once!"

Gatzek was the second officer of theTOP 2 and a close confidant of Topthor. The 2 Mounders had
experienced many a campaign and fought many battles together for solid cash paid for by wealthy
Galactic Traders. However, this time the action did not concern itself with money or profits; this time, the
action was necessary in order to eliminate an enemy who had become too powerful.

Why didnтАЩt Talamon answer?

Gatzek was comparatively lean and only weighed about a thousand pounds. "WhatтАЩs happening, Top?
Attack?"

"Not yet," growled Topthor peevishly. "Cekztel is taking too much time. In the meantime weтАЩre detecting
a large number of hypertransits in the direction of Terra. IтАЩm worried about that. It looks like Rhodan has
been warned."

For a moment or two Gatzek appeared to be frightened but then an incredulous grin spread across his
broad face. "Who could have given him any warning?"

Topthor did not elaborate on the subject. "I have not yet been able to make any contact with Talamon.
Where could our friend be hiding?"

TalamonтАж

He was the only Springer who had established a friendly relationship with Rhodan, because the latter
had once spared his life when 200 Mounder ships had been trapped in an inescapable situation.
Moreover, Talamon had Rhodan alone to thank for the best business deal he had ever put over in his life.

Naturally, no one was aware of the fact but Topthor entertained his own misgivings and had special
reasons for reading strange conclusions into certain facts known to him alone. his last conversation with
Talamon had made him very pensive.

"Is he going to take part in the attack on Terra?" asked Gatzek.

"Who among the Mounders is not going to take part in it, even if he has one ship?" retorted Topthor with
a counter question. "Our attack fleet has grown to more than 800 vessels but Talamon hasnтАЩt shown up
with even a lifeboat. Do you have any reasonable explanation for that?"