" Perry Rhodan 0080 - (72) Caves of the Druufs" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

would increase 40-fold, then reduce to 1/40th within fractions of a second. They did not know how long
they could endure this but they were ready to try.

Of course the man at the lever would have to be rotated in quick succession. He was the one doing most
of the work and would be exhausted after two, or at most three, changes of the lever position.

Perry Rhodan was the first to take up that post. He squatted on the floor, leaning his back against the
wall to enable him to reach the little lever without getting up each time. Reginald Bell erected a barricade
of chairs in front of RhodanтАЩs feet so that the sudden change of weight would not pull him down the wall
and also to provide a steady foothold. After all preparations were completed, Bell himself and the two
others stretched out flat on the floor. Sudden gravity pressure was most easily borne in this position.

Perry Rhodan stretched his hand out to the side and saw that he was easily able to reach the lever. For
an entire minute he gazed intently at the little grey piece of metal. Then he exhaled, to have clear lungs
when the shock came, and placed his finger on the lever. Reginald Bell, Atlan and Fellmer Lloyd watched
him attentively. He nodded to them and they put their heads on the ground.

Then he pressed down.

It was worse than they had anticipated. He had not meant to let the shock reach maximum force. His
intent was to yank the lever right back up but he didnтАЩt manage. The traction of the 12-fold weight
caused his hand to slide away from the lever and sent his arm pounding against the wall. It cost Perry
Rhodan all the power of his muscles and his will to lift it again, place his finger under the lever and push it
up once more. With a jerk the murderous load disappeared but the shift from 12-fold to less than1 /3rd
normal weight occurred so suddenly that Perry Rhodan felt nauseous.

The manoeuvre had lasted 20 seconds rather than ┬╜ second as originally planned.

Perry Rhodan took time to catch his breath. He pumped his lungs full, then blew the air out again.
Reginald Bell had raised his head and was looking over at him. Perry Rhodan nodded and forced himself
to smile.

Then he grasped the lever for the second time.




2/ HADES: HISTORY IN THE WINGS?



Sgt. Peter Rayleigh was almost convinced that he was sitting at his post in vain. Nothing had happened
on Hades in the past 100 hours and Peter Rayleigh was willing to bet that the coming 100 would be
equally uneventful.

There was no one there, however, to take up his bet. Peter Rayleigh was posted in a small branch of the
gigantic cavern that the ray cannons of theCalifornia had etched into the rocky mountain wall three
months earlier to house the entire baseтАФpeople, equipment and all. Peter Rayleigh was supervising a
series of sensitive measuring instruments whose indicator scales were mounted on a plastic panel in front
of him.