" Perry Rhodan 0089 - (81) Pucky's Grestest Hour" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

Millions of people witnessed on their vidscreens the debate of the Solar
Parliament.
It was far worse than Bell bad feared even in his worst imaginings. Again and
again he turned to John Marshall, who by means of his excellent telepathic
abilities was checking out the representatives.
тАЬUnchanged, sir,тАЭ said the mutant for the tenth time, тАЬbut IтАЩm on the trail of
somethingтАж Please!тАЭ
That meant: donтАЩt bother Marshall. Bell granted his wish immediately and
listened to Perry Rhodan at the speakerтАЩs stand, answering a question from the
floor.
Suddenly there came an interruption from the African delegation. тАЬHow much
longer are we going to finance your private army with tax money? Not even the
Emergency Powers Act gives you the right to add to your collection of freaks and
mental cripplesтАФthe wonderful тАШMutant CorpsтАЩ as you so grandly call it. What do
you say to that, Administrator?тАЭ
For three long seconds one could have heard a pin drop in the gigantic
parliamentary hall of Terrania. That question, put forth by the African
representative Onablunanga, unintentionally drove a number of other
representatives over to the AdministratorтАЩs side at that moment.
Millions of home viewers watched as RhodanтАЩs face froze and his mouth
became a narrow line.
The television cameras showed Reginald Bell getting up, walking over to the
speakerтАЩs stand and whispering to Rhodan. Then Rhodan stepped to one side and
Bell took his place.
тАЬGentlemen of the Upper House!тАЭ cried Bell in a thunderous voice. тАЬLadies &
gentlemen! In place of the Administrator of the Solar Imperium, IтАЩd like to answer
OnablunangaтАЩs question myself and, in the name of the Administrator and his
aides, enter a protest against its wording and its insinuations.тАЭ
тАЬMr. Onablunanga, we find ourselves here in the chambers of Parliament, not at
the Kimberley Iron Mines. Is it necessary that I remind you of this fact?тАЭ
When Allan D. Mercant heard this reference to the Kimberley Iron Mines he sat
up with a jolt. His fabulous memory called up all the facts concerning the scandal,
a scandal whose chief figure could not be prosecuted because as a representative
Onablunanga had immunity.
What had taken place in South Africa could not be euphemistically termed an
тАШaffairтАЩ; even calling it a scandal was putting it mildly. And of all times, Reginald
Bell had chosen this moment to take the bull by the horns.
BellтАЩs voice, amplified by the intercom loudspeakers, was louder than the
commotion within the African delegation. He spoke up enthusiastically for the
men the representative has called freaks and mental cripples. BellтАЩs temper, his
blunt but accurate phrasing, and his detailing all the times the mutants had risked
their lives in defence of the Solar Imperium, caused the Upper House to listen to
his remarks with ever greater interest.
Rhodan, who meanwhile had returned to his seat, admired his friend and his
speech for the defence. Then his microcom sounded. A signal of utmost urgency
rang out.
He waved his arm, then brought his wrist to his ear. The motion had severed a
microelectronic connection and the call sign died away. Now Rhodan listened to
the important news coming in over the microcom on his wrist.