" Perry Rhodan 0090 - (82) Atlan in Danger" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

 Perry Rhodan stared at the face of the Arkonide on his screen. The features revealed no trace of panic;
still some unavoidable danger must be preying on the AdmiralтАЩs mind. But why wasnтАЩt he revealing the
nature of that danger?

"Admiral, what are you concealing from us?" Rhodan asked across the reaches of space and time.

He watched as Atlan tensed and then broke into weak laughter. "IтАЩm not concealing anything, Perry, but
right at this moment I have fully understood you for the first time! For the first time I am in the position
you have been in for over 70 years! DonтАЩt get me wrong. I have to get used to the idea that the Great
Empire no longer wants to follow my orders and I now have no more power than you do!

"How old am I? More than 10,000 years? Only the number is correct, because I am still younger than
you, barbarian. You are way ahead of me in experience with situations like this!

"I have to reeducate myself, barbarian! I have to follow your example andтАж"

"Atlan!" Rhodan called loudly, concealing his dismay over the ArkonideтАЩs emotional outburst. "Atlan,
please call me back in eight Earth hours!" He did not allow the Admiral to reply. The hypercom
connection to Arkon 3 no longer existed. Perry Rhodan had switched off.

Pensively he leaned back in his chair, his gaze remaining fixed on the now grey screen. Slowly he raised
both hands and began to massage his temples with his fingertips.

Reginald Bell, who was silently observing him, was familiar with this gesture. It revealed the deep
distress within his friend.

Towards the end of their conversation, Atlan had let his heart speak. It was one of those rare
conversations in which two men recognize that their friendship binds them until death.

Rhodan turned to face Bell. With no trace of excitement he said: I need the newest data about the
Rusuma System, particularly about Archetz, the fifth planet, at once," he stated casually. "Please arrange
for me to have it at my disposal within a half hour. You see about team 065-propulsion."

Bell had expected more, which was why he now looked inquisitively at Rhodan. But he supplied no
further details.

"Listen," Bell cautiously began, "was it an error on our part not to send one single agent after the
Springer Fleet when it took off in such haste?"

Perry RhodanтАЩs grey eyes widened somewhat. "Why donтАЩt you just talk clearly and openly about
Cardif, Reggie? What was our mistake? The moment the Patriarch Cokaze was informed by a man from
our shot-down destroyer that the Great Empire was no longer ruled by the computer but by Atlan, the
entire Cokaze clan knew it, which meant that we could no longer keep that fact secret. If we fail to adjust
immediately and completely to the new situationтАФand the same applies to AtlanтАФthen in a year at the
latest the entire Galaxy will be on fire and we will be facing situations that have no comparison in history!
But how we should approach the situation I donтАЩt know either right now. By gathering exact data about
the Rusuma System and sending you to the 065-propulsion team, IтАЩm just groping my way closer."

"Closer to what?"
Perry Rhodan was stumped. "I donтАЩt know, Reggie!" He sounded annoyed but his irritation was not