" Perry Rhodan 0116 - (108) Duel Under the Double Sun" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

Prior to the catastrophe with the cell activator he had been a clear-thinking man of tolerance and
forbearance but shortly after the abnormal cell division had started he had become a carping and
hot-tempered person with very unpleasant characteristics. He irritated his oldest and closest friends, even
deceiving them, and he had taken every opportunity to insult and provoke me. Whereas his political
operations had formerly been worked out with ingenuity and tactfully handled his policy had now
degenerated into a crude demonstration of his military power.

This was not the Perry Rhodan into whose hands I could entrust the destiny of the Arkonide Imperium.
In the course of recent events he had made such massive threats that I had been forced with a heavy
heart to arrive at a critical decision. I hardly dared to think of it and yet my commitment was now
irretrievable.

I knew that indirectly I was stabbing EarthтАЩs humanity in the back. Since I could see no other way of
blocking RhodanтАЩs military intervention, I had promised the Akons 1,000 modern spaceships. By special
order all troops and officials had been recalled to Earth. From a strategic standpoint this had undermined
my laboriously built-up plans for recovery and dealt a staggering blow to my whole administrative
structure. The representatives of my venerable race were not reliable enough. There were very few
Arkonides I could depend upon in terms of spaceship crews and personnel. I was lacking in effective
manpower everywhere. So it was that I had been forced to fall back on help from the Akons, who were
the direct descendants of our mother race.

Since the Akons had no reason to be fond of Rhodan or the Earth they had immediately agreed to assist
but had demanded the 1,000 ships because they had very few of their own. I had acquiesced in this but
the ships were still on Arkon 2 since the Akon crews had not yet completed their hypno-training. I had
deliberately held back on supplying the hypno-training equipment because I had still hoped for a change
of mind on the part of Rhodan. However, judging by the latest reports his condition had worsened.

Such was the situation on that 20th day of October of the year 2103. Reginald Bell, who was RhodanтАЩs
closest friend and second-in-command, had requested a secret conference with me. I had agreed at once
and suggested the planet Saos as a meeting point. So now I was waiting for the Terrans to arrive.

I had just reached the first landing strut of the cruiser when the Control Central made an announcement
over my helmet radio.

"We have a tracking indication, Your Eminence. The sensors have registered a clear transition
warp-shock. Object entering system at speol (speed of light) commencing retropulsion manoeuvres.
Energy trace being received at magnitude 17. It is a Terran cruiser, Your Highness."

I stopped involuntarily and looked up. They were here! They were only 30 minutes off schedule which in
cosmonautical terms was an expert performance. I did not feel enthusiasm, however, because this
demonstration of their usual efficiency only served to emphasize my own problem. I knew if I had 100
million men like these I would be able to resurrect the crumbling Imperium of my ancestors within a year.
With inner resignation I entered the groundlock. The landing would not take place for another half-hour
or so.

I returned to my quarters, where I put in another call to the robot Regent. The calculations were nearing
completion. I would have the results by the time the Terrans arrived. So I sat there and waited while I
contemplated 2 main problems.
The first, of course, was to help RhodanтАФthis had to be taken care of, no matter how. But I also had to
make it clear to Reginald Bell why I had turned to the Akons for help. The Terrans should be made to