"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0011 - (5b) Mutants in Action" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

When Rhodan said goodbye to Hopthmar he smiled. "I have a few unusual people with me, Commander. So donТt be alarmed if some things happen which you have considered impossible until now."Hopthmar returned the smile. "I have heard of them. I am anxiously awaiting the first surpriseЕ"All the transmitters had been installed together in one big chamber. It was the largest station of its kind that Rhodan had seen. However, Hopthmar indicated that in Thorta there was one that was even larger. Face to face with the transmitters Rhodan again examined the question of how a race of people like this had ever come into possession of equipment whose very working medium was hyperspace itself, when their mental capacity was still insufficient to comprehend and apply the problems of fifth dimensional physics. The paradox was all too obvious, but apparently only to himself and his own kind. The Ferrons harboured not the slightest suspicion that their technology wasnТt capable of building transmitters or that they werenТt capable of understanding the corresponding principles."So what do you want to do with this equipment?" asked Khrest.

Rhodan gave him a look. "Quite simpleЧI want to climb in, be transmitted to Ferrol, take the battleship away from the Topides, and then give them a battle such as they have never seen in their lives!"Thora gasped in disagreement "You know as well as we do that that is impossible!" she exclaimed.

Reg Bell had been examining the transmitters, but now he turned at this and looked angrily at her. "With you I guess everything is impossible," he growled. "DidnТt you ever in your life consider something to be possible unless it was already an established fact!"

"IТm waiting for news from Ferrol," Rhodan continued. "Somebody there must still have a transmitter, and given time he might be able to come up with the sending and reception data for a receiver on Rofus. I am keeping in contact with the Thort and will know immediately if any tie-in with Ferrol becomes available. We canТt just sit here waiting to the end of our days, howeverЧif we donТt get a contact, IТll fly on my own hook to Ferrol. If only the transmitter in the Red Palace were set up to make a reception at this distance! I don't think the risk is too great."Thora watched him pensively. "What would you call a real risk!" she asked quietly; but the question was merely rhetorical.

Tako Kakuta, the fourth member of the group, stood before the largest transmitter and examined it intently. Rhodan knew what his thoughts wereЧthese machines made his own capacities comparable to a single stone in the Pyramid of Giza. After three years of intensive schooling, TakoТs maximum teleportation distance was about 30,000 miles, but these machines transmitted over three, four, or five astronomical units. After a while he turned his smiling, childlike face to Rhodan."DonТt feel bad, Tako," Rhodan told him. "Someday youТll be able to outjump the transmitters."

Hopthmar was more excited than Rhodan had observed him to be since their arrival at the fort. He must have run all the way from his office, because he panted and gasped for breath and required several moments before he could speak.

"The transmittersЕ!"Rhodan sprang to his feet.

"Transmission from Ferrol!" Hopthmar gasped.

Rhodan ran past him. Time was too precious to wait for the next personnel car. He sprinted through the corridor, darted to the left, then left again, and came to the transmitter room fifty yards ahead of Bell, who came racing and puffing after him.

Rhodan saw it immediately. It was a small metallic tube with glistening rings at each end, from which thin wires ran to the sending contacts. It still trembled as though just arrived.

He ran to the cage and deciphered the inscription on it. "Kekeler, Sic-Horum."

Bell stood panting beside him.

"Cut the power!" Rhodan told him.

Bell pulled down a lever that cut the flow of power to the transmitter. Rhodan opened the cage door and took out the cylinder. Bell looked at it curiously.

"What does that meanЧСKekeler, Sic-HorumТ?"

"Sic-Horum is the main city of the Sichas, a mountain tribe on Ferrol. Kekeler is probably the name of the sender."

On one side of the cylinder was a circular access lid, which Rhodan unscrewed. He extracted a piece of writing foil, which was used in the Ferronian culture in place of paper. The page was crowded with written symbols, which were beautifully and regularly executed as though with some automatic writing instrument.

Rhodan began to read. Kekeler, elected ruler of Sic-Horum, to whomever receives this message: Ferrol has been occupied by the enemy. The peopleТs will to resist has been broken. But only the Sicha tribe feels itself duty bound to alert the rest of our race that the battle is still far from being decided. As long as one Sicha lives, the enemy will not have won this war."But we need someone who can tell us what to do."



"Of course the letter bristles with heroic words," Rhodan admitted, "but IТve heard that the mountain people are heroic. Who else would come up with the idea of launching a question out of a conquered world into the unknown, to ask for instructions on how to make it hot for the enemy?"Khrest nodded agreement. "But how can we help him?" he asked.

"The message says they need information. The Topides have imposed a travel restriction everywhere on Ferrol. Everyone has been registered in his hometown or district and may not travel more than thirty miles from that location. The Sichas might take the chance of slipping through the blockades, but theyТve got to know in what direction to go. After all, an active underground has got to have a point of reference or a goal."

"You are so right," Thora said scornfully. "And I suppose that you are planning to provide them with the information they need?"

"Exactly!" Rhodan retorted, and sat down.

Bell and Take looked at him expectantly. Thora was over-bearing, as though she knew that Rhodan could only suggest something crazy.

"What do the Sichas need?" Rhodan continued. "Information on troop movements, troop concentrations, and spaceports and other technical items concerning the Topidian fleet. I think we can furnish them all that quite easy."