"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0023 - (16) Secret Barrier X" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)
"NO! NO! NO!"
"We're not going back to Earth!"
"We're going to remain right here in orbit around Venus!"
"Have I made myself clear?"
The members of the Mutant Corps were cowed by Reginald Bell's emphatic orders. In Perry Rhodan's absence Bell was in command of the small band of people with super powers. They didn't always agree with his reasoning but they were loyal to their commander.
Bell was now in an exposed position. A failure could be in the offing. "There's something wrong here," he continued in an irritated voice, indicating the surface of Venus below with his index finger. "No one in the service of the Chief of the New Power, no one who has sworn allegiance to Rhodan, can desert him when he's in deep trouble. You want to return to Earth-and how will he fare then? You know he's stuck down there, almost alone in the Venusian jungle crawling with deadly creatures and..."
Okura will be with him. And Marshall and Thora, a small but broad-shouldered, powerfully built mutant ventured to interject. It was Wuriu Sengu, the seer.
Bell cut him short. "Thora took off in a ship alone. Or if anybody was with her it was only a robot. Rhodan, Marshall and Okura followed in a second rocket. We know that crazy positronic brain in the Venus fortress has suddenly gone blind or mad, activating the SBX against Perry himself who programmed it! The brain now repulses him with every technical means at its command and I've no reason to believe Perry and Thora have joined up with each other. All probabilities point to the likelihood that they've cracked up and are now helplessly exposed to the danger of this prehistoric planet."
Sengu tried once more to dispel Bell's pessimistic views. "The chief said something about the Arkonide woman being in good hands."
Bell remained adamant. "Strictly speaking, the chief said very little. He hardly had time for explanations. Our radio communication was cut off after only two minutes and all attempts since to get in touch with him have been negative. The robot brain in the Venus base has not only erected its 300 mile barrier but intercepts all radio transmissions between us and the stations below and prevents us from landing. Perry's wrist-set is useless. I don't think even our powerful ship-sender gets through. When the p.b. takes a defensive position, the damned machine does its job to the letter. Arkonide technology, men!"
The mutant Tanaka Seiko made a polite gesture. "We've been through all these arguments before, sir. You admit yourself that we're powerless. So why do we have to remain in this orbit if we can't help our commander from here?"
Bell paused before replying. He scrutinized his listeners. (It was to his eternal regret that, because his eyes were such a pale blue, his penetrating gaze never appeared as stern as he would have liked when he needed to enforce authority.)
Here stood the cream of his elite. They were the selected positive mutants of Rhodan's secret corps. Tanaka Seiko, for instance-endowed with an additional sense for receiving radio waves. Or seer Wuriu Sengu, who had no difficulties looking through solid objects.
Bell's gaze focused on Tako Kakuta. "Yes, Tako, I mean you. Don't you agree that the positronic brain has completely failed to take one circumstance into consideration?"
"Are you referring to my capacity for teleportation, sir?"
"Of course! The brain machine in the Venus bulwark is 10,000 years old. I don't mean to say it's from the Stone Age; after all, it was constructed by an expedition of Arkonides whose technology was even then tremendously ahead of mankind today. But 10,000 years ago there weren't any mutants yet on Terra. This leads us to the sensible conclusion that the robot brain was not programmed for defence against teleportation."
"You mean, I should..." Tako Kakuta paused. He glanced hesitantly at the observation screen depicting the surface of Venus. Underneath the 60 yard sphere of Good Hope V the wild virgin landscape of the planet unfolded slowly, as in a time exposure. But details were not discernible. Now and then a gap in the dense blanket of clouds permitted a glimpse of the surface. Dark green, luxuriant forests; blue-green, sometimes even black shimmering oceans and grey-brown cliffs covered with snow around the polar caps. The optical screen showed much less than the teleporter saw in his memory and fantasy. Tako had spent long weeks on Venus. He knew what awaited him in the labyrinth down there.
"Yes," Bell nodded seriously. "You should go down to make contact with Rhodan. Once you've found him, the rest is child's play. Together with the chief we're an invincible team and we'll accomplish what we set out to do. We'll transport Perry the quickest possible way into the fortress so that he can give new instructions to the brain."
"That's obvious," Sengu nodded optimistically. "How come we didn't hit on this idea sooner?"
"We're too much inclined to accept an Arkonide energy barrier as absolute and infallible. Years of familiarity with Arkonide technology have created the unconscious conviction that it's nothing short of perfection. Get ready, Tako! It'll be just a skip and a jump for you."
"The distance is ridiculously small, sir. I've been thinking for some time of taking a jump down there and would've done it on my own, if..."
"If what?"
"Are you afraid?"
"I'm always a little afraid when going straight to hell. But this isn't what bothers me most. After all there are probably several thousand men down there who must be prepared at any moment to fight for their lives. But I need a concrete target. Unless it's determined exactly, I may have to teleport myself endlessly without having a chance to locate Rhodan."
"Just let me worry about that! The shipboard positronic computer has collected all manoeuvre data. We've also located Perry's position at his last radio transmission. He's situated exactly 72 miles west of the 200 mile wide ocean channel extending deep into the northern continent."
"But this data isn't precise enough, sir."
"I know. I didn't imply that you have to make your leap this very minute."
Bell shoved the teleporter out of his way with a forceful hand and strode to the on-board positronic brain.
"Come here, all of you! Watch it that Tako and I make no mistakes. I'll guarantee you we'll fix Rhodan's position within 500 yards diameter at the most. Tako, if you don't fall into the arms of the chief, you'll have to go to the trouble of calling him."
"Of course, sir!"
The evaluation of the stored data proceeded faster than anticipated. The servo-circuits of the brain reacted promptly. A projection of the Venus surface appeared on the millimetre grid. The picture was obtained on the basis of previous surveys.
More difficult was Tako Kakuta's individual adjustment to the problem, since he had to concentrate his mind on a precise aim and needed a concrete concept of the spot he endeavoured to reach through teleportation.
There were only very limited clues on Venus in this respect. The primeval forest appeared like an endless carpet from above presenting a rough impression of millions of similar geographical points.
Bell could sense Tako's difficulties. "No sweat, my boy. I'll make it easier for you." Saying which, he superimposed the cartographic grid on the landscape. Although this was merely a visual aid, it proved to be a useful device.
"The orientation is very good," Tako Kakuta said suddenly. Please don't change the cartographic grid, sir. Our course seems to be correct as well. We should reach the most favourable point for my departure in about 10 minutes."
They checked their watches. In addition to the chronometers on board the ship, which corresponded with the Terrestrial calendar, they all carried the so-called Venus watches. Figured roughly, Venus rotated five times slower than Earth. Therefore a day on Venus was five times longer.
The point the positronic brain of the Good Hope V had ascertained as Rhodan's present position fell into the moving twilight zone. For their companions down on Venus a new morning had just dawned.
The Venus watches showed close to 78:00 o'clock.
Still five minutes to the most advantageous time to leap!
It was a time of silent waiting during which the tension rose. If anyone on board had misgivings about Kakuta's mission, he did not mention it. It could be possible that the teleportation of a mutant was the last chance for penetrating the barrier created by the robot brain in the Venus fortress.
Three minutes to go!
Wuriu Sengu, the seer, groaned in disgust. After he had stood for seconds in utmost concentration peering into the apparent void, he relaxed his body and threw himself with dismay into a chair.
Bell was angry at this demonstration of a pessimistic attitude since it could easily infect the others. "What's the matter, Wuriu?"
"I've tried to recognize something under the mass of clouds. Of course, I can see more than you do. For you the surface of Venus is a bleak mantle of vapours and clouds yet for me it's a colourful and splendrous paradise. But we're more concerned now with detailed features and I can't make them out from this distance. About 20 miles south of the point specified by our computer is an almost barren high mesa. But the chief is most likely deep in the wild forest."
"You mean, Wuriu, if he's smart, he'll try to reach the mesa?"
"Naturally! It offers the best protection against the unpredictable fauna of the planet."
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