"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0031 - (3c) Robot Threat New York" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

"Your report, Colonel!" Bell requested.
"Fighter squad started as planned. One-man fighters assuming security of national
territory. Three-man destroyers patrolling up to moon orbit. Within the closed
energy dome only helicopter engagement possible. Twenty-five units just started,
flying towards the three robot spearheads. Which weapons do you recommend,
sir?"
"Bombs are ruled out! We don't intend to reduce our own city to ashes. Use
helicopter weapons, direct aim, Colonel! Take impulse rayguns! They are most
effective against robots."
"Right, sir!"
The connection was broken and interest again turned to the observation screen.
Things did not look so good for the city, at least what lay within the energy dome
10 kms in diameter, the most significant centre of Terrania.
The screen showed bursting walls, 5 and 6 storey houses collapsing like wooden
huts on the streets through which the robots were advancing. These war machines
could think independently and they had at their disposal the most formidable
weapons a soldier on Earth had ever carried.
When they received fire from the infantry, their perfect position finders
immediately located the foe. The mass of soldiers, however, were not equipped
with individual protective screens. They did not have a chance.
Loudspeakers announced that tank support was on its way. They hurried back.
Everywhere isolated figures emerged from cover and dashed away. The ray
weapons of the robots had good targets again. The reaction ability of robots lay far
above the human. Their nervous system was less complicated than a biological
being but nonetheless in some respects it was more utilitarian. For man and animal
the nervous system is a warning system spawned by the instinct of self-
preservation. This necessity was almost non-existent for the robots. Their specialty
was attack and destruction.
The first robot law, 'You may not kill a human being!' was quite flexible. It could
be interpreted to mean 'You may not shoot at people who are friends or allies!'
The minute a living being was declared to be an enemy, all scruples ceased. And
the changes undertaken by the Traders resulted in the robots considering all people
as their enemies.
The humans became more cautious, availing themselves of any shelter. Their faces
were covered with sweat and dirt as they arrived in the reception centres.
Officers checked them in. Short shock massages. Energy tablets. New weapons. A
few tanks were rolling up again. New ones were being manned. And solitary
fighters that had escaped the hell outside continued to return.
"Where the devil are those helicopters!" Bell cried.
"They're coming!" Rhodan said in a harsh tone.
The head of the middle robot column melted under the flashing impulse rays. Eight
combat machines were annihilated. Then something peculiar happened.
The robots were crowding up close together in groups of six, seeking some sort of
contact. The observers at once realized that they had found it. They were mutually
recharging their protective screens. Their six-fold strength could not be penetrated
by the impulse rays of middle weight weapons aboard the helicopter.
One could be proud of those fellows' intelligence, thought Rhodan, if they were
only fighting on the right side.
The moment the helicopter attack wave was over, they disengaged the groups of
six and turned to renewed attack.