"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0041 - (33) The Giant's Partner" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

"We couldn't wish for any better friend and ally, Thora. He dealt so much more effectively with the robot brain than all the Arkonides put together during the past 6 years. If we were to lose Rhodan it would also mean losing our own future. He entrusted the Titan to our care. Do you realize that this is a very important vote of confidence in us?"
"Yes," Thora said simply. "I know. And I shall justify his trust in us. Rhodan and his friends are on this planet here, the treacherous Zarlt has arrested him and I have no chance now to show him how much I would like to come to his assistance. And worse still, I may have to flee from this planet with the Titan as promised. It seems like treason to me to run away and leave him here a prisoner in the Zarlt's power."
"It would amount to treason if we would act against his orders," Khrest tried to calm the lovely Arkonide woman. He examined the videoscreens which showed an outside view of the spaceport. "Why don't you get some sleep, Thora? I'll be on guard and I promise to wake you if anything should happen."
"To sleep?" wondered Thora. "How can I sleep if he is in danger?"
Khrest's face expressed astonishment. "Are you that worried about him?"
She silently nodded her head in affirmation. It was a frank and brave gesture.
"You must get some rest, to be strong when the hour of decision arrives. The moment of truth may not be long in coming. I want to prove to Rhodan that he can rely on us-and that we can still fight-if necessary. Please, Thora, leave me alone now."
The platinum-haired enigma stared at him reflectively for a few instants, then obediently left the command centre.
Khrest knew he could reach her with a single touch of a button. There was no spatial separation on the Titan in this respect.
He stayed alone in the cencom and prepared himself for a long wait during the night.
He was wrong. This night turned out to be quite short after all.

* * * *

Kitai Ishibashi was the second hypno of the Mutant Corps. He could impose his will so forcefully on other people that they were absolutely convinced they were acting on their own initiative. He together with Pucky and the seer Wuriu Sengu (who could look right through solid matter) were in an underground hideaway of the rebels. It was located in a park on the outskirts of the city.
Pucky endeavoured not to lose contact with Marshall. This was no easy task since the telepath's thought vibrations were superimposed by foreign impulses which kept constantly growing stronger. It was a logical guess that these impulses originated with the Mooffs.
They are bringing us to the basement vaults of the palace. Marshall informed his fellow telepaths: "For the time being there is no real danger but Rhodan's orders are that Zernif is to act according to plan. I can't receive you very well, friends, the Mooffs are too near now-there seems to be a large number of them. And I don't know if you understand me. In any case: we are 30 feet below ground in a large, well-lit vault. Just a moment-wait for further announcements. I can't now..."
Pucky was furious. He growled: "Oh, confound it! What's going on now? Wuriu, can't you see anything?"
The seer shook his head. "Too great a distance, Pucky-I'm no wizard. Can't we get a bit nearer to the palace?"
The mouse-beaver wanted to answer but he remained silent because new impulses, stronger and more intense, began to penetrate his brain.
They didn't come from Marshall. They didn't come from anyone known to Pucky.
He was jerked out of his musings by the shrill sound of the receiver which connected them with the Titan.
It was Khrest.
"Attention everybody! The Titan is being attacked by strong enemy forces. We'll take off in accordance with orders and wait at the agreed-on point in deep space. Colonel Freyt will take the Ganymede to safety. Lots of luck! And spring the trap to set Rhodan free! It's up to you to save his life and the future of the Empire. Everything depends on you now!"
Khrest switched off the receiver, Pucky settled back on his hind legs and used his broad beaver tail for additional support to make sure he wouldn't lose his balance. His eyes were filled with a silent question he didn't dare express. He briefly established communication with the other telepaths, who were staying with various other rebel groups, to make sure they had all heard Khrest's communiquщ.
This bulletin had established one fact: the Zarlt had dispensed with any pretenses. He was attacking openly both the Titan and the Ganymede. He had taken Perry Rhodan prisoner.
Pucky emitted a shrill dissonant whistle. Then he said in his incredibly high-pitched voice:
"Gentlemen! Rebel friends! Rogal! Now you'll have a chance to prove what you have learned! The revolution has begun! We'll overthrow Demesor and his henchmen and liberate Perry Rhodan-well, what are you waiting for?"
Rogal stared with admiration at the little mouse-beaver whom he saw today for the first time. He still could not comprehend why such a creature could be more intelligent than a Zalite. Then he forced himself to break away from this so fascinating spectacle, turned to his comrades-in-arms and exclaimed enthusiastically:
"Long live the Empire! Long live Perry Rhodan!"
Pucky quickly covered his huge ears with his paws as a resounding response reverberated through the underground vault.
How miserable to have such big ears and to be a telepath...!








5/ THE BITTEREST BATTLE
OF PERRYS LIFE

Bell screamed and raged as the 2 robot girls were carrying him out of the small hall. How differently he had envisioned this secretly planned rendezvous would turn out. Why must he always arrive at such hasty conclusions...?
Rhodan and Marshall were just as enraged but they remained calm and collected in face of this hopeless situation. Physical strength alone could not prevail if one wanted to outwit a robot, even if it was fashioned in the shape of a pretty girl.
An elevator carried them downstairs. One story below the official ground floor the elevator stopped. Demesor walked ahead to lead the way. They went along many-branched corridors which formed a complete subterranean domain 30 feet below ground level. Dim light came from the ceiling and spread a ghostly glow. Rhodan began to wonder what lay in store for them.
Torture in order to wrest their secrets from them?
If their captors were planning to use torture then definitely not the kind favoured in the Middle Ages back on Earth but rather a cleverly hatched technological method of probing their brains where lies and false information were no longer possible. And after all, there were the Mooffs who could easily determine the veracity of all evidence obtained...
The Mooffs...!
Suddenly the scales fell from Rhodan's eyes. He felt an increasingly stronger pressure inside his skull and the beginning of a terrific headache. Bell had ceased struggling. He hung limply in the arms of the seductive girls who in reality were only soulless robots. Marshall behaved in a passive manner. He appeared to be listening to something.