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

"How did you find us?"
"That wasn't difficult for us, Zernif. We've come to ask for your help."
"My help? How could we possibly help you, you who are mightier than even the Zarlt?"
"You'll find out in due time. -Isn't that Rogal? What is the matter with him? He looks as if he were under a hypnotic command."
"We think it's the after-effect of a severe psychic shock. We must find out what happened to him."
Marshall's eyes narrowed to a fine slit. His first thought was that the Mooffs had succeeded in breaking through Rogal's natural defensive barrier. "How did this all come about?"
Zernif hesitated a moment. He had no idea that Marshall was already reading his thoughts and therefore knew what had happened. Then Zernif decided not to hold back the truth. With a few words he informed the Strangers of their attempt on the Zarlt's life.
"You mean last night," remarked Marshall. "Then you have failed in your plan. This very morning the Zarlt has issued new orders which quite openly are directed against us. Maybe he assumes that his guests are responsible for the incident. And this is the way that Rogal looked when he returned?" Marshall glanced over in the would-be assassin's direction. The man had not budged. He was still staring at the bright source of light. "May I examine him?"
This was of course only a pretext. Marshall simply wanted an opportunity to probe Rogal's thoughts undisturbed. Marshall was frightened when he encountered the strong defensive mental barrier which effectively barred Marshall's efforts to penetrate into Rogal's mind. Only Andrщ Noir, the hypno of the Mutant Corps, could help in this situation.
Marshall turned toward Ras Tschubai. "Can you transport me, Zernif and Regal simultaneously to the Titan?"
The teleporter shook his head negatively. "It's too risky. I suggest I bring you separately to the ship. That won't take much longer anyway."
"Okay," replied Marshall. Then he began to give a more detailed explanation to the assembled rebels as to why they had come to see them in their hide-away. Finally he added: "We'll take Rogal along with us and see what we can do for him."
Then Marshall pulled out a tiny radio set and handed it to Zernif. "This is for you. You can reach Rhodan with it any time. Stay tuned in for our messages. And now let's first take care of Rogal."
The men watched in silent awe how the dark-skinned Stranger vanished together with Rogal. Hardly 10 seconds had passed when Ras Tschubai rematerialised in the room to pick up Zernif. Marshall's turn came last.
The rest of the rebels remained behind, all silent. They kept their eyes fixed on the little box which gave off a faint humming sound. This was their last link with the outside world.

* * * *

The teleнtransmitter." Rhodan had obtained from the planet Wanderer was a miraculous affair. Matter of any kind-regardless whether atom bombs or human beings-could be transported within a fraction of a second via the fifth dimension to any place desired. There had never before existed a more perfect weapon throughout the entire universe. The most powerful protective energy screens with which the largest spacecraft might surround themselves proved to be useless when dematerialised bombs were teleported and detonated inside the ships.
Today, however, Rhodan used the transmitter for peaceful purposes: namely, to teleport the Gazelle far out into space so that nobody would be aware of this transaction. The Gazelle was a long-distance reconnaissance craft. In appearance it resembled a flying saucer with a diameter of 90 feet. Its range was 500 light-years. It was armed with energy-rich pulse-ray cannons of Arkonide origin.
Tiff announced that the Gazelle was ready for action.
Thora, Khrest, Marshall and Zernif had already come aboard. Rhodan was still waiting for Pucky, who was supposed to arrive at any moment now. Rhodan was talking to Col. Freyt, the commander of the Ganymede.
"If you and the Titan should be attacked, defend yourselves. The Ganymede will move out into deep space and await orders at the prearranged location. Nobody will be able to find you since your transition leap cannot be tracked by any space-warp sensor. Of course the situation is different as regards the Titan, so she'll remain where she is."
"Don't worry," Freyt reassured him, "I know how to take care of myself and so does Bell."
Rhodan was about to reply when Pucky suddenly materialized.
"Here I am!" chirped the little mouse-beaver quite unnecessarily since everyone could plainly see him. "I was busy attacking a whole transport of Mooffs. Tama was with me, of course. I sent Tama and Ras on their way again."
"We've been waiting for you," replied Rhodan. Then he turned to Col. Freyt and took leave of him: "See you later, Colonel."
Pucky followed Rhodan into the Gazelle. The long range reconnaissance craft stood in the Ganymede's hangar. The teleнtransmitter would hurl it 3 light-months out into space. Neither human eye nor most technically perfected instrument could register the transition.
All settled in their seats. The hatch closed automatically. The countdown to liftoff began. The ship started and at the same instant the transition took place.
Rhodan blinked his eyes as he came out of the transition syndrome. He was almost blinded by a sea of brightly glittering stars. Arkon was in the midst of the globular star cluster M-13, 34,000 light-years distant from Earth. The stars were crowded together, giving a totally different appearance to space than Rhodan was used to from the vicinity of his own solar system. There was hardly a dark spot to be found and the Milky Way grew dim against the radiant splendour of the myriad of suns.
Rhodan looked at his gauges. They were now 3 lims from the red giant sun Voga. The Zarlt was bound to assume they were still inside the Titan. Things would be different, of course, when they'd return again to Zalit.
A few brief manipulations and the hyper-radio set was warming up. Rhodan waited until the screens lit up. A crackling sound came from the loudspeaker as the sound system came on. They knew the robot brain's hypercom frequency. For the moment, though, there seemed to be hyper-radio silence.
"We should call the Brain," Thora suggested. Her initial hesitant attitude had now given way to never dreamt of energy and strength of purpose. "Then we'll find out how it will react."
Zernif, the former admiral of Zalit's spacefleet, seemed in a doubtful frame of mind.
"I really don't know what I'm supposed to do here. There's nothing I could tell the robot brain."
"Oh yes there is," protested Rhodan. "There are quite a few things which are of great interest to the Brain. You are our star witness and I'm convinced the Brain can distinguish lies from truth: and since it's not telepathic it accomplishes this, thanks to its logic circuits."
"It's actually a fascinating notion," Khrest entered the discussion, "to have a gigantic star empire ruled by a robot. So many changes have taken place these past 13 years after a period of 10,000 years when nothing of special importance happened. Sometimes I even have my doubts if this new form of government is indeed disadvantageous for Arkon."
Rhodan's eyebrows shot up. "Do you mean to say that you recognize the robot brain's reign-you, Khrest, a member of the deposed ruling clan?"
"Not exactly; all I wanted to say is that I prefer the Brain to Orcast XXI who in my opinion is nothing but a dreamer and an indolent hedonist."
"Well, if you put it that way I can see your point," admitted Rhodan who was busy now observing the large videoscreen that was crisscrossed by coloured abstract patterns. This was accompanied by nonsensical noise fragments emanating from the loudspeakers. "I presume we're already receiving some transmissions from the Brain. They are encoded and not intended for us."
"Yes," confirmed Khrest, "the Brain is in constant communication with all the main worlds of the Empire. It's capable of carrying on thousands of simultaneous conversations."
"On the same wave band?" said Rhodan doubtfully.
Khrest nodded his head in affirmation.
Rhodan pondered for a few seconds then abruptly activated the transmitter. He took a deep breath and began to speak: "This is Perry Rhodan from Terra. I am calling the regent of the Arkonide Empire! Answer, please! This is urgent!"
Three times he repeated the message. Then he turned his attention again to the receiver and the videoscreen.
Thora and Khrest were staring spellbound at the continuing colour pattern on the screen. Tiff, who mainly was busy making optical observations of the surrounding outer space, could feel the tense atmosphere charged with suspense in the command centre. Zernif, on the other hand, was waiting patiently and resignedly for whatever might happen.
Only Pucky did not seem to share in the general excitement. He was sitting on one of the couches, his eyes half-closed. He gave the impression of being almost asleep. But those who knew Pucky realized only too well that he was concentration personified.
Rhodan shook his head in despair. "The Brain must hear us," he said. "Why don't we get an answer?" Then he repeated his message once more and added: "I urgently request confirmation of receipt of our message. It is of vital importance to the continued existence of the Empire."
The coloured pattern speeded up its rhythm. The howling noise from the loudspeaker grew even stronger. But that was all.
"At least some kind of a reaction," Rhodan murmured, still dissatisfied. "But I don't know what to make of it. How are we supposed to know the code the Brain uses in its transmission?"