"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0088 - (80) The Columbus Affair" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

Rhodan finally gave the order to retreat Pluto was evacuated of humans and the defence installations were left in the hands of the robots. The squadrons of the outer defence ring pulled back to the orbit of Saturn where they assembled and regrouped into new formations.
Rhodan waited until the casualty and damage reports had all come in. Once he knew the extent of his losses, he turned to the circle of staff officers around him. "Gentlemen, the critical moment has arrived. If we wait any longer there'll be no need to ask Atlan for help. Have you any logical objections to our sending out a distress call?"
"I'd have done it 24 hours ago," replied Bell calmly. "Our losses are frightening. The fact that we've shot down more than 2000 Druuf ships doesn't stretch our chances at all. Nobody has any objections!"
Without a word Rhodan went to the Communications Central. It was the most critical moment in the history of the human race. Perry Rhodan, First Administrator of the Solar Empire, now had to reveal the location of the Earth, which until now had been kept a secret by every possible means available.
The hypercom contact had already been set up on a standby basis for some time, so now within 4 minutes the communication was established. Atlan's face was clearly visible. The vast distance of 34000 light-years made no difference to the hypercom frequencies.
"So it's come to this?" asked the Arkonide gravely. "I've been watching the attack for hours, via 5 robot cruisers standing near Capella. Do you want my help? If so you have to realize that I can't keep my promise much longer."
In an almost broken voice, Rhodan replied. "We are asking for the support of the Greater Imperium. Atlan, we're being attacked by approximately 8000 Druuf ships. With my own resources I can probably hold the front for another 24 hours. Then they'll be moving in on Mars, Terra and Venus."
"The pertinent mobilization programming has been prepared. It appears to me that these monsters are throwing in all they've got in order to pin down the Arkonide forces at the main discharge zone. I'll send you everything I can spare. In about 10 or 12 hours the fleet will arrive there. Do our agreed recognition signals still stand?"
"Without exception. I'll communicate them to the Terranian commanders. Our IFF equipment will be programmed accordingly."
After the Arkonide had cut off the connection, Rhodan continued to sit in front of the blank viewscreen for some time. He seemed to feel the eyes of his staff officers on the back of his neck.
"Don't try asking us if we think you're a traitor," said someone, "or you're going to be in trouble with me!"
Rhodan turned to see Reginald Bell standing there in grim, stubborn loyalty. The other men exchanged glances, until he replied: "No... we're beyond that now. Good Lord, how simple it was! In a single radio communication I have snuffed out everything that we built up in 70 years. From now on, Terra will be public knowledge; it will be open to friend or foe. It will begin a new epoch for us."
"I'm glad, sir," declared Marshal Freyt. "We couldn't have remained hidden much longer, anyway."








6/ WHEN MUTANTS ENTER THE RING

Allan D. Mercant, chief of Solar Intelligence, had opened the briefing session at 13:30 standard time in the large crew wardroom of the light cruiser California.
Present were all crew members of the ship and the special commandoes of the secret Mutant Corps. Perry Rhodan was missing because he had other tasks to take care of. These preparations for sending the mutants into action came under the heading of Intelligence operations.
The Solar System was engaged in a raging battle for the survival of Terra. All humanity had been forced to take up arms. In the large mess hall, silence reigned.
Mercant summarized the situation: "Events have indicated that you, ladies and gentlemen, are not able to threatened the attackers in spite of your paranormal capabilities. This is a wide-open conflict that hasn't anything to do with your functions as capable agents-thus far. Just the 3 teleporters among you would be far too ineffective with the old system of teleporting nuclear demolition bombs on board enemy ships. While you would be operating like that on a ship by ship basis, in the meantime we could be plunged into disaster. Pucky has already tried this system and has succeeded in two instances. On his third teleport jump he missed his target and was almost killed."
A thin little voice spoke up in the background as the mousebeaver joined in. "That crazy Druuf stepped on the gas just as I was concentrating," he complained. "I came close-very close-but that never happened to me before."
"It would happen again and again. Considering such a concentration of space vessels of every kind, mutant action of this nature has become useless. So for that reason I want you to stick to your own sphere of operations. Leave the actual battle to the spaceships that were designed for it."
Mercant interrupted himself to signal a greeting to the Administrator, who had just entered the mess hall. Perry Rhodan acknowledged curtly. Above his head hovered Harno, the strange ball-shaped creature.
"Are you all set? Marshall, do you think you can handle this?"
Marshall's tall figure separated itself from the crowd of crew members. "All set, sir. We'll give it a try. I realize that telepaths and other colleagues in my field can hardly be effective in open warfare."
"Those are the words of a wise man I know who has expressed that fact for many years," said Rhodan. "His name is Atlan. For your information, I have asked for his help. He will send us all the ships he can spare. Nevertheless, I don't want to leave anything untried. In 10 minutes the Drusus is going to withdraw from the front and Col. Tifflor will follow with the California. At a prescribed place I'm going to generate a ring-field for you and you'll be able to penetrate the Druuf universe as you have in the past. I want you to take full advantage of the cruiser's extra acceleration capacity. Make contact with the Hades base. Pucky can attempt to reach Ernst Ellert, who seems to be in trouble. Make a thrust into the Siamed System and determine whether or not the space station exists that Rous has informed us about. If that structure is actually a flying power plant that they're using to generate a synthetic discharge cone, then do what you think is necessary. Tifflor, you and Marshall will work hand in hand together. You pilot the California and Marshall will apply the mutants to the situation accordingly. At all costs you must try to destroy that station. There should be plenty of possibilities for you to do it because your capabilities are tailor-made for such an operation. You may not expect any assistance from me. I have my hands full right here. So keep the fact fully in mind that you are strictly on your own. I can't even give you support with the transmitters. All available special ship's equipment is urgently needed for rescuing the wounded. We're transferring the crews of crippled ships into other undamaged vessels."
"So you can see how difficult our situation is. I will not use the word 'desperate', not just yet-but it's very likely that things will be very acute in the immediate future."
After a slight pause, Rhodan continued. "We are all human beings. We all have a common home which we simply refer to as the Earth. Pucky and Harno belong to us. After all, we do not regard other forms of intelligence to be monstrosities, provided they are not malevolent. Nobody can do anything about his outward bodily appearance and form."
"Thank you!" chirped Pucky from the background. His large incisor tooth was gleaming.
"I wasn't talking about you in particular," said Rhodan, smiling. "You're not the only little monster around, you know."
It served to relieve the tension among the men who were listening. It seemed as though Rhodan had just broken a spell.
"You should understand that you are going on a difficult mission. If everything goes as we hope it will, you will be cutting off the Druuf supply base from their fighting ships. That would be half the battle. Naturally there would still be the problem of getting rid of the enemy fleets that are still in our own universe. But that isn't your worry. See if you can destroy this mysterious space station. This is war! If you have to attack with nuclear weapons, just keep in mind that Mankind is fighting for its life. That's all I have to say. Are there any more questions?"
Rhodan looked up at the wall clock. Marshall raised a question about the duty assignment of Harno, the televidic creature.
"Harno stays here," Rhodan decided. "I urgently need his gifts so that I can make best use of the teleнtransmitter on board the Drusus. I'm using it to attack the leading Druuf ships."
After that, the Chief of the Solar Empire went back to the flagship, to which the 100-meter hull of the California was clinging like a barely noticeable protuberance.
Five minutes later the cruiser freed itself from the grip of the magnetic mooring beams. The Drusus picked up speed and went into transition. It was the only ship in the Solar Fleet that was still equipped with a special warp generator for producing a ring-field. Behind her the California also plunged into hyperspace. After a wide jump, both ships rematerialised near the blockade front, which was about 8300 light-years removed from the Earth.
A short 2 light-hours distance from them the combined Arkonide fleet was fighting with the Druufs who were still pushing through the discharge rift. It was evident that the aliens were trying everything possible to pin down the Arkonide forces here. It was further noticeable that entire squadrons were being pulled from the front, which gave assurance to Rhodan that Atlan had already put out the necessary orders for helping Terra.
Nobody knew as yet that he was behind the robot Brain. His instructions were issued over the recognized frequency band that was used by the Brain, so they were obeyed without question.
The California held a position at a distance of 100 km behind the Drusus while matching its full-powered braking manoeuvres. Once the flagship had come to a stop, the smaller ship cautiously drew alongside. Rhodan appeared on the telecom screen.
"Well done. We're just in the right spot. If you penetrate the Druuf universe from this position you should come out near the Siamed System. In your further actions you have to keep in mind that extra-dimensional points of reference are different from ours. Don't beat your brains out over the fact that you'll be discovering the space station of the planet Druufon, even though the discharge cone it's generating is somewhere near the Earth about 6300 light-years from there. These are hyper-mechanics of another time-plane and don't apply to the ordinary concept of distances. Here are some final particulars:
"If you are successful we'll know it when that funnel gets wiped out. In that case I'll come back here with the Drusus, build a new warp ring and pick you up. If your attack misfires or you find that the existence of the assumed power station is erroneous, land the cruiser at the Hades base and wait there for further communications. In that case I'll try to pull you out by using one of the Fleet's transmitter ships. Everything understood? OK, then let's get started."

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