"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0099 - (91) Friend to Mankind" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

1/ A TIME TO LIVE, A PLACE TO DIE

Rhodan's boots left a deep imprint in the moist sand. A gentle breeze stirred the surface of the big lake and raised foamy crests. Shells and colourful stones covered the shore.
On a steep incline behind Rhodan rested the mighty Solar System on its landing struts. Even to the Imperium's Administrator who was accustomed to the sight, the 200 meter heavy cruiser looked like a menacing prehistoric monster in these surroundings.
Rhodan stopped and deeply inhaled the clear air. The cargo hatch of the Solar System opened and a loading beam swung out. The wiry figure of Lt. Chad Tuncher emerged in the opening as he gave his instructions.
For the firstime Rhodan looked at the man who stood a few steps away at the shore. "Where would you like to have the house set up, Khrest?" he inquired.
There must have been a special sound in his voice that made the old Arkonide come over and put his hand on Rhodan's shoulder. "You don't agree wholeheartedly with my wish to live the last days of my life in this place, do you, Perry?"
"It goes against my grain to leave a friend all alone," Rhodan replied quietly. His face betrayed no emotion but even a less observant man than Khrest would have noticed Rhodan's tightly clenched fists.
"I know what meaning the word 'friend' has for you," Khrest said. His voice sounded clear, belying his old body. However there was no denying that the life of the Arkonide scientist neared its end. Neither Khrest nor Thora, the late wife of Perry Rhodan, had received the cell shower on the planet Wanderer and were not granted the gift of eternal life. The skill and medical knowledge of the Arkonide physicians enabled them to prolong Khrest's life but they could not perform miracles beyond the limit of biological science. Khrest had attained a philosophic attitude in which he adequately faced reality. He felt that his death was imminent. He went to Rhodan and requested his transfer to this planet. He was already too far alienated from the world of Arkon to return to his homeworld. Neither did he wish to die on Earth. With grim irony he had explained to Rhodan that he did not want to end his life in a bed surrounded by 'mourning barbarians'.
The Arkonide told Rhodan of a small solar system, 6381 light-years from Earth and heretofore unknown to the inhabitants of Terra. Its yellow sun Soltyp was orbited by 5 planets and had been discovered many thousands of years ago by the Arkonide Ufgar after whom the system was named. The second planet was a little larger than Mars and contained an abundance of water and oxygen. Its gravity measured 0.84 G. Primeval forests and oceans covered the planet but there were no intelligent beings present.
Khrest had chosen this world on which to live out the waning days of his life and Rhodan finally acquiesced to the urgent plea of the scientist and left Terrania with him aboard the Solar System. Now they had arrived to select a suitable location.
"Look out down there!" Lt. Tuncher bellowed. At the same moment he recognized that it was Rhodan who was in his way. "I beg your pardon, sir," he shouted, more subdued.
The house suspended on the hook of the crane began to sway. Tuncher yelled angrily, waving his arms. "Are you guys trying to wreck the house?"
Several harassed men appeared at the hatch to see why he bawled them out and the lieutenant growled in disgust.
"Is this the right place, sir?" Tuncher inquired.
"Yes," Rhodan confirmed. "You can put it down here."
Suspended on a steel cable, the prefabricated building was slowly lowered to the beach, accompanied by a constant stream of threats and epithets by Tuncher. Finally it touched the sand in perfect condition.
"How do you like it?" Rhodan asked Khrest.
"It looks much too luxurious," Khrest observed with a smile. "I imagine you didn't try to economize."
Rhodan replied sadly. "It's a tiny house and we can never compensate you for what you have done for my people."
"Whatever I have done I did gladly and of my own free will," Khrest answered with a fleeting sparkle in his reddish eyes. "Only few beings are fortunate enough to further the advance of a great race. The Earthlings were always like children to me who had to be protected and guided. But this phase has ended. Humanity has outgrown its infantile stage and taken its place among the stars. I am confident that a great future awaits this race if it acts as in the past and there are always men like you, Perry."
"Let's take a look at your new home," Rhodan suggested, changing the subject. "You have a modern spacejet with hyper-propulsion system and hyperradio at your disposal. You will be left here without physicians to help you in case you need medical care. So you have the possibility of returning to Earth at any time or call for help. In addition I'm going to leave 2 combat robots with you. The probability that intelligent aliens would land here is extremely slight but I don't want to neglect taking it into consideration. However, in case this should happen, you must try to keep the spacejet from falling into the wrong hands. It contains the latest propulsion system and electronic equipment which are vital to the Solar Fleet and must be kept secret from hostile alien powers at all cost."
"I promise you I will guard the flying disk with my life," Khrest assured him. "You won't have to worry about it."
They went together to the house. Khrest walked with a slight stoop, breathing rather heavily. His white hair flowed down to his shoulders. Despite his age he was still a very impressive figure.
When they reached the building, Rhodan explained with an inviting gesture: "The door opens automatically as soon as you approach it."
They entered the building and were immediately surrounded by its cozy warmth.
"Here I will sit in the evening and look out at the lake," Khrest said quietly as he stepped to the large window. "My eyes will be here but my thoughts will be elsewhere."
"Are there any thoughts on which you haven't pondered?" Rhodan asked in the same quiet tone.
Khrest put his hands on the windowsill. Although the glass of the window was non-reflective, Rhodan believed he could see the face of the Arkonide in it.
"I'm an old man," Khrest said. "At my age many things look different. One gains a certain detachment."
"You will be lonely," the Administrator took another tack. "The robots will wait on you, prepare your meals and guard the house but perhaps you would like to talk to a human being now and then."
Khrest turned around and looked into Rhodan's eyes.
"I'm looking forward to being alone," he replied unemotionally. "You still see in me the active Arkonide scientist." He shook his head and his long hair undulated on his shoulders. "You must accept me for what I am, a tired old man."
Before Rhodan could make a reply, Lt. Tuncher rushed in with a red face. "Excuse me, sir," he panted. "These clumsy bunglers didn't set the house down right-it stands cockeyed."
"It's not straight?" Khrest wondered. "I didn't notice it."
"I've just measured it," Tuncher reported excitedly. "The floor on which we stand is slanted 1░ away from the shore."
"One degree?" Rhodan was astounded. "Really, Lieutenant, how could you let this happen?"
Tuncher swallowed nervously and looked questioningly at Rhodan. "What shall I do, sir?"
"Take your men and unload the spacejet and the robots," Rhodan ordered.
Tuncher snapped to attention and was about to rush out again when he was called back by the voice of the Administrator. "Tuncher!"
"Sir?"
"Watch it that the spacedisk is set down properly. I don't want you to tell me that it is 2░ off."