"002 The Third Power" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

powers recognise that they are threatened by a might greater than their own,
they will quickly forget their own conflicts. This might even lead to a
unification, to one accord."
"ThatТs a Utopia, nothing more."
"LetТs wait and see for ourselves. ThereТs a grain of truth in the modern myth
in which the flying saucers arrive and bring peace to the world. Khrest is
helping us only because we have assured a cure and personal freedom. He would
not have that freedom if we surrender, no matter to whom, because the others
would then feel threatened, and quite justifiably so. This would eventually
unleash the last of all wars. But now they will be careful."
Fletcher made a weary gesture. "YouТll let me go if I wish?"
"Reg will take you along when be leaves to get the medicine and the spare parts.
The helicopter is waiting outside."
That was all, for the moment.
With a twist of the lever Perry activated the force field. The Stardust was now
surrounded by an invisible but impenetrable bell one and one-quarter miles high
and extending just as far in all directions. From an aerial perspective, one
would see, far below in the desert beside the lake, nothing but a small wreck
incapable of flight.
In reality, however, the spacecraft was the germ cell of a new dominion whose
boundaries, though presently no more than 9.4 miles in circumference, would one
day be measured in thousands of light-years.

CHAPTER TWO

The mere sight of General Pounder reminded one of a bulldozer. His square build
bespoke incredible energy and strength of will. As head of the United States
Space Explorations Command, he was known to fear nothing, and his courage was
undaunted neither by Washington nor the Pentagon. He was in equal measure feared
and loved by all his staff, for they knew they could to him with their problems
at any time. Nevertheless, his biting humour so rarely came to the surface that
some fools were convinced the general would one day be devoured by his own acid.
Now he sat in the office of his headquarters, behind an immense desk almost
completely covered with all manner of communications devices. In between were
heaps of official documents and dossiers. Across from him sat a man of almost
insignificant appearance.
The other man was the complete opposite of General Pounder. A spare, thin wreath
of blond hair encircled his mirrorlike bald dome, and white hair at his temples
lent him a peaceful appearance. Despite the few remaining hairs and the temples
of grey, this man appeared incredibly young and as harmless as he seemed
youthful. In his eyes shone a mild and tolerant light.
And yet, Allan D. Mercant was anything but mild, anything but tolerant, when
there arose any question of his duties as International Defence Secretary for
the whole of the Western Bloc. One could hardly imagine a more obstinate and
unwavering sentinel.
"You have a great deal of confidence in Major Rhodan and his men," Mercant said
gently, then pointed to the map of the world that covered one wall of the room.
"The Stardust landed in the Gobi Desert, and you still believe it to be pure
chance?"
"The ship gave the international signal of distress before transmission ended.