"Perry Rhodan 031 - Robot Threat- New York in Atlan" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

Ivan Goratschin was sleeping. His left head, which to distinguish it from the right one bore the name of Ivanovich, had awakened a few seconds earlier. The reflexes in the limbs saw to it that Ivan soon opened his eyes.
"What's up?"
"Don't you hear anything, Ivan?"
"I always hear something the moment I awaken. But I'd rather not hear anything at all. And that's why you should have let me sleep."
Ivanovich availed himself of their common right arm in order to scratch himself. Since both heads had only one body at their disposal, they constantly had to come to terms about its use. But Ivan Goratschin was used to this since birth. Moreover, he possessed a peaceful character, so that in most cases the heads agreed.
This time, however, Ivanovich had a different opinion. He considered the noises very important. So he suddenly raised the hand that had been scratching and before Ivan knew what was happening, his own fingers were pinching his earlobe.
"You devil! What's that for?"
"You'd better prick up your ears, brother dear. I hear something that isn't good. And if you fall asleep now, it won't make the bad any better. I think it sounds dangerous."
"It sounds like war, Ivanovich. It's trampling and thundering out there like rolling tanks."
"Like shooting tanks," corrected the younger by 31/2 seconds. "If tanks are rolling, it's a parade. If tanks are shooting, it's war!"
Ivan Goratschin got out of bed quickly. He ran to the window in his nightclothes and tried to open it. "Dumbbell," Ivanovich moaned, "windows can't be opened in Terrania. The air-conditioning provides fresh air."
"I don't consider that progress. You've got to be able to lean out of a proper window. That shows how impossible these things are, plastered shut. You can't even find out whether the enemy has marched into Terrania."
"No enemy can march into Terrania," Ivanovich contradicted, "and certainly not into the energy bell in which we are living, as everyone knows. You must have been thinking of our liberators from Siberia."
"The world, or Terra as one now says, is unified.
This is a raid from outer space. When I think of what Rhodan told us about the Traders and how that Mutant Master abused us, I don't feel so well."
"That's nonsense! The New Power is the strongest bulwark in the Milky Way."
"You said yourself it was war. What else could it be?"
"We'd better get dressed and get out of here."
"I'm not taking one step into the street in this weather. There's steel in the air-and even worse. Those newfangled rays, I tell you. You can't see them, can't hear them..."
"There are some that can be heard and seen."
"And some that can't be seen!" Ivan thundered stubbornly.
It seemed that a little tiff was brewing between the two heads. But at the same moment both of them realized that there was something to be seen through the closed window.
In the sky they could make out a chain of helicopters plummeting down in sharp curves. The muzzles of their impulse weapons began to flash.
Ivan Goratschin turned pale. That scare had eliminated all differences of opinion. Heads and body reacted together as if they only responded to one brain.
Instinctively Goratschin backed away from the window.
"This is no manoeuvre and no parade," Ivan declared. "I bet the Traders have infiltrated and intend to conquer the New Power. We should go to Rhodan at once and help him."
"We should?" Ivanovich echoed without conviction. "We don't even know where he is. The government centre is two kilometres from here. When we go out on the street no one will tell us who is a friend and who an enemy."
"We'll ask the people," Ivan naively said.
Finally the two heads agreed that they at least had to get dressed. Goratschin had barely knotted his tie when Tako Kakuta appeared out of nowhere.
The twin-head became frightened again. He was still too unaccustomed to the manner in which the teleporter made his visits. He did realize immediately, however, that he was a member of Rhodan's closest circle.
"Mr. Kakuta! You make us very nervous with these indiscretions."
"By the cosmos, Goratschin! I've been looking for you everywhere in this apartment. Who would dream that with this ruckus outside you would still be in the bedroom?"
"It is still very early in the day and we were tired," Ivan declared.
"What has happened?" the left head interrupted.
"How is it possible that some other power in the world has penetrated Terrania?"
"We'll have to postpone explanations for later. For the present accept the fact that it has actually happened," Tako Kakuta said. "Agents of the Traders have forced our combat robots to aid them and the entire army of metal men has suddenly gone berserk. Rhodan sent me to ask for your help, Mr. Goratschin."
"Rhodan could have ordered us," Ivan commented.
"Order or request," Ivanovich continued, "we are on his side. What shall we do?"
"You are our last hope, Mr. Goratschin."
Both heads straightened in childish pride.
"The combat robots are just a lark for us, Ivanovich declared.
"You must be exceedingly careful, Goratschin," the teleporter warned. "It will be no service to us if you fall in the first encounter. You have more to lose than anyone else, namely two heads!"
"We are strong," Ivan declared.
"The strong man gains his full power when he acts intelligently," Kakuta philosophized. "Are your ready now? Then please come with me! I'll take you to Rhodan."
The apartment was on the first floor. It didn't pay to use the elevator. The street was swarming with people.
"There are more than we imagined from the window," Ivanovich said in astonishment. "They are all running in the same direction. Is it an attack?"
Beads of perspiration appeared on Kakuta's face. "They're fleeing!" he explained, less friendly than before. "The front is on the other side. We have to go left at the corner, cross the street and take a detour through block J-G 7. The section to our right is no longer safe.
Beyond the central department store we may come across a vacant car."
"Why don't we take a robot taxi?"