" Perry Rhodan 0081 - (73) Spaceship of Ancestors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

The metal sphere of gigantic proportions was drifting through the boundless expanse of the Universe. If
its course were traced back, it would lead into the teeming centre of the Galaxy where the stars are
closer together, making the exact determination of position almost impossible. If it were traced forward,
however, it would end in the bleak wasteland at the edge of the Milky Way. But the sphere would only
reach that edge in several millennia if it maintained its present velocity.

It was not only gigantic, it was of artificial origin.

At first it might seem that one had before him a small planet. Upon closer observation, however, this
impression would prove to be false. The sphere was an artificial structure, designed and set in motion by
thinking beings.

And, as it seemed, also manned by intelligent animate beings.

Behind illuminated portholes an observer could now and again catch a glimpse of moving shadows.
These shadows possessed distinctly humanoid forms, which would lead to the conclusion that the interior
of the sphere was not inhabited by monsters but by people.

The sphere was thus a spaceship.

A ship, that is, measuring 1½ kilometres in diameter and certainly affording room for a few thousand
people.

Unperturbed, it pursued its path, untouched by all the events taking place on the thousands of inhabited
planets that lay in the vicinity. Ray refracting fields, permanently in operation, prevented electronic
detection from afar and no roving ship of any race discovered the restless wanderer flying on towards its
unknown destination.

There was no one who had ever looked into the interior of the mysterious ghost ship—other than those
who were in it. They, on the other hand, knew only the interior and had no idea of what went on outside
the metal walls. Certainly they saw the stars slowly drift past but they were part of their existence and
provoked no questions. The eternal blackness of the Cosmos was their day and the twinkling stars were
their constant companions.

But as enormous as the sphere might have been, compared to the endlessness of the Universe it was
nothing but a tiny speck of dust pursuing its course, lonely and undiscovered, until it would one day be
swallowed up by eternity.

No one would ever miss it…




1/ MYSTERY OF THE MONSTERS



Machinist 7 finished his shift at work and headed back to his living quarters. He was relieved by
Machinist 4, a powerfully built fellow who never uttered a word more than was necessary, usually less,
and was therefore of little interest to Machinist 7. He loved a short chat between shifts but No. 4 was a