" Perry Rhodan 0082 - (74) Checkmate Universe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

"Yes, that’s what I meant. We’re too weak and we’ve realized that only at the last moment. When you
take the number of ships alone, the Robot Regent is superior to us by a ratio of 20 to 1. That says
nothing about morale, however. Ours is better than that of the allied races serving the Arkonides. That’s
beyond all doubt. Nevertheless, our situation is even worse than that of Frederick the Great in the Seven
Years War. And… naturally we can’t count on a miracle like the one that saved old Frederick from
destruction back in the 18th Century."

Bell turned and went to the window. "Do you think Tiff’s mission will help us any?"

"Tiff is only a small stone in a vast mosaic. From now on the Earth will limit itself to dealing out such
small blows. We can reach our goal only step by step. We have to gnaw away at the Arkonide Imperium
like mice at a cheese. One day the little mice will have entirely eaten away the big cheese."

"While I don’t particularly like the analogy you’ve used," said Bell, "I think you’re right."

He went back to Rhodan’s table and picked up the rest of the sheets which he had not read.




2/ THEFT OF A STARSHIP



The man had a swollen chin and claimed to be named Franklin Lubkov, 27 years old. Tifflor could not
vouch for his name and age but the fact that the man had a swollen chin was beyond dispute.

Franklin Lubkov was a lieutenant in the Terran spacefleet and now that he had the first, unfriendly
portion of his mission behind him, he showed his superior the proper respect. When Tifflor ordered him
to take his hand away from his chin and assume a friendlier expression, he obeyed.

"It still hurts, sir," he said. "I wouldn’t have ever thought you could hit so hard."

Tifflor changed the subject. "Tell me all you know about this whole business," he requested.

"There isn’t a whole lot to it," Lubkov replied. "Sgt. Fryberg and I were given the assignment of picking
you up on the evening of 10 December after you had finished supper at Tai Wang’s restaurant, and to
bring you to a building whose location was described exactly to us. We were also instructed to make the
pickup ‘gangster-style’. Then our faces were disguised with makeup and we were given shabby suits.
We were told how important it was for everything to look genuine."

"Butwho told you to do all this?" Tifflor interrupted impatiently.

Lubkov made a wry expression. "Marshall Mercant, sir. In person and well-identified with credentials
and IDs."

Tifflor whistled through his teeth. "And so all you had to do was obey, eh? All right. After you had
brought me here… what was to happen then?"
"That wasn’t part of our mission, sir," Lubkov answered. "We were to lay you out on the table there, tie
you down, and disappear. Marshal Mercant told us that someone else would take care of you."