" Perry Rhodan 0103 - (95) The Plasma Monster" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

sure it was still pliable and normal. He figured it was a foolish thing to do
and several times had an inclination to disconnect from the voice-com channels
but he did so finally only because the doctors all began to speak in highly
technical terms. And now he was at loose ends and bored. The chronometer
clicked to 18:51. The lean, straw-blond Scotsman rose to his feet, thinking
that he might as well go have a chat with the Com Room operators but just then
he happened to glance at the hypersensor's tracking oscillograph. And
instantly he was in no mood for idle conversation. He took one jump and was
standing before the instrument, staring at it intently. On the green-glowing
oscilloscope screen he saw an unusual series of low, flat curves. They
indicated a transition, all right, but no Terran or Arkonide spaceship was
able to show movement through hyperspace with this kind of waveform and
amplitude. The very distortion of these curves from the norm gave emphasis to
the fact that the unknown vessel's emergence into the normal continuum had
been unusually gentle. The alarms rang out. The ship's positronicon had once
more detected an unannounced ship. It was not necessary for Fitzgerald to
shake the Control Central's 5-man crew out of their lethargy from hours of
boring duty. The alarm had done it for him. Since the discovery of linear
space-drive the special 3-D hypersensor indicator had been developed. This
versatile instrument had already connected itself to the computer in response
to the alarm. It was inputting all of the coordinate data. The positronicon
only required a few seconds to determine the galactic position of the alien
ship. Alain Berliez and Roger Dempsey had been assigned to Ori-12-1818 as
shavetail lieutenants only 6 months before but they were especially trained in
regard to the new 3-D sensor. Now the main burden of responsibility was on
their shoulders. This was a case that applied to Perry Rhodan's alert
bulletin. However, before the alarm signal could be beamed to Headquarters,
certain details had to be determined. In a few moments they had the contour
echoes of the target object showing in relief on the sensor screen. "It's a
spherical spacer!" Berliez; suddenly blurted out in surprise. "We came within
an ace of disgracing ourselves for all time!" "Are you sure-a ball-shaped
hull?" Fitzgerald was perplexed by the flat configuration of the oscillograph
curves. He could not believe that this abnormal type of spacewarp had been
generated by an Arkonide class of ship. "No doubt about it!" Berliez
confirmed in a steady tone of conviction. "Something's haywire!" Dempsey
interjected. "Don't you see it, Berliez? That spacer's got definite flat spots
at the poles. Blast! Are we getting a distortion or something?" Lt.
Fitzgerald hurried over to the sensor console and his two under-officers made
room for him. He examined the 3D picture on the screen instantly. There was
some distortion going on but not enough to hide the obvious flattening of the
spherical object at its poles. "Alien ship velocity: 0.8 LV. Distance: 4.1
LH." "Direction of course!" insisted Fitzgerald. "Orion System," came the
answer. The chronometer registered 18:56 standard time. "Berliez, can't you
sharpen that picture any more?" Fitzgerald didn't realize that beads of
perspiration were standing out on his forehead as he let Berliez get back to
the keyboard. With practiced hands, the latter manipulated several vernier
adjustments. The picture blurred out and then came again as sharp as a pin,
only to disappear a moment later. "Come on! Come on!" yelled Fitzgerald
impatiently. But the 21-year-old 2nd lieutenant did not allow himself to
become rattled. Now the picture was there again, clear and sharp. With