"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0010 - (5a) Space Battle in the Vega Sector" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)
"Your opinion is by no means the deciding one, Mr. Bell!" Thora said acridly. Her manner had become more rigid, but her mask of inscrutability was gone. Her face revealed her emotions.
She was beautiful, thought Rhodan. It was a mental statement that often repeated itself automatically. He measured her through narrowing eyes.
When she noticed his rare smile, she faltered in midsentence. Her features tensed. She was suddenly nervous.
"Go on," Rhodan urged. "Anything else?"
Bell clenched his heavy fists. "I have nothing to say," he replied bitterly. Perry is the chief. Thora—even if you can’t stand the sight of me, you should think of the spaceship at this moment. The Good Hope is our only faster than light vessel. You’ve got to realize that our luck to this point has been uncanny. When the first alarm signals came through from Pluto, I was already imagining an alien fleet over the Earth. It can’t hurt either you or ourselves if we prefer to be a little overcautious. In about one year the new ship construction will be completed; then we can consider further steps. I’ll be overjoyed if we’re left alone until that time. We are just not armed for a serious engagement with alien intelligences. And under such a situation you want to do the very thing that we have avoided doing for three years, in the interests of safety—namely, make a hyperspace jump. Not to mention your goal of Vega, where at the moment a swarm of alien spaceships has appeared?"Rhodan cleared his throat.
John Marshall grinned. Colonel Freyt, the newly arrived commander of the space fighter group, was amused at Bell’s display of temperament during his speech."You give me no opportunity, Perry," complained the Arkonide. "For three years now you’ve denied me even short trips in the radius of fifty light-years."
"That’s right. My own Curiosity has been restricted by a primary concern for the safety of Earth. You know full well that the quickest way for a newly developing center of power to get itself discovered is by causing a gravitational warp stress, which would happen if we tried a hyperspace jump."
"But we’ve waited long enough. I maintain again, as I have before, that the ships appearing in the Vega system are from my home planet. The spreading degeneration of our race is the very reason why we are urged and driven to preserve the remaining healthy members by means of a synthetic extension of life. In the ruling councils of Arkon, every last possible resource will have been dedicated by now to the discovery of the planet which holds the secret of cellular preservation."Thora’s voice was heard again. "I demand an immediate start! There is no doubt that we will be able to make contact with our own people in the Vega System. The hypnotic treatment you have received has given you all the knowledge that we ourselves possess; you have no further need of us. You can have the Good Hope, as a gift from me. Just be careful how you develop your so beloved mankind into a galactic power. To achieve such a goal you will have to first bring the primitive, instinctively motivated members of your species into a semblance of unity. You now have the means. So again—I demand that the star trip start at once, so that we can be delivered into the Vega system."
"Your ideas are idiotic!" Bell shouted furiously. "Do I have to say it in plain words? Your proud race of Arkonides has had it! I’m sorry, but it’s time you got your eyes opened. I still have a vivid recollection of the gaping, zombie stares of your crew members on the wrecked cruiser. You and Khrest are lucky that your minds are still with you. Apply them, if you will, to some logical purpose, but not to crazy fantasies!"The words were hard, almost brutal in their frankness. Rhodan still held off, waiting.
Thora trembled in every limb. Khrest seemed to crumble inwardly. He sank back helplessly. The command center was blanketed by an oppressive silence. Only the crackling of the galactic comstation penetrated here from the next room.
"Colonel Freyt!"
Rhodan’s voice was cold and sharp. Freyt started, then automatically came to attention. Reginald Bell stared, wide eyed, at the face of the commander; he knew that look. Rhodan had been what the space force psychologists had referred to as an instantaneous-adaptive-mercurially, he could switch from absolute calm to effective action. This ability had been pronouncedly augmented by his hypno treatments under the Arkonides. He was now once more the all demanding, uncompromising commander who had no patience with back talk."Sir!" Freyt responded, swallowing hard.
"Order Major Deringhouse to return to base. He is to land immediately. Nyssen stays with his fighter group in the lunar orbit. Thank you. Captain Klein!"
Klein came to attention. The smoke gray eyes of the chief invited no question. Rhodan wasn’t conscious that his will radiated a suggestive power that forced people to obey."Place emergency squads under Condition Twilight of the Gods. Fifty men are sufficient. You will be in charge. Also, reprogram 100 fighter robots to respond to your individual frequencies. We take off in exactly five hours. Thank you very much!"
Two white-faced officers left the room.
In Khrest’s old-young face flickered new hope. He cautiously collected himself. "Thank you, he said in choked tones. "You will receive all the help conceivable in the Vega system. Under the circumstances I can arrange to have a heavy battle cruiser turned over to you. Under all circumstances, the Great Empire will protect the Earth. We will not forget what you have done for us. I—"Khrest broke off under the tall man’s surveillance. A spark of compassion glimmered in the remote corners of those bright eyes, which now seemed not quite so grim."Khrest, I am very sorry, but you won’t find a single Arkonide ship in the Vega system. You are in error. Your race is no longer capable of launching such a major project. Remember that we have detected more than 200 hypertransit spaceships. Those are not your people."Bell’s husky figure pressed forward. "My thoughts exactly," he said. "So why, if I may ask, have you decided to go? Our detector data shows that we haven’t been observed yet. What purpose can it serve to bring ourselves to the attention of this unknown force? I’m asking you, what can it accomplish? You are fully aware that these strangers have concentrated their hyperentry on the region of Vega—not here. We’ve been wanting to make an interstellar hyper trip so bad we could taste it, but for good reason we’ve restrained ourselves for years. Has everybody gone crazy around here?"
"If I were a dictator," whispered Rhodan, "that would have been your last card." The disquieting smile was back again. "Has it occurred to you that you, too, have made a mistake in judgment?"
"Who—me?"
"Yes, you. The Good Hope will take off in five hours. Exclusively in the interests of Earth, but only for reconnaissance. As a matter of fact, I find it difficult to remain idle in the face of an alien invasion that is occurring only twenty-seven light-years away. It is definitely an invasion. Merchants and scholars don’t appear in a massive commitment of obviously heavy class ships. And another thing…"Perry Rhodan looked grimly about the room.
"One further consideration you missed, gentlemen! Somebody, though well acquainted with the star reaches of galactic space, has tripped over one little mistake. This invasion was aimed at Earth, not Vega. Somebody has made a slight miscalculation. By a fraction of a decimal point, the emergency call beamed out three years ago from the Arkonide cruiser has been mistraced. In terms of galactic distances a small error in hyperspace navigation could result in missing the target by twenty-seven light-years. That’s why we will investigate what is going on out there. Gentlemen, the Second Epoch has begun—or you might call it the Second Crisis. Mr. Marshal, announce me to the waiting delegates."Rhodan now in uniform, slapped on his service cap, saluted lightly, and strode toward the heavy bulkhead of Arkon steel. Behind him the room was pervaded by a brittle silence, which was shattered only seconds later by a scornful laugh.
Reginald Bell stood defiantly in front of the complicated scanner consoles, watching him go. "If you’re right, sir, then I’ve nothing more to say. But if alien intelligences are attracted to the Earth through this madness, then I will have to describe the chief of the Third Power as an irresponsible kid. By your leave, Commander—if any subordinate officer made such a mistake, I’d haul him before a military court-marshall on the grounds of wilfully endangering global security!"Dr. Manoli clutched at the arms of his chair. His lips trembled as Perry Rhodan turned around slowly.
Rhodan’s gaze was enigmatic, his voice quiet and even. "I’d do the same, Reg," he said. "‘Exactly the same."He turned briskly. The armoured bulkhead hatch slammed shut behind him. The saluting Arkonide fighter robots suddenly lowered their weapon arms. The chief was gone.
"God knows you’re certainly not a psychologist!" murmured Dr. Haggard. For three years he had been Health Minster of the Third Power, as well as the founder of the world famous Arkon Clinic.The heavily built giant moved toward the armour plate door, and Manoli, former ship’s doctor of the Stardust, followed him silently. Reginald Bell watched them gloomily. Then his gaze fell upon the two Arkonides.He was beginning to understand why Perry Rhodan had finally given up his longstanding resistance to a translight space flight—why he had to give it up. The possibility of turning Khrest and Thora into bitter enemies of mankind must have been a greater deciding factor for Rhodan than the probability of being detected by alien beings…
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