"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0032 - (24) Infinity Flight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

2/ To Distant Barkon!


The Stardust was racing with half the speed of light into the bell­shaped protective energy field of the artificial planet Wanderer. From one second to the next the speedometers fell to zero.
Despite all the activated neutralization fields their entry was accompanied by a sharp jolt throughout the entire ship. Everyone who had not fastened their safety belts was knocked about. Fortunately, Rhodan had foreseen such an eventuality and had ordered the necessary safety precautions so that no one was actually injured.
During the course of 12 seconds the Stardust was penetrating and passing through the artificial sky of Wanderer-and then the planet lay before their eyes.
It was a world of wonder. It contained all that could be found on any of the inhabited planets of the galaxy. Gently undulating landscapes with meandering streams alternated with wide oceans dotted with picturesque island groups. The continents were covered with park-like forests. In between stretched giant steppes which were inhabited by the oddest creatures. Steep mountain ranges created a change in the scenery and introduced an element of welcome diversity. Prehistoric winged dragons soared through the skies with staggered flight patterns.
It was a world close to paradise.
But it was not a normal world. It was a flat world. The planet Wanderer was not a genuine planet but rather a giant disk with a diameter of almost 4000 miles. Above this world arched an energy bell with an artificial atomic sun fixed at its highest point. This sun gave warmth, light and life to this peculiar world.
This world was visible only to one inside this energy dome. Even at the slightest distance it became not only invisible but also non­existent. This world was in another time plane and could not be located even by the most sensitive instruments.
Rhodan pushed a button. The metal plates in front of the window hatches slid aside. When Rhodan arrived at the observation dome of the spacesphere, Bell was already there to greet him. Filled anew by the unfathomable wonders of the Immortal, touched to the depth of their souls, the two friends stood there silently, admiring the panorama of the idyllic world as it unfolded below.
"Do you like it, Perry?"
The voice of the mysterious Immortal was suddenly clearly audible inside the room. It seemed as if It had talked to them not by telepathy but in a real voice. Rhodan smiled calmly. "It is such a wonderful and peaceful planet, old friend. You have created a paradise for yourself which should be the envy of every mortal being-"
"Not only the mortal ones but the immortal ones envy me for my creation," It giggled in amusement. "You have come to visit me?"
"I have come to ask a favour of you," confessed Rhodan, still gazing down on the fairy tale landscape. "You must know what I want from you."
"I haven't the faintest idea," It lied. "How should I know what your wishes are? I'm not prying into the innermost secrets of my friends."
"You're less than truthful!" protested Bell, who was thinking of the beautiful Rallas who had so abruptly been removed from his arms. "I can prove..."
"Ah, our friend Bell," said the invisible speaker. "You were annoyed by the pretty imitation? Well, we'll give you a treat! I'll smuggle her into your cabin tonight..."
"Don't you dare!" roared Bell, very scared, fearing less the amorous Rallas than the derisive laughter of his crew. His ruddy cheeks had grown conspicuously pale. They turned a chalky white at the sound of It's roaring laughter. It was everywhere and was therefore able to see Bell's frightened face.
"Beautiful women are so much more interesting than Indians or Wild West gunfighters," said the voice in amusement. It was hinting at the mirages which It had used during Rhodan's first visit in order to keep the Earthlings away from their goal. "By the way, Perry, keep on the same course. Land again near the machine city. It has hardly changed and you will easily find again the great hall where I shall be waiting for you. Homunk will guide you."
Rhodan was astonished. "How do you know what I used to call that robot?"
"But my dear friend, Homunk isn't a robot at all. He is a Terranian that I created-you might call it-from surplus matter. I liked him, that's why I let him continue to exist. Meanwhile he has become much cleverer-he's looking forward to your visit."
Well," asked Rhodan, "haven't you any more surprises in store for us? No tests, no riddles to solve?"
"No, why should I? I'll have all the fun I could only want."
The voice grew silent and it was to Rhodan and Bell as if an invisible person had left the room. Some undefinable something seemed to be receding from them. It was withdrawing and left them alone.
Bell drew a deep breath. "It's uncanny. I'll probably never get used to the idea that such a creature really exists. It is a magician-It has created the whole world down there from the void according to It's own designs. It has transported living beings from other planets and from other times. It is almighty."
Rhodan shook his head in a slight reprimand. "No, Reg, It is nothing but a being that has resulted from the amalgamation of an entire race and therefore possesses its entire knowledge. You might say It's powers border that of a God but it has more humour-and don't forget that this humour came about merely because of boredom. All truly immortal ones suffer from boredom."
"I'd never suffer from boredom if I were to live 10,000 years," Bell asserted flatly. "There will always be new events that will distract you and make you forget that you have too much time at your disposal. There will always be new adventures that will chase away all boredom."
"Mortals will never be able to imagine what the life of a truly immortal creature is like, Reg. I've tried, believe me, even though I haven't become genuinely immortal. My body periodically requires the life­prolonging biological cell shower-and if some day I'm unable to obtain it, the aging process of my body will resume again. Nevertheless I have given it much thought, what it is like not to grow old. At first I was overwhelmed by an indescribable feeling of happiness and thought I'd be rid of all worries forever. But this was just for a short moment. Then I realized how long an eternity lasts. Around me the eternal cycle of birth and death will take place but I shall remain unchanged and untouched by events. Mankind could start considering me to be godlike-and this would be the beginning of eternal solitude."
"But you'd have companions just as immortal as yourself."
"Sure, I'd have these companions. But wouldn't we grow tired of each other's company if we had to see each other forever?"
Bell did not reply. It would have seemed too sentimental at this moment to assure Rhodan that he could put up with his presence for all eternity without growing tired of it. He looked down at the slowly changing panorama of the world as they flew over it. The engines of the Stardust were humming softly. The blue­golden sky stretched above them, illuminated by the glow of the atomic sun. Once this sun would burn out, the artificial stars of an alien and unknown galaxy would start to shine-a galaxy that might have been the original home of the Immortal. Millions of years ago the ships of It's long since vanished yet still existing race might have crossed the great abyss in order to find a new home in this galaxy. It had never discussed It's past but perhaps some day soon this great secret might be revealed.
Rhodan, too, was silently gazing down at the planet. They were just flying over an ocean whose mirror­like surface was glittering in the sun. Not the slightest wind ruffled the smooth surface of the water. Some islands appeared on the far horizon.
"Which worlds might have served It as a model for this lovely paradise?" wondered Bell out loud. "Occasionally I imagine I find some traces of our own good old Earth."
"I'm inclined to agree with you, Reggie," said Rhodan and pointed ahead. "Those islands down there-they remind me of our South Sea islands. And remember, during our first visit. we saw an exact replica of the North American Rocky Mountains."
Suddenly It's voice filled the room again. It must have listened in to their conversation and have understood every single word.
"You are wrong, old friend. These are never imitations-nor was Stella Rallas an imitation in the proper sense of the word. True, her body remained on Terra, your home planet. But her spirit was given here a new body and thus she herself was actually present. The same object can exist thousandfold if it can be transposed into that many different time­planes. Those islands down there, they are indeed islands from Earth. But they do not exist at this moment on Earth; they did so millions of years ago. You will be able to see that with your own eyes if you set foot on them. The vegetation of these islands is not of the present time but that of an age long gone by."
"I see," said Rhodan, "we are dealing here with two different types of mirages. That woman bodily remained on Earth but not those islands."
"That's right; that's the way it is. And I must confess-I was listening in on your conversation from the beginning-your discussion of the psychological problems connected with immortality is very interesting for me. Although I have solved all those problems and am well acquainted with every aspect of boredom I still cannot really get used to it. Sometimes I wish I would die-I'm convinced it will come to that some day. However, that day has not arrived yet."
Rhodan smiled. "You sound almost depressed, old friend. Where's your sense of humour?"
"Humour need not always express itself in the form of laughter. The fact alone that I granted your friend Bell the gift of life prolongation is proof of my boundless sense of humour. Why else would an Immortal permit this funny looking Earthling to survive any longer than nature had intended unless It had a tremendous sense of humour?"
Bell's red hair bristles stood on end and made him resemble a fighting mad porcupine. Rhodan grinned. "How right you are. But you have mortally insulted our good friend Bell here..."
"That's what's so funny about it all," It giggled. "How can one mortally insult a relatively immortal person?"
"I fail to see the joke," replied a sullen Bell. "And that incident with Rallas-what was so funny about that?"
"Sorry," It announced highly pleased, "you'll never know for you lack a true sense of humour."
Bell made a face but kept silent.
Rhodan observed that they were approaching the continent which harboured the huge hall where It resided. Not much longer and the city must appear in view.
"Is it the same as it was before?" asked Rhodan, firmly convinced that the Immortal was constantly keeping his thoughts under surveillance. "Will I find it without any difficulties?"