"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0040 - (32) Challenge of the Unknown" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

genuinely meant it when he voiced such a comparison.
"Do we go armed?" asked Bell.
"Small needle rayguns in our pockets should be enough," advised Rhodan. "Anything else would be senseless."
After traversing a number of lifts and passages, the landing trio arrived at the ground exit station next to the ring of
retraction struts. As the outer lock opened, a gangway ladder lowered automatically. Rhodan was the first to set foot
on the alien world. His trained senses immediately detected the very slight gravitational difference from that of
Earth. The air was clear and invigorating. Perhaps a trace of extra oxygen but otherwise completely normal. The
ground consisted of a hard smooth substance resembling concrete but seamless and perfectly even.
The torpedo car approached them and stood waiting nearby. A husky Zalite emerged and opened the hatchlike door
for them. Just like on Earth, thought Rhodan grimly, though nothing else reminded him that this was actually a state
visit.
The trip through the city left them no time for conversation. They marvelled at the well-planned highways, the
magnificent parks, the numerous funnel-shaped structures and the brisk traffic. One might have felt that he had been
transported back to a planet of Arkon, were he not continuously confronted with the spectacle of the very animated
and lively Zalites. It was these people around them who made all the difference.
Instead of being like the tired and degenerated Arkonides who relegated all work to robots and to the positronic
Brain, the people on Zalit were alive. Here was an air of enterprise and accomplishment; it could be seen in the city
dwellers' happy faces that they were completely content with their lot. There was nothing here of the brooding
melancholy of the Arkonides; on the contrary, the visitors frequently observed small laughing groups of Zalites
strolling about and enjoying their parks.
Rhodan glanced unobtrusively at Khrest. Gazing through the car's window, the Arkonide was taking it all in. Not a
feature of his face moved but Rhodan had a good idea of what was passing through the other's mind. And the
conclusions to be drawn from such cogitations would certainly not be pleasing to Khrest.
The government palace came into sight.
Although it had made a mighty impression from a distance, it now surpassed Rhodan's expectations. The stem base
upon which the entire funnel-shaped structure stood was more than 150 feet in diameter. The upper rim must have
measured close to 1000 feet in diameter, with an approximate height of 450 feet. The walls slanted outward at a 45ш
angle and were smoothly flush with the rows of windows.
Two bemedalled officers met Rhodan and his companions and led them into the palace. The inner courtyard was like
an extensive garden. Flower beds fringed a well tended lawn, which was criss-crossed with narrow pathways. And
exactly in the centre of the lawn stood
"Careful!" warned Marshall in English. "It's a Mooff!"
Rhodan had already spotted the creature. In the garden's centre was a huge bell-jar container such as Tschubai had
described. From inside this the bulking jellyfish thing goggled out at them with its motionless button eyes. It was as
though it were inspecting all visitors to the palace.
Rhodan experienced a completely involuntary desire to hand over his as yet undetected needle raygun to the two
officers. For a moment he wondered at the occurrence of such a curious idea but then he observed that Bell was on
the verge of putting the impulse into action. Slowly and hesitantly, he was about to withdraw his weapon. Rhodan
stopped him in time.
"Somebody is trying to control our wills," he said, also in English. "It has to be that Mooff over there. He's checking
to see that no one enters the palace armed. I'm beginning to have a suspicion that the Zalites use these Mooffs as
telepathic watchdogs."
He didn't know how erroneous his suspicion was.
* * * *
The Zarlt did not seem disposed to grandiose airs or any conspicuous life-style, or at least if he were he was
dispensing with it at the moment. He sat behind a long, broad table that was covered with communications
equipment and the corresponding control panels. In between were stacks and clusters of documents, papers and
writing utensils and materials. He appeared to be an extremely busy man who took personal responsibility for this
important work, which spoke in his favour.
As he observed his guests, his eyes certainly transmitted nothing that was conducive to trust. There was something