"(novel) (ebook) - Perry Rhodan 0076 - (68) Under the Stars of Druufo" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

1/ SPHERE OF INFLUENCE

SEVEN PLANETS orbited Star # 221-Tatlira, 1012 light-years away from Earth. Almost exactly 60 years before, Terran spaceships had come into this system and freed the second planet-Goszul's Planet-from the rule of the Galactic Traders.
No one knew if all was yet well on the 7 planets circling Tatlira or if some cosmic disaster had swept the inhabitants of the star system out of their own plane of existence.
The data concerning Tatlira lay on the navigation table just in front of the control panel of the small positronicon abroad the superbattleship, Kublai Khan. From the information the positronicon would make the necessary calculations for the hypertransition.
Before the table sat a man.
He wore the light green uniform of the Solar Imperium, bearing the rank insignia of a colonel. The golden stickpin on his chest indicated that he was the commander of the ship, which with its diameter of 1500 meters belonged to the gigantic units of the Imperium class.
The positronicon hummed gently. The last hytrans to the Tatlira System would soon take place. In 10 minutes the Kublai Khan would be at its destination and then it would be determined if old legends always did have some grains of truth.
Actually, the matter was not just a mere legend. It had been recorded in unimpeachable sound and video in the 1990s.
Col. Marcus Everson could still well remember the hour when Perry Rhodan had called for him. The Administrator of the Solar Imperium had had deep furrows of concern and worry on his forehead and his voice seemed to have a slight despairing tone in it as he said:
"In a difficult and almost hopeless situation, one should remember his friends, Colonel. The struggle against the Druufs from the alien time-plane is taking up all our strength and effort, yet at the moment it seems as though we've run up against an enemy we're no match for. I know of a solar system in which someone is waiting to do us a favour. But it's been 6 decades..."
Col. Everson had smiled weakly. "A very long time, sir. I don't know if anyone would have the patience to wait 60 years..."
"This friend would-if Harnahan was telling the truth!" Rhodan had responded, smiling in turn. "I'm going to show you a video report made at the time when we flew back to Earth with the Stardust 2 from Tatlira. Naturally, Colonel, I'm not doing this without a reason. I'm assigning you the mission of going to pick up our friend."
"Who is it, sir?"
Rhodan had simply smiled once more. For Everson this was where he had come in.
"Just wait a moment." With a few switch-turnings Rhodan darkened the small chamber that was serving as his workroom during his stay on Myrtha 7. A projector began to hum. One of the walls became a videoscreen. "The tape was made in the control room of the Stardust. Present were Sgt. Harnahan, Reginald Bell and I, although Bell makes his appearance somewhat after the film begins. Ready?"
"Ready," answered Marcus Everson tensely.
The wall began to live, bringing the past into the present.
Perry Rhodan looked up at a man with rugged yet sympathetic features standing before him.
"Make your report, sergeant! What did you find on the 4th planet?"
"On a moon of the 4th planet, sir!" corrected the sergeant evenly. "I found a sphere half a meter in diameter. It lay on the edge of a rock formation and called to me-yes, it called me to it. I learned that the sphere was a living being which fed off energy. Moreover, it could 'see' over unlimited distances and project what it saw on its bodily surface. The sphere would make an ideal television set."
"If it were so inclined," Rhodan commented dubiously. "Its intentions are friendly," Harnahan asserted with conviction. "I sensed that as it spoke with me-telepathically, of course. What's more, it helped me when a Springer ship attacked me. But look on the vidscreen, sir. There's the 4th planet..."
The vidscreen became visible on the wall. A point of light slid slowly across the screen and sank into the depths of space.
"Your sphere... ?" asked Rhodan. "How great was its telepathic range?"
"200 light-years-at least that's what it said."
"Odd. It's always been believed that telepathy was not limited by distance. That's evidently not always the case. Even Marshall can't contact the Earth from here. Nevertheless-200 light-years..."
At that moment the image on the wall stopped. An explanation appeared, written with Arkonese letters: Telepathic message of spherical being follows, indicated by written text.
The introduction was replaced with the being's message:
Now do you believe, Perry Rhodan? Harnahan spoke the truth! Did he tell you I am waiting for you? No return to Earth first. That is more important. But do not forget me, Perry Rhodan, even though you are immortal. I am waiting for you-and if I must, I will wait for ages.
"Who are you?" Rhodan asked aloud.
Again came the written text:
You humans are curios-and curiosity is the mainspring of your civilized progress. I think, then, that it will be curiosity which will one day lead you to me. Until then-farewell!
Col. Everson heaved a sigh.
The video report from the past had lasted longer than an entire hour and he no longer remembered all the details. Rhodan tersely supplied any information that was lacking.
Only one portion of the tape was run twice.
Sgt. Harnahan had just explained that the sphere-being in no way represented any danger. To that Rhodan had thoughtfully commented: "I feel the same way. If the sphere-being is no danger to us, then perhaps one day it will be able to help us."
Sgt. Harnahan, the single human friend of the mysterious creature, replied: "He promised me his help whenever we needed it-whether today or in 100 years. Remember that, sir, if you're ever in a real emergency."
When the film ended, Rhodan had turned on the light again. Pensively he continued with his remarks. "Sgt. Harnahan is dead, so he certainly can't take us to the unknown moon of Tatlira's 4th planet. You will go, Everson, and find the sphere! You are to think about Harnahan until the being responds. Then you will carry out your mission. Further details are at your disposal; just ask."
Marcus Everson asked. Rhodan answered. The picture of the situation was becoming clearer.
"I'll find it," the Colonel then promised. "I'll find Harnahan's mysterious friend even if I have to turn the whole system upside down. You can depend on me, sir!"
Rhodan had only smiled gently. "And I will, Colonel!"
When Marcus Everson received the data from the navigational brain's print-out slot, he gave the calculations only a brief glance and handed them to an officer who had up to now been waiting silently, apparently waiting for his orders.
"Transition in 10 minutes, Lt. Gropp! Take over the navigation of the Kublai Khan. You know what has to be done."
"Right, sir."
Then Everson turned his attention to the written information Rhodan had given him as a supplement.
The moon on which the sphere had been 60 years before had a diameter of about 80 kilometres. At the time Harnahan had not been able to make an exact measurement and simply gave a rough guess. Now the 4th planet had 50 moons, revolving around it in wildly different orbits. Everson wondered how he was to find just the right one.
Furthermore, it was probable that the sphere was no longer on the moon, for it had told Harnahan it wanted to move to an uninhabited world closer to the sun to soak up more energy.
The mission before Everson was thus all the more difficult.
But the sphere was an effective telepath and therefore a hypno in a certain sense. It could make its thoughts known even to nontelepaths. So Rhodan was convinced that it would answer as soon as it learned Everson's intentions.
The last preparations were carried out and then came the final seconds. The transition itself proceeded according to plan. As the pain of rematerialisation slowly faded from his body, Col. Marcus Everson looked expectantly at the vidscreen.