"Perry Rhodan 019 - The Immortal Unknown" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

3/ RHODAN'S DESTINY


The mean solar distance of the planet Ferrol was-according to Ferronian data-1.1 billion miles.
Since Vega was the indispensable fixation point in the three-dimensional coordinate system, Rhodan deemed it necessary-contrary to other opinions-to fly by the star that had turned into an atomic furnace. His reasoning could very well be sound. On the other hand it might be negligible or completely irrelevant. After considering the final evaluation of the positronic computer, he came to the conclusion that no additional tolerances could be permitted which would affect the complicated transition operation. In any case, there were already more than enough unknown factors among the assumptions for the calculations.
Therefore, he opposed risking a transition 1.1 billion miles from Vega. These 1.1 billion miles could easily become 110 billion miles under a tiny hyper-shift which-together with other minimal mistakes in tolerances-could lead to by-passing the planet without light, resulting in total failure.
Khrest thought that the mass-sensor of the battleship would be sensitive enough to detect a body in space at a distance as far as half a light-year away, regardless of whether it was lit by a sun or not.
Rhodan and Khrest thoroughly debated the alternatives. Meanwhile Bell had attained the velocity of light with maximal acceleration. At present the ship raced in free fall toward the blaring sun.
Magnetic storms of tremendous magnitude raged in the high-tension protection screens. Finely spread particles of matter began to concentrate before the screen. The sphere of Arkonide steel was now surrounded by a glowing aureole:
Vega seemed to radiate its mass away. It was destructing itself by spewing immeasurable quantities into space.
All stations aboard the ship were fully manned. Since no battle alert had been ordered, the pilots of the space-fighter squadron and the eight auxiliary ships were doubling as guards for the most important installations. It was an odd and unusual struggle Perry Rhodan dared in his pursuit of utmost accuracy.
The strong gravitational pull of Vega went unnoticed at the velocity with which the Stardust was moving. However, the cosmic micro-matter became denser and denser. There were also extensive clouds of gas which, despite their low density, became a danger at their tremendously fast pace.
Rhodan had switched off the various defence screens with the exception of the ionization deflection screen whose greatest energy density was concentrated at the front of the craft as directed by the field-projectors.
Some of the power reserves of the engines were already used by the chief engineer. Since their hasty start Garand calculated only in rough figures beginning at one million to upwards of 250 million kilowatt-hours per power station.
The leading astronauts and technicians of the super-battleship maintained silence. Only their eyes seemed to be alive in their tense faces as they scrutinized the readings of their instruments.
Next to Rhodan was a console receiving the final signals from the giant computer of the Stardust. The data determined by the robot-brain were sent to the command centre by optical and audio transmission.
Rhodan's fingertips rested on the still-secured impulse switch for triggering the transition.
The precisely computed point of departure was 74 million miles from Vega. When Stardust II arrived at that position, the star had to be right on the beam at 91.3 degrees in the green sector.
As the spaceship passed the trajectory of the first planet, they caught sight on the videoscreen for a few moments of its glowing, almost molten body. This satellite had a mean solar distance of 137 million miles.
In the constellation of their far away home world it corresponded approximately to the value for the rather cold Mars. Here, at a comparable distance, a whole world was a burning hell due to the size of the central star. Everything in the Vegan sector was on a titanic scale.
The battleship kept racing on it flight when the heavily armoured spherical hull began to drone after another light-minute, Rhodan coughed slightly.
"May I have a cup of coffee, Anne? There should be some in the dispenser."
Anne Sloane, the slim delicate mutant girl with the gift of psychokinesis, did not blink an eyelash.
She concentrated her parapsychological powers on the dispenser. A cup detached itself from the container and floated under the faucet. Without touching the release, the coffee began to flow into the cup whereupon it drifted, as if carried by ghostly hands, toward Rhodan. He took it matter­of­factly. These uncanny tricks of his highly qualified specialists were regarded as common after many such shared experiences.
Anne relaxed the fixed gaze in her eyes and Rhodan thanked her in his most amiable manner.
The droning of the outer hull grew louder and blinding lightning began to flash against the deflection screen.
The taut faces of his men remained motionless. They knew their boss. When he embarked on a nerve-wracking adventure they had to keep their composure with a stiff upper lip. No one on board the Stardust would have admitted any fear at such times. They talked about everything else except the imminent peril they faced and were apt to crack wacky jokes during the moments before the fatal decision.
The ship began to vibrate. Three more light-minutes till the point of transition. Far below the men's feet the power reactors reached their highest pitch, pouring out the last reserves. Seconds seemed to stretch into eternities.
"Nice weather we're having out there, but it looks a little cloudy," Bell commented calmly.
Rhodan looked in fascination at the videoscreens where a pitilessly raging hell could be seen. The shaking became so wild that the safety harnesses automatically snapped shut around their shoulders.
"Looks like rain," Rhodan agreed.
Garand's face appeared again on the control screen. His angelic smile was frozen. He reported in an unmodulated tone:
"Engine Control to Commander. We're slowing down a little. Very dense matter retarding our ship. Shall we go?"
"Let her have it!" Rhodan answered, sipping his coffee.
Again the droning of the gigantic ship's engines rose to a crescendo. In order to maintain the necessary speed for the 5-D leap, they were running the engines at 92.8584% of the available thrust
A shrill wailing sound transformed the spacefaring protagonists into humans again. Rhodan turned around. All of a sudden the immutable expression was gone. A grey face with flickering eyes appeared.
"I'm scared!" Pucky squealed. I'm terribly frightened."
Crying for help, he hobbled closer on all fours. Bell laughed loudly.
"Who isn't?" he sympathized. "One doesn't have to be inhuman to admit it. In two minutes the protective screen is going to collapse, damn it. It will make mince-meat out of us."
His words were like a sign. Garand started to shout and all the others fell in.
Rhodan sat tensely at the controls. Khrest pressed his clenched fists against his mouth. He stare madly at the pulsating raging monster of a star which still filled the screen although it was already far over to the side. Spectacular gas flames billowed into space from terrific explosions. The Stardust skirted the outer limits of the inferno.
Only Rhodan could hear the final communication from the astro-robot. The blue control-lamp flashed faster and faster until its light became constant at its brightest hue.
It was at this moment that Rhodan's brain fleetingly relived the events which led to his search for the greatest mystery of the universe.