Part 6 (1/2)
The second conversation took place between the Druuf commander and Perry Rhodan. Again Harno saw to it that Rhodan could observe the angular monster in his s.h.i.+p Central during the exchange, although the Druuf had no inkling of it.
The s.p.a.cecraft sent into the Druuf Universe through the portal which had been created by the lens field projector in the largest Drusus hangar had meanwhile returned and reported to the commander.
”Harno,” Rhodan had asked the round creature, ”can you hear what the scouts.h.i.+p commander is telling his chief?”
Harno managed it and Rhodan had no quarrel with the report presented by the returned Druuf.
Negotiations now proceeded.
”Rhodan,” the Druuf was just replying, ”we are secure in places where you are not present. You are baiting us with your promise that we can return to our Universe. But if we take up your suggestion, you will really attempt to destroy us!”
Rhodan sensed that he could not make any progress with the Druuf with words. He had to provide tangible proof of his honesty. But how was he to do that?
The teletransmitter, the only weapon of its kind and the most dreadful, had to be eliminated. If the Druuf were to find out about the existence of a device such as that, his appet.i.te for the Drusus might increase.
Louder than before, he responded more out of intuition than intellect. ”Druuf, you mustn't forget that I did not have to search for you and your fleet. On my native star I already knew where you were hidden. I could just as well have come with all my s.h.i.+ps and the battle against you Druufs would have been over long ago!
”I have no more to say than that. Now I am switching off. If you want to talk to me, do it soon!”
That was the old Rhodan, again investing his total personality and, by virtue of his foresight, knowing with almost 100% certainty that the Druuf commander would now be ready to accept his suggestion.
In the mighty Command Central of the gigantic vessel discussion was resumed but no one left his place. Rhodan's flags.h.i.+p was still surrounded by Druufs. If the ultimate showdown were to come about, their fate would be more quickly sealed than the time it had taken to destroy the superbattles.h.i.+p Kublai Khan over the world of the lizards.
”Has the information for Atlan been compiled?” Rhodan asked Gen. Deringhouse.
He stiffened imperceptibly. ”Yes sir, all but the time...”
We'll have that right away! Rhodan dared to contend.
No one allowed himself to smile sceptically at that. Perry Rhodan rarely made a prediction like that. But when he did, it always came about.
”Marshall?”
The chief of the Mutant Corps was standing next to Bell at the special tracker. He looked up.
”Inform Tako Kakuta that he is being detailed to the flags.h.i.+p of the Druuf as astronaut. Dr. Small will remain behind in his place!”
”But Kakuta is no astronaut!”
”All the better teleporter he is, Marshall,” Rhodan countered.
Bell nodded almost imperceptibly. He had realized what Perry Rhodan was planning with this switch but Marshall seemed to be having a bad day. ”Sir, I don't understand you.”
”Then I recommend that you have your distrust expelled. Perhaps there is some good therapy for that. Have you understood me now?”
”OK, boss!” Marshall laughed self-consciously, shaking his head over his own denseness.
Tako Kakuta, the short slender j.a.panese with the child's face did not bat an eyelash when Marshall conveyed the boss's order. Only Pucky, who had some reprimand to look forward to for his excessive zeal, said what he thought.
”I still don't know which I like better: the Topide lizards, the Galactic Physicians or the Druufs. None of them appeal to me. They are all repulsive but the Druufs probably bother me most. I don't trust them one inch. Tako, just take good care of our star course regulator and bring it back safe and sound.”
”You are having your talkative day again today, huh, Pucky?” Marshall commented sternly.
”No,” the mousebeaver replied, grinning with his incisor, ”but is it prohibited to give Reggie's thumb some thought and...”
Marshall, still cross about his own denseness, grumbled at him: ”Do you have to go and repeat Reggie's rubbish?”
”How delighted he will be about your good opinion when I disclose to Fatso, accidentally of course, how you talk about him! I could probably forget it forever, if you would stroke my fur for two hours.” That was plain blackmail and Pucky knew it but as a mousebeaver he could get away with it. However, Marshall did not play along.
”Tell him whatever you wish, my friend, but we will just wait and see when you are ever sent on a mission again! I think your fang will fall out before that!”
No one had ever referred to Pucky's incisor, of which he was so proud, as a fang before. However, Marshall's threat not to send him on any more missions was even worse. Hearing that was more terrible to him than being without fresh carrots for 10 weeks. ”John,” he meekly requested, ”could we come to an agreement?”
”With you, blackmailer?”
But Pucky could not be deterred that easily. ”OK, John! Then I am a blackmailer and you are a slanderer! You think that is much better?”
The mousebeaver had the laughter on his side; even the quiet Kakuta smiled his mysterious Asiatic smile. Ready for action, he checked out with Marshall for astronaut duty. Pucky disappeared on the spot.
Marshall informed Command Central over intercom of his partic.i.p.ation.
Meanwhile Perry Rhodan was waiting for the Druuf to take the initiative in making contact. Tension was mounting steadily. During this period Communications was relaying news broadcasts from main stations of Arkonide hypertransmitters.
The Great Empire was cracking at all corners, although it was obvious that the newscasts were designed to heighten the unrest. Even discounting a great deal, however, it was clear that Atlan's position was worsening from hour to hour. The time was approaching in which the Empire would break apart after having endured more than 15,000 years.
During a lull Bell commented: ”When the Druuf discovers that he is to play Fly Swatter and the fly at the same time, well...”
Reginald Bell's apprehensions were justified. Several things would have to become immediately apparent to the Druuf scouts.h.i.+ps, a.s.suming that the commander sent out the s.h.i.+ps with the two Terranian astronauts: For one, the unusual density of the stars in the cl.u.s.ter M13, which would have to arouse the Druufs' suspicion that they were dealing with the national territory of their bitter enemy.
For another, the alarming news of turmoil in the Arkonide Empire would not escape their attention.
Thirdly, and this point caused Rhodan the most anxiety-the Mounders were circling Archetz on security rounds. Should the two Druuf scouts.h.i.+ps meet up with ma.s.sed fleet-and the battle-trained vessels would not hesitate one second to attack foreign s.h.i.+ps-then not only would Rhodan's plan be foiled, the Druuf fleet surrounding the Drusus would attack as well.
The outcome of that unequal match was obvious.
Rhodan turned to Gen. Deringhouse. ”Compose a message for Arkon 3. Demand that Atlan see to it that-No! We won't use hypercom. Just include in the message the courier is taking to Atlan that the Mounders must disappear from the vicinity of Archetz, Emphasize that Atlan will have three hours time for it after receiving the message.”
Perry Rhodan was not even conscious of the fact that he was giving orders to the ruler of the greatest celestial empire. During these days he saw Atlan and himself as sitting in the same boat which had to reach a safe harbour through a stormy sea. Should it sink underway, there would shortly be no more Great Empire and that tiny ent.i.ty that proudly called itself the Solar Empire would no longer exist either. Hence it was of no consequence who was giving orders to whom. It was imperative to master the crisis in absolute mutual trust.
Rhodan was just as certain that his plan, Fly Swatter, had little in common with strategy. The plan was laden with unknown factors, the greatest of which was called Thomas Cardif!
Neither Atlan nor he had expected that this young man, supported by the Galactic Traders, could succeed within a few days in shaking the foundations of an empire that had existed for 15,000 years.
There was one single advantage on Atlan and Rhodan's side: even revolutions accompanied by economic collapse needed time to ripen. As long as that moment had not arrived, the greatest power still lay on the side of the state and that fact was the mainstay of Rhodan's plan.
Atlan was neither forced into the roll of crown prince nor was he a victim of confinement psychosis although he was the only living being hidden away under the gigantic dome of the mammoth Computer. He had accepted Rhodan's warning that it was better to incur a great risk than to squelch the least seed of revolution with brute force and thus himself set fires in all corners of the nation. For if Arkon's powerful robot fleet were to attack, hundreds of thousands of cylindrical vessels would form a front. And the positronicon had long since informed Atlan of how well they were armed and what a mismatch the robot fleet would be against the Springers.