by Perry Rhodan
"Sir!" said one of the men.
Cardif focused his gaze on an older man with a small moustache and large grey eyes. As the soldier came up to him he recognized Sgt. Mulford, who was pointing to the heaps of debris.
"We have to try getting farther upstairs in the pyramid," said the sergeant. "I suggest we send some men up the shafts in combat suits, using their antigravs, so they can check the place out."
"The Sergeant is right, sir," agreed Lt. Yakinawo. "We can't get any farther this way."
There was no logical reason to object to such a plan yet Cardif did so: "I differ with you there," he said. "The men could be taken by surprise in the shafts. You don't know where the priests may still have nests of resistance. So we'll get upstairs the way we're going."
Yakinawo looked at him in amazement but remained silent. Cardif continued onward sullenly. Mulford's idea was the correct one, he knew, and he would have been glad to go along with it if he himself could have accompanied the men. But nowhere was there a combat suit to be found that would fit him. So he had ordered them to continue in the normal manner because he wanted to be present in case they discovered any Antis. His distrust of everyone around him had grown to the point where he would not relinquish the leadership to any subordinate officer.
"We could try this staircase here, sir," suggested Mulford matter-of-factly and he pointed out a jumble of fallen masonry and tangled conduits and wire nearby where some stairs were visible.
Cardif looked at the sergeant speculatively. "Alright, Mulford," he said finally, "you lead the way."
Mulford was an old veteran who usually took everything in stride but in this case his big eyes widened incredulously. "You mean-you want me to climb up there, sir?"
"It's your suggestion," Cardif barked at him sharply. "What's the matter, do you have cold feet or something, Sergeant?"
Mulford drew up stiffly. "No sir!" he answered grimly.
He slung his persuader over his shoulder and marched toward the remains of the staircase. Without hesitation he grasped a sprung reinforcement rod and pulled himself up into the mess. Stones and rubble lying on the twisted stairs fell behind him onto the floor. The entire stair frame of partially melted light metal began to sway. The sergeant seemed to be a giant insect on a large seesaw which gently rocked him back and forth.
"Looks like it's holding, sir!" he called back. "I think you can follow me."
Smart alec! thought Cardif angrily. Trying to rub it in and call my shots, is he? Does he think I'm yellow?
He climbed after Mulford and Yakinawo followed close behind him.
"Careful, sir!" Mulford's voice rang out from an uncertain elevation. "From here on it's dangerous."
Cardif looked up ahead. In one place the staircase was completely blasted to shreds and consisted practically of only two mangled support beams which spread out sharp twisted splinters in all directions. Mulford was like a gymnast or perhaps more like a squirrel, it seemed, as he wriggled his way on upward.
The other men were coming up the stair frame now, almost hand over hand, which swayed dangerously and seemed to bend under their weight to the accompaniment of alarming grinding noises. Cardif began to wish that he had agreed with Mulford's first suggestion. This side of the pyramid had been ripped open by a powerful explosion, exposing them to the outside. Its collapse had completely crushed one of the adjacent side buildings. Cardif didn't dare to look below him.
"Far as she goes, sir!" called Mulford with relief. "This is the last level. There were more above it but our ships' fire has leveled the place to here." From a safe landing platform he grinned and looked down at Cardif, who was ponderously clambering toward him.
"Can you see anybody?" asked the Administrator.
Mulford looked around behind him. "Hard to tell, sir. Place is pretty badly wrecked. There's a stink of burned wiring and cables. Looks like there was a lot of equipment up here."
Mulford's crude manner of expression was beginning to get on Cardif's nerves. However he forced himself to hold his temper because there were more important things to worry about now than putting a soldier in his place.
"Can you make it, sir?" echoed Yakinawo's worried voice behind him.
He didn't answer him as he kept on climbing. Finally Mulford was able to give him a hand and soon he was standing beside the old soldier. They turned to help Yakinawo and the other men.
"I don't think we should let so many troops come up here, sir," suggested Yakinawo. "It looks pretty dilapidated."
Cardif nodded and the Japanese officer shouted instructions into the depths. His voice echoed away into the shafts and passageways below. Cardif looked about him. At first he gathered the same impression of dust-covered debris and chaotic destruction.
Then he saw the Anti-a dark figure against a dark background who sat motionlessly in the remains of a control chair and stared at him, Cardif grasped Yakinawo's arm. The lieutenant nodded. Together with Mulford they approached the priest who sat there as though petrified. The Baalol servant was old, one of the oldest Cardif had ever seen. The ancient one was still alive, his colorless eyes shifting restlessly from Cardif to the lieutenant.
Suddenly Cardif guessed the reason for it and he raised his weapon. The priest knew exactly who he was. If the Anti were to betray him now, everything would be out in the open. But the old man remained silent. Cardif had been on the verge of shooting him but he finally lowered his persuader. His desperation and state of confusion were so great now that he would have fired at the oldster without compunction.
"Where can we find the High Priest?" Cardif demanded harshly.
Hanoor looked at him without expression. "Who can say?" His voice was so feeble that Cardif had to lean forward to hear him. "The realm of death is far and wide. Kudos can be anywhere."
"Are any of his deputy high priests still alive?"
"Yes," said Hanoor, "I!"
"I have to know the location of Trakarat, old man," Cardif told him. "Tell us that and you will be free."
"Freedom," said the Anti thoughtfully, "is an ambiguous term. What form of non-freedom should an old man like me have to fear?"
Cardif was at the limit of his self-control. "The location!" he shouted. "Out with it!"
"I am weary," said Hanoor faintly. "Do not torment me."
Cardif was about to attack the helpless old man but the voice of the Japanese lieutenant deterred him. "Sir-he's not going to talk."
Hanoor closed his eyes and leaned back against the busted headrest of the chair. He folded his thin arms over his wasted chest and his face remained as expressionless as stone. Cardif knew he would not learn the planet's position from this one-nor from any other Anti who might be found here in these ruins.
He had raised his hand to force another point but dropped it as though he had lost his strength. Without another word he shoved his way between Mulford and Yakinawo and returned to the staircase. The Japanese lieutenant watched him go, gathering the impression of a man who was lost.
• • •
With a concluding wave of his hand Lt. Brazo Alkher finished his report. "And that was all we could learn from the Springers, sir," he said.
The two lieutenants had returned to the Control Central of the Ironduke and had related their adventure to Bell, Mercant and the other officers.
Allan D. Mercant scratched his chin reflectively. "At least it's something," he said slowly, "but we can't do very much with it. There is a possibility, however, that the robot Brain on Arkon 3 might be able to do more with such information."
This brought a worried frown to Bell's face. "That would mean we'd have to get Atlan's cooperation. With the way things are at the moment he won't be in a very friendly mood-although he did hold back his robot fleet."
Claudrin broke into the discussion. "I think it's our duty to inform the Arkonide concerning the success of the commando mission since it was only his holding still that made it possible."
"Alright, Jefe," Mercant agreed. "Set up a contact
with Atlan." On the Arkonide flagship Gen. Alter Toseff had watched events on his viewscreens with a burning intentness, expecting that Gonozal VIII would order an attack. But the Imperator had merely sat there silently observing while deep in thought. Toseff had not dared to disturb the immortal in his deliberations yet he was filled with resentment against the Terrans who had attacked a planet of the Greater Imperium under the very guns of an Arkonide fleet.
If Gen. Toseff had suspected that Atlan was wishing his former allies luck, so that they could help Perry Rhodan, his rancour would have known no bounds.
The buzzing of the vidcom panel broke into Toseff's brooding train of thought. He switched on the receiver in order to take the call and in that moment the Imperator stirred out of his inactivity. He got up and came to his side. "Take it easy, General," he said.
Reginald Bell's broad face came into view. Behind him were Allan D. Mercant and that splendid fellow Claudrin, the commander of the Ironduke. Atlan simply could not suppress his feelings of sympathy for these men. "Well?" he inquired succinctly.
Bell looked at him uncertainly and cleared his throat noisily. "Perry has shot the blazes out of the base on Saos," he blurted out, his tone of voice making it clear that he did not approve of the action. "He'll soon be back on board without the information he was after. But my own plan worked out a little better. Lts. Alkher and Nolinov have captured two Springers who turned out to know a few facts about the central world of Baalol."
"Which world is it?" asked Atlan.
"We have the name of the sun it orbits. It's known as Aptut. It's supposed to be a binary star. The planet Trakarat is said to have rings around it like Saturn."
Atlan exchanged glances with Gen. Toseff. The Saratanian shook his head.
"I have never heard of such a system," said the Imperator.
Mercant spoke up. "It's supposed to be close to the center of the galaxy. I know that area isn't exactly lacking in other stars and planets but this system is unusual enough, perhaps, to have been listed with its coordinates in the catalogs. At any rate there must be some kind of information about it in the memory banks of the robot Regent."
Bell hastily added: "We wanted to ask you to help us in our search for Trakarat. The Regent's help would certainly make it easier to figure out the points of reference."
Without hesitation Atlan gave him his assurance. "I'll do all I can to locate this peculiar solar system."
The Terrans' expressions of gratitude did him good. There he still saw his old true friends who would help him in any precarious situation. They suffered under the burden of Rhodan's illness as much as he.
"We'll transmit all the data we've picked up from the Springers," Bell told him. "You'll get a full transcript of the entire hearing."
"Every clue can be important," Atlan reminded him, "no matter how small. You should cross-examine the Traders again."
"Imperator," said Mercant solemnly, "there's one thing I'll promise you. You know this action here was not of our own doing, so as soon as it's wrapped up the Solar Fleet will remove itself from sovereign territory of the Greater Imperium."
They continued to discuss further details until Maj. Krefenbac advised that the 10 cruisers had come back and that Perry Rhodan was shuttling over to the Ironduke in a commuter craft. By special request of Reginald Bell the communication was cut off.
Atlan had become increasingly concerned over the description of Rhodan's illness and he decided to call his old friend personally after he had returned and taken over command of the Ironduke again. Even Bell's objections could not deter him from this decision.
After the connection with the Terran ship had been cut off, Atlan turned to Gen. Toseff. "Once more we have avoided having a war between the two Imperiums," he said.
"Wasn't the price a little too high, Your Eminence?" asked Toseff.
"Our prestige is still intact because the Solar Fleet will withdraw, so we can chalk it up to a military success that was achieved without bloodshed."
It was plain to see that the General might have wished to contradict him but either he was not sure of himself or his awe of Atlan was too great.
For some time they discussed the next steps that the undying Admiral would be taking and thus Gen. Toseff was gradually introduced to the whole plan and concept of rebuilding the Greater Imperium. The chief of the Saratan government came to see that Gonozal VIII intended to install Terran assistants everywhere. It could even be said theoretically that once a general agreement had been established the Greater Imperium would soon he strongly under Earthly influence, while the scope of power of the present decadent dignitaries would become limited.
Atlan concluded: "I'm convinced that once Rhodan has gotten his health back we'll quickly reestablish the old friendly relations. The Terran assistants will return to their previous positions and our mutual trust will be strengthened even more. Believe me, General, without the Terrans we won't be able to hold the Greater Imperium together. We need their help to keep us from falling apart into a countless number of little kingdoms and empires."
"I hope that your reasoning in this is correct, Your Highness," said Toseff.
"Now I wish to speak to my very sick friend," Atlan told him. "Try to contact the Ironduke, General."
When the viewscreen began to flicker after a few seconds Atlan could not suppress a certain tension in his solar plexus. Somehow it was a strange feeling to be seeing Rhodan again under these conditions. How would Perry react to his call?
The screen cleared up and he could see into the Control Central of the Ironduke. In the background he made out a number of officers who were seated at their control consoles. Then a figure came into view from one side and filled the screen. Atlan opened his mouth in horror and irrepressibly blurted out, "Oh no!" He had to force himself to continue looking at this apparition which had once been Perry Rhodan. The First Administrator of the Solar Imperium had turned into a shapeless giant with a bloated face.
"What do you want?" was the question he heard on his speaker.
The Imperator could only continue staring in consternation. "Perry!" he moaned. "I didn't know it was as bad as this!"
"You can keep all your pitying drivel, Arkonide," replied Cardif-Rhodan angrily. "If you have something to say then get on with it-but don't give me all that tearful old-woman blubbering!"
Atlan endured the abuse in silence. He didn't notice that Gen. Toseff's hands were gripping certain control levers in such rage that his knuckles turned white. At this moment Atlan was swearing to himself that he would help his deformed friend no matter what the cost.
"You may count on my complete support, Perry," he said, and he cut the connection before Rhodan could insult him further.
"You shouldn't have submitted to that, Imperator!" shouted Toseff, beside himself with outrage.
Atlan had a mental vision again of all the adventures that he and Rhodan had come through together. He recalled their duel in the distant past and thought of the tacit understanding that had developed between them in the course of time. Of these things the General knew nothing. He only saw the present.
In the quiet interior of the robotship Atlan's voice sounded out with firm determination. "He is my friend, General, and I will do all I can to save him."
Toseff knew then that nothing would stand in the way of the Imperator's decision. Quietly he left the Control Central. He knew when a man wanted to be by himself. He appreciated the magnitude of Atlan's responsibility.
THE EMPEROR AND THE MONSTER
Copyright © 1977
Ace Books
by arrangement with Arthur Moewig Verlag
All Rights Reserved.
THE SHIP OF THINGS TO COME
GRIMLY, Bell spoke.
"I won't hold anything back, Atlan. We're at the brink of disaster.
"Trouble is starting to brew in the Fleet officers' corps. Even some of the mutants, our most important people
"A revolt is taking shape!
"If there's t
o be any hope of saving the Solar Imperium, we have to place Rhodan in protective custody immediately."
Rhodan in protective custody? But there must be a million troops blindly committed to the Administrator!
The explosive situation leads next issue to--
DUEL UNDER THE DOUBLE SUN, by K.H. Scheer
An Atlan Adventure
