by Perry Rhodan
"That is a technology that is unfamiliar to me. You have things at your command, Rhodan, which could be very useful to the Empire."
"This is why we became partners," Rhodan reminded the robot brain, and continued objectively: "I will infiltrate Tifflor onto the planet Aralon. One man alone will be inconspicuous. He can hardly be suspected of being the advance agent of a galactic force of arms. We can thus he constantly informed of everything that happens thereafter on Aralon. And then we can move in."
"That's a very risky undertaking," cautioned the Brain.
"Thora must be cured! So it's necessary that we take some degree of risk. But when we also consider that its not only Thora who's involved here but that all of Arkon could be afflicted with this sickness, then you see the risk is comparatively small. The Aras have to be convinced that they can offer a better service to the Empire if they merely operate properly. Their swindling and deception in regard to the health of the Empire comes under the heading of high treason."
"Let me have time to evaluate this new information," requested the Regent.
"The crackling of the loudspeaker indicated that the acoustical part of the connection had been interrupted. The picture portion remained on the screen. Rhodan cut off the transmitter and tamed to Tifflor. "Well, Tiff, you can see you've got a job ahead of you. My plan isn't clear yet but I more or less know how we can trick the Aras. I want you to take Wuriu Sengu and Thora to Aralon."
Khrest took an involuntary step forward. He stared in shocked amazement at his friend. "Perry, surely you don't want to expose Thora to this danger?"
Rhodan smiled softly. "On the contrary, Khrest, Thora will be the first to receive the serum that will heal her—and mind you, at the hands of the physicians of Aralon. That's the way we will have the proof that they are also the originators of the epidemic and at the same time we'll know that the cure is possible."
"And how do you expect to bring the Aras to do this?"
"I'm not down to the fine details yet but it'll all come to me before we are orbiting over Aralon... with military power at our back in such force that we can show our fist to any possible attacker."
"But I heard that Aralon is supposed to be without weapons and is fully demobilized..."
"...which in no way means that Aralon is defenseless, Khrest. I believe the Aras have powerful friends, if it comes to that."
"The Aras, and friends? To whom do you refer?"
"Don't forget that they belong to the race of the Springers," Rhodan reminded him. But then he made a hasty motion for silence. The loudspeaker had come to life. He quickly threw in the transmitter key again.
Seconds later, the cold voice of the Regent resounded: "The star Kesnar is 38 of your light-years distant from Arkon. All other data is in agreement with what your prisoners have told you. You have from me full and unlimited authority and may operate on the basis of your own judgment. In addition, I will place at your disposal a robot-controlled battlefleet, which until further notice will be programmed to obey your commands. Identification will follow on the same frequency on which I am speaking to you now. You are the commander of this fleet. The units will be at your disposal within 10 minutes. You will instruct me concerning the measures you are taking at the moment of their introduction. I wish to caution and warn you: do not attack Aralon without sufficient reason. We still urgently need the Aras. There are still diseases and sicknesses on the worlds of the Empire."
"Yes, that is true, Regent, and it will continue to be so just as long as the Aras are allowed to continue working without restriction.
"You have received my instructions," replied the Regent unemotionally. "You will adhere to them if we are to be partners. For the rest I wish you good luck and success, Perry Rhodan. If you need further help, call me. End of message."
Rhodan waited until the picture on the screen became dark. Then he cut off the transmitter and the receiver. With a great sigh of relief, he sat down in the nearest chair. For long moments he sat there as though in near collapse, his head supported in his hands. No one ventured to disturb him and even Pucky remained quiet.
Khrest waited patiently.
Finally, Rhodan looked up. He smiled slightly and said, "I'm gradually getting the message that the robot brain is making me into some kind of policeman. Keep the peace—keep order and you will be paid! Well, as long as his interests and mine coincide, that kind of thing can continue. But woe be unto something!—if our interests happen to clash! What will happen then is not yet clear to me."
Men we'll simply depose the Regent and take over the Government," twittered Pucky confidently and slipped off the couch. He drew himself up and thrust out his bright, furry chest, deliberately putting on airs like the old-fashioned dictators of Earth. "I feel I'm especially qualified for the post of Foreign Minister."
Tiff grinned. "I think you'd make a better Minister of Entertainment," he suggested. And then he became serious again. "You want to set me down on Aralon, Mr. Rhodan? And what am I supposed to do there? I don't know Aralon."
"Nobody knows this world where the Aras have their medical and biochemical laboratories. I'll wager, however, that we'll know a lot more about it after you've been there for a few clays."
"And Thora is coming with me?"
Rhodan nodded. "She has to come with you! Without her the operation wouldn't have any purpose. Yes, what is it, Lt. Fox?"
During Rhodan's conference with the robot brain the older officer had been assigned the task of watching the picture screens of the Control Central in order to be able to report any possible changes of circumstance there. Rhodan did not choose to rely exclusively on his instruments at all times. Normally Fox performed his duties as watch officer of the Communications Central.
"A fleet is emerging out of transition. Already we're completely surrounded by them. They are Arkonide ships."
"Those will be the new reinforcements we've been promised," said Rhodan calmly and he got up. Together with the others, he went across into the Control Central and looked at the panoramic video gallery screens, which revealed all the surrounding space in natural color.
It was a truly frightening spectacle.
The massive battleships of the Stardust class—giant spheres 2500 feet in diameter—hovered more or less in the background. Entire echelons of cruisers and destroyers stood before them as a defense screen, with the muzzles of their dangerous rayguns pointed in the direction of flight. Agile interceptors had taken over the peripheral escort positions.
Rhodan knew that there was not a single human being on board these spaceships. The individual commanders were positronic robots whose programmed knowledge was greater than the best of Earthly scientists. All controls on board the ships were moved automatically and were positronically controlled. What was lining up out there in space was the mightiest military force that Rhodan had ever beheld. And it had been placed at his disposal.
It filled him not only with pride but also with a feeling of deep satisfaction. The man from Earth had achieved this. He had proven that he was worthy of the Arkon tradition. The robot brain had acknowledged equal rights for Terranians, yes, even in preference to the Arkonides, who were the original founders of the Empire.
Man had given proof that he comprehended the nature of an animate universe!
As though awakening from a trance, Rhodan turned soberly to his task. "Fox, use the Arkon frequency channel and set up a direct connection for me with the flagship of the Arkonide fleet and transfer it into the Control Central. I want to speak with the commander of the battlefleet."
Lt. Fox disappeared into the Com Central.
Khrest asked, "What do you want of him, Perry? He will have received the Regent's orders by now."
"Only the order to obey my commands," Rhodan countered.
One minute later the rigid face of an Arkonide robot gazed from the communications screen into the Control Central of the Titan. In the crystal lenses of its eyes flickered the light of a computerized control.
"Rhodan of Terra, I and my fleet are at your disposal," it said, by way of opening the conversation. "What is the nature of your instructions?"
Rhodan suppressed his gratification. "We will fly to the Kesnar solar system. The hyper-transit manoeuvre will bring us out at one-quarter of a light-year from Kesnar. Your fleet will remain stationary in that position while my two ships continue onward at relative light velocity. From this moment on, we will remain in permanent radio and video connection. Further instructions will follow as required."
"Message understood! We have gravitation bombs and at any time we are able to..."
"I do not wish the bombs to be employed. What is your designation?"
"My name is OR-775, Rhodan of Terra."
"Good, OR-775! Then follow my instructions and wait for the exact transition coordinates that my Communications Officer will send you. The hypertransition will take place in one hour."
"Message understood! I am standing by!"
The videoscreen image faded out.
Khrest, who stood very close to Rhodan, let out a tremendous sigh.
Rhodan turned to him in mild astonishment. "What's the matter, Khrest—do you have a problem? Isn't everything going much better now than you had ever dared hope for?"
The Arkonide nodded. "Actually almost too well," he admitted cautiously. "Have you any idea what it means to have become the commander of an entire Arkonide battlefleet? As of 13 years ago, no one had even entrusted me the command over a single ship, although I belonged to a ruling house. You, Perry, are practically an alien member of a primitive race. At least, That's what you were only about 15 years ago. Today, you are already operating with the authority of the mightiest empire that has ever existed in the universe! Perry, you have now practically come into your own!"
Rhodan slowly shook his head. "Don't be too hasty, Khrest. I have no personal claim to all this. The universe belongs to everyone. But I will admit to a certain degree of pride that I happen to be flying under the colors of the robot brain and in charge of the most tremendous fleet I have ever seen. Of course you realize you can rest assured that all this power lies in good hands."
Lt. Fox popped his head into the Control Central. "The coordinates have been checked out, sir, Do you want me to pass them on to the fleet commander?
"Yes, do that, Fox. The hyper-transit will take place in exactly 50 minutes. Until then we will maintain light velocity. And now the time has come to go into a huddle over our battle plan. Tiff, I need you in this briefing most urgently. Also Sengu. Khrest, I'd be glad to have you join us."
"What about me?" The reproachful question came from the corner, where Pucky had rolled himself together on the couch and was listening to the conversation. His ears had come up and the large brown eyes gazed with an innocent loyalty into the metallic world of the spaceship. "I'm starting to get the feeling that this time around there's not going to be much for me to do."
"You're about as wrong as you can be, Pucky," Rhodan informed him. "In a passive sense of the word, I believe you have to play the principal role. Tiffs thought transmissions can only be picked up by you and you alone. We do not have any other telepaths on board who are in a condition to spell you off in that capacity. It's true that you can't go directly to Aralon but in the final analysis, you know, the actual adventure part of an undertaking is not always the most important one. In any case, I can't possibly do without you. Now—are you satisfied...?"
Pucky whistled shrilly and off key. "What choice have I got? Okay, so sound off with your war plan, you've got me stretched out on the rock."
"What's with you, Prometheus? Is that some more of Bell's influence? I'm afraid you've got your figures of speech mixed up again." Rhodan favored him with a fleeting smile and then became serious again. "Alright, then, now everybody listen... I'm going to explain this plan to you as briefly as possible. We're making our transit-jump in 45 minutes and we will rematerialize at a distance of a quarter of a light-year from Kesnar. Then what we'll do..."
Rhodan spoke for half an hour and was not interrupted a single time by any of his tensely listening companions.
The plan that he developed was, in itself, as exciting as any romantic adventure novel...
2/ INHOSPITABLE HOSPITAL PLANET
The sun Kesnar was a small, yellow star in the navigation target screens of the Titan. The quarter light-year distance could have dwarfed even a giant celestial orb—and Kesnar was anything but a giant.
The great Arkonide fleet remained motionlessly at its point of emergence into normal space. Rhodan had ordered final coordinates to be furnished to OR-775. Now when the battlefleet went into its next transition, it would materialize within only a few liseks (light-seconds) from Aralon.
The Titan and the Ganymede continued to fly toward the system at the relative velocity of light. At this rate of speed it would take them 3 months to reach Aralon.
Tiff's finest hour had come again.
Thora was placed once more in a state of deep sleep. The Arkonide woman lay motionlessly in her portable bed with buckled leather straps across her to prevent her falling out in case of unexpected movements.
Wuriu Sengu, the 'seer' who could see through solid matter by the force of his will and who was the only parapsychically endowed mutant outside of Pucky who had not fallen victim of the sickness, was wearing his slick uniform, which designated him as a mutant in Rhodan's New Power. Tiff also wore this uniform. There was not the slightest intention to conceal their identity.
In the small hangar of the Titan where the Gazelle was housed, the last details were discussed. The Gazelle was a long-range scout ship in the form of a disc. Its diameter was approximately 100 feet, while its central thickness was about 60 feet. This small spaceship was capable of covering 3 light-years in a single hypertransition jump and it had an average operational range of about 500 light-years.
Rhodan took Tiff to one side. "Tiff, do you know exactly now what role you are going to have to play?"
"It's going to be very difficult, sir, for me to be a traitor to you."
"That is a part of your assignment and don't you ever forget it! Now I want you to think along with all conversations, so that Pucky will always be informed as to "What's going on; especially when the Aras speak, review their words in your mind. That's the only way that it will be possible for Pucky to follow the conversations."
"If only nothing happens to Thora..."
"Relax, Tiff! The Aras always know how valuable a hostage can be when they think they've got one in their clutches. And on the other hand, they're going to do everything in their power to prove to you how terrific their medical capabilities are. You'll see. It'll all go along smoothly—just as we have thought it out. Okay—it's time. I wish you a lot of luck, Tiff. So long!"
"Yeah, so long—but not too long, I hope!" responded Tiff as he straightened up his lean frame. His grey eyes gleamed with new decision. He bent over to stroke Pucky's soft fur. "Do a good job, old friend. When I come back, you can come to me and I'll scratch your neck for half an hour."
"Huh! Bell has done that for as much as 5 hours at a stretch," said the mouse-beaver deprecatingly, "but I suppose a half hour is better than nothing."
Khrest clapped Tiff on the shoulder. "Lots of luck Lieutenant. Take good care of Thora!"
"I'll guard her like my own sister, Khrest," promised Tiff as he climbed up through the lock hatch.
Sengu was there already, waiting for him. Then, after last goodbyes, the lock closed.
The Gazelle lay in the hangar ready for takeoff. Rhodan Khrest and Pucky left it and returned to the Control Central. From here they followed the ensuing events on the viewscreens. Nothing happened for about a half minute. Then suddenly the Gazelle shot laterally into their field of vision. It hurtled with incredible acceleration toward the distant sun and in another second dematerialized. It would presumably in the same second emerge again from hyperspace three quarters of a light-year distant from the Titan —and it would land on Aralon.
All else was pure speculation.
And sheer luck, should everything go according to plan...
• • •
Tiff was not at ease in any sense of the word.
Nobody knew how the Aras would react if an alien ship landed on their central world. Granted, they were known as a relatively peaceful people but that did not exclude the possibility that they would know how to defend themselves if anything went contrary to their interests. At any rate, it was a matter of record that they had attempted to bring the planet Zalit under their control, with the help of the hypnotic Mooffs, in order to destroy the robot brain on Arkon and to seize the rulership, of the Empire. Therefore the Aras were not quite as harmless and lacking in ambition, as they might appear to be.
As the Gazelle materialized, it was 20 light-minutes, away from Aralon and racing toward the planet at near light speed but steadily decelerating.
Tiff had sufficient time to make a visual survey. Aralon lay directly in his flight path, a brightly gleaming orb that grew brighter and larger with every second.
Sengu got up from his bunk and approached Tiff, joining him in observing the screen. "When do you think they'll spot us?" he asked with deep concern.
Tiff shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't the slightest idea. It all depends on how good their warning system is. Maybe they've already had us for awhile on their tracking screens."
"Should I turn on the radio receiver?"
"That wouldn't be a bad idea. You might even be able to make a connection but don't give any answer back. Leave that to me!"
The Japanese nodded and busied himself with the radio transceiver equipment. The minutes passed and became half an hour.
Their velocity had long since diminished considerably. The Gazelle now moved along at about 600 miles per second. Aralon was a shining, bright green planet with continents and oceans. It reminded him of the far distant Earth.
