by Perry Rhodan
"I would like to know why Goszul has dragged these fellows out of the prison," Etztak said to Virn, the patriarch of the Sanko clan who sat to the right of him stroking his beard in constant excitement. "Are we supposed to listen to a repetition of these despicable lies?"
On Etztak's left sat Gaxtek who almost had been ruined by Levtan's fraudulent manipulations many years ago. He nudged the patriarch of the Orlgans clan and drew his attention to the activity going on among the committee of nine patriarchs on the dais. One of Levtan's documents was passed from hand to hand by the members of the committee while Levtan's crew and clan slowly closed in around the suspect captain. Three robots were posted in the background ready to unleash their deadly rayguns and kill the outcast men. Their positronic aim was concentrated only on the outcasts.
Etztak, craned his neck to look over the broad shoulders of Slurd at the men on the dais. He narrowed his eyes and thought he was suffering from hallucinations. He saw the committee examine one of Levtan's papers with inexplicable seriousness and the patriarch Goszul was right in the middle of the eagerly debating group. Now Goszul raised his eyes and directed a question at Levtan. Etztak didn't trust his ears. He was astonished by the tone in which Goszul asked his question.
The pariah saw his chances improve. Until now he had either shrieked his answers or begged and cried. Suddenly Levtan began to blare out his assertions: "Daily output of destroyers class C, three units, class G, four units and eight units of the biggest class H."
Once more Goszul urgently consulted with the presiding committee of the Great Conclave and then decided: "Please show the second film!"
Etztak fell back in his armchair, disappearing again behind the broad back of the giant patriarch Slurd. He paid no attention to the projected film and didn't respond to Gaxtek's questions. He was only physically in the meeting hall. Mentally he was on board his ship and his ship was in a fight with Perry Rhodan's cruisers. Something had happened there. An impossibility had become reality. Etztak delved deeper into the problem, trying to solve what had occurred. He was oblivious to his environment, the only patriarch who failed to take part in the Great Conclave.
• • •
Rhodan's team mingled with Levtan's clan. They had moved close together, almost in the center of the shipmates, and watched the film together with the patriarchs. They would have been enthusiastic about the film—if it had depicted the truth. The three-dimensional movie showed a tremendous battle in space between Perry Rhodan's battleships and destroyer squadrons with a numerically far superior opponent. It all looked highly impressive.
Levtan had found his voice again and commented: "Location of battle: Xader's Cloud!"
Xader's Cloud was a notation taken from the star catalogue of the Galactic traders. Rhodan had carefully taken into consideration the evidence Levtan had to provide to make the film seem credible.
The Springer catalogue had served him in good stead. Xader's Cloud was situated at the opposite end of the Milky Way and had the reputation among the traders of being the deadliest region of the Galaxy. So far, any ship which approached Xader's Cloud within less than five astronomical units was destined to be lost without a trace. Not even a call for help had ever been heard or had a single auxiliary ship returned to relate the story of the disasters which had befallen them—and here Perry Rhodan tore the veil from the secret of Xader's Cloud.
The spaceships of the race inhabiting the Cloud looked ominously strange. They consisted of three huge spheres welded together. The sphere in the middle appeared to have a diameter of more than 1500 feet as judged by comparison with Rhodan's battleships. The film showed Rhodan's awesome victory over the race residing in Xader's Cloud.
When the film ended a terror had been struck in the hearts of the viewers. A hush had fallen over the Great Conclave. Everyone was silent and Levtan was no exception. Nobody paid attention to the four men of the Levtan clan who huddled close together in the crew. Two of them were hard at work: Kitai Ishibashi, the suggestor, and John Marshall, the telepath. They emanated their powers after the film had finished the psychological preparation.
With a great effort the Japanese physician and psychologist forced his will on the patriarch Goszul. Ishibashi concentrated his special powers at first on Goszul alone who unknowingly submitted to the uncanny influence of the Strata Method.
Accept the film as truth and believe the evidence you have seem in the documents! Trust the testimony of Levtan and his clan! Perry Rhodan's power is overwhelming. Desist from your useless attempt to invade the Earth or to attack the base on Venus. You'll fly to your death!
John Marshall had directed his attention to the brains of the committee members presiding over the meeting with Goszul. His powers were not the same as those of Ishibashi but he made it easier for the Japanese to put them in a state of deep hypnosis so that they were convinced they acted of their own volition and merely followed their own reasoning. The silence in the huge assembly hall was broken by a strident question from the patriarch Resd who demanded an answer from Levtan.
Levtan believed in his own pronouncements. He was convinced he had seen and experienced everything first hand. Moreover, he believed in his professed hatred of Rhodan and it was this vehemently expressed abhorrence which suddenly lent more credence to his harangues. More and more minds came under the thrall of Ishibashi. Many of the patriarchs realized they could seal their own fate if they assaulted Rhodan.
A panic was growing on the right side of the auditorium and turmoil was about to break out Levtan shouted his answer in a shrill voice: "I've witnessed the effect of Rhodan's latest weapon! When he deployed it a mountain chain vanished without leaving a cloud of gas. As I fled they were busy installing these weapons on all ships."
Goszul spoke up. He sternly demanded silence but the panic was spreading like an insidious poison to all comers.
"Haven't we heard enough? Wasn't the last film from Rhodan's archives sufficient proof? What more evidence do you require than the records already presented to you? Patriarchs of the Galactic traders! A pariah is warning us from venturing on a road to disaster! But far be it from me to persuade anyone. I want you to be convinced in your own mind. It's not feasible to submit the pertinent papers to all you patriarchs but I request instead the audience sitting in the first three rows to step up and inspect the records."
Kitai Ishibashi accomplished wonders. He had created the panic with his inherent faculties. Growing numbers of brains were caught in his spell. Ever increasing numbers of patriarchs were led to believe that Levtan spoke the truth and they were intimidated by Rhodan's dreadful power. Tama Yokida and the teleporter Tako Kakuta stood wedged in the middle of the passive pariah clan. They merely observed the events as they unfolded and saw how Rhodan's 'Galactic Interception' mission began to take its toll.
Suddenly Kakuta's heart beat rapidly. Where was Levtan? He had lost sight of him. His view of Levtan's stand was intermittently obstructed by the curious patriarchs who walked up to the dais so that he was able to catch only an occasional glimpse. Had Goszul called Levtan up to him to elucidate the exhibits with additional explanations? However, Tako Kakuta could not see him there either.
Tama Yokida noticed that his friend had become restless. "What's the matter?" he whispered in his ear.
"Levtan is gone," the teleporter replied in a barely audible voice.
Tama Yokida turned around and saw the robot guards standing at the same place as before holding their rayguns ready to shoot. "He must be here."
"I'll be damned if I can, see him! Where is he?" Kakuta murmured as he was gripped and shaken in a storm of anxiety.
He nudged John Marshall. It was almost painful for the Australian to return to the normal world. The disturbance had sapped so much of his strength that he was temporarily incapable of understanding Tako Kakuta's thoughts. The teleporter had to whisper the troublesome news to him. Marshall, who towered a head above the Japanese teleporter, looked all over for Levtan but it was also in vain. He
was nowhere to be seen, neither on the platform where the patriarchs crowded around the committee nor in the wide center aisle.
"Since when do you miss him?" Marshall asked calmly.
"Perhaps 8 or 10 minutes. I don't know exactly. Keep looking for him, Marshall! Now I'm really afraid that something has gone awry!"
Tako Kakuta's excitement was contagious. John Marshall nodded to him and tried to locate Levtan with his telepathic powers.
• • •
Etztak saw the patriarchs seated in the first three rows arise and eagerly rush to the platform to view Levtan's exhibits. The patriarch of the Orlgans clan jumped up with a speed that belied his age. His chair was close to the center aisle. Mumbling apologies he squeezed past four other elders, stopped in the aisle and looked to the main entrance. He gave a nod and waited for what was to follow.
It took a full minute before Levtan disappeared from his stand. Then a trader coming down from the dais walked by so closely that he brushed against him. The trader apologized and Etztak twisted his face in a grimace. A couple of minutes later he turned around and slowly ambled away as if he were going out to get a breath of fresh air.
• • •
When John Marshall grabbed him painfully by the arm Tako Kakuta knew that something terrible had happened.
"Levtan has been kidnapped by Etztak and the Orlgans clan! They're taking him to the brain-analyzer!" Marshall whispered agitatedly.
That will be the end of us, Kakuta thought in a welter of despair. He turned his head to Marshall and stopped in the middle of his movement Marshall moved his lips. He whispered a hardly audible order to Kitai Ishibashi.
The Suggestor understood that Marshall was able to track down Levtan and to read his thoughts but that he was powerless against the mind machine. Even Kitai was unable to cope with it though fortunately there were other measures he could take.
Marshall received Levtan's feeling of mortal terror. He communicated all of his thoughts: the desperate struggle of the outcast, the kicking and thrashing around to save himself from the cerebral inquisitor. He knew the fate awaiting him from the many who had been subjected to this torture before him. They all had inevitably paid with the loss of their mind from this ghastly procedure.
Then Marshall concentrated on Etztak's thought-waves. They conveyed a state of extreme alarm. Etztak had become frightfully suspicious and taken immediate action. John Marshall's mind dwelled briefly on the enslaved people living on this planet and he envisioned the fate threatening the virtually defenseless Earth when the Springers embarked on their invasion. Terra would be doomed to slavery!
Suddenly he monitored a severe jolt. The brain analyzing machine had been turned on. It meant the exposure of Perry Rhodan's carefully guarded secret mission of the Galactic Interception. With the agonizing thought of the impending catastrophe on Terra, John Marshall gave Ishibashi the exact location of the brain-analyzer.
9/ SHIPWRECKED ON GOSZUL
Etztak watched with a stony face as four men from his clan finally subdued Levtan. The traitor had put up a furious struggle in his defense. One of Orlgans' sons lay moaning and writhing in a corner, holding his belly with both hands. His youngest nephew kept wiping the blood from his chin. But finally the superior numbers of his opponents overwhelmed Levtan and Etztak looked on mercilessly as the clamps were snapped shut on him the machine activated, paralyzing him effectively.
"Out of my way!" Etztak ordered his nephew harshly. "Yes, Sir!" the young trader panted, quickly jumping aside.
Etztak switched on the brain analyzer. Levtan's wild protestations ended. The miserable man surrendered to his terrible fate. He didn't believe in miracles and indeed no miracle occurred to save him. He threw back his head—the only part of his body he was still able to move—and then he was seized by the irresistible surge of the machine which pervaded the very convolutions of his brain where his thoughts and memories were stored.
"Etztak," he groaned in final agony, "the Gods will punish you and your clan for..."
He never finished his sentence. Levtan had lost control of his senses. Now he was forced to reveal all his knowledge and bare every secret at the price of losing his mind. The ruthless patriarch rushed to Levtan's side. "Make room!" he demanded and bent over Levtan, examining him anxiously. "What's the matter with this traitor?" he shouted. "Is he dying?"
Levtan's head hung down lifelessly.
• • •
When Marshall no longer received Levtan's thought impulses he realized that his brain analysis had commenced. A catastrophe was building up with unrelenting speed. Etztak was on the threshold of cracking Levtan's and Perry Rhodan's secret. More than 1000 light-years away from the Solar System a disaster for Earth was brewing on Goszul's Planet.
John Marshall acted like a cool tactician although the demand almost exceeded his strength. He interceded with circumspection and determination without forgetting any important particulars and even found time to change Kitai Ishibashi's assignment and to give the teleporter Tako Kakuta an appalling order: "Be ready for a jump to the bomb stockpile!"
The slight Japanese didn't bat an eyelash when he received Marshall's command. He was ready to go in the terrible knowledge that Terra's existence was in jeopardy. Kitai Ishibashi, the Suggestor, focused once more on Goszul in a joint effort with Marshall.
The bald-headed Springer briefly looked at the LEV crew. Without noticing the absence of the outcast captain he saw the three robot guards standing there. He whispered something to the man next to him who promptly rose and soon was seen by Tako Kakuta behind the robots.
The robots were dismissed but the real crew of the LEV paid no attention whatsoever. The flurry of excitement over the disappearance of their outlawed commander had already died down in the meantime.
Kitai Ishibashi worked fast but the danger had not yet been stemmed: it remained as great as ever. Kitai fought, under John Marshall's guidance, a titanic struggle against Levtan's heart. He had to force the heart to stand still—at once!
Etztak was not allowed any indication that would incur his suspicion. Kitai lost all sense of time. He was unaware that the teleporter was standing by for a jump and that Goszul had given instructions for the removal of the three robots, nor did he know that the crew of the LEV had been relieved of its anxiety about their vanished commander.
Kitai Ishibashi outdid himself. He held in his hands the fate of an entire world—the Earth! And there was another spur that gave him formidable strength: Perry Rhodan trusted in his ability and fighting for Perry Rhodan's New Power and the future space empire carried him through the most crucial battle of his life.
Suddenly Levtan's heart muscles were convulsed in a spasm under the hypnotic powers of Ishibashi and Kitai knew that the mentality of the pariah captain no longer functioned in the room where Etztak held sway over Levtan.
Levtan had been prevented from betraying Rhodan's plans. His heart stood still.
• • •
But the danger kept swirling closer around the task force in the person of Etztak, the most determined patriarch and protagonist of the Galactic traders who was perfectly willing to use the most reprehensible means to further his goals. "Take him away!" he bellowed pointing to the dead Levtan. "Bring in two or three of the other pariahs from his clan. I must know what there's behind these tales about Rhodan!"
Tama Yokida disciplined himself to act as an observer. Rhodan's training had given him the ability to hide his emotions and the usually placid Japanese gave no sign of the turmoil raging inside him.
He saw that Kitai Ishibashi, the Suggestor, gradually consumed his inner strength and detected the first sign of weakening in John Marshal while Tako Kakuta stood beside him concentrating and waiting for his expected teleporting jump. Tama Yokida kept a watch on the patriarchs succumbing to fear in droves as the realization was planted in their brains that it would be utter folly to challenge Perry Rhodan and his planet. There were no overt signs of the tragic turbulence about to break loo
se but Tama Yokida sensed the forebodings nevertheless.
"Get a bomb!" Marshall whispered to Kakuta. "Set it off in three minutes and blow this place to kingdom come!"
Tako Kakuta didn't jump immediately. He left his spot and squeezed through between Marshall and Ishibashi who closed up together behind him. Now the teleporter jumped off to the arsenal of bombs.
He materialized again in a storage room on top of a stack of bombs. His arrival had not been entirely noiseless. Three of the foot-long bomb casings had given off a metallic sound as they were knocked together. Stock-still he stood, slightly hunched on the bombs, and he didn't have to wait long before hearing approaching steps. They were apparently the steps of a man of blood and flesh. He wondered whether the Springers had used the native inhabitants of the planet to guard the storehouse.
The stack of bombs on which he had landed was about 10 feet high. There were rows of similar piles forming high narrow aisles between them. The guard turned around the corner. It was a Springer advancing cautiously with an impulse beamer in each hand. He neglected to look up, not suspecting that a danger lurked above.
Tako Kakuta quietly picked up a bomb. It was not very heavy, weighing perhaps 60 pounds, but it had enough weight to suit his purpose. The armed Springer slowed down his steps and now stood hesitantly exactly below Kakuta.
Dammit, Tako thought with displeasure, this fellow must have the keenest hearing. He seems to know exactly that the noise came from this spot.
