by Perry Rhodan
Rhodan narrowed his eyes and replied coldly: "You will be acquainted with my wishes soon enough. And there's one other thing I wish to make clear: several light-years from here a battleship of the Regent is awaiting my orders."
Still another officer attempted to alleviate the situation. "You will not be needing it, Tristol," he said. "We are loyal friends of the Empire and have nothing to hide. May we now accompany you to your residence?"
"Where is that?" asked Rhodan haughtily.
"At the edge of the city of Trulan, a palace, sir."
To the delegation's astonishment, Rhodan shook his head. "I do not prefer any palace. Place a car at my disposal so that I can select my own quarters. Also, I do not require a servant, because I have brought my own." He turned toward the ship's lock and called out loudly and clearly: "Pucky, come here!"
All eyes turned toward the lock as though they expected to see the Regent in person. But it was only the mouse-beaver who appeared in the dark oval aperture.
In a shrill little voice he squeaked, "Shall I bring the suitcase with us, my lord?"
"Naturally, you stupid beast!" replied Rhodan with scathing irony. "Hurry it up so I can set the automatic barrier."
Pucky disappeared and followed his cue. With a few adjustments the barrier was put into operation, effectively blocking anyone from entering the ship. Also, the remote control equipment was left on open receiver standby. By this means Rhodan would be able to bring the Koos-Nor to him, wherever he might happen to be on this world.
Pucky took the heavy suitcase, which he lightened a bit with the help of his psycho-kinetic faculty, and shuffled down the ladder. Behind him the hatch closed automatically.
"Inspector Tristol, you have a remarkable servant there," one of the white-smocked scientists ventured to remark. "We have never seen such an animal. There is nothing like it in our collection."
Pucky listened with his head cocked to one side and managed a very innocent and stupid expression. It was amazing how easily this came to him. Rhodan made a mental note to bring this fact to his attention later. There was no time, however, at the moment.
"It comes from a very distant and isolated planet, which I chanced to discover during my travels. I took this sample of the species with me and I found that they are quite easily trained. At any rate, my servant, Pucky, is more trustworthy than any other kind, even a robot."
"Does he have any outstanding faculties?" asked the Ara, with interest.
"No, but he's quiet and faithful," replied Rhodan. "And now I'd like to have my car, please. We will have further talks tomorrow."
He looked about him searchingly and noticed a car, about a hundred yards distant, which had a teardrop design and rode on a single wheel, obviously maintaining its balance on the old well-known principle of the gyroscope.
"What about that one over there?" he asked.
One of the officers nodded quickly and ran off toward the indicated vehicle. In a few moments the gyrocar stopped before Rhodan. The officer got out.
"It is at your disposal, Inspector Tristol. But "Don't you think it would be better if one of the officials accompanied you and selected a hotel befitting your station? We have a number of suitable places in town and would consider ourselves privileged..."
"No thank you!" Rhodan interrupted him. With an arrogant gesture he brushed a hand through his white hair. "I prefer to remain incognito and take up my residence wherever I choose. You will hear from me tomorrow." He nodded to him curtly and turned to Pucky. "Hurry, put the suitcase in the car!"
Pucky thought angrily: If there's much more of this, you can lump it! But he took the suitcase obediently and shoved it into the car behind the driver's seat. Then he held the door open for Rhodan to allow him to enter. After Rhodan was established behind the simple controls, he climbed in behind him with the pretense of being laborious and clumsy.
While they drove away, Rhodan searched the thoughts of the delegation—Pucky meanwhile serving officially as a booster relay—and determined to his pleasant surprise that only a single officer in the group had second thoughts about him.
While Pucky lay grumpily in the back seat next to the suitcase, Rhodan grinned at him. "Well, Pucky, you're doing famously. You're already more of a sensation than I am—and if I'm not mistaken the Tolimonites are going to be ready to make a considerable offer for you. Wait and see; perhaps I can make a profitable deal out of this."
Pucky made no reply. He gazed passively out the window and bravely repeated an auto-suggestion to himself: You must keep your cool, Puckykins, just cool it! Just take it easy! Rhodan doesn't know what he's saying and you have to excuse him. And remain very, very calm... After a short mental pause, he added: In case I blow it, you gods of the universe, then excuse me if I lose my carrots.
"Okay, that's enough!" Rhodan told him, since naturally Pucky's thoughts were not hidden from him. So far everything has worked out perfectly. The rest is simple, if we can locate Marshall."
"Yes," Pucky condescended to answer. "If—!"
2/ TURMOIL ON TOLIMON
Owing to its remote and exposed position, the planet Tolimon was a point of departure for intergalactic expeditions and was therefore a forwarding station of the first order. The unique establishment of the giant zoological region attracted many visitors from other solar systems and members of all races had settled here to spend the rest of their lives in happy indolence.
So it was that the capital city of Trulan had become a true melting pot and this included the many types of buildings.
It was difficult for Rhodan to find his way in this maze of architectural surprises. He oriented himself principally by means of the thoughts of street pedestrians, who paid little attention to his vehicle. Probably the Aras who greeted him in the spaceport had not made his arrival public as yet.
Which suited Rhodan just fine.
Once he was even stopped and asked to show his papers. When the police officer took a look at his expertly forged identification and only then recognized the ostentatious uniform of the Arkonide inspector, he almost sank through the ground. He begged pardon profusely and offered his assistance. Rhodan waved him off impatiently and set the car in motion again. He seemed to be unconcerned that in the process he almost ran the policeman down.
Somewhat off the main thoroughfares they found a quiet hotel that was slightly hidden in the midst of a park. Rhodan rented two rooms for himself and his servant, paid a considerable advance and ordered that his sojourn there should not be made public. Naturally he was certain that the government authorities would learn within the next five minutes where he was located but it mattered little to him. It was only important that they got it into their heads that he placed no value on official receptions and wished to pursue his investigations as inconspicuously as possible.
As soon as Pucky was inside the room he let the suitcase drop to the floor. "If you'd like to know the facts, Chief, this sham is a real skunker as far as I'm concerned!"
With a sigh of satisfaction, Rhodan lowered himself into the soft upholstered chair close to the window, from which point he had a good view of the city. "Why call it a sham? I think you're well cast in your role. Certainly as an inspector I'm not at all bad and..."
"I believe that we have a primary mission here...? Where is Marshall hiding out? What's happened to him and Laury?"
Rhodan nodded calmly. "So? Do you think wed have gotten further if we'd simply landed here without any preparation and without a disguise? We don't want anybody to learn prematurely that the long-forgotten Earth is still in existence. If we had used force to help our friends, the whole galaxy would be aware of it. So our only alternative is to use a little trickery."
"Trickery my tail!" pouted Pucky and he sat down on the suitcase because he was too tired to climb into the other chair. "I'm tired of playing the dummy around here. After all, I'm more intelligent than these talismen can ever suspect..."
"They're called Tolimonites," instructed Rhodan.
"So what?" said Pucky indifferently. "Anyway, at the spaceport I detected that one of those white smacks was already toying with the idea of kidnapping me and putting me in the zoo. Do you think I should be happy about that or a little sensitive?"
"That's wonderful!" enthused Rhodan, and looked very pleased. "That's exactly what I was hoping for. They're starting to concentrate on you and forget me. You know somebody can still get the idea to check out Inspector Tristol with Arkon. If you are more important to them, however, that danger is unlikely."
"Me—in the zoo?!" exclaimed Pucky indignantly. Then he heaved a sigh. "For all I care! When do we start the search?"
"Or better yet,where do we start? I don't have the foggiest notion. They were in the mountains but they could just as well be here in the city by now. If Marshall's transmitter is out of order, we have to try using telepathy. We can send out mental calls at regular intervals and concentrate on getting an answer. It's the only way we can roust out Marshall and Laury."
There was a knock at the door. Rhodan cast a swift glance at Pucky. Resignedly, the mouse-beaver straightened his little shoulders. He jumped off the suitcase and waddled to the door. With a full-sweeping bow, he opened it.
Outside stood two Aras.
One was dressed in the fashionable style of a wealthy man while the other was in uniform. They were startled at the sight of the mouse-beaver but quickly regained their composure when they observed his humble manner.
"What is it?" asked Rhodan, putting a high note of disdain in his voice. "Who has the temerity to disturb my well-deserved rest?" He was already aware of who they were but the Aras must never suspect that he was able to read their thoughts.
"We were informed that an inspector has come here from Arkon to see that everything is in order," began the one in uniform as he stepped forward. "So we thought that this would be a good opportunity to denounce some of the customary injustices that occur on Tolimon. My superior, Col. Koplad, runs things to the advantage of his own pocket and neglects his duties with regard to Arkon. My promotion, which is long overdue, is always shoved aside because I am known to be an Arkon sympathizer. Moreover..."
"I did not make this long journey merely to regulate such trivial matters," Rhodan interrupted him. He gazed out the window as though bored with the interview and seemed even to have forgotten the man. "And you?"
The officer stepped back in bewilderment to make way for his companion. The well-dressed civilian had lost some of his self-confidence and did not seem to be so convinced of his case. He shifted embarrassed from one foot to the other. "Sir..." he began, hesitantly.
"Well?" Rhodan asked impatiently. "Is it important? I am not concerned with your personal grievances and I have no desire to mix into the internal affairs of Tolimon. Only speak if you have some validly important political abuse to report."
The civilian shook his head fearfully and bowed. "Excuse us, sir, for troubling you. It was not that important. Long may you live, sir!"
When the door closed, Pucky also shook his head. "And for such fools I have to bow, just because I'm your servant. No, I'll never live this down! I wish I were dead!"
Rhodan did not reply immediately. He cocked his head and listened with his eyes closed. Then he opened them and looked gravely at the mouse-beaver.
"That could be arranged, Pucky," he said softly. "Not far from here, probably under the hotel, there are some men who want to capture you. They are operating under orders from the top. You are supposed to be drugged and carried off to the zoo. If you defend yourself or should you prove otherwise dangerous, the men have a free hand to put you out of the way. So you see that your death wish can be obliged."
In the past few minutes, Pucky had only been acting as a telepathic 'relay' and so he had missed the import of this attempt on his life and freedom. Now he reviewed the situation, only to complain: "They want to cage me in like a wild animal! Me, the personal servant of the illustrious inspector from Arkon! Couldn't I take those fellows and... hm-m-m, may I teach them a lesson, Chief? They've earned it, haven't they?"
"All in good time. But how can you know their plans if you aren't a telepath? I'm afraid you'll have to wait until they betray themselves. It's better to search for Marshall; the animal catchers can wait."
"Animal catchers!" growled Pucky angrily. He made a single jump and landed on the white bed, where he lay down on his back and crossed his arms under his head. "If Bell ever finds out about this I won't have a moment of peace for the rest of my life. This is a planet of disgrace!"
"Don't worry about the dummies who have been taken in by our tricks. I want you to help me search for Marshall. They have to be hiding out somewhere and they are thinking. And if they are thinking it should also be possible for us to pick up their brain impulses."
"As if that zany Count Rodrigo de Berceo could think!"
Rhodan's smile was momentarily shadowed by concern, then he nodded slowly. "I should think so, even though I'm afraid that he has nothing else but our good Laury on his mind. That's what muddled things up."
"Yeah, sure," philosophized Pucky, at the same time looking terribly wise. "Love is to blame for it all.
I'm never going to fall in love."
"I wouldn't know who with," remarked Rhodan.
Without further comment, Pucky dedicated himself to the task of tracking down Marshall's mental vibrations.
• • •
Rhodan relaxed and leaned back with his eyes closed. He concentrated on the incoming mental impulses but quickly realized that only some improbable stroke of luck would help him. He saw himself as an amateur radio operator who was trying to detect the messages of a colleague among thousands of transmissions—and even then without a recognition signal.
It was simply impossible to put the thousands or tens of thousands of thought emanations in any order, much less identify them.
But for this very reason Pucky came to the awareness of other things that were no less interesting to him. The impulses were very strong and concerned themselves principally with himself. Judging by their intensity, the originators of these thoughts would actually have to be right here in the hotel.
"They are coming," he said.
Rhodan opened his eyes in astonishment and came back to the hotel room. His groping thoughts had been far away without finding a trace of Marshall or Laury.
"Who is coming?"
"It's those characters who want to put an innocent mouse-beaver in their zoo. I'll send them flying out the window, even though they pretend to be government officials."
Meanwhile, Rhodan had also picked up the approaching thought impulses. "You'll do nothing of the kind, my dear friend. After all, what risk will you be taking if you let them bamboozle you? None whatsoever! On the contrary, I have high expectations from it. Maybe you'll find out something about Marshall. Besides, we can always keep in touch, and if it's necessary you can simply teleport yourself out of harm's way. So what can happen to you?"
"Nothing, nothing at all," admitted Pucky peevishly. "But that's just what bothers me!"
"How come?"
"The shame of it! I, the most intelligent of mouse-beavers, have to be dumber than a police rookie. At least the policemen on Terra. Maybe things are different here but dumb is dumb!"
"Whoever puts something over by acting stupid is smarter than those he deceives, Pucky."
The mouse-beaver swallowed an imaginary lump in his throat. "You always dish out your sugar candy
sticks for every medicine, no matter how bitter the dose," he had to admit. "But you have to promise me that Bell will never hear about this!"
"You already have my promise," nodded Rhodan.
"Alright then. So instead of taking a flying loop, the Aras will catch a stupid mouse-beaver. They're just about here now. And by the way, they are in mortal fear of you."
"It's no wonder, since they're thinking about the battleship that I can summon at any moment. In the past 56 years, the Robot Regent must have made a ruthless impression
on them. There's no other way of explaining their fear of Arkon."
"Here they are!" Pucky whispered almost inaudibly. Then, telepathically, he added: And now, ladies and gentlemen, we present Pucky Mouse-beaver, the world-famous film star, in the role of a blockhead! Attention! The show begins! "
And in fact, it did begin.
There was a knock at the door. Rhodan again assumed his superciliously arrogant Arkonide manner. He winked almost indolently at Pucky and spoke loudly enough so that he could be heard outside the door. "Pucky, go and see who it is who dares again to disturb my repose. Tolimon appears to be a very restless planet but perhaps it's because they are anxious for me to start my investigations."
Pucky waddled to the door but before he opened it he made such a silly face that it bordered on impudence. His bow was extremely comical. Three men stepped into the room and paid no attention to the mouse-beaver, even though their thoughts were exclusively concerned with him. They walked a few steps and stopped directly in front of Rhodan. They all bowed in deepest respect.
"We ask a thousand pardons," said the one in the middle of the trio while he tugged embarrassed at his colorful coat. "Perhaps we have come at an inconvenient time but..."
"Since I have not called you here, it is indeed inconvenient," Rhodan confirmed, with an indifferent arrogance that undoubtedly frightened his companions. Pucky bowed deeply again so that the men couldn't see his merry grin.
"It-er-has to do with an invitation from the Government," continued the Ara, who seemed more frightened than embarrassed. "Today a gala reception is to take place in honor of the most gracious inspector from Arkon. We request that you take part in the occasion.
Rhodan probed the spokesman's thoughts and detected the intent to overpower Pucky and take him away during his own absence from the hotel. A special task force for that purpose was already on its way. He leaned back in the chair and gave the impression that he was considering the offer.
