by Perry Rhodan
Willingly, then, he surrendered himself to the voice.
But he promised himself irrevocably that it would be for the last time.
• • •
The alarm catapulted Capt. Marcel Rous out of a deep sleep.
Almost instantly his feet hit the cold metal floor of his room and he was running while still pulling his clothes on toward the com room where the alarm had originated. If it had come from the Command Central he might have expected to be under a direct attack from the Druufs. So in. this case, Rous was assured, the Druufs were not directly involved.
Breathlessly he dashed into the communications center and saw that Sgt. Masters was just turning off the pickup recorder tapes. It was too early for him to tell whether it had to do with a hypercom dispatch from the Ohio or some other incoming communication. As for the special micro-receiver that tied the base to Ellert's transmitter, he thought of this last of all.
"What is it, Masters?"
With a final adjustment of the keyboard, Masters straightened up. "Message from Ellert on Druufon. Still running it through the decode-translator, sir."
Rous could only nod an acknowledgement, after which he began to pace back and forth nervously. He knew that the message from Ellert would be important and urgent. The mutant never announced himself without special reasons. He knew from experience that the automatic deciphering and translation process would not take more than 10 minutes. It didn't make any difference whether the message was long or short.
Sgt. Masters remained silent. He continued to stare doggedly at the final tape reel, listening for the click of the decoder machine. Then, finally, the tape clicked into rewind.
"Ready!" announced Masters.
"Play it back!" said Rous.
After a few more clickings of switches a voice was heard in the room which was unique. Although its intellectual origin was Ellert, it was not actually his real voice. The special receiver had converted his transmitted thoughts into audible sounds:
"This is Ellert in Onot's body. Calling Perry Rhodan! We have here a critical possibility of discovery. I am becoming too weak to be able to resist the power of Onot's mind much longer. He is slowly getting the upper edge. Onot has been arrested and is being ordered before the Supreme Tribunal. If I can't control him he will reveal my presence here. He also has knowledge of the base on Hades. I am not able to transfer from here to Earth and into my own body. Bring my body to Hades or take Onot to Earth. There is no other alternative. Please rush this message to Rhodan. He will know what to do. Only a few more days and it will be too late. Help me! Ernst Ellert."
2/ A MATTER OF CORPSE
The Solar Empire had given diplomatic recognition to the new Imperator of the Arkonide realm. Behind the once all-powerful robot Brain was Atlan the undying Arkonide, Rhodan's friend and ally. Both empires were now working together in the complex task of bringing all the various races and civilizations of the galaxy 'under one roof'—as Reginald Bell was fond of expressing it.
Perry Rhodan was presently on Arkon 3 and was preparing for his return to Earth. The battleship Drusus was standing by at his disposal. Basically, Rhodan didn't have much faith in premonitions but during the past few days he had not been able to shake off an unpleasant sense of impending danger. He had discussed it with Bell but the latter had been impudent enough to laugh at his fears.
"You're seeing ghosts, Perry. Recent events have gotten to you. Your nerves are frazzled, that's all! I can certainly understand that. What's bothering you? The Druufs have been clobbered and aren't likely to recover and soon they'll be locked back inside their own time plane. No, I think you're getting carried away..."
"You're forgetting Ellert, my friend," replied Rhodan. He glanced indifferently at the abstract color patterns on the viewscreen. Arkonide signal checking left him cold. "He's still on Druufon. Sooner or later we have to see to it that he gets back to Earth. When the discharge funnel closes, it will be too late."
"Why? We can still reach him if...?"
"But under more difficult conditions. I'd like to avoid that."
"OK—then what are we still waiting for?"
This turnabout was even too fast for Rhodan. He stared in some surprise at Bell for a moment before he finally smiled back at him. "That's right—what are we still waiting for, actually? It's what I've also been asking myself. We have no further business to attend to here for the time being, and if I know Pucky he'll be happy to raise and harvest his own batch of carrots in Terrania."
Pucky the mouse-beaver lay sleeping on a couch at the rear of the Control Central. At least so far he had appeared to be sleeping. But now he raised up his head with its big mouse ears and permitted his single incisor to gleam with pleasure.
In a squeaky voice he commented: "You don't have a very green thumb, Perry. It's been so long since I've been able to take care of my truck garden that I've figured on a complete loss of the harvest. Those little monsters—whatever they're called—must have gobbled up all of my carrots by now."
"Those little monsters," interjected Bell, "are known as mice. They happen to be relatives of yours, Pucky."
The mouse-beaver raised up indignantly to his full stature. Of course his incisor tooth could still be seen, which betrayed the fact that he was still being good-humored, but the gleam in his, eyes was a signal for caution. "If I'm related to Earthly mice," he announced, "then you have a strong resemblance to the Gloobies, back on Vagabond, my home planet!"
Bell looked imploringly at Rhodan. He had never heard Pucky mention these Gloobies before. Who knew what kind of beasts they might be, he thought in startlement. When Pucky had his dander up, you had to handle him like a raw egg.
"I don't seem to recall these Gloobies of yours," put in Rhodan, attempting to give his beleaguered friend an assist. "If I'm not mistaken, outside of you mouse-beavers there was nothing on Vagabond. So...?"
Pucky returned a triumphant grin. "That's right—nothing! And that's what Bell reminds me of!" With a malicious giggle he again rolled up into a ball, signifying that he did not wish to be disturbed any further.
Rhodan raised a brow appealingly at Bell and then changed the subject. "I'm waiting for a clear signal from Terra and then we'll take off. By tomorrow, anyway. Atlan has things pretty well buttoned up here. Of course we'll have to expect more disturbances here and there but working together we can always take care of such matters. What I'm more worried about is my son."
Bell didn't answer. He knew how heavily this subject weighed upon Rhodan. He considered it best to make no comment.
After several minutes of staring silently at the viewscreen, Rhodan suddenly got up. "I'm going to get some sleep. Would you tell Sikerman to wake me up immediately if we hear something from Terra."
Bell looked at him closely. "You expecting anything special, perhaps?"
Rhodan was evasive. He smiled. "Not at all, Bell, but something might come up. It could be that Sikerman wouldn't even think it was important. But in any case I want to know about it."
"Gotcha," said Bell. His suspicions seemed to have been dispelled.
Which was just as well, thought Rhodan, for he had no desire to discuss his premonitions further. Besides, he himself considered them to be only his imagination.
Just as he was about to exit from the room, Pucky raised up his head from the couch and muttered sleepily: "I wouldn't think of it that way, Perry!" And then he continued his snoozing.
Out in the corridor, Rhodan smiled. So Pucky had spied on his thoughts again. In the presence of such a perfect telepath it was best to screen one's mind. But Bell wouldn't know and that was the main thing. At least he wouldn't find out from the mouse-beaver.
The Drusus stood at the edge of the giant spaceport on the hard plastisteel pavement. The incredible weight of the vessel could not dent the tough surface by so much as a millimeter. On Earth it would have broken through if the antigravs were off but here the ship stood sound and firm. It was spherical in shape and almost I mile in diameter.
A person not familiar with its interior could wander around in it for days and still be lost.
Rhodan utilized several antigrav lifts and reached the corridor where his cabin was located. On the way he encountered some of the men coming from the mess hall. He responded to their respectful salutes and greetings but other than that continued onward without a word. He was tired and looked forward to getting some rest.
What could be happening to Ellert?—he thought apprehensively and for no particular reason. The last time he was on Earth he had wanted to visit the mausoleum but hadn't been able to. Something bothered him about that but he didn't know what it was. He had called and talked to the guards at the tomb but they had reported nothing unusual. Ellert's body was still resting 50 meters under the surface, waiting for its restless mind and spirit to return.
Fully dressed, Rhodan threw himself on his bed.
Why then should he sense this uneasiness? Certainly if something had happened more than 30,000 light-years away he wouldn't be able to feel it at this distance.
In spite of his weariness he did not fall asleep immediately. His thoughts wouldn't let him relax, even though in past weeks so much had been accomplished. Granted, success hadn't exactly fallen into his lap. The way to victory had been paved with difficulties, with personal disappointments and even mortal dangers. But he had reached the goal and that was all that mattered.
The two empires of the galaxy were now a single power. If there were actually still individual races and peoples who couldn't go along with that, it didn't much matter anymore. In time they would change their views—if the battle fleets of both stellar empires had not done it for them by then.
Above him sounded a muted buzzer. Under the vidcom screen a green light flashed. Rhodan got up with a deliberate slowness, thinking of his premonition. Was it going to prove to be true?
When he touched the receive-button an officer's face appeared on the viewscreen. His expression was one of astonishment, as though he were not sure he was doing the right thing.
"Sir—reporting from Com Central. We have a hypertransmission."
"Fire away, Tompetch—or don't you have the text unraveled yet?"
"Of course, sir. The dispatch comes from Marshal Freyt, Terra. Transmission date: 5 August 2044. Time: 17:48 Terrania. The message follows: Hades alert—Ellert. Capt. Rous indicates Ellert's mind too weak to return to his body. He is asking for Rhodan's help. Immediate action imperative. Request instructions. Freyt.
Rhodan stood there for several seconds without moving a muscle but in that time he arrived at his decision. His words were clear and unmistakable. "Dispatch to Freyt, Terrania.Text: Instructions will follow in due course. A second dispatch to Hades. Text: Activate transmitter-receiver in exactly five hours. Arriving personally. Rhodan. Tompetch, see that both of those messages are sent out as soon as possible."
"Right, sir!"
"One moment—there's something else. Wake up Col. Sikerman. The Drusus takes off in I hour."
Tompetch's eyes widened. "We... uh... yes sir!"
The screen darkened.
Rhodan's face was unusually grave when he entered the Control Central 10 minutes later. After receiving confirmation that the two special messages had been transmitted, he then requested a hypercom connection with Atlan. The Imperator of Arkon was probably in the Crystal Palace but if he wasn't they would still have to locate him.
Rhodan waited personally in the Corn Room. There was a slight interruption when Bell stuck his head in and said: "Sikerman sends his compliments and says the Drusus can take off, Perry. All men at their stations as ordered."
"Hold the takeoff. Still no contact with Atlan."
Bell came all the way into the room. "Then simply leave a message for him. Who knows where he might be carousing tonight?"
"There is no nightlife on Arkon 3," said Perry, reminding him of a state of affairs which the crew of the Drusus had deplored. "But if I can't find him I won't have any other choice than to leave a message for him." He pondered a moment. "Alright. We'll definitely leave in 40 minutes."
Bell nodded and disappeared.
Five minutes before the mighty propulsion engines of the Drusus started up, Atlan came through "You're taking off, Perry? Why so precipitate? What's happened?"
Rhodan gave him a faint smile. "That's three questions all at once, Admiral—oh, excuse me... Imperator! Only one answer is necessary: Ellert is in danger. I'm going to Hades. I was wondering if you'd like to come along...?"
Atlan sighed. "If these were the old times when we used to travel the spaceways together and visit alien worlds... But now all I know is my duty. I'll have to admit that this rulership business isn't so simple. One's life isn't his own..."
"Do you expect to spend the rest of your life on Arkon?"
"Of course not, Perry. But for now I must remain here. There are pressing matters of State, do you understand? Lots of luck to you—and come back soon! Until then, goodbye"
"I'll hurry back," Rhodan promised. He signed off and the screen went dark.
The Drusus took off on the minute of the appointed time. The engines roared to life and hurled the giant ship out into space. The antigrav fields neutralized the pressures of acceleration. With increasing velocity the space monster raced toward the speed of light and the outer fortress ring of Arkon while the central planet of the Empire dwindled into Infinity.
The hurtling pace continued for two hours. Then the robot-controlled space stations flitted by to the right and left of them and dropped behind. The correct code signal had prevented these latter from turning into fire-spitting fortresses which could have destroyed the Drusus.
The ship hurried onward unhindered, toward its calculated point of transition.
• • •
Punctually to the second, Capt. Marcel Rous had one of the transmitters turned on for reception. Somewhere out there just beyond the discharge rift between the Einstein universe and the Druuf time plane the Drusus must have rematerialised and Rhodan would now be entering the sending station of a matter transmitter.
Rous stood before the door of the grid cage and waited to receive the Chief. The indicator showed green but there was still no sign of Rhodan. Then the panel lamp began to flicker. First pulse response from the Drusus, aligning the transfer fields. The ship's transport-transmitter was 'on the air'. And then—with hardly any perceptible time transition—the figure of a man appeared in the cage. It emerged from nothingness and materialized at once.
Rhodan stepped from the grid platform and stretched out a hand to Capt. Rous. "You gave me quite a scare, Captain. How come the message went through Marshal Freyt?"
They walked through the corridors toward the Base Commander's comfortably appointed quarters but before they arrived there Rous proceeded to explain:
"Immediately after receiving Ellert's distress call, I sent an emergency message to the Ohio, our contact ship beyond the Rift. I presume that they relayed it at once to Marshall Freyt, who then made contact with you on Arkon. Anyway it's astounding how fast messages can be propagated through the galaxy these days."
He opened the door for Rhodan, who went into the cabin. It was not until the two were seated at the table that Rhodan got to the point of his visit. "What's the situation with Ellert?"
Rous reached into his pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper. "That's the first message we've received from Druufon on the micro-transmitter hookup."
Rhodan read Ellert's message slowly and carefully. When he replaced the sheet on the table, his brow was furrowed. "So they've finally caught up with Onot and now Ellert is too weak to leave the body of his host and return to Earth. Actually there's nothing left for us to do other than to bring his own body to Druufon. Hm-m-m... that won't be any picnic. But fortunately there's still enough time. It will take several days yet for the preliminary hearings and the trial against Onot to get started."
Rous shook his head. He seemed a bit pale. "Sir, in the meantime another message came in from Ellert. I'm a
fraid there's very little time. Two hours ago, Onot went before the Supreme Tribunal."
Rhodan stared at him. "You waited until now to tell me?" When Rous said nothing, Rhodan leaned forward and placed a hand on his forearm. "What's the import of the second message, Rous? Do you have the full text with you?"
"I know it by heart, sir. Ellert reported that they had picked up Onot and brought him before the Court. He claimed he no longer had the strength to hold Onot to a specific line of testimony. He said that the Druuf was prepared to tell the judges everything—the whole truth. Ellert is trying to prevent it. He doesn't know how long he can hold out. If he has to leave Onot's body he doesn't know where he can go. He needs more strength than he possesses to leave Druufon."
Rhodan nodded. "I can't quite imagine what would happen if he were to leave Onot without sufficient strength. He might lose his temporal directions and slip back into the stream of time, which swallowed him up once before. At least we know that it requires a certain energy output to hold on to the present. Strange that I never thought of that before." He met Rous' gaze directly. "But here we're sitting around philosophizing when there's not another minute to lose. I'll get back to the Drusus but will remain in the vicinity. If there's an attack on Hades, you can count on me. That is, if Onot blabbers too much..." He stood up and waited until Rous opened the door for him. On their way back to the transmitter he added: "Let me know at once if you get a further message from Ellert."
"That's understood, sir," promised Rous.
Rhodan waved to him a last time before he dematerialized. One second later he was on board the Drusus again and stepped out of the receiver cage. He hurried at once to the ship's hypercom center.
As always when the fate of Earth or the galaxy was involved, his instructions were issued swiftly and precisely.
• • •
Marshal Freyt's similarity to Perry Rhodan was not alone in his outward appearance. Along with the Administrator he had also received the life-prolonging bio-treatment on the synthetic planet Wanderer and thus his aging processes had been suspended.
