Shadow of the Mutant Master Read online

  Perry Rhodan

  Atlan And Arkon #47

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  Shadow of the Mutant Master

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  1/ DANGER: TERRA!

  ETERNITY... the Lotus seemed to be hovering immobile in deep Galactic space as if waiting for the passage of endless eons.

  A light cruiser, City Class, of the Terranian Spacefleet, the 100-meter sphere hung suspended motionlessly in space 4,300 light-years from Earth. It floated like a random fleck of stardust between the near and far suns which tried to do battle with the basic darkness of the universe, tried with their pitiful pinpoints of light to illumine a black and hostile cosmos. Silent and cold, the colored ray emanating from the closest sun was but a needle prick of wan luminescence, not even powerful enough to reflect from the polished skin of the interstellar traveler.

  Inside the ship, the placid surface of the endless sea of ebon space—waveless, crestless, eternally silent as the grave—was mirrored on the panoramicon of the Lotus command center.

  The Lotus was in standby position. Its efficient anti-detection equipment precluded the possibility of any alien spaceship discovering it by a freak accident. Behind its protective veil life went on aboard the Lotus .

  The cruiser was located within the confines of the region where the Great Empire of the Arkonides was dominant. The stellar realm controlled by Arkon was concentrated in the globular star-cluster M-13 but branched far out into space and ruled the solar system closest to the position of the Lotus.

  Capt. Jim Markus, Commander of the Lotus, was deep in thought as he observed the area of the panoramic screen where the distant light of Hesperais was visible, 2.46 light-years farther out in space. Rather stockily built, Markus looked like a man of 40, though the hair at his temples was unusually white. Pleasant laugh wrinkles accented his bright eyes.

  Hesperais was a star among many others, the center of a planetary system similar to hundreds of millions of constellations in the same galaxy, but what interested the captain most about this solar system with six planets was the second one. Inhabited, the Mars-sized globe was known to Arkonides and Galactic traders alike as Volat. In contrast to Mars, Volat was a warm humid world with rolling oceans and great primordial forests. Gravity 0.8G, considered normal by the Arkonides and Traders.

  Volat's importance was not based on the fact that its capital, Kuklon, had a super modern spaceport serving as a transit station for merchandise shipped throughout the stars but that it was the official residence of the Arkonide Administrator. The Administrator had been ordered to the planet by the giant positronic Brain that ruled Arkon, to represent the newly reestablished power of the Great Empire on Volat.

  Ralph Sikeron, audio-monitor, a 27-year-old member of Perry Rhodan's mutant corps, had been dispatched to Volat to study the situation and obtain information in order to make a total assessment of the prevailing conditions.

  Capt. Markus deposited Ralph Sikeron on Volat and then was ordered by Perry Rhodan to retreat to a safe distance and stand by in case of an emergency in which the cosmic agent would need help. Rhodan had learned a lesson from some unfortunate experiences in the past!

  Waiting for news from Ralph Sikeron for 12 days, the Lotus had remained at the same spot in space, 2.46 light-years from Volat.

  Capt. Jim Markus' eyes wandered from the observation screen to the calendar and he read absentmindedly the date: July 12, standard time. He was alarmed by crackling noises emanating from the micro-loudspeaker of the hypercom-receiver.

  A message came through!

  The interference lasted only a few seconds. It was followed by a short call and all was silent again.

  The shipboard positronic of the Lotus was automatically activated and the decoder of the computer unscrambled the message. Capt. Markus walked with anxious foreboding to the positronicomputer and watched the slot from which the transcript appeared. He hastily took the plastic strip ejected by the machine. The message consisted of two words which the Ultra-Esper Ralph Sikeron had transmitted to the Lotus from the planet Volat: THREE BELLS!

  Capt. Jim Markus pushed the alarm button.

  Sound alarm, optical alarm, vibration alarm stirred up the cruiser at the same moment. The huge positronic center of the Lotus was alerted and thousands of the ship's functions were activated from their zero position. All converters shot up to their maximum output and the power stations were switched on. The energy banks were charged to the limit and were ready for the moment when the load was needed. The members of the crew raced to their cannons on the speed conveyors and in the antigrav shafts. The Lotus gave the appearance of a stirred up anthill but instead of a panicky commotion it was a manoeuvre which had been proven a thousand times. All movements meshed and the light cruiser was ready for action at all posts within a minute.

  Then came the ominous words over the communication system: "Radio connection with Ralph Sikeron broken off!"

  For Capt. Jim Markus the news meant once more: THREE BELLS!

  Three Bells was the highest state of alarm. The code word stood for Mortal Danger. The mission and the life of the agent were threatened and it warned that Earth was exposed to serious perils as well.

  "Transition in 30 seconds!" the tinny voice of the positronic squeaked in all departments of the Lotus .

  The memory bank of the computer brain stored—ready to be tapped—all data required for a jump of the Lotus through hyperspace across thousands of light-years in zero-time, a concept that could be understood only in mathematical terms. However a ship like the light cruiser, which was in standby position, still required half a minute to bring its machinery up to high gear in order, to perform a transition.

  Jim Markus sat in the pilot and Bendler, the First Officer, was his co-pilot. Both listened to hear if the radio center reported another message while X-time rapidly approached X minus zero.

  The metallic voice of the, positronicomputer called out each of the last 30 seconds. The countdown was a mental strain for Capt. Markus since he was aware that the transition jeopardized the audio-monitor Ralph Sikeron, if the cosmic agent was still alive.

  But the radio center reported no new connection with Ralph Sikeron although two dozen men tried everything to reestablish communications.

  X minus 10! Capt. Jim Markus' hand was at the switch which disconnected all functions of the Lotus from the positronic brain.

  He still believed and hoped that Ralph Sikeron would call again in the final seconds before the transition.

  However the radio center announced at X minus 4: "The transmitter on Volat is silent."

  Finally Jim Markus lost all hope. The machines of the spacesphere roared and the commander received the go sign from one section after the other and all control lamps turned green. The Lotus was ready to jump into hyperspace and flee!

  • • •

  The Lotus was back in the Solar system after three transitions through hyperspace.

  As the ship crossed Pluto's orbit, it was contacted by the automatic station on Pluto which permitted passage after checking the identification signal and it continued racing toward Earth at 0.6 SPEOL.

  Mars emerged at Theta 56° 17 green and Venus stood in opposition. The stations on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn registered the light cruiser and then the space control on Mars took over, reporting the arrival to Terrania, Perry Rhodan's capital in the Gobi Desert which served as a springboard into the Galaxy.

  The Lotus was rushed through for the landing. Capt. Markus handed over the control of the ship to the First Officer for the touchdown manoeuvre. Perry Rhodan had already been notified why the Lotus had returned and that Capt. Markus wished t
o talk with the Chief.

  Markus stood at the hatch, waiting for it to open, when the radio center sent him the message: "Perry Rhodan is at present on Venus. He has been advised of your return and requests you to make your report to Reggie."

  To call Perry Rhodan's deputy Reginald Bell simply Reggie was not meant to be degrading him. Bell had seen to it himself that most people called him Reggie, so that few even knew his full name. The power Reginald Bell exercised as Rhodan's deputy never went to his head and he always remained human, showing frailties and strength which perhaps were the reasons that made him so popular.

  The Lotus had touched down between heavy cruisers, spaceships of the Imperium class, destroyers and lesser armed merchant ships.

  A car sent by Reginald Bell sped Jim Markus across the huge spaceport, passed through the electronic barrier surrounding the government district of Terrania and cam; to a halt before a high-rise building 10 minutes after the Commander of the Lotus had landed.

  Everybody whom Markus had to pass on his way to get to Perry Rhodan's deputy was already informed of his arrival and he was in Bell's office 13 minutes after he had set foot on Terrania.

  The man with the red hair bristles greeted Markus. "Hurry up, Markus. Take a seat. The Chief will be on screen in a moment. Rhodan won't mind dealing with a different matter instead of with Atlan. But he won't like the news you're bringing any better than I do. Three Bells! And we don't have any idea why the bells toll!"

  This was typical of Bell. He never was very particular with his expressions.

  The picture screen began to flicker. The transmitter station was on Venus where Perry Rhodan had gone to learn the secret of Atlan's eternal life from "Time's Lonely One".

  Rhodan's sharp profile appeared on the screen. His eyes radiated strength and calm. He smiled a little as he greeted his captain.

  With Reginald Bell sitting at his side, the Commander of the Lotus gave his report to the Chief. At the same time the captain was also in communication with his ship and all data which Markus did not have at his fingertips were secured in seconds.

  It would have been much simpler for Capt. Jim Markus to talk to Rhodan by hyperradio from his position in the Heperais system but it would have been against the strict order not to call the Solar System on hyperradio under any circumstances because it would have been very easy for any of the Arkonide or Springer spaceships to intercept the conversation. The Arkonides and the Springers, including the Aras, believed that Terra had been destroyed half a century ago and it would have put Earth in the middle of a disastrous fight.

  Rhodan wanted to prevent this at all costs and for this reason he had placed his cosmic, agents on several hundred worlds inhabited by the Arkonides or Springers. Rhodan was not interested in military or industrial espionage but did wish to keep himself informed re the intentions of the Springers and the robot Brain on Arkon.

  Rhodan listened to Jim Markus' report without interrupting. Then he peppered the cruiser commander with questions, concentrating on the essential points. Markus had to ask his ship for the necessary information. After short reflection Rhodan gave his decision from Venus via the audio-visual communication system. "Capt. Markus, please get the Lotus ready to start at once. Wait for mutant Fellmer Lloyd to come aboard and fly back to the Heperais system. You'll have to take Lloyd to Volat without being seen. Then stand by for further developments. Keep in mind that our existence and the Solar System depend on finding out as quickly as possible why Ralph Sikeron had sent the warning 'Three Bells'. Use your own judgment if it becomes necessary to take immediate action but remember that all our lives will be in your hands! Bon voyage, Captain!"

  The picture screen turned grey and Perry Rhodan's head disappeared.

  Reginald Bell had already contacted the Mutant Corps. "What's Fellmer Lloyd doing now?" he bellowed into the mike.

  The reply came without delay. "He's on the third planet of the Horgas system in the Arkon Empire."

  "Good grief!" Bell groaned, giving the mike a dirty look as if it were its fault that the telepath Fellmer Lloyd was so far away from Earth. He looked at Capt. Markus and suggested: "I'm afraid the only thing you can do is to fly to the opposite comer of the Great Empire to pick up Fellmer Lloyd..."

  The loudspeaker interrupted him. It was the headquarters of the Mutant Corps again. "Correction, sir!" said the man at the other end. "Fellmer Lloyd has completed his mission in the Horgas system and is expected to arrive at Terrania any hour in a heavy cruiser. This message has just been received by us."

  "That's more like it," Bell commented. He winked at Jim Markus. "You've been lucky again and..."

  He was interrupted once more. Trud, who screened all visitors who claimed they absolutely had to see Bell, entered and silently handed him a report.

  Perry Rhodan had sent it from Venus. He had contacted Trud immediately after talking to Markus and given him instructions for the mutant Fellmer Lloyd.

  Bell quickly glanced at the report and passed it on to Markus. "This is for your mutant, Captain!" Then he held the memo back for another moment. He was curious about one sentence. It contained a word which Perry Rhodan seldom used: imperative!

  "...it is imperative that you determine as quickly as possible why Ralph Sikeron believed that Terra is in acute danger..."

  2/ SHADOWED

  Capt. Jim Markus entered the cabin which Fellmer Lloyd occupied on their trip to the Heperais system.

  The mutant was relaxing on his bed, reading a book.

  "I wish I had your nerves," Markus exclaimed, shaking his head over the composure of the agent. In an hour Fellmer Lloyd would be engaged in a hazardous mission and here he was reading instead of making preparations.

  Fellmer Lloyd, an innocuous looking man, stocky and broad-shouldered, stroked his hair, grinned and replied: "I wish I had yours, Captain. It's no picnic either to elude the ships of the Arkonides and the Springers."

  "Lloyd, the time is 16:52 and..."

  "...and you think," the telepath completed with a chuckle, "that it's time for me to get up. But why? I can start on my job any minute. It's the same with us mutants as with your Lotus, Markus: either we're ready when necessary or we'll never have to get ready again! Your Lotus would be nothing but a cloud of gas and I'd have breathed my last breath. Sit down, Captain, I've still got an hour."

  "Not I," Markus replied evasively. He never felt comfortable in the company of mind reading mutants and he ended his visit with the excuse that he was too busy to stay.

  • • •

  The Lotus took up its standby position 10 light-years from the Heperais system.

  At precisely 18:00 o'clock board-time the Gazelle, a disk-shaped reconnaissance craft with super-speol propulsion and a range of 500 light-years, was released from the hangar of the Lotus.

  Fellmer Lloyd sat cosily in his seat as if he couldn't care less that he was on his mission.

  The Gazelle, 35 meters in diameter and 18 meters from top to bottom, waited near the Lotus for the signal to start. Cerl Sandford, who piloted the craft, waited for the moment when a certain green light came on.

  For three seconds the light cruiser Lotus was stripped of its protection screens including its anti-detection shield and the Gazelle shot forward with 3G from a dead start in the direction of a point of light—the sun Heperais.

  Among all the other Gazelles in the hangar of the Lotus this was the only one equipped with a structure-compensator.

  Cerl Sandford, who had received the transition data from the positronic brain of the ship, now started the countdown. The tinny voice of the mini-positronic called out the seconds and the power stations and drive engines of the little spacer grew louder. At zero they jumped into irreality where everything came to an end, all bodies dematerialized and returned to the normal universe without loss of time. The Gazelle had jumped a distance of 10 light-years and was 'at the door' of the Heperais system, 8.2 million kilometers away.

  The structocomp had prevented the measuring of the e
normous structure disturbance in the universe caused by the hypertransition and the monitoring stations on Volat were unable to register the approaching Gazelle and to give the alarm.

  Cerl Sandford, 23 years old, was the best man Capt. Jim Markus had for the job of intruding on a planet without being detected. He performed his assigned missions with icy coolness and did not require a copilot. The panoramic observation screen was adjusted to the highest magnification. The positions of the six Heperais planets were fixed in his mind and he could have rattled off their space coordinates for the next three hours without mistake if necessary. He was familiar with the surface of the planet Volat and knew the spot where Ralph Sikeron's Gazelle was concealed under an energy dome.

  That Ralph Sikeron's Gazelle still was intact was more than, mere speculation. After the Lotus had landed at Terrania the best positronic equipment available had been used to check the angle of the beam and the origin of Ralph Sikeron's message 'Three Bells' from the planet Volat with the result that his warning was confirmed to have radiated from Kuklon. Therefore it was concluded that the Gazelle still existed but that there was little chance that the cosmic agent could still be found alive.

  The phlegmatic attitude shown by Fellmer Lloyd was not a mask worn to hide anxiety. His telepathic ability to read other people's minds and his even more important gift of discerning mental patterns contributed to his imperturbable calm. He perceived the brainwaves of his fellow men, analyzed them and was able to determine with virtual certainty before he even saw a person who he was, where he came from and what his intentions were.

  He had probed Cerl Sandford and was satisfied that he was able to take him to Volat without being spotted by Arkonide monitoring stations and that they would touch down close to Ralph Sikeron's Gazelle which Sandford was to fly back to the Lotus .

  The Solar Defense on Terra had prepared Fellmer Lloyd's mission to the last detail. Nothing was left to accident. Everything was 'genuine' and in perfect order. He carried a considerable amount of money which was another measure of the importance which Rhodan attached to his mission.