The Micro-Techs Read online

  CHASE THROUGH SPACE

  20,000 SWOONS–abducted! The Swoons specialized in microtechnology. Their scientists could prove of tremendous future value to Perry Rhodan's cosmic agents. But the sinister foe from the Other Dimension sense the danger of the Swoons... and swoop! The Robot Regent of Arkon is at work as well, attempting to outwit Rhodan despite the treaty made with the Peacelord. Enter Jost Kulman, a new mutant you've not met before.

  Mix them all together and you'll find that big things come in small packages when you encounter—

  Perry Rhodan

  Atlan And Arkon #55

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  The Micro-Techs

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  1/ MICRO MISSION

  PUCKY was as mad as if he'd just been given a bushel barrel full of fresh sweet crunchy king-size carrots... and then developed an instant toothache in his sole incisor so that he couldn't eat them!

  He was furious. He was frustrated. He was embarrassed to think that he'd fallen for that phony dachshund Muzzel! Muzzel, who was no flesh-and-blood dog at all but an ersatz canine, a robot spy of Arkon's robot Regent. Pucky's sensitive mouse-beaver psyche was psychologically disturbed, to say the least.

  "You really brought it on yourself," Reginald Bell rubbed it in. The fact that, with great difficulty, he censored a sarcastic grin didn't help him any since Pucky was a telepath and could read his secret thoughts. "I've warned you often enough. Who would trust a dachshund?"

  "Dachshunds are dogs, aren't they?" Pucky retorted angrily. He happened to be very fond of the 4-legged Terrestrial pets, who were usually harmless and friendly. "They're the cutest and truest... "

  "Except Muzzel!" Bell interjected.

  He would have been wiser to have kept the last remark to himself. It was the straw that broke the mouse-beaver's back. In addition to telepathy he had telekinetic powers, not to mention his gift for teleportation. Before Bell knew what had happened to him, gravity was seemingly nullified and he found himself floating weightlessly through the spaceship Drusus to the closed cabin door. He might have bumped into it like a balloon but at the penultimate moment before collision the door was mysteriously opened as though by an invisible hand and he found himself outside in the corridor. Though he kicked his legs and flailed his arms he knew from bitter past experience this would do him little good: Pucky's kinetic power stream held him prisoner in its pitiless grip.

  "I'll show you!" screeched the furious mouse-beaver, losing all control of his English in his mounting wrath. "I'll teach you to pretend symphony (sympathy) like a hypochondriac (hypocrite) and gloat over my misfortune, you red-haired ball of blabber (blubber)!"

  It was an unkind exaggeration to characterize Rhodan's friend and deputy as fat or even shapeless: his figure was simply solid, stocky. But it could not be denied by anyone but a color-blind person that Reggie was a true redhead. With typical temper to match.

  Under other circumstances Pucky's mangling of the language might have provided Bell with some amusement but at the moment he was too mad and scared to do other than bellow menacingly: "Wait till Rhodan hears about this!"

  Which only made Pucky laugh hysterically. "Tell him—if you can, fatso!" he challenged.

  Anyone unfamiliar with such shenanigans would have gasped at the queer sight of a feather-light Bell drifting just below the ceiling of the corridor and deftly evading all obstacles as the yard-high mouse-beaver waddled underneath him, his ears standing straight up. His animal lips were slightly drawn back, exposing a wicked incisor that sparkled in the light reflected from the lamps. Pucky kept his balance with his broad beavertail which helped support him on his short, rather unsteady legs.

  Fortunately no such uniformed individual appeared on the scene. However, Pucky suddenly let Bell drop when he was startled by a man who walked around the corner of the corridor and stopped in his tracks when he saw the wingless man awkwardly flying.

  Bell hit the floor with a resounding bang and would have fallen flat on his face if the man hadn't jumped forward and steadied him. His rescuer already knewwhat had happened—he only asked: "Why?"

  Bell finally had a chance to vent his pent-up wrath. Pucky had stopped grinning and now displayed a little embarrassment; he was favored with a dirty look from Bell, who began to roar: "That sawed-off son of a dam builder decided to use me as a pigeon again to display his powers. I went to his cabin with my heart full of the milk of human kindness, meaning to sympathize with him over the little mistake he made with Muzzel, and the next thing I knew, there I was dangling from the ceiling... "

  "Is he telling the truth?" the man inquired, regarding the mouse-beaver with his cool grey eyes.

  Pucky violently shook his head. "Of course not! He's lying through his feet again, boss! You're a telepath—you ought to know. He insulted me and wouldn't leave me alone."

  Perry Rhodan looked back and forth between the two. "Well, Reggie, what else do you have to say for yourself?"

  "He can't lake a joke," Bell muttered, adjusting his uniform. "He never could, that doddering waddler."

  "Balloon belly!" Pucky countered shrilly.

  Rhodan raised his hand. "If you two don't cut it out, you'll have to stay home next time. This isn't the time for my comrades to quarrel."

  The faces of Bell and Pucky tensed with curiosity. "What's cooking?" Bell inquired. He gave himself a visible push and put his arm around the mouse-beaver. "We didn't quarrel Pucky, did we?"

  "Oh no, whoever gave you that idea?" Pucky chirped, coyly batting his eyes and crossing his forepaws over his heart which made him look like innocence itself. "We were just playing a little... "

  "Is that so?" Rhodan clucked. "You had a little fun together? Wonderful! In that case may I assume that you've already settled your slight difference of opinion?"

  "Sure, sure," Bell insisted. "But you wanted to tell us something important."

  "I did?" Rhodan feigned surprise. "What was it?"

  Bell sighed. "I give up. Let's go Pucky! He doesn't need us."

  "Just a minute!" Rhodan held him back. "Before you get any notions of playing some more games I want to tell you that Jost Kulman will resume his report in half an hour. So far he didn't have an opportunity to give us detailed information about the events on Swoofon."

  "In half an hour?" Bell was intrigued. "I'll be there. But where?"

  "In my cabin. I want to be a little more careful in the future. Who knows how many other spies the Regent has smuggled aboard."

  With a quick wave of his hand Rhodan continued on his way. Bell and Pucky followed him with their eyes until he disappeared around the next corner.

  "Hm," the mouse-beaver uttered, peering longingly at the ceiling. Bell was taken aback a little but he scratched Pucky's neck and said in a conciliatory tone: "Let's make up. I didn't mean to upset you that much."

  Pucky's incisor protruded again, which could be considered a good sign under the circumstances. "OK, slim. I'll try to get along with you even though it means you've robbed me of the pleasure of giving you a flying lesson in the big hangar. Oh shucks, perhaps some other time. Let's go now!"

  "How about making it a little snappy," Bell suggested and put his arm around the body of the mouse-beaver. "Rhodan's eyes will pop out when we get into his cabin before him." Pucky grinned joyfully. He concentrated on the short jump and dematerialized together with Bell. The air flickered as they disappeared and arrived in the same second at another place in the gigantic spacesphere.

  When Rhodan entered the pair already sat on his couch and greeted him nonchalantly.

  • • •

  Jost Kulman was a member of Rhodan's special team known as Cosmic Agents. Most of these agents were mutant
s with special talents who lived in the most important centers of the Arkonide worlds and communicated with their Central Agency on Terra via hyperradio. This enabled Rhodan to keep in touch with all critical developments in the Galaxy.

  Kulman was a micropath. He possessed the ability to control the focal length of his eye lenses which made it possible for him to see objects that were visible only under a microscope to normal people. It was due to this special feature of his that he had been sent to Swoofon because the Swoons who inhabited Swoofon were the most outstanding micro-technicians of the known universe.

  Kulman had made himself comfortable in a chair but he glanced a little sheepishly at Rhodan. "I know you've every right to blame me since I was responsible for bringing Muzzel aboard the Drusus. That robot dog nearly succeeded in betraying our position to the Regent," he said, conscience-stricken.

  "But only nearly," Rhodan smiled. He considered the matter already closed. "It's not your fault. It could've happened to anyone. The whole Mutant Corps was fooled by that imitation dachshund. Even Pucky!"

  The mouse-beaver on the couch jerked a little. He cast a sideways look at Bell, who sat next to him, and smiled embarrassed.

  Jost Kulman didn't seem to have noticed the by-play and began his eagerly awaited report. "I sent you the hyperradio call when my situation made it advisable and you came to pick me up as arranged. I'm sorry a more elaborated report to you has been delayed because Muzzel... " He paused for a moment but then went on quickly: "The Swoons were given instructions to build a compensator-detector for spaceships whose construction has already been designed."

  Rhodan leaned forward and looked intently at his agent. The smile had vanished from his lips as if wiped off. "A what, please?"

  Kulman grinned faintly. "I've called the device a compensator-detector because this describes its function. The request was made by the Springers and they've handed the construction plans to the Swoons. The device will make it impossible in the future to keep any hypertransition secret. You can see that my observation is vital... "

  "And how!" Rhodan agreed, not looking overly pleased. "Did you obtain any particular details?"

  Kulman decided to retrace his story from the beginning. "As you know, sir, the compensator was originally developed by the Springers. It prevented the detection of spaceships going into transitions and materializing again, thereby making the structure sensors virtually useless. As soon as the compensator-detector goes into mass production, all secrecy will be lifted and every ship can be registered whether it uses a compensator for the transition or not. This also means that the position of Terra can no longer be concealed from our enemies."

  "We'd be in a terrible jam," Bell muttered and looked at the lean figure of Khrest, who sat quietly in a

  chair. "Soon they'll be snooping in our backyards."

  "Go on, Kulman," Rhodan said. "How far did they get with their preparations for manufacturing the device?"

  "Fortunately the actual work has not yet begun, sir. They've received the plans only very recently. They're in the process of being checked but the erection of workshops has already started. It looks as if they want to mass produce the detectors as soon as possible."

  "This must be prevented at all costs," Rhodan said with determination. "Do you have any idea how the detector functions?"

  "Just a rough idea, sir. The detector is designed to intercept the frequency of a structure-compensator even when the disturbance of the space-time continuum cannot be registered. This reveals the presence of a compensator as soon as it is activated. It radiates typical oscillations which can be monitored in the 5-dimensional zone. This is all I've been able to learn so far."

  "It's more than enough," Rhodan replied. "Do you know the approximate location of the future plant?"

  "Yes. They were not very secretive about it although I must've been recognized by the Robot Regent of Arkon or he wouldn't have planted that canine robot-spy on me."

  "That's true," Rhodan agreed. "But the incident with Muzzel has also proved something else. What's your opinion, Khrest?"

  The Arkonide, whom Rhodan owed so much, looked up. "Yes, Perry, if you mean something about the reliability of the Regent. This little interlude has clearly shown that the robot Brain on Arkon has no intention of dealing squarely with us. It was programmed in such a manner that it will always try to gain the upper hand over organic beings until the Arkonides regain their mental alertness and are able again to rule themselves. Any alliance with humans can serve only the Regent's own purpose and it can never blossom into a true partnership. The Regent was in a dilemma and didn't see a way out alone. The Invisibles, who came attacking from the void and depopulated whole planets, are more than he can handle by himself. He entered in an alliance with us for the purpose of destroying his mysterious enemy. Even though we've not yet succeeded in achieving this goal and the Invisibles are still lurking in space, ready to pounce on us again, the Regent already commits the treachery of trying to locate the Earth. This proves only all too clearly that the Regent has no scruples about tearing up the treaty with Terra the moment we've eliminated the threat of the Invisibles and getting us under his thumb."

  "You're thinking exactly the way I do, Khrest," Rhodan answered. "But this time the Regent will have bet on the wrong horse. On Swoofon we'll have a chance to kill two birds with I stone. Not only are we going to destroy the construction plans for the compensator-detector but we'll also let the Regent know in no uncertain terms that we've seen through his methods. If he doesn't change his attitude we'll rescind our agreement. Let him cope alone with the Invisibles who are out to decimate his Imperium."

  Khrest shook his head. "I don't think it'll do much good to destroy the plans, Perry. We'll never be able to prevent the construction of the detector. It'll be built—if not today on Swoofon then later on another world. You can't stop progress. You know the law of the chain-reaction: first there is an offensive weapon and then comes the defensive weapon; soon it is followed by a defense against the defense which is in turn made useless by a new invention. No, the detector is going to be built one way or another. However we can design something to counteract it as soon as it's deployed. All we need are the construction plans. If Kulman can tell us where to find them... "

  Rhodan smiled again. He looked very hopeful. "Thank you, Khrest. You've just outlined our next campaign. Kulman, continue with your report. Describe what Swoofon looks like and the living conditions of its inhabitants. How are their relations to the Arkonide Imperium? Each detail can be important no matter how minor it appears to be."

  As Kulman elaborated on his descriptions, Rhodan's mind was occupied with the structure-compensator which was his most important defense apparatus. If it was made superfluous, Terra was in great danger. The safety of Terra depended primarily on the fact that nobody in the universe knew where to find it. In the infinity of space it was nothing but a mote of dust.

  They won't find this speck, Rhodan promised himself and turned his attention again to Kulman.

  "... whose inhabitants are called Swoons. They live exclusively on the second planet of the sun Swaft which is 992 light-years from Earth. The system has three planets although only one of them is inhabited. It has oxygen; its surface is mostly a typical desert with very little vegetation. The gravity is ¼ that of Earth. The oxygen content of Swoofon is very low but just enough to let humans breathe without artificial equipment."

  "Why are the Swoons considered to be the best technicians in the universe?" Bell inquired.

  "Microtechnicians!" Kulman emphasized. "Their eyes are similar to mine and they can see objects which a normal person can see only under a microscope. They also have extremely dexterous hands and they can shape a grain of sand without optical aids. They measure about 30 centimeters."

  "The hands?" Bell asked.

  "No. The Swoons!" Kulman corrected him quietly, remembering that he had not yet had much time to talk about them. "The denizens of the planet Swoofon are very small, only about 30 cent
imeters tall, rather slim, and they don't resemble humanoid beings, they look more like cucumbers with two little feet. They've got four arms with extremely skilled hands."

  "You're putting us on!" Bell shook his head. "Cucumbers that can make watches?"

  "They make even much finer things," Kulman exclaimed with admiration in his voice. "Wait till you get to know them. They're really marvelous."

  "I can't say that I ever cared much for cucumbers," Bell snickered. He looked at Pucky as if he expected him to concur but he was sadly disappointed.

  "I believe the Swoons and I can become good friends," Pucky deliberated. "I'm not bothered by the prejudice to which Bell still clings."

  "You're quite right Pucky," Rhodan opined, "but Reggie wasn't serious. I wouldn't take him to Swoofon it he meant it."

  "Are we going to... ?"

  Rhodan nodded to Bell. "Yes, we are and we'll leave today."

  "Hooray!" Pucky shrieked and got up to waddle toward the door. "I'll have to spruce up a little. Are we

  going to make an official visit?"

  "I think so, Pucky. Why, do you have to doll up?"

  "A state visit to cucumbers! That's something real special, boss. I don't want you to feel disgraced because of me," and he was gone without opening the door.

  "His old instincts are coming to the fore," Bell expounded, staring at the spot where Pucky had just stood. "I hope he won't confuse the cucumber-technicians with carrots. It might create a diplomatic incident."

  Kulman stared uncomprehendingly at Bell, who didn't think it necessary to enlighten the agent about the mouse-beaver's fondness for fresh carrots.

  Rhodan didn't move from his chair. "Kulman, I think you ought to tell us much more about Swoofon. For instance, I would be interested to know where the embassy of Arkon is located, what troops are at the disposal of the administrator, how the country is governed and so on."

  Kulman commenced to give Rhodan all the desired information.