A World Gone Mad Read online

  Perry Rhodan

  The Third Power #29

  A World Gone Mad

  On a lonely moon in deepest space a scout for Perry Rhodan's fleet encounters a strange, sentient orb. As a Springer attack force approaches the planet Goszul, the orbit reveals its awesome power... but what are its intentions? Meanwhile on Goszul, the Springers seem to have been vanquished by the Plague of Oblivion unleashed by Rhodan and his mutants. But the Springers have one devastating card left to play–hidden deep in the mountains, their mightiest battleship is nearing completion... This is the stirring story of–

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  A WORLD GONE MAD

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  1/ PUCKYS PERILOUS PRETENSE

  "WE 13 MEN are opposed by a whole world!" growled Ragor, a patriarch of the Galactic Traders known as the Springers and himself till now holding the title of Governor of Goszul's Planet.

  "A world we ruled till now!" a dark giant next to him murmured ominously. "I wonder what condition the Goszuls will impose on us?"

  Bright sunlight from an alien star streamed through the wide windows of the assembly room in which 13 dejected men were sitting. The rays reflected from the polished surface of a long conference table.

  There were several features the 13 had in common which clearly characterized them as a homogeneous group: Heavy beards half-covered all their faces... Strong noses and thin lips were common above their bearded chins... All had bush eyebrows—beneath which their eyes now held a peculiar mixture of distress and barely restrained pride bordering on arrogance. Their haughty heads topped sturdy physiques and now seemed crestfallen, displaying little of the great strength normally evident. The sinewy fists lying listlessly on the table lacked their customary energy.

  These vanquished masters of their colonial world were waiting for their conquerors.

  Patriarch Ragor had fled like the others to the abandoned administration building when the Plague of Oblivion caused a rebellion among the natives and the commanders of the Springer ships fled in panic. A 50-year quarantine had subsequently been imposed on Goszul's Planet by the Traders... costing them an important base.

  Ragor cleared his throat. "They keep us waiting," he observed gloomily, trying to mask his impatience with an exterior show of calm.

  "The prerogative of the victor," philosophized his neighbor.

  "Yes, they give us time to ponder. When they occupied the Command Center for our robots we were automatically rendered defenseless—which has brought us to this sorry plight."

  Just then footsteps sounded in the corridor, followed by the opening of the door. Three men entered the room, accompanied by a seven-foot-tall robot which placed itself near the entrance without waiting for specific orders.

  The people who entered were quite different from those waiting anxiously. They were humans like the others but distinguished by red skins and atypically beardless faces. In contrast to the sturdy Springers they were slender, almost delicate, though every inch as tall. These hitherto despised natives had suddenly become the masters and now for the first time faced their former governors in the sweet role of conquerors. But their frank, genial faces showed more joy of hard won liberation than pride of victory. Their simple raiment clearly revealed the primitive state of their culture imposed by their former rulers.

  The Galactic Traders had dominated Goszul's Planet and exploited its inhabitants with the aid of an army of programmed robots until the day the pestilence broke out and infected seven of the 20 governors, rendering them totally inactive. The diseased patients were still confined in hospitals with colored spots on their faces and obliterated memories. Fear of contagion had driven the other governors together but when the four alien spaceships landed and put their army of fighter robots out of action they had no choice left but to capitulate.

  The four ships were still stationed outside on the huge spaceport. Such ships had never before landed on this planet. They were gigantic spheres up to half a mile in diameter and their intervention had determined the outcome of the battle.

  Ragor studied the men with pinched eyes and made no effort to rise from his seat. With a sluggish gesture he pointed to the empty chairs. Although he conceded that they were the victors he did not regard them as his real conquerors in the field.

  In this respect his judgment was utterly erroneous.

  The three men remained standing on their feet. The one in the middle, the old telepath Enzally, probed the thoughts of the governors and detected besides resignation and despair also resistance and secret hope. Yet he was unable to ascertain quickly what this hope was based on.

  Ralv, the leader of the rebellion against the Springers and future head of government of the united planet, adopted an attitude of waiting for the time being. He left it to Enzally to say the first words.

  The third man, however, was no Goszul.

  His skin was tanned and his lean figure towered about five inches above Enzally and Ralv. His eyes showed nothing of the glum traces of age-old slavery and fear. They looked bright and expressed self-reliance and a sense of strength and superiority. The 13 governors didn't recognize his unpretentious uniform which had never before appeared in their realm.

  There was only one explanation: the man was not a native but must have come in one of those four alien spaceships and belonged to the people who had inflicted the defeat on the Springers.

  Ragor came to the same conclusion but was far from happy about it.

  He would have been even much unhappier had he known that the man who confronted him was Perry Rhodan, who was careful not to reveal his identity for various reasons. His mission on Goszul's Planet was not yet fully completed. Although these 13 governors seemed to have lost all contact with their compatriots who had fled away into space, Rhodan preferred to be on the safe side.

  He nodded to Enzally who had waited for his sign.

  "Thank you, we prefer to stand up," said the telepath, who was the only one born on this world. "If you accept our conditions we'll come very quickly to an agreement. You've lost the fight and you're helpless. Even your robots refuse to obey you since they've been reprogrammed. We've no intention of killing you, we merely wish to isolate you. We're planning to put you on an island in the Western Ocean where you can spend the rest of your lives in peace in a good climate. A return to your own world is impossible since you're deprived of your spaceships."

  Enzally paused and looked at Ragor. The governor was unaware that his conscious and subconscious thoughts were carefully studied. Nothing remained hidden from the probing telepath.

  A murmur was audible among the 13 men. Several began to whisper but Ragor hushed them up with a wave of his hand.

  "What will happen to the seven governors who are suffering under the Plague of Oblivion?" Ragor inquired. "Are we to leave them behind?"

  "They'll go with you to the island."

  "So that they'll infect us too?" Ragor was indignant and looked furious. "If that island is now free of this scourge, it won't remain that way very long."

  Perry Rhodan gave Enzally a sign and addressed Ragor himself. "We've brought an anti-serum with us, Ragor. The disease has now been reduced to a harmless sickness—luckily only after the Springer commanders were put to flight. You'll be administered injections and you'll never come down with the illness. The seven governors we've found in the hospital have already recovered and will be able to accompany you to the island."

  Ragor studied Rhodan intently. "You're not from this world?"

  "No, my home planet is more than a thousand light-years away.

  "Why do you interfere in this conflict?"

  "Because we're concerned for people who are oppressed to be able to g
overn themselves. We've helped the Goszuls to overcome colonialism."

  "And you don't make any profit out of it?"

  "Certainly, Ragor. But you can't expect us to tell you all about that. All you have to do is answer one question: Will you submit voluntarily to the decision of the new government of this world in offering you exile?"

  Ragor cast a sideways glance at his associates before he answered. "Are we allowed to leave Goszul's Planet in case we can get a ship?"

  "In that case, yes. But you don't have a ship."

  Ragor hesitated once again but it was already too late.

  Enzally suddenly smiled and said to Rhodan, "I know where the ship is, sir! We can conclude this conversation."

  Ragor stared uncomprehendingly at the telepath who had so casually given away his prized secret. He felt as if his whole world had suddenly collapsed and that his hopes were buried. Ragor had been anxious to gain a short breathing spell and wangle perhaps a few robot workers. Then it would have taken only a few more days to complete their mightiest battleship, hidden in a secret hangar in the mountains, and—after a quick blow for revenge he could have escaped with his partners in crime into space.

  And now this...

  Enzally stopped smiling and said coldly, "Thank you, Ragor, you've said enough. I can see that we're too lenient with you. You'll be deported to the island today."

  The telepath turned to Rhodan. "They wanted to take the battleship of the Springers and destroy Goszul's Planet before returning to their sector of the Galaxy. Lovely people, really."

  "Their mentality is such that they cannot tolerate defeat. However Ragor's attitude can't be used as a criterion for the entire race of the Springers. I'm convinced some day we'll reach an understanding with them. Not here and not with the governors but with others of their ilk. We better close this chapter right now. Ralv, you can attend to the duties of your office! Enzally, lees leave! What will happen here is no longer our business."

  Holding their heads high, Rhodan and Enzally left the room. They walked past the motionless robot whose crystalline lenses stared rigidly at the 13 Springers whom he had formerly owed obedience.

  Now it would be his task to take them to prison.

  • • •

  Goszul's Planet circled around the star 221-Tatlira as the second of seven satellites. 221-Tatlira was the name given in the star-catalog of the Springers. It was 1012 light-years distant from Earth, where it was unknown to the astronomers.

  In a bloodless coup Perry Rhodan's Mutant Corps had succeeded in returning the planet used as a power base by the Springers to their rightful owners. Four of the mutants under the leadership of John Marshall had created an artificial epidemic which produced splotches on the skin in the first stage and later seemed to affect the brain. Those who fell victim to the epidemic lost their memory. Of course there was an anti-serum available but the Springers had no knowledge of it. They succumbed to their terror and retreated in haste, leaving the 20 governors to their fate.

  Only a few weeks after the outbreak of the disease its effect started to clear up. Memory returned and the brain worked better than before. The colored spots disappeared and the patients' health was restored even without injection of the serum. It just took a few weeks longer.

  Rhodan presumed that the escaped Springers would soon learn these facts but he figured that the Springers whose medical knowledge was at a very advanced stage would nevertheless attribute the cure to purely accidental causes and would be wary of setting foot on Goszul's Planet for a long time. But this assumption was where Rhodan erred and he was to find it out soon enough. At present he was too busy with the task at hand to worry excessively about the future.

  Somewhere in the mountains was a secret dock where the Springers kept their robots working on a gigantic spaceship, adding the final touches. Enzally had read in Ragor's mind that the ship was being constructed according to the revolutionary design of the outstanding Springer scientists and that it surpassed the achievements of the Arkonides.

  Rhodan simply had to gain possession of this ship!

  This was the reason why he couldn't depart from this world and return to Terra where important problems demanded his attention.

  • • •

  The briefing took place in the spacious Command Center of the Stardust . The spacesphere measuring half a mile in diameter rested on the spaceport of the Land of The Gods, as the natives called the continent on which the Springers had erected their base, and it was surrounded by the three cruisers Terra ,Solar System and Centurio .

  Reginald Bell had taken his seat next to Perry Rhodan. Bell's reddish hair bristles were combed back and seemed to have an irresistible urge to stand up straight.

  The mutants John Marshall, Tako Kakuta, Kitai Ishibashi and Tama Yokida sat at the side on a couch. The representatives of Goszul's Planet were seated across from them. Ralv, the erstwhile leader of the rebellion against the Springers, acted now as the liberated world's head of government. Next to him sat the telepath Enzally, a quiet and modest elderly Goszul. He was the only mutant Goszul's Planet had ever produced. And the third representative of the inhabitants who was present was Geragk, one of Ralv's aides in the clandestine resistance group they had formed.

  Also attending the meeting were the commanders of the three cruisers. Their ships measured only 200 feet and looked like dwarves next to the Stardust although they were stupendous technical marvels in their own right. Captain McClears sat between Maj. Nyssen and Maj. Deringhouse, showing no concern whatsoever that he was outranked.

  "The 20 governors have already been transported to their island and so are restrained from disturbing the peace," Perry Rhodan began, quickly glancing at Ralv. "I don't expect that they will find a possibility of escaping nor do I think that any of their tormented victims will seek revenge. Now Goszul's Planet is free and belongs once again to its indigenous population and we hope they will build a beautiful world."

  Ralv felt that these words were directed to him and he nodded in assent. "You may rest assured that we'll show our gratitude by maintaining the freedom of our people. At the same time we've no objections if you establish a base on our planet for conducting a mutually beneficial trade."

  "Now that we've done our job it's time for us to take leave," Bell interjected with a flourish. "There only remains the matter of Springer ship..."

  "Only!" Rhodan interrupted him with emphasis. "That ship causes me the greatest concern. Enzally has surveyed the governors and determined that the hangar is located about 30 miles from here in the mountains. There are about 30 robots and robot specialists at work. They're completely self-contained and independent of any central control. They and the hangar are protected by 100 fighter robots who are programmed to attack everything that doesn't look like a Springer. It is impossible to deactivate them by controlling a Command Center. They have to be tackled individually and put out of action. A formidable job!"

  "Why is it so important to lay our hands on this half-completed ship of the Springers?" Bell asked.

  "Very simple, Bell. We know that this ship is the most modern that has been constructed up to now. Its equipment and armament surpass in technical refinement anything we can imagine. We tend to think of the Arkonides as being at the apex of civilization and we strive to reach their standard. But don't forget that the Arkonide technology has stagnated for 8000 years in contrast to that of the Springers, who cut their ties with the empire at that time. They have made great strides and are in several respects definitely superior to the Arkonides. I'm certain that the construction of this ship will reveal many surprises to us. I'm simply curious, that's all."

  Bell grinned. "Really, only curious?"

  Rhodan grinned back but became quickly serious again. "The fact remains that we have to capture this ship if only for the purpose of studying it. However we can't use force in order to keep the robots from destroying it as a last resort. I'm convinced that their programming contains orders to this effect."

  "And
how are we going to prevent them?"

  "By a clever feint and the element of surprise. just how we're going to accomplish it I don't know yet. In any case we'll have to secure information about the situation first. Pucky will soon report to us. He's already there since this morning to investigate the site."

  The news caused some excitement among the listeners since nobody had been aware that the mouse-beaver had received such an assignment.

  "Pucky?" Bell groaned. "Pucky is in the shipyard?"

  "Who else is better suited than our little friend? First of all he's the most perfect mutant we know. In addition to telepathy he's adept at telekinetics and teleportation. He can defend himself and retreat to safety any time things get too hot for him. Besides he doesn't look like a suspicious man but like an overgrown mouse. Maybe even the robots will consider him to be a harmless animal and disregard his activities."

  "If I know Pucky," Bell commented "it'll kill him if the robots simply ignore him."

  "He's too smart for that," Rhodan contradicted. "Anyway, however it may be, I expect Pucky back very shortly. He knows that we're waiting here in the Stardust for his report."

  One of the three officers in the background cleared his throat.

  "Yes?" Rhodan turned to him to hear his opinion.

  Maj. Deringhouse, the commander of the new cruiser Centurio , where 50 trim and lightning fast space-pursuitships were berthed, smiled a little superciliously. "If I'm permitted to make a remark: why go to all this trouble? I can attack the yard with 50 pursuit ships and put the robots out of action."

  Rhodan shook his head.

  "You're thinking in strictly military terms and we won't be so stupid as to use such a dangerous approach. They're probably prepared to blow up the hangar and the ship, and one robot is enough to set off the charge. No, Major, we'll have to use our heads and you must admit that we've already had some experience in the past in this respect."