Galactic Alarm Read online

  Khrest glanced up again and smiled. "The rest was easy. We were facing death in any case, so why not seize the only chance that presented itself? I was hoping all the while that your human brains would react differently from our own that they might withstand the shock of having the hypno training session interrupted."

  Suddenly Khrest's face was all smiles. "And though I was hoping against all odds, my fondest wish came true. Mankind-"

  Suddenly he was rudely interrupted. Something began to move behind his back on the couch, and with a voice still feeble, Thora exclaimed furiously,

  "You are a miserable traitor, Khrest!"

  Rhodan jumped up, and Bell leaped across to the foot of the cot. But Khrest remained seated. A sad smile came over his face as he answered quietly, "No, my daughter, I am not a traitor. Someday you will see the light. But I am afraid it will take a long time yet with you."

  Thora, exhausted, closed her eyes.

  Rhodan gazed at her intently, and when she opened her eyes again she seemed to falter under his severe expression.

  "Listen to me!" he said harshly. "We are all fed up with your nonsense, your stubbornness and your disgusting arrogance. Now we shall make sure that you will never again cross our plans before you have learned to use your rational mind."

  He seemed to pierce her with his eyes as he went on sternly, "You need not be afraid of us, we won't harm you. But you can rest assured that from now on I take command of this vessel. Any further attempts on your part to try to carry out your foolish notions will be regarded as mutiny."

  Thora had nothing to say. Her face remained rigid, and nothing revealed what was going on behind her forehead.

  Rhodan made clear to her that she was free to move about, but he gave strict orders to Bell to watch her carefully, as long as he could do so. Their primary concern was to complete their interrupted hypno schooling as quickly as possible. Rhodan regretted that they had not taken either Dr. Manoli or the Australian Dr. Haggard along on this trip. They could have kept watch so that nothing could happen to them while they were lying helplessly under the transmitter.

  As things stood now, all he could do was to give the needle ray gun back to Khrest and urge him to use the weapon if Thora should make another attempt. Then Rhodan stretched out again on the transmitter cot and waited patiently until Khrest connected him up once more to the apparatus. As soon as Khrest had strapped him in, it was Bell's turn. The usual question followed: "Ready?"

  And the usual answer was given: "Ready."

  And" again they were overcome without any transition by the deep unconsciousness of the hypno training. It was as if somebody with one well aimed movement had covered up all the universe with a dark, heavy blanket.

  CHAPTER THREE

  While Tako Kakuta got himself an entirely new wardrobe in one of Pittsburgh's big department stores, his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the increasingly difficult problem of procuring sufficient financing for the enterprises of the Third Power. Ever since the Arkonide cruiser had been destroyed on the moon, they had sorely felt the lack of enough suitable objects for bartering with Earth's industrial concerns. Their supply had become so scarce that they now had to save just a few items for the most important business transactions.

  Tako had managed to reach Pittsburgh without difficulties. Rhodan gave him a free hand in selecting the best spot for carrying out his mission, and Pittsburgh, with its huge industrial concentration, had seemed a good starting point.

  Tako was fully aware that he was in a more advantageous position than any other member of the Third Power who happened to be outside the base in the Gobi-nobody knew who he was. No one had the faintest idea that he was working for Rhodan. Tako intended to use this advantage as long as possible. But he would have to drop his convenient anonymity the moment the negotiations started.

  As he left the department store Tako glanced with pleasure at his reflection in the store window-young executive type, dressed conservatively in a gray flannel suit. But now the real task must begin. He went to the next taxi stand and directed the driver to take him to a ferroplastic production enterprise that seemed right for his Plans.

  Ferroplastics, Limited, was part of the big Du Pont concern. Tako knew how to impress the young lady receptionist. He was ushered in to one of the office managers, who assured him that he would get him an interview right away with one of the directors of the firm. Tako made it very clear to the young man: "Don't forget to mention that I intend to place a big order!"

  He had given a false name, for which he had been supplied with the necessary identification. But he did not indicate where he came from or who his bosses were. Let them believe for the time being that he was an emissary of the Asiatic Federation. It was well-known that the Asiatic Federation was far behind in the field of metal plastics.

  Tako waited awhile, sitting near the receptionist's desk in the spacious entrance hall. He seemed absorbed in one of the many magazines that had been placed there for visitors. But his glance was fixed just above the rim the paper he held in front of his face. This way he could study leisurely what was going on around him. A constant stream of activity filled the huge hall, but there was nothing to cause him any alarm.

  Twenty minutes later the young man who had promised to get him to see one of the big bosses reappeared. He grinned. "Mister Lafitte will see you right away. Follow me, please!"

  Mister Lafitte's office was on the top floor of the gigantic building. Tako enjoyed the wide view over the city as he was led along a hallway. The young man took him as far as Mr. Lafitte's door, which be held open for Tako. Mr. Lafitte rose behind his desk as Tako entered motioned to the young man to leave them alone.

  "Have a seat, please!" He motioned toward a chair by his desk. Tako sank down in the comfortable cushions and politely refused a cigarette that Lafitte offered him from a gold cigarette case. Slowly and casually Tako looked around the luxuriously furnished room. Lafitte grew restless, but that did not seem to bother Tako.

  Finally the Japanese glanced up at Lafitte and asked "Where can we talk business?"

  Lafitte seemed nonplussed. "What do you mean? Here, of course! This is my conference room. This is where all my business discussions take place."

  Tako just smiled politely. "My mission is of such a difficult and delicate nature that I cannot take the slightest risk whatsoever. I hope you see what I mean. just look at this pretty vase here. Doesn't it make a marvelous hiding place for an electronic listening device? I fully appreciate your precautionary measures. But therefore, you should understand mine as well."

  Lafitte's face ran the gamut from initial uneasy surprise to sudden anger and finally a cunning grin. "Apparently, dear sir,' he remarked a bit too smoothly, "your bosses have sent me one of their brighter agents."

  He got up from behind his desk, walked around next to Tako's chair and added, "I am willing to carry on negotiations at any place that will suit you. What do you have in mind?'

  "Let's meet in my hotel," suggested Tako. "I'll ask them to reserve a conference room for us."

  Lafitte pointed to the phone on his desk. Tako placed a call to his hotel and ordered one of their smaller private meeting rooms.

  While they were descending in the elevator, Tako closely observed all of Lafitte's moves. There was no indication that he gave a secret order to anyone to follow them. And yet Tako could not help feeling that Lafitte had something up his sleeve that Tako bad not foreseen.

  The taxi ride to the hotel was uneventful. Tako looked through the rear window several times but could not see anyone following them. If there was a tail, he must be exceedingly skilful. That was one possibility that could not be excluded, thought Tako.

  Their conference room was ready, Tako gave orders not to disturb them during their negotiations. They sat down at a small table, and Tako proceeded at once to place Lafitte under the influence of his small hypno set, while he dictated his order.

  "... the wall of a sphere, with a diameter of exactly 1,000
feet, thickness of the wall two and a half feet. Made of ferroplastic A-10 with wolfram additives. To be delivered in easily transportable sections. You will receive further instructions as to the method of delivery."

  "Our payment will consist of a so-called degravitator. This apparatus can nullify gravity and counteract any gravitational pull up to ten G's. This valuable instrument will pay more than adequately for the ferroplastics you will supply us.

  It is of utmost importance to observe the exact date of delivery. Either we will be in receipt of the order within four weeks or we will be forced to cancel the order. There will be no written contract. We have full confidence in each other."

  Tako stood up. Lafitte stared at him with blank, eyes, typical for people under hypnotic influence.

  "If it should ever cross your mind that I am an agent of the Third Power,"

  Tako concluded, "you will forget this at once! I am an emissary of the Asiatic Federation, which is quite backward in the field of ferroplastics, as is generally known. The ferroplastic sphere will serve as a housing for a nuclear reactor that is under construction. That is all Mr. Lafitte. I hope that everything will proceed smoothly and that our order will be filled to our satisfaction. Here are the exact details for delivery."

  With this Tako handed Lafitte several typewritten pages that he had painfully composed the previous day on one of the rental typewriters supplied by the hotel.

  Tako switched off the hypno set and observed how Lafitte's face gradually regained its normally alert express.

  Lafitte rose from his chair and said with obvious pleasure, "I am glad that We reached this agreement so quickly. I'll propose this matter to our board of directors immediately. I do not foresee any difficulties. After all we will be more than amply paid for this order."

  Tako opened the door of the conference room. The corridor outside was deserted. Bright sunlight entered through a wide window and was mirrored in the highly polished floor.

  "Don't forget to inform me at once what decision your board of directors makes. My people are most interested in a speedy delivery. Otherwise, I will be forced to place our order elsewhere."

  Lafitte waved his hand and laughed. "Don't you worry! Everything will be in order. You will hear from us by tonight."

  Tako accompanied Mr. Lafitte to the elevator. As soon as be descended, Tako rushed to the front window leading to the street and observed Lafitte leaving the hotel calling a taxi and driving off without once looking back. Tako waited at the window, One minute later an inconspicuous looking car that had been parked across the street, drove off and followed the taxi. Lost in thought, Tako returned to his room. The gray car that he just had seen was no real proof that anyone had followed Lafitte or shadowed Tako ... but one could never be absolutely sure.

  Back at his room, Tako phoned Ferroplastics, Limited. A pleasant voice answered his call.

  "This is Mr. Yakamura calling," said Tako. "I had the honor of discussing a big order with your Mr. Lafitte just a few minutes ago. Mr. Lafitte indicated that he would meet at once with his board of directors. It is quite likely that I will have to get in touch with him shortly in order to supply some further data. Will I be able to reach him directly through you? Will the meeting take place in your building?"

  "You can talk to him at a moments notice," replied the switchboard operator.

  "I'll connect you directly with the conference room a few doors down the hall from me."

  "Thank you so much," said Tako. "You have been most helpful."

  Then Tako proceeded to take off his new suit and put on the Arkonide transport outfit that Rhodan had given him to take along on this mission. He hid a gun in his belt, as well as the hypno rod.

  The doorman at the hotel, entrance viewed Tako's unconventional outfit with obvious displeasure; but Tako was sure that he must be used to all kinds of outlandish costumes worn by exotic guests from primitive countries. Once again Tako hailed a taxi and asked to be taken to the Ferroplastics, Limited, plant. En route he reexamined his plan for any weak spot. Everything seemed so incredibly simple that Tako began to have doubts about the primitive structure of his own ideas. But he calmed his apprehensions when be recalled the most unusual means at his disposal, which would justify the apparent crudeness of his strategy.

  At about the same time, M. V. R. Lafitte was storming through the visitors' waiting room at Ferroplastics, Limited. He had managed to summon the members of the board of directors, and he was confident of obtaining their consent within an hour.

  As he passed by the switchboard, Miss Defoe called out to him.

  "What do you want?" he asked impatiently. "I'm in big rush."

  Mr. Yakamura has called. He wanted to know if he could get in touch with the board of directors' meeting through this switchboard."

  "Mr. Yakamura?" Lafitte replied with a frown. "What did he want?"

  "He just wanted to make sure he could reach you, case he had to give you any further information regarding the deal while your special meeting was in session."

  Lafitte nodded briefly. "That will be fine, just connect him with the meeting room, if he should ... Well, what's going on here?"

  A tall young man had entered the hall and stopped next to Lafitte, looking rather worried. "I followed your car, we as had arranged. Is everything in order?"

  "Yes, Morgan. Everything is in order."

  Morgan hesitated. He half-turned to leave but still remained. "Sir, are you really sure that everything is okay?"

  Lafitte's fist pounded the switchboard operator's desk in aspiration. "Get off my back! I'm absolutely sure everything is final"

  Morgan seemed unconvinced. He just murmured, "Well, if you think so!"

  Then Morgan left the visitors' hall and went out to the big stairway leading up to the building entrance, where he had parked his car temporarily. Slowly he drove his car to a shady place in the company's big parking lot. Then he returned quickly to Miss Defoe's desk. Lafitte had left. What is this all about, Morgan?" asked Miss Defoe. "What are you afraid of?"

  Morgan pulled a chair up to the switchboard and sat next to the operator. He shrugged. "I am not quite sure myself. They seem to have concluded some enormous business deal. Lafitte moved heaven and Earth to get all his board of directors together for a meeting right away."

  "I don't know why that should bother you so much."

  "Have you ever witnessed the way Lafitte goes about making business deals?"

  "No, of course not."

  "The bigger the deal the longer he needs to make up his mind. Lafitte has never negotiated for less than five hours. This interview lasted that many minutes before they came to an agreement. Well, maybe it took a quarter of an hour, to be exact. And now he has called this urgent directors' meeting. This means this deal is so enormous that he cannot decide for himself. But to conclude negotiations within fifteen minutes ... ! That's what bothers me. It just doesn't seem right."

  Miss Defoe grimaced. "I wouldn't lose any sleep over it."

  But Morgan insisted, "Just let me listen in if this Japanese fellow should call, will you?"

  "Oh no, I will do nothing of the kind." Miss Defoe was most indignant at Morgan's request. "I never permit anyone to overhear any conversation."

  Yet Morgan won out. He persisted until she reluctantly agreed to his demand.

  The two continued with some small talk until the heavy door to the foyer was opened. The noise made Morgan turn around and look at the door. The wide, heavy panel swung outward, then inward, and bounced to and fro until it came to its original position of rest again. Morgan wiped his eyes, as if trying to erase this unbelievable picture; but the picture did not change. There was the usual hustle and bustle in the busy foyer, but nobody could be seen near the door. Miss Defoe noticed his uneasiness. "Now what's the matter?"

  The door opened by itself, but nobody came in!

  The phone rang. Miss Defoe answered. Then she turned her attention back to Morgan. "You are ready for your vacation, Morgan. You're b
eginning to see ghosts in broad daylight."

  "But in this moment something strange occurred. An office boy was crossing the hall, carrying a pile of papers. Suddenly he stopped, as if he had collided with an invisible obstacle. He dropped the papers and threw his arms up in alarm, screaming.

  Morgan rushed over to his side. "What's going on?"

  The boy's face was distorted with fear. He was trembling, and his words came slowly. "I ... he ... there was somebody ... something ... and I bumped into it! Just here, right on this spot."

  Morgan stepped over to the spot the boy had pointed to. "Nonsense!" he snorted. "There is nothing here!"

  The boy shook his head, still frightened.

  "Well, so what was it?" asked Morgan.

  "I really can't say for sure what it was. It could have been a man; but he did not wear a regular suit. It felt bard to the touch."

  Morgan scratched his head. "Didn't you see anything?'

  "No! That's just it!"

  "Well, just forget it." Morgan bent down and helped the boy pick up the scattered papers. "Just forget the whole thing. I wouldn't mention it to anyone. They'll only think you are seeing things that aren't there."

  "Thank you, sir," muttered the boy, and continued on his way. Morgan went back to Miss Defoe's desk.

  "What was wrong with him?" she asked.

  "He collided with an invisible man."

  Miss Defoe began to laugh hysterically.

  "I wonder if he was really imagining things or ..." Morgan said seriously and with emphasis.

  She stared at him incredulously, and stopped laughing. "You don't mean to say that..."

  He did not reply. He cupped his face in his hands and sat there thinking. A few moments later the door swung open again, but this time two of the members of the board of directors walked through. They seemed to be in a great hurry.

  They passed the switchboard, talking to each other animatedly. Morgan followed them with his eyes. The two men walked over to a double swinging glass door that led to a short, wide hallway from which the conference room could be reached. Morgan saw clearly how both men passed through the glass door. The left wing closed again at once while the right side remained opened for a few seconds. The two men had walked down the corridor a few steps before the right wing swung back again.