The Blue System Page 4

  This ghastly spectacle was anything but a vehicle for gaining prestige with Rhodan. These deeds of my forefathers had been a retrogression into barbarism. We also heard some wild commentaries which would have seemed harsh enough to me only a few days ago but here in the presence of the two Terrans my face reddened in shame. After that I didn't venture to look at Rhodan. Perhaps he could sense what I felt.

  The mission of the 12th Fleet ended with the first application of the newly invented gravitation bomb. Entire solar systems were ripped from the 4-dimensional structure of space-time. According to the film commentators, Adm. Talur had been the greatest Fleet Chief of the colonial forces. However he had known as little compassion as his Opponents.

  I was glad when the film reports began to come to an end. At the conclusion the Regent spoke again:

  "After evaluating all factors involved in the Hub War as well as the new data from recent events it may be concluded with a probability factor of 100% that the Akons represent the Arkonide mother race. The treatment that was received by His Administrative Excellence, Perry Rhodan, while on the Akon worlds, gives a clear indication that they haven't forgotten the conflict there. The danger created by the advent of the Terran linear space-drive must be regarded by the Akons as a very disturbing factor. Further attacks of the same nature as before are to be expected. The existence of a glowing blue defense screen that is capable of embracing an entire solar system—according to my input data—is representative of an increased technological and scientific development of the greatest magnitude. You are advised that there are only two logical alternatives: either you must attempt to come to an understanding with the Akons or you must launch a preventive war of destruction against them. Although conventional transition-type ships cannot penetrate their defense screen, the Terran linear space-drive offers the possibility of doing so. An attempt should be made to send out an Arkonide robot fleet of at least 10,000 heavy ships. Linear drives will be required..."

  I looked quickly across at Rhodan. His eyes had narrowed as he sat there listening and he seemed to be breathing more heavily.

  "Denied!" he exclaimed.

  It startled me. I had seldom heard him speak in such a cold and restrained manner. The Regent calmly registered his statement and proceeded to process it. Within a mere matter of seconds he had arrived at the logical conclusion:

  "In that case a surprise attack would be impractical unless the Terrans could make an opening in the

  Blue System's screen, using the special ship they have at their disposal, so that a conventional fleet might make an entry there."

  Rhodan answered in the same flat tone as before. He appeared to be extremely agitated. "We can discuss all that if my planned peace negotiations are rejected. Moreover, I do not see any justification for a lightning attack in the old Arkonide tradition, unless the Akons go so far as to attack the Earth, our trade network of planets or the Arkonide Imperium. In that case alone I would see myself compelled to declare war."

  "Your Excellence is overlooking the strategic necessity of a surprise attack—withoutprevious warning!"

  "Your logic is tempting, Regent, but an action of that kind is not to be expected of humans."

  I didn't make a sound. Rhodan must have known that our robot Regent could not speak otherwise. His communications had to be regarded as the result of mathematical calculations. Mathematics, however, know nothing of human feelings."

  "For the time being, then," responded the titanic machine, "I see no feasible way to a solution unless you proceed at your own risk. It is recommended that you initiate peace negotiations, provided that the mother race is similarly inclined. I can predict with a 90% factor of probability that all such attempts will be useless. The comportment of the Akons when your Excellence visited them gave evidence of a clear rejection, their further actions indicated a deadly hostility and the events to come will bring both Imperiums to the brink of extinction. The technical superiority of the Akons has been established. They also have linear spacedrive in addition to transmitter equipment which can transport solid materials instantaneously over great distances. I urgently advise you to give logical consideration to my recommendations. That is all!"

  The Regent had cut off abruptly. For a moment it seemed to me that he was offended but of course that was unthinkable.

  The lights came on. Rhodan looked at me with a forced smile. He cleared his throat noisily and I also felt that my throat was parched.

  "Your ancestors weren't exactly the considerate types," he said. "I don't mind telling you, that shook me up. I wouldn't have wanted to tangle with them."

  "In those days there were only cavemen on Earth. They were in no danger."

  "That's hardly any excuse for such a bloody rage of destruction, which even wiped out innocent bystanders. Actually I could never bring myself to follow the advice of the robot Brain, merely to follow the footsteps of your grandfathers. I'm taking off in an hour."

  He got up swiftly and checked his watch. For my part I gave up trying to justify the actions of my forefathers. Words could not undo what was past and done.

  So now Rhodan knew how the Greater Imperium had been founded. I tried to consider this from a logical standpoint. I wasn't disturbed by his reaction since I was of the same opinion. The actions of the ancient Arkonides were inexcusable, which I admitted to him. Especially their attack on the planet system of their origin.

  "Naturally!" he exclaimed heatedly. "Of course it was unjustified! When you've flown from the nest and strengthened your wings, as well as your claws, it's a mistake to figure you can do without the home flock—to go back and attack the ones who taught you to fly, and from an ambush at that! That is an out and out criminal act!"

  I looked away. What could I have answered? Rhodan seemed to be aware of my mixed emotions, which may have calmed him down.

  "You certainly have no blame in this, sir," interjected Tama Yokida.

  I was just pulling myself together enough to give him a weary nod, when Rhodan suddenly tensed. His head fairly jerked up as his eyes closed either in pain or concentration. My left hand moved instinctively to a switch on my chest and even as my defense-screen generator started to hum. I perceived Rhodan's warning. He must have sensed something that neither Tama nor I had been able to hear.

  Rhodan reached for his weapon. His tall figure tensed for action. But something was already happening which I would never have expected within these hermetically sealed confines of the robot Brain.

  In the instant while my screen was forming I noticed a shimmering red glow of light just inside the closed armor plate doors of the viewing chamber. It took me several moments to realize what was really happening because I had never seen a special Akon transmitter like this before. Rhodan dove for cover, followed by Yokida. I still stood there as though in a trance as the apparition expanded into a sort of archway revealing a darkened room beyond it. It was as though everything behind that arc of energy had evaporated.

  Then I also jumped back and took cover behind the seats. A split-second later I was aware of a green, iridescent ray of energy that was shooting through the arc opening and almost instantly filling the room. Rhodan yelled something I couldn't understand. As his words faded and I saw his prone figure begin to convulse and stiffen on the floor, I finally knew what was happening here in the heavily secured circuit sectors of the robot Brain.

  My own extra-brain reminded me of Rhodan's report which had mentioned this strange type of phenomenon. Agreenish glow —this is what he had called this readily recognizable flood of ray energy. On the principal planet of the Blue System the Akons were supposed to have used this in an attempt to incapacitate the crew of the first linear drive test ship. Its effect was a more or less rapid paralysis of the nerve reflexes, without impairing the thought processes, however, nor the sense of sight or hearing.

  It had only taken me a moment or so to finally comprehend what was involved. The arc of energy was the 'delivery end' of an Akon transmitter from which the
paralysis beams were emanating. At the moment I wasn't interested in how the alien thing had penetrated the Regent's deepest bunker section. Only quick action could save us.

  I was sure that my loud outcry could be heard by Rhodan but he was already in no condition to answer. Judging from Rhodan's account of his previous experience, I figured that without the protection of a screen he and Yokida had been taken by surprise and were quickly incapacitated. Apparently here in the confines of the chamber the effect was considerably more intensified.

  Even I was beginning to feel a pulling and tugging in my legs, which began to creep upward swiftly. Driven by a rising panic I leapt forward from the cover of the seats and in the same instant the Regent set off an alarm. As I heard the shrill howling of the sirens and the clamor of airhorns it gave me a bit of courage again. If the combat robots could get through the screened security lock fast enough we might be saved. The greenish glow was harmless enough in itself as long as there was nobody there to take advantage of our paralyzed condition.

  I threw myself down beside Rhodan. His face was frozen in a twisted expression of alarm. When I touched his body it felt as stiff as a board. Yokida's arm had also acquired the hardness of stone. Rhodan gripped his weapon in his outstretched hand. He had not come to the point of firing it since nothing had yet appeared at which he could shoot. Anyway the transmitter field itself could not have been demolished by a thermo-beam, especially since there was no sign there of the ray projector. Other than the red archway with its ink-black cavern behind it, there was nothing to be seen.

  Over my command transceiver I called to the robot Brain, after deciding not to try for the exit. The paralysis energy was probably the most intensive there and I wanted to remain active as long as possible. My legs were already beginning to stiffen. But I realized then that my powerful screen had delayed the effects of the paralysis field. However, it could not protect me much longer.

  Desperately I struggled to raise my unwieldy weapon, still hoping to eliminate the transmitter's arc but at the last moment I desisted. Probably I would have damaged the doors behind the apparition, melting them so badly with the thermobeam that they would not be operable with the aid of special equipment. Since I was hoping for the arrival of the robots I had to refrain from shooting.

  Meanwhile my mental logic sector was telling me insistently that the greenish ray weapon was not being employed for nothing. If someone were attempting to incapacitate us in this manner it could only mean that the same someone wanted to approach us while we were helpless to exert our wills.

  It was this I waited for now, nor did I have to wait long. Behind the screen room's defended security doors, nothing was stirring. Where were the Brain's robot guards? Had the unknown enemy used his superior technology in some way to also incapacitate the robots? I was not able to carry this thought to any conclusion because inside the arching lines of the transmitter field the blackness began to fade. There was a violet brilliance for a moment and within this new light I saw two tall, strangely dressed figures materialize.

  Here then were the mysterious Akons whom my forefathers had once fought so bitterly. I could not hesitate any longer. My body had already become incapable of moving. The paralysis attacked my shoulders and began to affect the functions of my arm muscles. With my last strength I aimed the thermo-beamer. One of the Akons noticed this and sprang forward, at the same time lifting his own weapon which was a type I could not recognize.

  I pressed the trigger.

  I didn't get a second shot. Something struck my defense screen with such terrific force that it couldn't compensate for the load. I heard my backpack generator shriek in complaint and at the same time the screen collapsed. It was the second intruder who had fired at me. With my protection gone I was gripped completely by the greenish glow and I stiffened rigidly as though I had an attack of tetanus.

  But I could hear footsteps as somebody approached. A lean, expressionless face came into my range of vision. The glimmering muzzle of an alien weapon appeared but the stranger refrained from firing it a second time. He seemed to know that by now I was also under the influence of the greenish glow. Not bothering about me further, he turned, and I could just see his legs moving beyond my angle of sight. A moment later I could tell by the sounds that one of the Terrans was being dragged away. It was Tama Yokida, as I perceived shortly, because I could still observe the red-gleaming energy arch of the transmitter.

  After that came Rhodan. The invader dragged him over to the arch, after which he shoved the Administrator's motionless body across the threshold and waited for the dematerialization process to complete itself.

  Finally it was my turn. I felt nothing when I was jerked across the floor and shoved across the energy line. Nor could I sense anything from the dematerialization process. All that happened was that my consciousness sank into a fog as I might have expected from a spaceship transition.

  For in the broadest sense that's all it was—another form of hypertransition. But my final thoughts were concerned with the miserable performance of the robot Brain. The Regent had had enough time to attack! Why hadn't it happened? And besides, how had the Akons succeeded in bringing a portable transmitter terminal into the main computer complex?

  If the infiltration had been made during the previous raid while everything here was in the grip of a time-field and present influences were neutralized, then the transmitter setup was fully understandable. But that didn't answer the question of why it had not been detected after the time effects had been normalized! Such a piece of equipment would have to be putting out measurable radiations. Why had they not been sensed by the automatic security installations?

  That was all the further I got in my search for an answer. Swiftly my thinking processes were extinguished by the full dematerialization.

  4/ PURSUIT IN LIMBO

  Everything about her was fascinating.

  She was one of those women who were able to combine intelligence and charm with beauty of face and figure. I stared at her with unconcealed admiration while I noticed how her aquiline and expressive features seemed to harmonize with her coppery-red hair as it scintillated in the light. She was beautiful and gave an overall impression of being, as I say, extremely fascinating. This was what the Arkonide women of the expansion era must have looked like. For me there was no question but that she represented the mother race.

  Rhodan and Tama Yokida had also regained consciousness. Our rematerialization in the main transmitter of an unknown station must have occurred with practically no time lapse to speak of. We did not know where we were because any trip through the para-realm of hyperspace left one totally without any reference points as to the passage of time or relativistic distances.

  We were lying on narrow folding cots where they had placed us before the paralyzing effect of the greenish light had subsided. We had regained control of our limbs while resting here but this fact amounted to practically nothing. Strange machinery sounds and various features of our surroundings indicated that we were on board a moderately sized spaceship. Two other members of the Akon race had come into the cabin behind the girl. They were tall men and they were armed.

  Only moments after regaining my physical strength I became aware of the fact that my special backpack had been removed containing my built-in screen projector and power transformer. Only my cell activator was still where it was supposed to be against my chest. Could it be that they knew how vital this instrument was to me?

  The girl—or should I say woman?—was wearing a close-fitting uniform which was apparently the normal practice for all Space Age intelligences. The only non-standard item was her short shoulder cape made of a fluorescent lavender material.

  She looked at us carefully, one at a time.

  "Hello, Auris of Las-Toor—how are you?" came a sudden voice beside me.

  Rhodan was speaking in excellent archaic Arkonide, which was another talent acquired from his extensive hypno-schooling. Naturally I also had an equal command of the language
of my ancestors. However, I was surprised at this greeting until it occurred to me he had mentioned meeting a young female Akon scientist who had not been entirely uninvolved in the successful outcome of his test flight. Was that this particular female? My interest increased all the more.

  Her satin-brown complexion seemed to pale as Rhodan spoke. I knew that if her upbringing was similar to that of Arkonide girls of earlier times, his casual form of address must have been shocking to her. I waited interestedly for her reaction and it turned out to be as I had expected.

  Her two companions looked at Rhodan in evident exasperation as he raised up on his cot. The girl warned him with a quick movement of her hand. He was just moving his feet to place them on the floor but decided not to. His mocking smile caused the Akon woman's features to change color again and from that moment I was certain that she knew him. What was it about this Terran that had impressed her? His long, lean figure, the cool virility in his eyes? Or perhaps even the subtle and mysterious aura of his relative immortality?

  Rhodan couldn't resist provoking her, and at the time I considered this dangerous.

  "So here we are together again," he remarked casually. "Of course under circumstances that make the peacefulness of your people very questionable."

  As she answered him I saw her long graceful fingers clutch at the edge of her shoulder cape. "I strongly advise you to speak only when you are told to!" she said sharply. "It is impertinent for guests to speak before the host."