The Stolen Spacefleet Read online

  "So you know what's involved," Rhodan concluded, and he tapped his jacket pocket. "The report from our representative, Jakobowski, clearly indicates that the robot-control installations have not been removed from the ships. So it shouldn't be difficult to install those microcircuit modules. We have three teleporters and a specialist teammate for each one of them. Lt. Jenner, are you sure your two men are reliable?"

  "Absolutely," confirmed the young dark-haired officer. "We were trained together in Terrania and received additional hypno-schooling on the kind of circuitry we're going to be dealing with."

  "Good," replied Rhodan. "Tomorrow we'll land on Akon and wait two days. By then the microcircuit elements will be there. We could have delayed our arrival until then but this way it will arouse less suspicion if I visit Akon in only one ship. The following transport ships will be regarded by the Akons as the routine type of freighter traffic that comes in to Akon. Besides, we'll have the two days in which we can familiarize ourselves with the situation. According to Jakobowski's report, the security forces have been strengthened after he was almost caught. It will be my task to minimize the occurrence and explain it away as a trifling matter."

  Rhodan looked around him. "Are there any more questions? Good, then it would seem that everything is ready, to this point. Our success not only depends upon the ability of the specialists and the teleporters but even more on luck. If the Akons even so much as suspect the purpose of our visit, later events will not only confirm their suspicions but will also serve to confirm them. And that we cannot and must not allow to happen."

  When Rhodan was alone again he screened off his thoughts from the telepaths and opened Jakobowski's letter. A certain small detail of it had caught his attention but perhaps it was a bit too early to be concerned about it as yet.

  • • •

  The Odin's hyper-compensator buffers had not been activated and its transitions could be measured and traced by any hypersensor station in the galaxy. Thus the ship's arrival did not come as a surprise to the Akons. But as it turned out, a surprise was waiting for the Odin.

  As the cruiser emerged from its final transition and made its approach toward the Blue System, everything seemed to be as expected. The blue-shimmering energy screen which had formerly enclosed the entire system of the giant blue sun was missing. The vast defense curtain had served to keep out unwanted intruders for thousands of years until Rhodan's warships had destroyed their satellite power stations. Today the ingoing and outgoing space traffic was free and unhindered.

  Some of the system's 18 planets came into view and swung past the Odin as it reduced its velocity. Rhodan was sitting next to Maj. Scott in the Control Central when the fifth planet, Sphynx, came into visible range on the viewscreen. What he saw made him tense in surprise and he was reminded of that certain small detail he had mentally questioned in reading Jakobowski's report. Could there be some connection between Jakobowski's observation and what he was seeing now with his own eyes?

  The atmosphere of Sphynx had an intensive blue sheen to it that could not possibly be due to any natural causes. Its combined characteristics of transparency and light refraction or reflectivity were all too reminiscent of the larger energy screen that had once surrounded and protected the entire system. This time, however, it was only around the home planet of the Akons but it was so close to the surface that any attempt to rupture it with a linear-drive ship would be disastrous. And since the screen generators were on Sphynx itself it would be impossible to destroy them.

  The Akons had made good use of their time. They had succeeded perfectly with the element of surprise. Under a tight cloak of secrecy they had built themselves a new defensive weapon and were now in the position to prohibit any alien ships from landing on their central world.

  Rhodan turned to the commander. "Take an orbit around it, Major. We'll have to try getting in touch with the Akons and ask them what all this nonsense is about. They must know that a ship is approaching them."

  Lt. Groder, the Intelligence officer, pointed to an adjacent screen. "There's a ship, sir. An Akon..."

  Almost at the same time a call came through from Communications. "We're being hailed over spacecom, sir! They're challenging us for identification. What shall I answer?"

  Rhodan hurried into the Corn Room. There the haughty face of an Akon officer looked down at him from the videoscreen. Nor did the man's expression change when Rhodan stepped in front of the pickup camera.

  Rhodan looked directly into the cold eyes of the Akon. "Terra ship Odin," he announced. "We request permission to land."

  "Your cargo?"

  Rhodan smiled. "The Administrator of the Solar Imperium, your humble servant."

  There was a hint of a twitch at the corners of the Akon's mouth but it could have been an illusion. At least his tone of voice remained unchanged when he answered: "Landing permission granted. The Terran commercial port is open to you. Wait there for further instructions. That is all."

  The screen went dark before Rhodan could answer. He hesitated a moment and then returned to the Control Central. Major Scott looked at him questioningly.

  "Your orders, sir?"

  "We land according to plan. I presume they'll be cutting off their screen in a moment to let us through. It looks as if the biggest virtue of that screen for them is that it builds up their self-confidence. Perhaps we should tell them from our side that we're not concerned about it-that should shake them up." He pointed to the lateral screen. "The Akon ship is receding again. I imagine the commander will be informing the Ruling Council as to who their visitor is. It will be good to let them play with their puzzle pieces."

  Lt. Groder spoke up. "The blue energy screen is an unpleasant surprise." He stretched his power figure as if to lend emphasis to his words. "But there's another side to the coin-it may have an advantage."

  "Is that so?" asked Rhodan, and he waited to hear what logical conclusion his officer had arrived at.

  "Yes sir, quite definitely. The Akons are bound to assume that we've come here because of their screen and they'll probably act accordingly. We can let them think so, which should allow the mutants and specialists to robotize their fleet without interference."

  Rhodan nodded and smiled approvingly. "Not bad, Lieutenant. What you're saying is, the Akons may fall into their own trap. Well, we'll certainly find out." He looked at Maj. Scott again. "You can start your entry manoeuvre, Major. Drop down farther and wait until the defense screens opens. Then go in for a landing at once." Then he had a final word for Groder as he got up. "Come along, Lieutenant. You know, the Akons aren't any better than the Arkonides. To them the biggest thing is tradition and window-dressing. They love to put on a show and play games. So why don't we do them a favor and play along with them?"

  Events took place as Rhodan expected. As the Odin dropped down toward the small spaceport, the blue energy screen vanished, thus allowing the more than 1,500-foot Colossus to land. Stanislaus Jakobowski came out to them in the limousine aircar in order to receive his guests. During their first discussions it was revealed that the energy screen had only been established around the planet since the day before. Apparently Jakobowski's observations of it, which he had reported in his letter to Rhodan, had happened during some test runs. At any rate the Akons were going to be wondering about how the Terrans had been informed so quickly. It would strengthen their suspicions that the Terra base here was more than just an ordinary commercial operation.

  • • •

  Alex Wiener had prepared everything for quartering the guests. The Odin was to take off soon so that it could wait on the rim of the system and get in touch with Bell, who would very quickly be stationed in the vicinity.

  They had hardly gotten settled before a large Akon air glider landed without any warning. Rhodan was a bit piqued over the undeniable fact that they had forced him to request permission to land, whereas the Akons themselves didn't seem to bother about such formalities. But then Sphynx was their homeworld, after all, and the
Terrans were only tolerated as visitors here. At least that must have been the viewpoint of the Akons.

  Three high-ranking officers came out of the vehicle and marched toward the house. They ignored the presence of the Odin as if it did not exist. Rhodan came out and walked a few meters toward them before he came to a stop. He waited until the delegation had come close enough.

  "Are we addressing the Administrator of Terra?" asked their spokesman.

  Rhodan regarded the man for at least 10 seconds in silence before he corrected him: "Administrator of the Solar Imperium, to be exact. Do you have a message for me?"

  "The Ruling Council of Akon requests that you accompany us. A state reception has been prepared. The Council assumes you have come here on a specific mission and is prepared to give you some clarification in regard to this matter."

  Rhodan nodded. "Please wait a moment. I shall come with you right away." He left the officers standing there and went back into the house.

  "And you're going?" inquired Groder with misgivings. "Completely alone and without protection?"

  "Don't worry," said Rhodan reassuringly. "Nothing's going to happen to me. The Akons may be very impressed with themselves but they're not stupid by any means. They learn by experience. Besides, they want to find out what I think of their new defense screen. Relax, Lieutenant. I'll be back in a few hours."

  Pucky came waddling up to him. "I could go with you, Perry. Nobody would pay any attention to me..."

  Rhodan interrupted him. "They'll pay more attention to you than anybody. You stay here but you can keep in telepathic contact with me. Of course, if something unforeseen should happen, you can jump into the action."

  "You can depend on that!" promised Pucky, and he was satisfied. He didn't like to be left out of things and now this made him a part of the operation.

  Rhodan had put on his sleek, pastel-green uniform, which was the type worn by every officer of the Fleet. The hand-beamer on his belt was no decoration but the real thing. As he joined the three Akon officers he acted as though he might be a sparrow among higher birds of plumage. It did nothing to reduce his own self-assurance but it served to puff up the Akons like so many parrots.

  Lt. Groder and Maj. Scott watched the big glider take off with Rhodan and head swiftly toward the nearby capital. Jakobowski had joined them.

  "That all happened in a hurry," he remarked doubtfully. "Do you think they're luring Rhodan into a trap?"

  "No-never!" Groder answered. "That would be too clumsy. We can rest assured and go ahead according to Rhodan's instructions. The Odin takes off in 10 minutes. The Akons have already given permission and they're leaving the screen open. Pucky will go with Wuriu Sengu on the first scouting foray. They'll find out how far the work has progressed on the ships. Since you were careless, Jakobowski, they won't be able to use Arkonide spacesuits anymore. Pucky will have to rely on his teleportation. The Akons won't be expecting that.

  "It wasn't really my fault, and besides..."

  "No one is blaming you," said Groder, and he changed the subject. "Maj. Scott, you keep in constant radio contact with us. Be sure to let us know in time when that freighter shows up because we're anxiously waiting for it. I guess you're briefed on everything else."

  "I'm with you," Scott confirmed, and then he said his good-byes and was soon off to the Odin. From here on he would be nothing more than a connection between the individual links of a chain that was once more going to shackle the Blue System.

  "When do I jump?" asked Pucky.

  "In one hour. It will be twilight by then."

  • • •

  Rhodan was delighted when the formalities of his reception had ended and he was seated alone in a private chamber of the palace with Auris of Las-Toor. It was in this building that the Ruling Council was accustomed to holding its daily sessions.

  Rhodan took in a full impression of the unusually beautiful woman. For him this Akon female was a perfect representative of her race and he had to admit that her personality was very impressive. Her coppery red hair went well with the velvety brown coloration of her soft skin while her full red lips were an alluring contrast to her bright clear eyes. Beneath a broad, violet shoulder cape she wore a formfitting uniform.

  "You are not only very charming," said Rhodan amiably, "but also very clever. You did not even make an attempt to conceal the creation of the new energy screen. By the way, was it your idea?"

  She returned his smile. Between these two humans who were so different from one another there existed a sort of secret attraction which neither one of them would admit. Each was a representative of his or her own race and they were determined to place the interests of their respective peoples above their own yet at the same time neither was inclined to deceive or inflict any harm on the other. Thus each was in a dilemma from which there seemed to be no escape.

  "The Ruling Council ordered its construction," she explained. "And we considered it best not to surround its existence with secretiveness which might only arouse suspicion. The fact is that it's there but any time a Terran ship requests permission to land it will be turned off."

  "I knew it was no cause for concern," Rhodan told her as he looked casually toward the window. Outside it was getting dark and by now he knew that Pucky and Wuriu Sengu would be on their way. "And it has nothing to do with my coming here, as you have probably surmised."

  "We hadn't thought about it one way or another," she answered evasively.

  Rhodan leaned forward slightly to look directly at her. She met his gaze with quiet self-assurance. She was no easy adversary.

  "I've come to explain a few things to the Akons with regard to certain events which have stirred up the galaxy in the past few months. I know that you haven't concerned yourselves much about what's happened but this occurrence has not left Akon entirely unaffected." Briefly and objectively he described to her how Thomas Cardif had taken over his position as Administrator and had fairly messed things up. In conclusion he said: "So I was rescued and I have put things back in order again as they were. It has been a difficult task but if Akon is able to understand the situation then I believe it may be regarded as accomplished."

  Auris smiled with no sign of embarrassment. "We have you to thank for the clarification of those matters, Administrator. Actually many developments in that connection were a bit obscure to us but they aren't anymore. After all, we have such complexities to thank for the new spacefleet which Arkon has furnished us. So in a way we are doubly in your debt."

  "Oh that's nothing much to thank me for," he replied indifferently, and he didn't say another word about the spacefleet. Instead he turned to another subject which he pretended to be much more interested in. "Our trade relations are developing quite satisfactorily, Auris of Las-Toor. May we take this opportunity to discuss the possibility of extending our protectorate area? I must say I'm not too happy about your security measures there. Are you afraid of spies?"

  She smiled charmingly and without constraint. "The Ruling Council would have to consider any territorial extensions. However, the security measures remain in effect. The purpose of such controls has little to do with counteracting any threat of espionage. You might say the perimeter screen is there as a reminder to Terrans that Akon is not a colony but a sovereign stellar empire. So it's purely a psychological measure, nothing else."

  "Thanks very much," Rhodan acknowledged with an ironic smile. "We should not have overlooked the fact of your sovereignty in any case."

  They discussed a few other problems and then agreed that Auris would visit the commercial base on the following day. Much to Rhodan's surprise she did not mention a word about any mysterious invisible intruders. But then what good would it have done for her to complain about a phantom who left no clues behind? All she had to go on was the questionable testimony of a security guard.

  The leave-taking was cordial. Rhodan sensed that his hostess unintentionally revealed more warmth in her stereotyped words than she cared to. Although her manner and gestures
were constrained her eyes fairly radiated. It was only with an effort that he suppressed his desire to hold her hand any longer than was absolutely necessary. In spite of everything she was his adversary yet he had to admit that he had never fenced with an enemy so reluctantly before. But the danger was too great. Auris never made decisions independently. Behind her was the Ruling Council, a group of determined and mentally capable men who were sternly dedicated to the welfare of the race.

  In front of the palace was the personnel glider which was to bring him back to the Terran spaceport. An honor guard had appeared and a robot commander saluted him. Auris accompanied her guest as far as the boarding hatch. As she gave her hand once more, Rhodan felt that the pressure of her grip was more than what was required by protocol alone.

  "Until tomorrow, Perry Rhodan. I shall arrive there some time before noon."

  "We will be expecting you," replied Rhodan somewhat reservedly as he entered the small craft. He waved back at her once and then the hatch door closed. Seconds later the palace and forecourt dropped away into the darkness of the night.

  3/ THE GREAT TURN-ON CAPER

  The night passed quietly and without incident. Pucky had come back with Sengu around midnight and made his report. No one had detected them or become suspicious. They had calmly made a number of spot-checks and had confirmed that the robot circuit sections were still intact-except for the micro-link elements.

  As was expected, Auris of Las-Toor arrived in a glider close to mid-day. She was accompanied by two older Akons who impressed Rhodan very favorably. The reception was short and simple and thus more cordial than was normally the custom in such affairs of state. They sat together on the small veranda of the house in the warm sunshine and carried on a conversation that was free of the usual constraint. The blue energy screen had not appeared again, which led Rhodan to inquire whether or not they were going to keep it permanently activated.