Duel Under the Double Sun Page 6

  "What are you gaping at?" he said huskily. "Out of my way, Arkonide!"

  "You shouldn't overdo it," I retorted slowly. "Or are you afraid your son might send a message? Are you thinking that you might weaken again?"

  "Out of my way!"

  When he reached for his weapon I took several steps back. Breathing heavily and apparently struggling for air, he staggered past me, at the same time giving me a look that immediately caused my logic sector to rebel. I was forced to come to terms with my activated extra-brain. It's fear! But fear of what, was its insuppressible message.

  I had surmised as much! His decision to prohibit any contact or even a reception of outside signals revealed a crack in his armor. Why would he in any case avoid having others make contact with the Antis? Was he trying to circumvent a possible attempt at extortion? Could it be that he feared he might not be able to resist an appeal from his misguided son? Although I had only been using psychology on Rhodan, now I was beginning to believe, myself, that the vanished Thomas Cardif could be on this world. Actually, why not? Where could he have found a better shelter and hiding place?

  It had only been due to an interplay of coincidences that I had discovered Trakarat. The Antis had no doubt considered it impossible for anyone to find their central planet. It was now known that their recent manoeuvre on Saos had been a diversionary tactic designed to conceal the position of Trakarat.

  Now I decided not to go to my cabin. Since I was no longer thinking or acting as a friend, my emotional situation had cleared up considerably. I could observe things that Rhodan's men were not able to see. The matter of the 'rapier' occurred to me again and so I arrived at a definite decision.

  Another hour went by before Rhodan calmed down completely. Meanwhile I had done everything I could to convince him of my loyalty. I had deliberately given my orders to the Regent in a loud tone of voice. Perry had heard me and had nodded almost pleasantly. The encirclement of the planet had been completed. Rhodan was making ready to open fire.

  Now I had him where I wanted him, since he had calmed down and was in a clearer state of mind. I sauntered over closer to him and gave Claudrin a signal which he understood. Muttering some excuse, he relinquished his flight seat and I took his place. Rhodan's huge figure was close enough to touch. He looked at me uncertainly.

  "We should attack soon," I said without preamble. "I think your cell degeneration can best be halted if we do something about it as fast as possible. For the time being, I'll hold my forces in reserve-alright?"

  "Alright," he said. He was surprisingly calm and his voice was at normal volume.

  "What are your battle details, Perry?"

  "To eliminate the defense screen, employ our special weapons and land commando troops on the surface. I have to capture the rascals alive-if possible, some of their scientists."

  "You should issue an ultimatum. Either they give you immediate help or they face total destruction. Has the war declaration been announced?"

  "Naturally-but I'll have to think about your suggestion. Dead Antis aren't very useful."

  I had said enough, although his battle plans weren't particularly complete. Perhaps he had some things in mind that he wanted to conceal from me. According to whispered information I had received from Mercant, Rhodan was probably intending to take part personally in the landing operations. That would be understandable enough but there was something else that had sharpened my alertness. Until my arrival on board the Ironduke it had been forbidden to speak of Thomas Cardif. But I had mentioned him several times and thus I had broken a taboo.

  I had to keep remembering that. I gave Perry a few more moments to collect himself before I began to sing a little song:

  "The water is clear, it's wet and it's near,

  "And it's better to think of than ice-frosted beer.

  "The water is cold and I am so bold.

  "As to drink of it all my belly can hold."

  I waited tensely for his reaction. But it was not what I had expected. He looked at me with no trace of temper or anger. In fact he laughed in genuine amusement. "Holy Jupiter! Whoever made up that bit of nonsense?"

  I grinned at him like a mischievous lout. "The words just came to me. It was supposed to have been composed by an Arkonide spaceman when he was lying in a desert, half dead from thirst. But he was rescued and other men picked up the song. Ever since then it's been popular in the Arkonide Fleet. But it happened long ago, friend."

  He laughed again and then stood up. "Battle orders in 30 minutes!" he commanded sharply to the crew. "I'll expect the officers to be punctual to the second-in my quarters!" And therewith he staggered away.

  Jefe Claudrin shouted: "Ten-shun!"

  The men sprang up and stood stiffly at attention. Lately the Chief of the Solar Imperium was sensitive to such little details. The metal hatch of the security bulkhead swung open before him. Robots presented arms with their energy weapons. When he had gone, I also got to my feet.

  "Bell, would you be kind enough to come to my cabin for a moment? I'd like to speak with you alone."

  Reginald Bell watched me with new interest. "Important?"

  "It could be. I'll go ahead of you. Follow me as soon as you can without being noticed."

  Again the steel hatch opened. The robots again presented arms, this time to me. When I reached the circular passage outside the Control Central I let go of my inner rigidity. No one was to be seen and so I could drop my mask. I leaned back against the curving wall with an audible groan. My pulse was racing almost painfully. Although I was horrified, nevertheless it was finally clear to me what had happened.

  That ridiculous, senseless-sounding little song was known to only two living beings in the galaxy: to Perry and myself!

  At the time I set those rhymes of doggerel together, Rhodan and I were enemies-but no one else could have seen or heard us. We had been stranded on the desert world of Hellgate, waiting for help, and each of us was threatening the other with his weapon. Our water had just about run out. We were practically dying of thirst inside our spacesuits.

  For purely psychological reasons I had thought up this 'water song' in order to lure Rhodan from his cover, since he was as far gone as I was. He had never forgotten this little psycho-trap of mine, this doggerel verse which had almost driven him out of his mind. All we could think of was water. Later we had discussed our duel on Hellgate. Between us the song had remained an indelible symbol because it had marked the beginning of our friendship.

  But now he didn't recall it at all! In a state of full mental clarity and in a rare moment of emotional calmness he had laughingly asked me, "Whoever made up that bit of nonsense?!"

  He asked-he didn't know!

  I subdued my excitement and rechecked my thinking. Had I been logical? No error of reasoning? Would he have had to recognize the verse-now, since this illness had come over him? Was he really thinking clearly when he inquired about it?

  His head was clear!-my logic sector chimed in. Remember the rapier that he confused with a heavy, two-edged Viking sword. Is that also a coincidental slip of memory?

  Two men of the air-leak security patrol approached me. When they saw me they greeted me in the old familiar way that I treasured so much. The Terrans had never been obsequious even when they knew I was the Imperator. They had always shown me respect but never the disgusting servility that I had to put up with every day on the Arkon worlds.

  "Don't run your feet off, fellows," I told them. "Here there are conveyor strips."

  One of them winked at me. "Sir, when we saw you we jumped off. Actually we've been ordered not to use the belts."

  I laughed, feeling a sense of ease with them. When I left them they stood at attention. I knew that they were my friends and it helped a lot.

  My cabin was located one level below. In a few minutes Bell would be showing up.

  • • •

  "...and you were only able to observe the removal of Cardif's unconscious body on the U-boat's viewscreen?"

&nbs
p; Bell nodded. His features were pale and tense.

  "You had no opportunity to see father and son at the same time?"

  "Atlan, what are you getting at?"

  I waved off his question. "Who was the first to get into the hearing room? Was it you?"

  "No-Maj. Rengall, the secret service officer of the undersea commando group."

  "And he found Rhodan in an unconscious state?"

  "Yes. Radio contact had already been broken. The Antis had taken off in the Springer ship. They had all cleared out."

  "Is Maj. Rengall on board?"

  "No."

  "What finally happened?"

  "The commandos brought Rhodan into the submarine where I was waiting. We surfaced and the Ironduke landed. Just before that the Antis' undersea base had been blown up. Atlan, if you don't tell me now what you're getting at with these questions..." He broke off and watched me in some surprise as I walked to the door.

  "Bell, wait for me in Control Central."

  "Where are you going?"

  "To ask Perry a few questions."

  "You're crazy. He'll kill you!"

  "He'll no more kill me than he did with a rapier that time in the museum on Venus. Go, old friend, and leave this to me."

  But he didn't go. I shrugged and left the cabin. I hurried to the lift, sprang into the antigrav field and shoved downward until I reached the ring-bulge level. Here were the ship's officers' quarters and Rhodan's cabin had also been established here. I was told it was supposed to be a rather magnificent layout.

  But luxury and Perry Rhodan were basically incompatible, even in a state of illness. He had never been one to attach importance to outward appearances or superficialities. Certainly luxury and splendor were no part of the Perry Rhodan I knew and cherished.

  Two combat robots stood in front of the armorplate door. They had activated their defense screens and the muzzles of their energy weapons shimmered with a reddish light. Their beamers were loaded and desafetied for action. I hesitated, finally coming to a halt. It was in that moment that the hull of the Ironduke was heavily jolted. I lost my balance and fell to the deck. I remained there until the salvos from the ship's guns had leveled into a steady thunder. The battleship had opened fire. By now probably all 8,000 warships were firing with all weapons available. Rhodan must have issued the firing order while I was en route to his cabin.

  The volley-recoil absorbers finally reduced the shuddering effect of the repeated salvos. Nevertheless occasional jolts came through from the main gun positions.

  Cautiously I approached the robots again. They immediately raised their weapons, not uttering a word as they did so. Nor was it necessary.

  I called to them in a loud tone of voice: "Imperator Gonozal VIII, ruler of Arkon and the stellar empire of the Arkonides, requests a brief audience with Perry Rhodan. Announce me!"

  "Wait," came the mechanical response. The robot seemed to be sending a wireless signal or message.

  Whereupon Rhodan's face appeared on a small observer screen outside the door. "What do you want?"

  "I think I have found a way of causing all the Antis to fall unconscious. The weapon is on board my flagship, the Teparo. It should be to our advantage to gain control of the Baalol priests by this method. And... well, are you going to open the door? Do I have to stand here and yell my lungs out? Since when am I unable to speak to you?"

  He hesitated. "Come in. I'll give you three minutes."

  The combat robots stepped aside. The armored hatch opened before me. I had no proofs for backing up my statement. I had a suspicion that this 'friend' was going to become a full-fledged enemy.

  5/ CARDIF UNMASKED

  I had not expected such pompous splendor. Rhodan was seated in a luxurious pneumo-chair. He had opened his uniform so that his chest was exposed. I was able to see the cell activator which had become a part of his flesh.

  He got up with an effort and finally stood before me like a foam-rubber mountain. But his size no longer impressed me. His yellowish eyes were filled with suspicion. Apparently he was already regretting that he had allowed me to enter. But he still held on to himself, still playing his role. He did not know how far I had come with my mental deliberations. Outside, the Ironduke's guns were still thundering. It was a rather unreal situation.

  "Well?"

  I met his gaze forcefully as I kept my hand close to the butt of my weapon. "Your hypno treatment has a few holes in it, young man," I told him in what must have seemed an almost hearty confidentiality. "Apparently they neglected to transfer the seemingly unessential details of Rhodan's memory when they did the job. Now I can understand very well why you've avoided meeting me before. Have a seat, sonny. I'm thousands of years older than you, and besides-your father is my best friend. Sit down!"

  He stared at me. I was still lacking the final proof although from the standpoint of logic I was completely certain now. I noted the new surge of fear in him. Suddenly he had ceased to be the almighty ruler who forced high-ranking officers to pay him such ridiculous homage. No longer the martinet, he fairly gaped at me without saying a word.

  "You'd better sit down, Thomas Cardif! You've committed some crucial blunders that only I could detect. That little song is the most important link of memory between your father and myself. And we didn't fight with rapiers but with heavy Viking broadswords. And there are a few other things you wouldn't know about. But tell me now-how were you able to deceive the whole human race? I'd also like to know where Perry Rhodan can be found. Cardif, don't do it!"

  His sudden bellow was more like a bleat. It was not an outcry of anger. I knew how helpless he was at this moment. His hand moved toward his weapon but he was too slow. At first I was about to draw on him but then I merely leapt forward. He tried to defend himself, having probably really believed that his size gave him the strength of a giant. My first shove sent him reeling to the deck with a glassy look in his eyes.

  Throwing an armlock on him I turned him over onto his back. After jerking his weapon out of its open holster I struck him again and it was by no means a slap. He fairly shrieked in alarm and I saw naked fear in his eyes. It was then I knew definitely that this was not Perry Rhodan, it was his traitorous son. Thomas Cardif had deceived the entire galaxy and nobody had caught on!

  I slapped him again and he started to beg for mercy.

  Then something happened that I hadn't counted on. The hatch slid open. Simultaneously I saw a combat robot and the heavy muzzle of its gun.

  "Stop! Don't shoot!" I shouted but it was already too late.

  I might have been able to still get in a word of explanation if this had been a man but it was impossible with a specialized fighting machine whose sole assignment was to guard its master. I stared directly into the blinding flash that struck my midsection. A searing pain shot through me and I started to become rigid even as I crashed to the floor. I could still think, see and hear as clearly as ever but my eyes couldn't move-I could only see what lay within my angle of sight.

  The false Rhodan had collected himself immediately. He put on a great show of having been through a fight after having been attacked without cause. When the first troops came into the room with Reginald Bell in their lead I was no longer able to speak a word of explanation. Cardif was raging. Probably he would have shot me on the spot if two medical robots hadn't lifted him up with gentle force and taken him out of his quarters against his protests.

  I could still hear his shouting after he was out of my range of vision. I breathed an inward sigh of relief. I had been paralyzed by a shock-weapon. According to my experience it was a condition that would last for about two hours. But what could happen in the meantime? Somebody turned me over onto my back and I saw Bell's face. Close beside him I recognized Allan D. Mercant.

  "Shock-gun, needless to say," said Mercant with his characteristic composure. "Atlan, I know that you can hear me. We have no choice but to protect you from Rhodan's anger until you can speak again. Then this thing will be cleared up."

/>   "What was wrong? Pull yourself together-what happened?" asked Bell, almost beside himself. "Atlan, tell me what went wrong here! You knocked him down. His face is swollen-even more than ordinary."

  However desperately I tried, I could not answer him.

  "Drop it for now," advised Mercant calmly. "This is a case for Intelligence. Bring him up to Control Central. We can keep an eye on him better there. See to it that Rhodan doesn't get out of sickbay until we've heard Atlan's explanation. We can's do anything more for the time being."

  How wise this little man was! He seemed to have a premonition of what had gone on between me and the impostor. Two robots lifted me up. I was taken at a run to the Control Central where they deposited me in a contour chair off to one side. I had to wait-there was no other way. Since my mishap, one hour and 46 minutes had passed.

  I could only estimate the intensity of the shock-beam but I was well aware of the time. They had placed me in a position where I could see the ship's chronometer above the main control panels. The Ironduke's guns were still thundering. Fifteen minutes prior to this a significant event had been reported. The Antis had withdrawn their planet-wide defense screen. In spite of their uncanny' psi powers they were apparently unable to keep reinforcing the field structure with their mental charges.

  Meanwhile it had been learned that there was only one city on Trakarat. No other settlement had been detected. But over this city there was such a high-density screen that it was unlikely energy beams could break through it. The 8,000 spaceships attacked en masse but in spite of this the 10 km dome of defensive energy held. It was incredible!

  The heightened paranormal activity of the Antis had worked to my disadvantage, however. Pucky and John Marshall had put in an appearance shortly after I had become incapacitated. These two top telepaths in the Mutant Corps had tried to probe the contents of my conscious mind. I had dropped my monoblock immediately and opened my thoughts to them as much as possible. I had believed I could transmit my knowledge concerning Thomas Cardif on a telepathic level but that was just when the Anti defense screen changed location.