Under the Stars of Druufon Read online

  “To take in nourishment, in any event,” answered Rhodan. “Harno told me they communicate by ultrahigh frequencies, which they produce with organic transmitters in their own bodies. They also have an equivalently tuned receiver in their bodies. So they're organic radio stations, although their range isn't very extensive. They aren't telepaths at all because they can't pick up thoughts. Or at least we don't have any proof of that yet.”

  “Can't he understand what we're saying?” asked Bell, concerned.

  “No, not without our translators, which by the way have to be equipped with an auxiliary device. We'll soon find out if it works.”

  Atlan switched on the machine, already tested in other parts of the universe.

  The tension climbed to its high point when Rhodan spoke. “You are welcome on board our ship, Druuf. We are happy to be able to receive you. Do you hear and understand us?”

  Although the three-cornered mouth did not move, the answer came loud and clear through the translator's loudspeaker. The voice sounded mechanical for it had been created artificially.

  “We accept the name 'Druuf'. What do you call yourselves?”

  “You can call us Terrans, Druuf.”

  After a short pause, the guest came immediately to the point. “Two different universes are in contact—a rare occurrence. It is inevitable that alien races encounter one another and fight each other. We have encountered two very warlike races. One is at the moment forcing its way into our universe and must be defeated if we wish to survive. That race has ships manned by robots.”

  The Druuf paused momentarily and Rhodan asked tensely: “And the other race?”

  “The other was encountered a short time ago. Its members penetrated our universe with the help of technical means. They kidnapped prisoners and slaves...”

  “Prisoners?” Rhodan exclaimed, astounded. “How could you have prisoners if they were the first ones to come to you?”

  There was then a pause in which the Druuf seemed to be considering the question. Finally he said: “Our scientists have calculated that a synchronization can be attained with the capture of organic creatures from the other time-plane. I am no scientist and cannot explain it to you.”

  “Who are you?” Rhodan asked directly.

  “I am...” and out of the loudspeaker came an indefinable noise similar to a scratching, “...and thus a politician.”

  Rhodan bent forward and adjusted the translator. Experience had shown that some terms were untranslatable, so the colonization ministry of the Solar Imperium had developed a list of type names which stood for the general concepts referred to by such terms.

  “Repeat the sentence, please.”

  The Druuf was not stupid and understood Rhodan's intent, or at least had guessed it. “I am Tommy and thus a politician.”

  Rhodan leaned back and surveyed the Druuf more closely.

  The type name 'Tommy' stood for something on the order of 'High Dignitary and Director'. So the Druuf belonged to the ruling class.

  He nodded. “We'll call you Tommy-1. I'm Rhodan.” The Druuf took hardly any notice. “You want to help us?” he said. “The commander of our ship reported that you destroyed eight enemy vessels. Why did you do that?”

  “In order to help you and weaken our enemies. We have been at war with them for millennia.”

  “Thus you are in need of allies?”

  “Just like you!”

  The Druuf was silent again and seemed to be considering.

  Rhodan used the pause to transmit a mental message to Harno. Is it possible for you to read the Druuf's thoughts?

  The answer came promptly and clearly. It is possible for me. His thoughts are identical with what he says. Was that what you wished to know?

  Rhodan could just as well have asked Pucky or Marshall but that would have been somewhat more of an effort for him and he did not wish to be diverted unnecessarily from the Druuf.

  He nodded in the direction of the ceiling where Harno floated small and inconspicuous.

  Finally the Druuf called Tommy-1 spoke again. “The Council of 66 has decided to speak openly with you. We have the intention of synchronizing the other universe with ours. Neither the process nor the result will have any physical disadvantages for either side. In the absence of any constant reference points, it makes no difference how quickly or how slowly time passes.”

  “Very true,” said Rhodan in agreement, not moving a muscle, “but that makes me want to know all the more why you wish such a synchronization.”

  The Druuf reflected again. The pause was unnaturally long and not because the Druuf required relatively more time to ponder; for him time only went slower, that was all.

  “We want to conquer the realm of those who attack us,” he explained at length. “As you said, those are your enemies. You wish to help us in destroying them. We are thus doing you a favor.”

  “Yes,” said Rhodan slowly. “And what happens then?”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “Very simple. Once we've smashed the enemy together, will you continue the war? Against us? Have I expressed myself clearly enough?”

  “No, we will not do that!” Tommy-1 emphasized.

  This time he is lying, came Harno's warning.

  Rhodan had known it. They wanted to conquer the Arkonide realm and then bring all the intelligent races the galaxy under their rule. And they would succeed unless someone took care at the right time that their advance was stopped.

  Naturally, Rhodan had not come to Druufon to offer a genuine alliance or even to fight on the side of the Druufs. The purpose of his operation was primarily to land undisturbed and unchallenged on Druufon and locate the unknown ally. If the Druuf realm could be weakened from within, many victims would be spared.

  “We may very well be ready to fight together with you against the others,” said Rhodan, “but before we sign any treaties, we'd like to get to know you Druufs. You can understand this, I'm sure.”

  “We understand. However, we in our turn have the same request. You will describe conditions in your universe so that we can orient ourselves. Agreed?”

  “If we describe those conditions, you will permit us to move about freely. That is our suggestion.”

  The Druuf stood up carefully and stood bent under the ceiling. “I will discuss it with the other Tommies. Until then, I must request that you not leave your ships. I shall return once a decision has been reached.”

  Rhodan gestured to Bell and was silent until the two had left the control room. Then he asked: “What was he thinking, Harno? You can tell me by way of Pucky so that all of us may hear it aloud.”

  Pucky listened for a second, then explained. “They have no intention of giving us the freedom of movement we want but they don't know yet how they can bring us to fight on their side against Arkon. That's the reason for the time they're taking time to think it over.”

  “Just what I thought!” said Rhodan. His expression grew earnest. “Then the best thing to do is to make use of the time we have left. We're safe here at the spaceport. They will only keep a watch on us. But they don't know we have Pucky!”

  And Harno!

  Rhodan smiled once more as he looked up at the ceiling.

  “Of course—and Harno!”

  • • •

  Three hours later there were still no signs of Tommy-1 returning with the decision of the Council of 66. Accordingly, Rhodan gave the order for going into action.

  Pucky let his incisor tooth disappear, demonstrating symbolically by so doing that the situation was threatening to become serious. At least for him. What Harno would do in the event of danger remained a riddle for the time being.

  But Pucky needed Harno. Without him, he could not track their hidden goal, for guiding thought-impulses were lacking.

  The mouse-beaver stretched out his right hand. Harno slid slowly down from the ceiling and landed in the small paw. Pucky's fingers closed around the walnut-sized sphere.

  “Good luck, Pucky!” s
aid Rhodan. “And don't forget to send us a report now and then. Marshall and Lloyd will attempt to get a fix on the location from two different places on the ship. Try to find our friend!”

  Pucky's shining incisor tooth could be seen for only a second; then he dematerialized. And with him disappeared Harno.

  Pucky sprang blind. He suspected that the city showed on the surface only what an alien would be permitted to see. The important installations and secrets of the Druufs lay hidden below the ground, along with the unknown helper who had to be found.

  Nevertheless, Pucky did not dare teleport himself blind into a planet's interior. He materialized in the middle of the city, on the edge of a rectangular plaza surrounded by tall, massive buildings.

  There was little activity. A few Druufs moved slowly and heavily over the almost empty streets, not seeming to notice the small mouse-beaver who had quickly ducked into a shadowy niche. There were no vehicles at all to be seen. The building walls rose steeply, curving outwards, into the sky. High above was a second trafficway. They probably drive their autos up there. Pucky thought. Down here, it's all reserved for pedestrian traffic.

  His communication with Harno was based on telepathic principles but the effect was as if they spoke with one another.

  “Nice little town they have here, Harno. Wonder where the next grocery store is.”

  Harno transmitted a laugh to Pucky. “We have other concerns than carrots, little friend. Here comes a Druuf!”

  Pucky looked in the indicated direction. Not 20 meters away a giant Druuf walked along, dignified and sedate and he was coming directly towards them.

  “We'll disappear when danger threatens, Harno, but I'd like to know how they'd react to me. It would make our job easier.”

  “It does not matter to me,” answered Harno. “I can escape to safety at any time.”

  “Me too,” said Pucky, preparing himself for a swift escape. He was convinced that he could outrun a Druuf without any trouble—even assuming the colossal Druufs could run at all.

  The Druuf came by and stopped when he saw Pucky. His four eyes trained on the strange creature crouching so harmlessly by the building wall and looking up at him. He had never seen such an animal—was it even an animal?—before.

  The Druufs had forced many races to be their servants. In their realm there was such a vast number of the most widely varied creatures no one could be familiar with them all. But it was still unusual that such a slave would be running free in the capital city.

  Caution! Harno signaled. He wants to capture you! Pucky reacted accordingly. He would have most liked to take advantage of his telekinetic gift and make the Druuf fly but that would have attracted too much attention. It was better to simply disappear. The Druuf would believe his senses had deceived him and keep his funny-looking mouth shut.

  Pucky concentrated on the other side of the street and disappeared.

  The Druuf stared at the spot where he had seen the little creature for 10 seconds after it had vanished, then his brain finally had to accept what had happened. Certainly on a very logical basis. It had to have been his eyes playing tricks on him. No one could simply dissolve into thin air.

  The Druuf shook his massive head and resumed walking. Pucky could see perfectly from the other side of the street.

  “These guys are so dumb,” he murmured softly. “If they were any brighter they might qualify as morons...”

  Harno overheard him. “One should not underestimate one's enemies,” the living sphere warned. “Did you catch what he just thought?”

  “No, why?”

  “He was thinking of the three alien ships at the spaceport. For one whole second the Druuf thought you might have come from one of the three ships. As you can see, we have to be careful.”

  It was already getting dark but no lights were turned on. It looked as though the Druufs retired quite early.

  “What about our helper?” asked Pucky. “Can you see him?”

  “It is not safe enough here,” Harno replied. “Can we go someplace where there is no chance of our being disturbed?”

  Pucky looked down. “What do you make of the underground complex?”

  Harno did not answer. He became larger suddenly and floated next to Pucky above the smooth stones of the street. His black surface grew milky and turned into a vidscreen.

  “There aren't any impulses from the unknown Druuf.”

  That Pucky also knew He looked silently at the sphere. He still stood by the building wall. The entire extent of the open plaza lay before him but now even the last Druufs had disappeared. Outside the city, out on the plains, the sun must be already close to the horizon. Darkness was gathering.

  Harno displayed gleaming laboratories and giant technical installations, all harshly lit. Vaulting corridors and wide streets, sealed off from above by arching ceilings, stretched for kilometers. Light blazed everywhere, producing black shadows. While the Druufs on the surface went to sleep, life began below the ground.

  Or were there any Druufs on the surface at all during the night?

  Harno's spherical vidscreen suddenly went out. Pucky went numb.

  The impulse was only a short one but therefore all the clearer.

  Leave Druufon or you are lost! The Druufs want to betray you! I will contact you again—if I can...

  Harno 'spoke' before Pucky could undertake an attempt to make contact. “I have located him and know where he can be found. I shall give you the direction...”

  Ten seconds later, Pucky teleported. Harno had shrunk again to his original size and remained that way when they rematerialized.

  • • •

  The light of the setting double sun caused strange, almost magical colored reflections on the mirror-smooth landing field and the surrounding buildings, most of which had dome-like or beehive characteristics. Spiral towers cast bizarre shadows towards the three Terran ships, as though they wanted to attack them. Extensive trafficways snaked through the city and connected the outer areas with one another.

  All this would be comfortably observed from the Drusus, for the outside cameras were 1½ kilometers above the ground. There was nothing here which exceeded the size of the Drusus.

  Marshall listened for telepathic impulses, trying to get in touch with Pucky. He shook his head. “Just a bit ago they were on the surface and met a Druuf. Then Pucky sprang, rematerializing only a few meters away. The third spring followed and since then there hasn't been any sign of them.”

  “That's impossible!” Rhodan declared. “Pucky must be thinking! Every living being thinks constantly. The impulses should be coming here and you should be able to pick them up.”

  “I'm not getting anything,” apologized Marshall. “I can't explain it but Pucky is silent.”

  “Even if Pucky were dead, at least Harno would be sending.”

  Bell sat in the background. He looked up when Rhodan spoke. The sudden worry that his little friend could have run into trouble seemed to make him look years older. The affection the two 'enemies' actually felt for each other was obvious only in such situations.

  “Harno can think without his impulses leaving his body,” Marshall reminded. “But he would send a message if the situation were critical enough. There must be some sort of a barrier that blocks telepathic impulses involved.”

  “A blockade... ?” said Rhodan. “That's also possible, of course. The question is whether the blockade is artificially produced or of natural origin. If only our unknown helper would make contact! Perhaps he would know the answer.”

  Sikerman entered the control room. He had rested for some hours and was now returning to his post. He sat down at his place and asked: “Are you going to go on forever without getting any sleep, sir?”

  Rhodan did not respond to the question. “Pucky's on a mission in the city and we've lost touch with him.”

  Sikerman's expression showed concern. He had been informed of the mission as a matter of course but he had assumed the mouse-beaver would be back by this time.
“Maybe they captured him.”

  “A teleporter, Sikerman? That doesn't sound likely.” Bell stood up. His lower lip trembled a little as he spoke. “We shouldn't underestimate the Druufs. It could be that they have access to means we can't even imagine. They fought against Arkon 10,000 years ago...”

  “Two months ago—their time! They can't have learned too much from it!”

  “Well, maybe they knew all sorts of things before-hand!” Bell was silent for a moment, then said decisively: “I'd like to go into the city and find out what's happened!”

  Rhodan shook his head. “You can just forget about that, my friend!”

  “But if Pucky—”

  “Even if Pucky—! The Druufs must under no circumstances find out we have mutants. Pucky will get himself out of whatever jam he may have gotten himself into. We can only wait!” He turned to Marshall and continued. “Stay alert to every telepathic impulse! The two will send us a message sooner or later! Or at least our unknown friend, the mysterious Druuf, will.”

  Their mood depressed, they continued to wait silently.

  • • •

  It looked as though Pucky and Harno had missed their destination.

  The mouse-beaver materialized in a room with high, vaulting ceilings, whose boundaries were covered by a confusing number of machines and other technical equipment. Enormous masses of metal and humming generators stood everywhere; work tables and control panels blocked the view and pathways wound their way in between, leading to unknown destinations.

  In the air was a strange vibration.

  Then Pucky saw the Druuf.

  The colossus stood behind a gigantic instrument panel and watched the dancing pointers on the control dials. Directly next to him flickered vidscreens. Tiny lamps lit up in different colors, then went out just as quickly.

  There he is! thought Pucky and let Harno go. The sphere raised itself and floated slowly up to the ceiling. Inconspicuously he paused near a spark-gushing cable that led from the control board into the depths of the room.

  I am receiving his impulses, Harno thought to Pucky, but nothing about them. indicates that he is our friend.