The Stolen Spacefleet Read online

  The Akon councilmen were seized by panic. Their own Fleet High Command informed them that their converted ships were not yet ready for battle missions and also the Terran forces were five times superior to theirs. Somewhere around 5000 warships had been counted.

  A hypercom message they had sent to the Imperator of Arkon had gone unanswered for unaccountable reasons.

  It was a very baffled Council that finally commissioned Auris of Las-Toor to start negotiations with Rhodan.

  • • •

  "You can see, Auris," said Rhodan, "that the situation has changed considerably in the past few hours. Have you come to inform me that I am free to leave Akon?"

  Auris gazed searchingly into Rhodan's grey eyes. "Atlan is not on your side, Rhodan."

  Rhodan waved a hand in rejection. "I can help myself even without Atlan, Auris. The Arkonide Empire won't take any action in this-even on your side. So that's all I need."

  "What are your demands?"

  John Marshall stood nearby. He was there to monitor the Akon woman's thoughts and to signal Rhodan immediately in case of any sign of deception. But so far he had not given any such indication.

  "Freedom to leave and fulfillment of our agreement regarding the base expansion. A number of merchant freighters are already standing by in the Akon System. You must give them permission to land."

  "What about your war fleet? Won't they attack if the energy screen is opened?"

  This alerted Rhodan to the possibility of a new strategy he had not considered. "Are you able to keep the screen up while opening a small gap in it locally?" he asked. When she nodded hesitantly he continued. "Very well-in that case I have to make another condition. In the future you can operate your blue screen whenever you feel like it as long as you leave a permanent window open over our base. Do you want to submit that to the Council?"

  "Our generating stations are spaced in such a way that an open window would mean leaving a much larger area than just your base unprotected."

  "I still make it a condition, Auris," replied Rhodan. But his tone of voice suddenly became more affable and less harsh. "Surely you can understand, Auris, that I have to secure my position. At least you try to understand me if the Council members can't or won't. Give it a try."

  She watched him cautiously. "I'll do that, Rhodan, as long as we understand each other. That's not always so easy. Your actions are understandable but they do not run parallel to the interests of the Akons. Although I can understand them I don't have to appreciate them."

  He sighed. "You make it difficult to negotiate, Auris, because I wish neither to disappoint you nor to hurt you. You are fulfilling your duty as an Akon just as I do as a Terran. Our personal feelings, whatever they may be, should be kept out of this. Nevertheless they play a part as I mentioned to you once before. Return to the city and ask the Council to send another representative to me-in case my proposals are denied. With somebody else I can dispense with certain considerations whereas with you I can't."

  This time she gave him her hand before climbing back into the glider. "You will be hearing from us, Perry Rhodan," she promised, and she looked at him directly. "In any case-I shall be the one to come back here."

  "She was speaking the truth, sir," said Marshall as Rhodan watched the aircraft take off. "There is no falsehood or deception in her. She was honest and frank about everything."

  "I know," said Rhodan thoughtfully. "That's just why my task is so difficult. If all Akons were false and deceptive I would find our present intentions to be more justifiable. As it is, however, I consider our plan to be treacherous, even though there is no other way to protect the Earth. Because if the Akons aren't planning any deceptions today they will do it sooner or later. That is, just as soon as they feel strong enough. Which would be the case if they had their fleet ready. So from that standpoint we're doing what's right."

  Lt. Groder had come up in time to hear this last part. "Of course we're doing what's right," he agreed. "Their energy screen isn't exactly a friendly gesture toward us."

  Pucky had followed Groder in a disgruntled mood. "I'm getting pretty tired," he grumbled, "of having to hide in the cellar or jump to a mountaintop every time an Akon shows up. I'm sick of always squatting in some hiding place instead of being a part of things..."

  "That's a precaution we have to take," said Rhodan, trying to soothe his feelings. "If anybody sees you the whole game is over. So far the Akons don't know who knocked out their two guards. They have a suspicion-in fact they suspect you. But they can't prove it."

  "Oh, I understand everything alright but I'd rather see us get out of here soon. Of course we're not in danger but that's just what's so boring about this whole thing."

  "Not in danger?" Rhodan raised a brow at him. "I'm afraid that's an understatement. If the Akons don't fall for my bluff about the Arkon space-bombs, we'll be sitting under the energy screen until our faces are blue as well. Bell can't do a thing without endangering us."

  Pucky muttered something to himself but decided to disappear again without any further rejoinders.

  Rhodan looked at his watch. "Until the next stage of the action we still have three hours. I hope that by that time we'll have an answer from the Akons. In the meantime we'll get busy on that pulse-wave receiver. Groder, you and Wiener give me a hand with it." He beckoned to Jenner and Ranault, who were nearby. "And you, too, of course."

  They went down into the basement, where Pucky was huddled in a corner nursing a certain sense of outrage but he tried to let on that he was indifferent to the whole operation.

  6/ THE BIG COUNTDOWN

  Ten minutes before the allotted time expired, a call came through from Auris. She asked to speak to Rhodan. When he entered the Com Room he was outwardly calm but inwardly tense. He waved to Auris and took a seat at the communications console. "Well, what decision has the Ruling Council arrived at?"

  Auris closed her eyes for a second before she spoke. "Your propositions have been accepted. The blue screen will be opened permanently over the Terra base. We will have to relocate our energy generators eventually because of that arrangement."

  "Thank you." Rhodan smiled amiably as though there had never been a difference of opinion between himself and Auris. "And what about the expansion of our spaceport?"

  "It has been approved-although... She paused abruptly. Even over this considerable distance John Marshall had been monitoring Auris' thoughts. He looked at Rhodan with a troubled expression. "Yes... you were saying...?"

  "Nothing, Perry. I can only warn you that you have obtained these concessions under threat. The Council did not consent willingly."

  "They had no other choice."

  "That is the point! Friendship by extortion is not very lasting!"

  Rhodan looked at her forcefully. "The friendship between you and me, Auris, has nothing to do with extortion. It was a spontaneous thing. It has nothing to do with what we both consider to be our duty within our respective offices. We agreed not to forget that, no matter what might happen." He pointed upward. "Now you'd better see to it that the energy screen is opened up. My fleet has orders to begin the attack against Akon within five minutes."

  Auris tensed visibly. She appeared to look about her, helplessly for a moment. "How can I manage that in such a short time? The Council would have to be convened again because their latest resolution calls for opening the screen no sooner than sundown today and..."

  "Handle it on your own, Auris! You give the order-otherwise it will be too late for Akon." She continued to hesitate but when she looked closely at Rhodan again and saw the gravity of the situation reflected in his eyes she finally nodded bravely. "Alright-I'll have them turn the screen off in the local area."

  "For a minimum of five hours so that my merchant ships can land and take off without any trouble. They've been stacking up in the outer system, waiting to get in. I'll guarantee that not one ship from the battlefleet will land here."

  "Thank you," Auris replied and then cut off.

&
nbsp; Rhodan checked his watch and turned to Groder. "Two minutes to go. Set up a contact with Bell and call me. I think we may see the screen open up at any moment now." He stood up. "I'll be waiting out in front." Outside the house, Jakobowski and Jenner were staring upward at the intense blue radiation in the sky. They were relieved at the sight of Rhodan. "There'll be a cutoff any minute now," he told them. "I don't believe the Akons want to risk an attack. They'll leave an opening for us for at least five hours. That should be plenty of time to lift off the entire robot fleet. From what could gather from Auris' information, the gap in the screen should also extend over the Akon spaceport. If the operation goes off according to plan, they won't have time to shut the door on us."

  Jakobowski pointed skyward. "The screen, sir! They've turned it off!" The deep blue above had suddenly paled. Only close above the horizon could they see the dark blue layer which spread over the mountains like the surface of an ocean. In the same moment, Wiener came rushing out of the house. "Sir! Lt. Groder has Bell on the spacecom!"

  "Excellent!" Rhodan hurried with him to the Com Room. Bell was on one viewscreen and Maj. Scott was on another. Rhodan could talk to both of them at once. "All is in order, Bell," he announced, and again he hoped that the Akons were listening in. "The Fleet remains on standby. Do not attack! The waiting freighters can land now. Major Scott, you can also make a landing and pick us up. I believe that any further negotiations here can be handled by Jakobowski as my representative."

  "In the meantime, sir," interjected Scott, "we've collected seven freighters out here. Including me you'll have to ask for eight landing permits."

  "Permission granted-compliments of Akon," Rhodan answered, deliberately assuming the authority of the Ruling Council. "I believe that from now on such permission will not have to be obtained. Any other questions, Major?"

  "No, sir. In that case I'll come in with the merchant ships." Rhodan nodded to him and Bell. "Keep this spacecom channel open, Bell. If the screen turns on again, launch the attack with the robot bombs."

  "Roger!" returned Bell with a grin.

  Rhodan signed off with a warning look and then he went outside to watch the landing manoeuvres. But before the first Terran ship touched down, Auris arrived in her glider. Rhodan saw her coming toward him without an escort and realized that for today and many weeks to come this would be the last time he would see her. At least their next meeting would entail some very unpleasant questions but he already had the answers for them. He greeted her affably. "I want to thank you for your cooperation, Auris. Have you notified your materiel people? Seven merchant ships are coming in with commercial cargoes."

  She gazed at him with her searching look but ignored his question. "It was too difficult to go through the Council on such short notice so I took it upon myself to have the energy barrier opened. I'm praying that they won't countermand my order. But if it happens, it won't be my fault. However, they will not permit you to leave here until the affair of last night has been explained."

  "Why is that?" She looked at him steadily. "The intruder incapacitated two of our guards who were policing that particular ship. The Ruling Council wants to know what he was doing there. It is feared that he was operating under your instructions and that he was there to sabotage our ships."

  "One single intruder? But that's ridiculous! What could one agent do that could sabotage a fleet?"

  She answered frankly: "That is exactly the question that faces us and for which we have no answer." They were still standing between the glider and the house, where no one could hear them other than Marshall and Pucky-who were inside and out of sight. "At any rate I am asking you not to leave Akon until experts have inspected the ships."

  "I'm sorry, Auris, but I've already made all arrangements for leaving Akon within the next hour. I can't cancel my schedule without a very good reason."

  "And if I beg you to do so?"

  Rhodan remained adamant. "Even that cannot alter the situation, however much I regret not being able to see you again-at least not in the foreseeable future."

  There was a sudden glitter of sorrow in her eyes. The light of the morning sun gave a violet sheen to her coppery hair, causing it to almost match the color of the shoulder cape she always wore. "I'm going to be in trouble," she said.

  "Why? Because you acted without authority?" He shook his head. "Not when you explain to the Council that you were motivated by the immediate facts of the case. Nobody will be able to criticize you, Auris. You were acting in the interests of Akon."

  "Strange that you of all people should be the one to make me aware of Akon's interests. It would be more understandable if you had your own interests in mind."

  Rhodan smiled. "Well, it often happens, Auris, that the interests of two parties can parallel each other."

  Their conversation lasted another 10 minutes before they were interrupted by the landing of the Odin. "That's my ship captain," said Rhodan, pointing to Maj. Scott, who was floating out of the groundlock on the antigrav and gently settling to the pavement. "I must introduce you to Maj. Scott." He waited until Scott came up and the two had shaken hands. "Maj. Scott, take my people on board. We take off in 30 minutes."

  Shortly thereafter he said goodbye to Auris, who was obviously uneasy. She evidently sensed that something was about to happen which she might have prevented. Yet she had no proof whatsoever that Rhodan might be deceiving her. When, Marshall reported these thoughts of Auris to Rhodan, he sighed with relief. "That's just what I want her to think-she and the Akons. Let them think of what happens as a freak of circumstances-one of those unexplained things that are not improbable in the world of positronics. A little mistake in the switching setup, something nobody noticed. A small cause and a titanic result."

  One after another the freighters came in. Jakobowski was swamped with work. He forgot his misgivings, which Rhodan had sought to dispel. "Don't worry about the Akons," Rhodan had told him. "When the thing happens they will at first try to arrest you, of course, and throw the blame on you and me. But you can always offer the argument that you certainly wouldn't have stayed behind at the base if there had been a plot on foot to steal the Akon fleet. Nobody digs his own grave and sits in it."

  After that, the Odin took off. From a great altitude the gap in the screen could be seen quite clearly. It actually opened up over a considerable area. Within the neutral zone the massive Akon spacefleet lay helplessly exposed. No doubt they were intending to move the ships to another location-but by that time it would be too late. Rhodan stood with Jenner in the Control Central. He checked his watch. "It is now 03:10, Terra time. Exactly at 05:00-or in about two hours-the pulse transmitter will send out the activating signal. Are you sure everything is set to work, lieutenant?"

  "Absolutely, sir. All activating sections of the ships we worked are adjusted to the same frequency. As soon as that pulse signal goes out, the robot controls will take over the ships on schedule. The course has also been programmed. The engines will open to full power within five seconds. As soon as the ships are on course and on their own, the pulse transmitter will self-destruct. The little demolition charge will go off in Jakobowski's basement at exactly 05:03. The acid gas will dissolve the equipment without a trace. Nobody will be able to find any evidence that it was ever there."

  Rhodan nodded with satisfaction. "If everything clicks, in two hours all Akon will have left out of 1,000 ships is eight small cruisers. Too bad we can't see their faces when the fleet takes off."

  Akon fell farther away and they finally joined Bell's fleet. In open transition, all the ships made a hyperjump in the direction of Terra. It must have been very easy for the Akons to register their passage on their hypersensors. Even the second and third transitions were easy to trace because Rhodan had taken no security measures to conceal either the direction or intensity of the jumps. After that, they held their breaths. The hands of all chronometers were clicking toward 05:00, Terra time.

  7/ ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR

  Auris of L
as-Toor had called for a special session of the Ruling Council in order to defend her position. It was no easy task but the Akons finally realized that under the circumstances she described to them there was no other possible solution. So it was that they later voted an approval of the measures she had already taken.

  The technicians had made their spot checks but had not discovered any alterations on board the ships. Of course this wasn't a 100% guarantee that the unknown intruder had been interrupted in his mission but it was at least reassuring. One hour after Perry Rhodan's departure the technical teams left the ships and declared themselves ready to continue with the fleet conversion work. But the Ruling Council decided that narrowing the gap in the energy screen was of top priority. The generator stations had to be relocated and for that all available work forces would be needed.

  Auris had returned to her own home and now she finally had time to reflect upon everything that had happened. From her window she had a good lateral view of the city. To her left she could see the shimmering hulls of the 1,000 spaceships. They extended into the distance and finally blended into the blue of the horizon.

  Once again she reviewed the testimony of the second guard who had been attacked. There was no possibility of an error. The only thing the man could have seen was the little mouse-beaver creature who was almost always with Rhodan. Only this time the creature had not been seen in his company. Which in itself seemed a suspicious circumstance.

  Why had Rhodan sent the mouse-beaver into the ship? They didn't know much about the animal except that it was rumored that it possessed supernatural faculties. Most probably a mutant, judging by the way both the security guards had been handled. Auris recalled the other situation concerning the invisible person who had been 'seen' making footprints in the grass near the transmitter barrier. Was there some connection between these two events?