by Perry Rhodan
Hhokga the fabrics merchant was not only surprised to see the alleged Garak so soon again, he was frightened. Urging his unexpected guest to silence, he led him into his livingroom. It was late afternoon and in a few hours it would be dark. Down below the robots were patrolling the streets.
"You are exposing me to very grave danger!" Hhokga whispered the words in such a low tone that Toffner could hardly understand them. "Why have you come here? In the past few days the situation has gotten worse. Tomorrow I'm going up for my physical. They're drafting old men now..."
"Just relax!" Toffner interrupted and he seated himself. "Under no circumstance will you be drafted, believe me. Don't ask any questions now but take this voucher. It has been made out in your name and it confirms that you were examined in Tagnor and have been classified as unfit to serve. You may show this to any patrol that may stop you."
Hhokga stared at the document in amazement. "Where did you...?" Then he looked at his guest with a new respect. "You must have some very influential friends. Maybe you could even protect Markh and Kharra from the Arkonides."
"They are now able to get around in Tagnor with no hindrances because today they also received similar vouchers. They will also be able to get travel permits to come to Larg and that's why I am here."
Hhokga brought refreshments from the cabinet and he also sat down. "Of course I don't understand how you were able to accomplish all this but I know I'll never be able to return the favor. You are more powerful than I am—an old man without any hopes for the future."
"The future looks better than you think," said Toffner in an attempt to be reassuring yet he hoped he hadn't said too much.
"Well, of course even Admiral Calus isn't immortal."
Toffner was startled. Could it be possible that an assassination attempt was being planned against the Arkonide admiral, without anybody realizing that he was actually a Terranian and the Zalites' greatest friend? This could complicate the situation. Perhaps Hhokga knew something.
"You mean—somebody's going to try to kill him?"
"Where did you get that idea, Garak? No, I meant it in a general sense. We all have to die sometime." He sighed. "Now why have you come to see me, my friend?"
"Markh informs me that you have connections with the local authorities. Of course as an animal dealer he'd be able to get around pretty well on his own but we just consider it wise for him to stay in the background for a little while. I need wild animals and volunteer gladiators for the arena. I can't get even any political or other types of prisoners because the Arkonides have emptied the prisons. And who is left there who would willingly go into the arena? We haven't many men left. So if I can't scare up any gladiators I'll have to book fights between the animals themselves."
"And how can I help you?"
"By organizing a freight-forwarding project for me. You only have to arrange for one of your freight transports to make a stop at a certain location in the mountains, where it will pick up cargo in Markh's name. It's all quite official and will have the approval of all authorities concerned. I'd organize all that myself but I have to get back to Tagnor as soon as possible.
"You are receiving from me 10 release vouchers which have been signed by Admiral Calus. They all state that the holder of the document has been examined by the Arkonide enlistment commission and has been classified as not suitable for service. These permits are all blank, so you can fill them out any way you please. I'm sure you have 10 friends who would be very happy to handle the transport schedules if they could have a guarantee that the Arkonides will leave them alone."
"If the documents are really that effective, then I can guarantee to bring a whole caravan into the mountains. Let me sketch out a plan for you."
A half hour later Toffner departed from the hospitable merchant's dwelling. It was already dark when he landed in Tagnor. By devious routes he arrived at his hideout under the arena, where he proceeded to make a report to Rosberg.
The Major developed his strategy: "In two days Pucky will make a couple of jumps to the cave so that he can bring three specialists in there and get the transmitter reactivated. Prior to that we'll get in touch with the California and requisition the things we need. Then in three days this Hhokga friend of yours will start out from Larg. By that time the cargo will be there for him to load onto his carrier but wouldn't it be wise to have a few animals in the shipment so as to make it look good to the guards at control points? Your friend Markh could take care of that."
Toffner promised to get the animal handler busy with this task.
"And how does it look on the surface?" asked Rosberg finally, after the details had been gone over. "I heard Osega's speech today. Zalit must be half depopulated."
"It's not all that bad, sir. I'd say a majority of the men are still hiding out. Business and commerce has just about come to a standstill but the situation isn't threatening yet. The people here are well to do and they have reserves they've put aside. They'll be able to hold out for awhile."
"Until that time we're out of danger," replied Rosberg calmly. "Or it will cease to make any difference. One or the other." Toffner nodded gravely. One or the other. But which?
• • •
The patrol consisted of four fighter robots and one Arkonide. They were making a systematic search of taverns and cellars along a certain street of Tagnor which led directly from the palace to the arena. This fact alone was not particularly alarming because such patrols appeared every day in the city to look for deserters. And nothing might have happened this time had it not been for an unfortunate chance encounter. A man ran right into the search unit's arms who happened to be a Zalite sentry who was off duty and had come into town to see his family. His credentials were checked and he was released but just as he was going away the Arkonide called after him.
"Soldier, do you know Tagnor very well?" Since this was a Zalite who was overly anxious to be of service to the 'Overlords' he nodded in confirmation. "Like the back of my hand, officer. Do you wish some information?"
The Arkonide pointed in the direction of the nearby arena. "Is that where the war games take place?"
"Not at present, sir. There's a lack of animals and gladiators."
"Are there underground installations in the arena area?"
"A few catacombs, sir. When the games are on; the fighters stay there. Also the animal cages are kept there. "Wouldn't it be possible for deserters to be hiding in those catacombs?"
The soldier shook his head. "That's very unlikely, sir. We've searched through the catacombs quite thoroughly, as far as they are known to extend. We have not found any trace of Zalite fugitives."
The officer stiffened slightly. "As far as they are known to extend? Does that mean that the underground installations are not fully known?"
"You might say that, sir. In former times there were many secret passages that led out from the palace, which have since been walled up for the most part. The arena managed with as little underground room as possible because it was too expensive to heat and ventilate all the catacombs."
It was actually all the Arkonide wanted to know. He had guessed correctly. Underneath Tagnor there were still hiding places that no one knew about—or at least were known to very few. "Thank you," he told the soldier. "You may go."
The Zalite strode away, happy over the fact that he had not been forced to attract unpleasant attention to himself. On the contrary, he had performed a service for the Arkonide. Perhaps one day he might make use of that. The information he had given certainly couldn't do his own people any harm.
The entrance was a good 10 meters wide. Steps led downward and ended somewhere in the depths. So this was the gateway to the catacombs! The Arkonide recalled that this area had already been searched through but he had not forgotten the Zalite's small added phrase, "as far as they are known to extend." This was the decisive point that now motivated his present action.
"Follow me!" he ordered, speaking to his robots. "Thermo-guns in fire readiness!"
It was dark down below but the bright searchlights of the robots pushed back the darkness. There were former light fixtures at even intervals along the arched ceiling but they were now broken and extinguished. Now and then a smaller passage led off to the right or left. Finally the Arkonide left one robot on guard while he investigated a branch corridor with the other three. But each attempt of this nature usually ended a few meters away against a smooth wall.
The fact that he did not discover any deserters only served to strengthen his suspicion. If no one was hiding here, then there must be better hiding places behind these walls—or farther below. And they had to be found.
Their footsteps echoed hollowly in the corridor but they failed to hide the sound of other footsteps.
"Halt!"
The robots seemed to jerk to a stop. Their weapons pointed into the darkness ahead. The Arkonide listened. He was right! Somebody was coming toward them.
"Lights out!"
Complete darkness surrounded them. Ahead, however, and slightly off to one side, a source of light shimmered, becoming brighter as it drew nearer. Also the footsteps became more audible.
Then a figure emerged from the entrance of a side passageway. It came toward the group and then suddenly stopped at sight of the four robots. The lamp swayed slightly.
"Who are you?" asked the Arkonide, stepping forward.
Simultaneously the robot lamps flamed up again and caught the figure in a flood of brilliant illumination. It was that of a Zalite.
Toffner thought he might have heart failure when he made out the search patrol—and of course too late to be able to get to safety. He had just come through the secret door, intending to visit a friend in Tagnor. And now...!
"My name is Garak. I'm the manager here."
"And what business brings you down here at this time of night?"
"It's a part of my work..."
"Perhaps so," said the Arkonide suspiciously. "But where have you just come from? There—from that side passage? Come—you will show me where you were!"
Toffner knew it would take a miracle now to prevent discovery. The passage was short and ended, like all the others, at a smooth wall of rock. He went slowly ahead, followed by the officer and the robots. This time all four machines came along. None remained behind. It was a very unpleasant sensation, having the monsters' energy weapons trained on his back.
"Here the passage comes to an end," he said finally as he was forced to come to a stop, knowing that their hidden domain lay beyond the wall. Toffner could only hope that the Arkonide would not notice the tiny slits around the door—and that a meter or so of rock would be enough to hold back the robots.
But the Arkonide was not stupid. He had a logical mind. "So you were just strolling in a short passage which has nothing in it?"
"Yes—I went the wrong way."
"I see. For the manager of the arena who knows every nook and corner around here, don't you think that's quite unusual—to lose your way? Now talk, Zalite! What are you up to—and where does this go from here?"
Where did it go from here?
Toffner sought frantically for a way out.
Pucky! Betty! Ishy! his mind called soundlessly to the three telepaths. Top danger—outside the door! Four robots, one Arkonide! Alert! Alert!
The answer returned to him through the micro-telecom imbedded in his ear: "Already aware, Toffner! Keep cool! Hang in there!" It had to be Pucky.
Wilco! Toffner thought back, meaning that he would try.
"Answer me, Zalite!" The Arkonide began to get rough as Toffner's silence continued. "What were you doing here? Either show me your secret door or I'll order the robots to melt down the partition!"
It was just a threat and nothing more. Nor was it any less. The Arkonide was simply pressing him on the off chance that he would be taken in by the bluff.
"There's nothing behind the wall," Toffner asserted. He hoped something would happen in a hurry. The men in the hideout had been alerted. They would be able to defend themselves but the setup would be worthless if the wall were to be melted down. "As far as I'm concerned you can put your robots to work. Maybe then I can find out once and for all if there are really any secret passages down here."
The Arkonide hesitated. Could a Zalite actually lie and pretend as well as this? But now was not the time to philosophize about it. He gave orders to the robots.
"Low intensity—against the front wall!"
The fingers of energy burst forth and struck the smooth wall of rock, where they flowed evenly across it in all directions. The rock began to melt slowly and droplets of lava fell to the floor. Glittering puddles of molten rock began to form in the corridor.
Toffner sweated but not from the heat of the thermos. What were they waiting for on the other side? If they didn't take action pretty soon...
"Psst!" Suddenly there was Pucky nearby and someone was with him. "I brought Betty along. We need two telekins to knock out the robots. You know how they're constructed. While we hold them, you get at their shutoff controls. Later we'll reprogram the brutes and send them on their way again—together with the officer. He's sleeping just now but he'll be processed before we let him go."
Toffner said nothing. They moved toward the bright-flaming end of the passage until they were close behind the robots. A portion of the wall had already been melted away. The hissing of the energy beams drowned out all other sounds.
"I'll handle to--Betty one. OK, Toffner, the safety lock...!"
It was a recessed turn-lock, somewhat like a key handle, and it could easily be turned, once one succeeded in surprising a robot from behind. Even the Arkonides had not been able to dispense with this security feature. In emergencies a robot could be quickly deactivated by this method.
Toffner took a few steps forward and groped for the first of the turnoffs. Even as he switched off the recessed key, he heard Pucky's urgent whisper behind him.
"Speed it up! Take the other two! We have them under control—but not for long!"
The other two... no great problem... Toffner was able to also put them out of commission.
The fourth one proved to be more difficult. He stood at an angle which would enable him to see the intruders if he turned only slightly. Also his thermo-gun was still operating so that if he turned toward them it would mean extinction. The heat was almost unbearable. Half of the wall must have been melted through by now.
Pucky waddled quickly past Toffner until he was close behind the robot. He stared at the place just under the machine's neckline where the safety lock was located. Slowly, only with excruciating slowness, the recessed key began to turn, forced by Pucky's parapsychic powers. The same force that restricted the robot's movements was being used to turn it off entirely.
The energy beam went out fitfully, swinging wildly and causing dangerous flickering sparks. Pucky let out a shrill cry of pain and made a lightning teleport jump out of harm's way.
Betty Toufry ran to him and bent over him. "Oh, you poor darling. Does it hurt very much?"
"With you to comfort me, Betty—pain doesn't have a chance!" The mouse-beaver straightened up. "What's with the Arkonide?"
"He only received a light blow. Hadn't we better all get to safety now? And we should remove all traces of the struggle here. That hole in the wall..."
"...can be heat-molded back into shape," put in Pucky, matter of factly completing her sentence. He blew on his paws which were still smarting from the glancing spark of thermo energy. "First we'll give the robots a new program and then the Arkonide will get a hypno-block."
Toffner was grateful that no one reproached him for what had happened. In a certain sense he was to blame, if anyone cared to think of responsibility for the incident in the first place.
The actual secret door was just next to the end wall of the passage. Fortunately it had not been damaged by the robots' thermal barrage. The commando specialists inside greeted the two mutants and Toffner with expressions of relief. They had not been fully a
ware of the nature of the encounter outside. Ishy Matsu had only been able to give them some very sparse information.
So it came about that a search patrol returned four hours later to the spaceport and reported to the commanding Arkonide officer: "Street leading to palace searched. No results. Also conducted thorough search and investigation of the so-called catacombs. All passages lead to dead ends. No possibility of a hiding place. It is not possible that deserters can be hiding underneath the arena."
The officer who turned in this report received a special commendation for his diligence and at the same time received his assignment covering streets to be patrolled on the following day. Whereupon he declared that he would also fulfill this task to the equal satisfaction of his superior. He stated proudly that his robots were unique, that there were no others like them to be found.
All of which his superior officer was pleased to believe, since he had already been 'conditioned' by the commando specialists.
Thus all the keys were in Rhodan's hands. The first phase of the preparations had been completed-preparations which were aimed at the eventual conquest of Arkon and the elimination of robot rule. 150 men stood ready to lift an entire stellar empire off of its hinges.
And it would be the Regent himself who would give the order for his own demise.
Specifically: a fateful order to transport from Zalit to Arkon a very deadly animal for the greatest war game of all.
It was—a Trojan horse!
RECRUITS FOR ARKON
Copyright © Ace Books 1975
Ace Publishing Corporation
All Rights Reserved
THE SHIP OF THINGS TO COME
MOCK BATTLES must preceed real battles... if the Robot Brain of Arkon is to be destroyed.
And the time has come for the mentanical marvel, the great positronicon, the soulless Regent to be eradicated.
Such is the mission of the Recruits and it is realized full well that theirs is a task which cannot simply be rushed into nor regarded lightly. Commando training must first be undergone, battle tactics tested in a baptism of fire. For this purpose and to this end, the creation of a special combat 'school'.