by Perry Rhodan
"Ring of the Nibelungs," he repeated once again, recalling the days when Gunther, Hagen and Siegfried were alive and battling. He had known all three and of them all it was the sinister Hagen who had been his friend. But back then there had not yet been any Ring of the Nibelungs: the saga had not yet been created.
"Aha!" Atlan suddenly exclaimed. His auxiliary brain, which operated with strict logic, had supplied the explanation.
He walked past the astonished Terranian over to the small ship's computer and regarded the little round ring on its casing. Normally it had no other function than to serve as a pull ring if the casing jammed.
Rhodan had once called his attention to a similar ring, jokingly having remarked: "Isn't that the Ring of the Nibelungs ? If the casing jammed and the ring weren't there, how could one get at the treasures stored in the computer?"
Rhodan's courier ship had meanwhile started off, taking course for that inconsequential sun system which was harboring the Druuf fleet.
Atlan took the ring in his hand. It was specially designed. In the courier ship he had easily lifted it out of its loop, while still requiring a few minutes to find the opening mechanism.
"Why all these complications?" he asked, slightly dissatisfied. He did not like Rhodan's security complex. He turned the ring back and forth, a light metal with a high stress tolerance. A hundred years earlier no one would have even dared to think of anything like it; today this material could be found in every Terran household.
"But of course!" Astonished at himself, Atlan shook his head. Suddenly he knew why the ring was made of this light metal alloy and why it was supposed to be the Ring of the Nibelungs. "Perry, I owe you an apology! You are no romantic but a splendid old realist with romantic ambitions..."
A conveyer strip carried him to the laboratory of the mammoth positronicon. He entered the room equipped for metallurgic-photographic examinations. The ring was mounted in front of the third developer that worked with guided magnetic fields, probing the piece of metal layer by layer. At first trace of any metallurgic-photographic exposure it would act as a 3-dimensional developer.
Atlan sat down in an armchair. His gaze rested expectantly on the screen. The third device was humming away. Suddenly the screen flickered on; the scanner in the developer had found the layer with Rhodan's message.
Atlan, kept young for 10,000 years by the cell activator in his chest, could still be surprised, despite all his experience.
Rhodan was conveying to him what the Fly Swatter mission signified. Atlan was sitting bolt upright in his chair. He reviewed the message many times. "If he manages this..." the Arkonide sighed, seized by admiration for Rhodan. "Barbarian, I think you are still somewhat ahead of your son after all!"
He switched off the third developer and returned by conveyer strip. The news which had meanwhile arrived could no longer surprise him. Everything was inescapably heading towards collapse.
• • •
Again Atual and Ortece were seated in the cylindrical spacecraft, Cokaz 2, opposite Cokaze and Thomas Cardif.
Again the two finance experts were begging for the opportunity to take action. "...tomorrow is too late, Patriarch! An inflation knows no laws! A total collapse cannot be stopped by one command! By our gods, Cokaze, don't listen to the Terranian! Listen to us!"
"In which case the Galactic Traders would have never come as far as we are now!" Cokaze mockingly replied. "The Arkonides are at the end of their economic resources. That Atlan may dare to challenge little colonial peoples with the robot fleet but it takes more than robot spacecraft to get at us Galactic Traders. Arkon knows that our cylindrical spaceships are no pilgrimage vessels that only trust in the protection of the gods."
Atual excitedly interrupted him. "Patriarch, do not mock the gods or we will be cursed. Arkon is still a reality! The Druufs, those monsters from another universe, are still a real threat! The Regent still exists, even though Atlan has switched him off. And there is still Rhodan! Rhodan..."
Cokaze broke out in peals of laughter. "Rhodan! Of course, Rhodan! One need only mention the name of Rhodan in the Great Empire and everyone thinks that the celestial devils are standing behind the door."
"I have made his acquaintance! I know how great his power is! For decades he has made a fool of us, the Great Empire! He alone was mighty!"
"Didn't I say that?" Atual exploded, displaying an amazing amount of emotion for a banker.
"And who is sitting next to me, Atual?" Cokaze derisively asked. "So you have come to tell us that you are frightened after all?"
Ortece, who had barely uttered a word, now intervened. "The Empire, that is us, you, Patriarch and the poorest Springer who has thus far lost over a third of his fortune!"
Slowly Thomas Cardif stood up. His Arkonide eyes were gleaming reddish fire but the gleam radiated a chill. A mocking smile distorted his mouth. "You have spoken so much but not once have you touched upon the question of why the State Bank of Arkon has made no attempt to support the falling rates by purchasing. Answer that question, Ortece, and we will give you permission within the hour to halt the economic collapse! We have the full power of attorney and documents to enable it!"
Ortece stared at him as if seeing a ghost. He then looked imploringly at the Patriarch, in whose eyes, however, there was neither pity nor help to be found. "I can't do that. Atual and I are totally perplexed by the passive behavior of the Arkon State Bank."
Cokaze's face showed his contempt. Triumphantly he pointed at Thomas Cardif. "Ortece, why do you think Cardif could predict to us, the Springer patriarchs, and to the Council of 10 before the inflation set in that the State Bank of Arkon would not intervene? How do you explain that?"
Ortece's eyes blazed in fury. "We are no clairvoyants, Cokaze! We are bankers who take their profession seriously, not charlatans!"
Cardif casually threw in his question. "How much would your bank earn if you attempted to halt the inflation today, if the plants were to resume work, the Springer fleets were to transport goods from one planet to the other? How many billions?"
"Couldn't we split the profit?" Cokaze sarcastically inquired, staring at the two men.
Ten minutes later they were alone. Almost head over heels the richest and most influential bankers of the Great Empire had left Cokaze's ship.
"Those scoundrels..." the Patriarch grumbled, shaking his head. Inquisitively he regarded Cardif. I know how to handle money and I also know what I have to do to increase it. But how can one earn enormous sums in an inflation if all the others are losing their last funds?"
"Here's how you do it..." Cardif began to explain as the intercom of the Cokaz 2 switched on.
"Sir," the Springer com officer called to his patriarch, "the great transmitter on Arkon 3 has announced an important communique within minutes. All hyperwaves..."
"Put the transmission through when it comes in and don't talk so much when you haven't been asked. Remember that!"
6/ WORTH DYING FOR
The second conversation took place between the Druuf commander and Perry Rhodan. Again Harno saw to it that Rhodan could observe the angular monster in his ship Central during the exchange, although the Druuf had no inkling of it.
The spacecraft sent into the Druuf Universe through the portal which had been created by the lens field projector in the largest Drusus hangar had meanwhile returned and reported to the commander.
"Harno," Rhodan had asked the round creature, "can you hear what the scout ship commander is telling his chief?"
Harno managed it and Rhodan had no quarrel with the report presented by the returned Druuf.
Negotiations now proceeded.
"Rhodan," the Druuf was just replying, "we are secure in places where you are not present. You are baiting us with your promise that we can return to our Universe. But if we take up your suggestion, you will really attempt to destroy us!"
Rhodan sensed that he could not make any progress with the Druuf with words. He had to provide tangible proof of his hone
sty. But how was he to do that?
The teletransmitter, the only weapon of its kind and the most dreadful, had to be eliminated. If the Druuf were to find out about the existence of a device such as that, his appetite for the Drusus might increase.
Louder than before, he responded more out of intuition than intellect. "Druuf, you mustn't forget that I did not have to search for you and your fleet. On my native star I already knew where you were hidden. I could just as well have come with all my ships and the battle against you Druufs would have been over long ago!
"I have no more to say than that. Now I am switching off. If you want to talk to me, do it soon!"
That was the old Rhodan, again investing his total personality and, by virtue of his foresight, knowing with almost 100% certainty that the Druuf commander would now be ready to accept his suggestion. In the mighty Command Central of the gigantic vessel discussion was resumed but no one left his place.
Rhodan's flagship was still surrounded by Druufs. If the ultimate showdown were to come about, their fate would be more quickly sealed than the time it had taken to destroy the super battleship Kublai Khan over the world of the lizards.
"Has the information for Atlan been compiled?" Rhodan asked Gen. Deringhouse.
He stiffened imperceptibly. "Yes sir, all but the time... We'll have that right away!"
Rhodan dared to contend. No one allowed himself to smile sceptically at that. Perry Rhodan rarely made a prediction like that. But when he did, it always came about.
"Marshall?" The chief of the Mutant Corps was standing next to Bell at the special tracker. He looked up. "Inform Tako Kakuta that he is being detailed to the flagship of the Druuf as astronaut. Dr. Small will remain behind in his place!"
"But Kakuta is no astronaut!"
"All the better teleporter he is, Marshall," Rhodan countered.
Bell nodded almost imperceptibly. He had realized what Perry Rhodan was planning with this switch but Marshall seemed to be having a bad day.
"Sir, I don't understand you."
"Then I recommend that you have your distrust expelled. Perhaps there is some good therapy for that. Have you understood me now?"
"OK, boss!" Marshall laughed self-consciously, shaking his head over his own denseness. Tako Kakuta, the short slender Japanese with the child's face did not bat an eyelash when Marshall conveyed the boss's order. Only Pucky, who had some reprimand to look forward to for his excessive zeal, said what he thought.
"I still don't know which I like better: the Topide lizards, the Galactic Physicians or the Druufs. None of them appeal to me. They are all repulsive but the Druufs probably bother me most. I don't trust them one inch. Tako, just take good care of our star course regulator and bring it back safe and sound."
"You are having your talkative day again today, huh, Pucky?" Marshall commented sternly.
"No," the mouse-beaver replied, grinning with his incisor, "but is it prohibited to give Reggie's thumb some thought and..."
Marshall, still cross about his own denseness, grumbled at him: "Do you have to go and repeat Reggie's rubbish?"
"How delighted he will be about your good opinion when I disclose to Fatso, accidentally of course, how you talk about him! I could probably forget it forever, if you would stroke my fur for two hours." That was plain blackmail and Pucky knew it but as a mouse-beaver he could get away with it. However, Marshall did not play along.
"Tell him whatever you wish, my friend, but we will just wait and see when you are ever sent on a mission again! I think your fang will fall out before that!"
No one had ever referred to Pucky's incisor, of which he was so proud, as a fang before. However, Marshall's threat not to send him on any more missions was even worse. Hearing that was more terrible to him than being without fresh carrots for 10 weeks. "John," he meekly requested, "could we come to an agreement?"
"With you, blackmailer?"
But Pucky could not be deterred that easily. "OK, John! Then I am a blackmailer and you are a slanderer! You think that is much better?"
The mouse-beaver had the laughter on his side; even the quiet Kakuta smiled his mysterious Asiatic smile. Ready for action, he checked out with Marshall for astronaut duty. Pucky disappeared on the spot.
Marshall informed Command Central over intercom of his participation.
Meanwhile Perry Rhodan was waiting for the Druuf to take the initiative in making contact. Tension was mounting steadily. During this period Communications was relaying news broadcasts from main stations of Arkonide hypertransmitters.
The Great Empire was cracking at all corners, although it was obvious that the newscasts were designed to heighten the unrest. Even discounting a great deal, however, it was clear that Atlan's position was worsening from hour to hour. The time was approaching in which the Empire would break apart after having endured more than 15,000 years.
During a lull Bell commented: "When the Druuf discovers that he is to play Fly Swatter and the fly at the same time, well..."
Reginald Bell's apprehensions were justified. Several things would have to become immediately apparent to the Druuf scout ships, assuming that the commander sent out the ships with the two Terranian astronauts:
For one, the unusual density of the stars in the cluster M-13, which would have to arouse the Druufs' suspicion that they were dealing with the national territory of their bitter enemy.
For another, the alarming news of turmoil in the Arkonide Empire would not escape their attention.
Thirdly, and this point caused Rhodan the most anxiety—the Mounders were circling Archetz on security rounds. Should the two Druuf scout ships meet up with massed fleet—and the battle-trained vessels would not hesitate one second to attack foreign ships—then not only would Rhodan's plan be foiled, the Druuf fleet surrounding the Drusus would attack as well.
The outcome of that unequal match was obvious.
Rhodan turned to Gen. Deringhouse. "Compose a message for Arkon 3. Demand that Atlan see to it that—No! We won't use hypercom. Just include in the message the courier is taking to Atlan that the Mounders must disappear from the vicinity of Archetz, Emphasize that Atlan will have three hours time for it after receiving the message."
Perry Rhodan was not even conscious of the fact that he was giving orders to the ruler of the greatest celestial empire. During these days he saw Atlan and himself as sitting in the same boat which had to reach a safe harbor through a stormy sea. Should it sink underway, there would shortly be no more Great Empire and that tiny entity that proudly called itself the Solar Empire would no longer exist either. Hence it was of no consequence who was giving orders to whom. It was imperative to master the crisis in absolute mutual trust.
Rhodan was just as certain that his plan,Fly Swatter, had little in common with strategy. The plan was laden with unknown factors, the greatest of which was called Thomas Cardif!
Neither Atlan nor he had expected that this young man, supported by the Galactic Traders, could succeed within a few days in shaking the foundations of an empire that had existed for 15,000 years.
There was one single advantage on Atlan and Rhodan's side: even revolutions accompanied by economic collapse needed time to ripen. As long as that moment had not arrived, the greatest power still lay on the side of the state and that fact was the mainstay of Rhodan's plan.
Atlan was neither forced into the roll of crown prince nor was he a victim of confinement psychosis although he was the only living being hidden away under the gigantic dome of the mammoth Computer. He had accepted Rhodan's warning that it was better to incur a great risk than to squelch the least seed of revolution with brute force and thus himself set fires in all corners of the nation. For if Arkon's powerful robot fleet were to attack, hundreds of thousands of cylindrical vessels would form a front. And the positronicon had long since informed Atlan of how well they were armed and what a mismatch the robot fleet would be against the Springers.
"Rhodan..." The voice of the Druuf sounded to many of the men
in the Drusus command room like the watchword that liberated them from intolerable stress.
"Druuf..." Rhodan replied just as curtly.
"I am ready to accept your suggestion but I am not prepared to engage two spaceships. Only one with two of your astronauts on board will fly to the target star. But if the ship does not return or cuts off communication, then you can prepare your own ship for combat, Rhodan!"
Rhodan ignored the threat. I will send my five men on an auxiliary craft to your ship, Druuf. Order your fleet not to attack it!"
"Already done. Send your men over here, Rhodan. The rest will follow later."
The special transmitter was silent again. The Druuf fleet commander had switched off.
Only a few commands were making the rounds of the great spacecraft.
Four astronauts and the teleporter, Tako Kakuta, were boarding a guppy that was to bring them to the flagship of the Druufs. Gen. Deringhouse was meanwhile sitting in Communications Central, completing the report for Atlan which the courier would deliver. He shook his head uncomprehendingly as a technician took the message out of his hand and went over to a device that was not connected to any transmitter.
"Grossi, now just explain to me once again what a negative of a transmission impulse means. I simply can't grasp it, so this is the third time you have to tell me..."
The technician Grossi shook his head, laughing good-naturedly. "General, it can only be explained with formulas and the whole thing was a chance discovery. More precisely: a cuckoo idea! When it flashed through the mind of my colleague Francozetti and he told us about it, we all laughed. He had the last laugh, though. Two months later he held his new formulas under our noses. Actually it is nonsense to talk about the negative of a radio impulse but we don't have any other expression for it. And because we borrowed the term from photo-chemistry, it has to lead to false conceptions, which makes the process even more incomprehensible... to a layman!"