Bell looked at Rhodan questioningly.
Rhodan nodded and said: "Very well, Pucky, your vacation wish is granted. But be careful. I’m not happy about letting you go and I’d sure hate to lose you. The Silver Arrows… we don’t know who sent them. We also have no idea what’s on the minds of this unknown race, since they avoid every chance at contact. They avoid not only us but everyone else, too. No one knows who these aliens are. No one knows where their home base is. We can only guess that it’s probably a planet revolving around a star in the centre of the Milky Way. It’s dangerous to fly there at more than speol (speed of light) because the hazard of collision is too great. There are stars, too, that don’t register on our radar. There are thousands of dangers that perhaps we even don’t know the names of. You’ve chosen yourself an uncomfortable place to spend your vacation, Pucky."
The mousebeaver had stopped in front of Rhodan.
"Exactly," he said shortly and succinctly. "I will take a vacation but at least I’ll stay fit. I want to get my rest but not get fat from it." He looked pointedly at Bell and then grinned with satisfaction. "So my request is granted—excellent. Then Bell can help me arrange all the necessary things. Gentlemen—we thank you."
With that, Pucky disappeared.
Bell stared at the spot where the mousebeaver had stood. "What a crazy idea," he murmured, and hit the table with his fist. "Really, an absolutely crazy idea!" He hesitated, then added: "I’d really like to join that little rascal but when I think of being cooped up in a spacecraft with 12 mousebeavers, I’d rather forego this pleasure. Maj. Lan Koster has my full sympathy! He doesn’t know what he’s in for!"
A prediction that was to be fully verified.
Pucky had flown to the moon with Bell. The spaceship EX-238 awaited orders to start. Maj. Koster knew how to hide his surprise when Bell handed him his orders from Rhodan. Then there was the stopover on Mars, where the colony of mousebeavers was in the highest state of excitement as they listened to what Pucky had in mind. When volunteers nearly overran him and Bell and almost stormed the ship, it became evident just what influence Pucky had over his own kind. In less than an hour he had chosen his companions and brought them into the EX-238. With wise foresight, he had taken not only male but also female mousebeavers. After all, he was travelling in the company of Iltu, so, to maintain peace, he had to put the others in the same position.
Then the leave-taking from Bell. With his well-wishes still in his ear, Pucky gave the order to start.
The EX-238 began its flight.
And now they were here, not far from the centre of the galaxy. Today they had met a Silver Arrow for the third time, and this time Pucky had told himself, it must finally work.
They only had to get close enough to their quarry.
He teleported the rest of the way and materialized next to Homunk in central control. Homunk did not betray his surprise at the sudden appearance of the mousebeaver by a single twitch of his features.
"Where is it?"
Homunk pointed at the screen.
"Distance the same: 7 light-seconds. Course unchanged. Speed increased. Navigation getting more difficult."
Pucky did not answer fight away. He gazed at the screen. The Silver Arrow was easily recognizable in the magnification—a long, slender vessel like a torpedo. There was no indication what mode of propulsion might be guessed. The bow was rounded, the stem almost blunt. If the instruments registered the fight data, it was 100 meters long and 15 meters thick in the middle.
On the screen, which showed only a small section of the universe, more stars were to be seen than from the Earth even on a clear night. Star stood next to star. The protective shield, now in constant operation, reflected their rays. The stars’ pressure of light alone would have been enough to drive a propulsionless vessel to the edge of the galaxy, it was that strong.
"We must get to within a half light-second of the alien," Pucky said at last. "Then—perhaps—we’ll succeed."
Homunk smiled.
"A half lisek? Whenever we step up speed, so does the Silver Arrow. It sets its pace according to us, not we according to it. Even now they’re forcing their tactics on us. Maybe this time there aren’t any robots on board, only their lords and masters."
Pucky jumped into the seat next to Homunk.
"Tell me, Homunk, what do you really think? You’re from Wanderer, a world that no longer exists, the abode of the Immortal who created you. What do you know about the aliens we’re pursuing? What do you know about the creators of the Silver Arrows? Why do they avoid all contact with us?"
The android needed no time to reflect. "I’ve never heard of them. There are no data for them in my memory bank. I can’t help you—at least not yet."
Pucky stared darkly before him, poorer by one secretly treasured hope. He could not read the thoughts of the android, so he did not know whether Homunk spoke the truth. But why should the android lie?
Pucky looked at the screen again.
"How fast are we going?"
"Ten times the speed of light; we can’t do more without danger."
Compared to what was possible in linear propulsion, their speed was almost ridiculous. Three million kilometres per second. Even so, it was too fast if a dark star should appear, a sun that could not be detected until the last moment.
"Let’s try it at eleven; maybe then we’ll get closer.
Homunk shook his head. "Hopeless. When we were cruising at speol 3 they kept their distance. When we increased our speed, the aliens did, too. Now we’re going 10. And if we could speed up to 100 times the speed of light—the aliens can too. We know that they can go even faster. It’s senseless, Pucky. We can catch the Silver Arrow only if we can outwit it. Since they’ve already spotted us, though, that seems a small hope indeed."
"Krosh!" Pucky was crestfallen. Yet his brain sought feverishly for a way out. There was the objective, so close, yet he could not reach it. The Silver Arrow was only a little more than two million kilometres away. A swift spurt of speed…
"No," said Homunk when Pucky suggested this to him, "that’s just as senseless. The commander of the Silver Arrow most likely is a robot brain. He reacts in a fraction of a second. Before we can speed up, or at least at the same moment, he speeds up too. We’ve tried it already."
"How, then, can we possibly outwit him?" Pucky looked pretty helpless. He had thought the whole thing would be much simpler. To sight a Silver Arrow, to get close, to set up a telekinetic block—and it was as good as done. The rest would be routine. They’d enter the vessel, disable the robots and interrogate the masters. That is, if the masters could be interrogated. But then…?
"It’s hardly changed its course till now," Homunk offered into the silence. "Only when a sun’s been in its way and had to be avoided. We can only guess that it’s going to its home base."
"They can’t be that stupid, Homunk. They know we’re following them."
"But they also know that they can accelerate if they have to. I would bet that at the last moment the Silver Arrow will increase its speed to a thousand times the speed of light and then make a sharp curve. We’ll lose him, and while we’re still looking for him, he’ll have long ago landed. Within 5 light-years we’ve got more than 500 suns. Would you want to search these one by one? You don’t have enough vacation time!"
"Only three weeks," Pucky admitted, discouraged.
"For just one sector of 10 light-years diameter," Homunk continued, "we’d need about two years here in the centre, if we are to search it systematically. Besides, to accomplish even that in the time given, we’d have to hurry like hell."
"Would it do any good to ask Harno for help?"
That question had preyed on Pucky’s mind for a long time. Harno, the mysterious manifestation in the form of a round black ball, had lost himself in the oceans of space and time for many years. When the mutants, in a concerted telepathic effort, called on him, they were to some extent successful. But so far, this strange being, which definitely
lacked any organic structure, had not extended the help they’d asked for. As a rule, Harno would appear simply as a chrono-projection and had maintained that he could not come himself—or was not allowed to. He was at the very end of time, Harno had said the last time. And there he must stay.
What ‘the end of time’ was, no one could imagine. Not Rhodan, and least of all Pucky. Harno indicated that from his vantage point he could look back upon the past of the universe and thus could foresee its relative future. More he would not say. All this was enough fodder for the maddest of speculations.
"Harno?" Homunk suddenly took on such a disapproving expression that Pucky could make nothing of it.
"There are only three telepaths among you—I wonder whether that’ll be enough."
"We’ve already done it with just us three telepaths from Earth."
"So what! That doesn’t mean too much!"
"Something, anyway." Pucky shrugged.
Homunk concentrated again on the screen. The Silver Arrow was still two million kilometres away from EX-238. Apparently motionless. But as they were watching, a star on their right grew larger and larger and turned into a huge flaming sun. The instruments registered planets that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. Then the sun grew smaller again and sank off to the right into the deeps of the universe.
"‘Something’ is not enough," said Homunk and with this dismissed Pucky’s idea.
Pucky made no reply. He was listening inside himself and slid off his chair. "Sorry," he murmured, a bit embarrassed. "I’m afraid I’d better get back to my friends. Iltu’s just sent a message."
Homunk smiled knowingly. "Trouble?"
"A little, maybe."
"Rascals—to use a human expression. Bell was right: 10 million fleas are more easily controlled than a mere 10 mousebeavers. That other time, the shenanigans with the antigravity gravity shaft…"
"It’s not so bad this time. It’s only a private misunderstanding."
"I see," signified Homunk and turned toward the screens.
Pucky waited another 2 or 3 seconds, then he dematerialised. He would show those ten ilts from Mars who was boss.
Besides, he wanted to cut a good figure in front of Iltu.
* * * *
After the rest period, Maj. Lan Koster returned to central control. The navigation officer sighed with relief. It was not to every one’s liking to work with a robot who could not be told apart from a man of flesh and blood.
The Silver Arrow was still 7 liseks (light-seconds) away and had hardly altered its course. It looked as if it were heading straight for its home base. But assuredly that could not be the case. On both sides, the closer suns pulled slowly away. Like beacons, thought Koster involuntarily and sat down. If one could know each sun in this sector, it wouldn’t be difficult to use them as points of reference. They would, in fact, enable knowledgeable persons to find their way surely and without hazard, while they would stand as life-threatening dangers to those not in the know. Under these circumstances, they might even prove to be a trap.
* * * *
That was it!
Suddenly Koster thought he knew why the Silver Arrow was moving ahead of them so unperturbed, always remaining at an equal distance and the same speed. It had no intention to escape; rather, it wanted you simply to follow it. Almost certainly it would not lead you to its home base.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Homunk.
Koster explained.
Homunk nodded slowly, then said: "If it’s really as you think, we must adopt opposite tactics to get closer to the Silver Arrow. We must slow down."
"You mean…?"
"Exactly. The aliens will assume we’ve given up pursuit. They’ll reduce speed, too, so that we won’t lose them. Maybe we should even pretend we’ve had a breakdown. It’s quite possible that this way we may lead them to some slipup."
"There’s also the risk of losing the Silver Arrow altogether. Anyway, we shouldn’t do anything without consulting Pucky. He is, after all, the leader of this expedition."
"I’m surprised he’s not here yet," said Homunk.
"It won’t take long," Koster assured him; meanwhile he had gathered much experience. "Wherever he happens to be on the ship, he will snap up my thoughts. We won’t have to call him especially for that. Any second he may…"
The door opened and Pucky came strolling into central control. His fur was dishevelled. His usually soft brown eyes glittered with anger and he closed the door behind him with unusual abruptness. "And you think," he growled in annoyance, "that the aliens in that ship up ahead will fall for your trick? I don’t believe it but maybe it’s no more senseless than to keep on flying after it."
"Right," nodded Koster. "You agree, then?"
"Not necessarily. First I’d like to try something else. I’d like to take a good look at the Silver Arrow from close quarters. Homunk will go with me. You, Koster, will maintain your present speed while Homunk and I teleport ahead. It won’t be difficult; I can sight the target directly. The return trip won’t be much different."
"Do you think it’s wise to let the aliens know that you have teleportation powers?"
"I won’t let them know, Major. If possible, we won’t even let ourselves be seen; but I want to know what kind of crew is on that ship. If there are only robots, as before, there must be a way to outwit them. It was nothing but a wrecked craft when I found a Silver Arrow for the first time. Even if the robot crew had wanted to, it would have been impossible for them to help me. There was also no communication with them.
"What do you think, Homunk?" Koster turned to the android.
"I’m ready," said Homunk briefly. He looked at Pucky. "You look as if your 10 friends had beat you up. More trouble?"
"I beat up Wullewull!" asserted Pucky energetically. "He’s always creating problems. Besides, he’s much too ugly for Biggy. In addition, she’s engaged to Ooch."
"Complicated family affairs," droned Koster and shook his head. "Hopefully, even under these circumstances, you’ll be in, a position, when necessary, to set up the telekinetic block that was planned. I can imagine that through the lack of unity…"
"Don’t worry, Major," Pucky assured him. "Really, it’s all in fun. If it comes right down to it, I can rely on my friends. Homunk, do you need a spacesuit?"
"Not really. A vacuum doesn’t bother me."
"Then wait here; I’ll be right back."
When Pucky had dematerialised, Koster stared darkly at the screen. "I’m not sure we’re doing it the right way. Maybe the pretended wreck would have been the best solution."
"Pucky’s the boss," Homunk said, and grinned in a very human way. "And frankly, I’m glad of a change. Maybe we’ll know all in another hour."
It didn’t take even that long.
* * * *
The two figures stood on the round hull of the EX-238 quite near the North Pole. The gravity of the huge sphere held them fast. Around them was the universe. To the naked eye the Silver Arrow was not visible but Pucky was in thought-contact with Koster. From him he found out what the coördinates were. Iltu acted as relay station and gave Pucky’s directions to the commander.
"Over there, the shimmering red sun, Homunk. That’s our direction. It would be simpler if I could receive thought impulses from the aliens but there aren’t any. Either the whole crew consists of robots or they know something about telepathy. It could be that they habitually shield their thoughts. The way back to the EX-238 will be easy, though. We only have to take bearings on the thoughts of the crew, that’ll be enough. Besides, I’m maintaining contact with Iltu."
It was an unforgettable sight, even Pucky had to admit. The dense conglomeration of stars here in the Milky Way outshone everything else. From here, one could no longer recognize the neighbouring galaxies. Their dim nebulas were outdone by the gleam of the million suns that here were concentrated in a relatively confined area. It was bright on the artificial body named EX-238 but Homunk and Pucky threw no shadows for the l
ight emanated equally from all directions.
"Let’s go—what are we waiting for?" Homunk extended his hand to Pucky. "I hope you can manage this long stretch. After all it’s 7 light-seconds."
"I’ve teleported across light-years!"
Pucky took Homunk’s hand, concentrated for a last time on Koster’s running stream of information, closed his eyes—and dematerialised. Homunk disappeared with him.
When Pucky could see again, he and the android were floating in space. The EX-238 had disappeared, lost somewhere in the jumble of suns. They had missed their objective by a few kilometres. The Silver Arrow stood seemingly motionless in front of them; in reality it was streaking through space at the same rate as they.
A short tele-jump brought them onto the hull of the alien vessel.
Homunk switched his com-set on minimal range to lessen the danger of being overheard.
"You’ve noticed nothing, I suppose. Still no thought-impulses, Pucky? There must be somebody on this ship!"
"The pilot, for sure, but he must be a robot." Pucky examined the metal of the hull and then bent down for a closer look. "Exactly as before: an unknown alloy. And old, very old. This ship has been in space for a long time."
Homunk had not released the mousebeaver’s hand. He had to stand bent over for he was nearly twice as tall. Since he had spurned a spacesuit, he wore the communications device on his chest. Only thus was it possible to communicate with Pucky. At the same time, if he increased the set’s range, he could also talk with Maj. Koster.
"A hundred meters long—the navigator figured it right. Up front, there, you can see the outlines of a hatchway. Maybe the entrance."
"We don’t need it. If we wanted to get into the ship we could teleport ourselves. Iltu has just sent word that its speed and course are still the same. If both keep it up, there’s a gigantic blue sun in their flight path. We should reach it in about 11 hours."
"So there will be a change in course," said Homunk. "Probably at the last moment. It would be better if we didn’t stand exactly here, on the outside of the hull. Gravitational fields will no longer be effective."
In the Centre of the Galaxy Page 2