Rhodan regarded the unusual, creature with narrowed eyes. Something about him was somehow unpleasant or offensive but he was not able to say what it was. He also knew how wrong it was to judge an alien intelligence by its exterior features. He cast a quick glance at Atlan, the immortal with the extra sense perception.
Atlan stood there motionlessly and looked attentively at Kruukh. There was a positive glimmer of displeasure in his timeless eyes. This was what confirmed Rhodan’s own suspicions. Even Atlan was wary but the latter made no effort to hide the fact from the telepathically gifted creature.
“Welcome on board, Kruukh,” said Rhodan out loud so that the non-telepaths could also understand him. “We are of course surprised at the demand made by your ruler. Why should we give ourselves into the hands of the Druufs without a struggle when we don’t even know what they look like? Besides, it is by no means decided whether or not we have to remain in this sphere of time. If the Druufs are honourably disposed toward us, why don’t they at least permit us to make the attempt to go back through the light-ring which was our means of entry?”
Kruukh stared directly at Rhodan. I know nothing of the motives of my master. I only carry out his orders. As a proof of the fact that you do not wish any more conflict, the commander of this ship is to come with me so that he can demonstrate his submission to the Druuf. This is the extent of my report and my demands.
“That’s quite an order,” growled Atlan from the background and he shot a warning glance at Rhodan. His tense attitude indicated that he expected a hostile move on the part of the bumble-crab at any moment. But even he had no idea of what form the hostility might take.
Rhodan said aloud to Marshall: “Bring André Noir, Ralf Marten and Fellmer Lloyd in here. We want to know where we stand with Kruukh.” When Marshall left the room, he continued: “We are going to check the validity of your statements, Kruukh. Then you may go to the Druuf and bring him our answer.”
The bumble-crab did not reply. Instead he did something that was only noticed by the telepath Pucky. He screened his brain completely and then activated a hitherto unused portion of it. Whereupon he opened his attack.
By the time that Marshall and the 3 requested mutants entered the Command Central, it was all over. And at first glance nobody was suspicious of anything.
“Wuriu Sengu is at his station,” announced Marshall. Sengu was the Japanese reconnaissance scout who could look through solid matter and was thus able to observe everything that went on in the Command Central. “I’ve brought the other 3 with me.”
“We are going to pull the Sherbourne alongside the Druuf ship and go on board,” said Rhodan in a strangely toneless voice. “The Druufs only want what’s best for us.
Immediately Marshall was alerted to the emergency. Rhodan could not have changed his opinion so swiftly. That was entirely out of the question. Marshall glanced quickly at Khrest and Atlan. The immortal stood a bit rigidly beside the other Arkonide. His arms hung loosely at his sides. The usual gleam of wakeful life was missing in the timeless eyes. Just like Rhodan and Khrest, Atlan had become a puppet.
The mental hypnotist, André Noir, was aware of calamity because he felt instinctively that somebody was at work employing the same powers that he himself was gifted with: psychic influence with a delayed action—a form of post-suggestion.
These 4 must be subjected to the same treatment, thought Kruukh and then he committed a fatal error. He had not counted on anyone being able to read his thoughts when they were not specifically directed at them.
Naturally John Marshall had read Kruukh’s thoughts, so without being obvious he said: “Noir, you’re on!”
In so doing he did not reveal even to a telepath what he meant. Noir was a mental hypnotist, which had gained him his membership in the Mutant Corps. When anyone requested him to put his talent to work, it was not necessary to give, special emphasis to which talent they were referring to. And if Marshall spoke openly like this he had his reasons for it.
The full force of the hypnotic impulses struck the unprepared bumble-crab, broke through his natural resistance and took possession of his brain. Before Kruukh had any idea the tables had been turned, he was completely under Noir’s control.
“It’s done!” said the hypno calmly. “What do I do with him now?”
Marshall thought swiftly. Without Rhodan he couldn’t and wouldn’t make any decisions. First of all, Rhodan and the others had to be released from the constraint that the uncanny visitor had placed upon their conscious minds.
“Cut him off for 5 minutes so that he can’t do any more damage. Then free Rhodan.”
2 minutes later Kruukh stood next to Marshall, completely apathetic and harmless, not knowing what was going on around him. His brain remained passive and had ceased its thought processes. Noir was able to proceed without interference to work on those who were under hypnotic influence and return to them their own volition.
Rhodan’s face revealed an expression of astonishment as the hypno drew away from him. It was unusual that he was able to remember what had happened to him, The attack could not have been very intensive.
“I couldn’t prevent it because it happened so fast,” he reported. “Neither Pucky nor I noticed what the intention of this unpleasant visitor was. In itself it was a pretty smart manoeuvre to hypnotize us. We would have fallen into the Druuf’s trap as pretty as you please, like good and obedient puppets. How lucky we are that we have better hypnos here. Thank you, Noir.”
“You can thank Marshall,” replied the hypno modestly. “He saw something was wrong immediately.” Noir turned again to his prisoner. “What should I do with him now?”
“Give him the order to remain completely neutral for a week. We will take him with us as a hostage. And now we’ll show the Druuf that we’ve seen through his little trick. Maybe he’ll think up something better next time.”
Noir subjected Kruukh to hypnotic treatment and then led the listless prisoner out of the Command Central. The Sherbourne was equipped with suitable rooms for the detention of undesirable guests. Beyond that it may be said in passing that Ivan Ragov soon relieved the hypno of his responsibility. The scientist was extremely interested in the bumble-crab.
Rhodan nodded to Sikerman. “Defence screens on! Use the impulse cannons. Fire on the Druuf ship! Aurin—put the teletransmitter in standby readiness. This is a major attack!”
Not 3 seconds later the giant black Druuf ship was engulfed in a flaming bath of energy. Here and there heat-buckling hull plates could be seen but the Sherbourne could not inflict much damage because the Druuf commander reacted with lightning swiftness. The bolts of energy were soon bouncing off the shimmering protective screen, while the places that had been hit quickly cooled down.
“TTM!” ordered Rhodan tensely. “Fire!”
No one could have ventured to say whether or not the teletransmitter had really functioned so unbelievably fast or whether the Druuf ship had coincidentally gone into hypertransition at that moment. At any rate the colossus disappeared at the precise second in which Capt. Aurin opened fire.
The area in space where it had been was empty.
Without taking his eyes from the viewscreen, Rhodan said: “Set a course for the light-ring, Sikerman! We’re going to try to crash through!”
Atlan started almost imperceptibly. “Are you going to ignore the curtain of fire, Barbarian? Isn’t that a bit reckless?”
Rhodan shook his head. “I’ve had a chance to figure out that every second of delay is even more reckless. If we stay here we’re lost. It’s less of a risk to make the attempt to get back into our own time-plane. If it’s up for grabs, what have we got to lose? Nothing, Atlan! Not a thing!”
“Course established, sir,” said Sikerman. His tone was uncertain yet decisive. “Velocity?”
“Let her fly. We’ll pick up the pieces later…”
7/ NEXT TIME MAY BE DIFFERENT
Emerging out of space at relative light-speed, the Sherbourne raced toward the dimly glowing light-ring which was clearly visible above the plain. The covering bombardment of energy beams from the small black ships had not faded out yet but only 5 or 6 enemy units kept up a continuous fire, aimed at the hole in the other universe.
The shimmering ring appeared to rush toward them. The fingers of energy from the Druufs reached for them—but were too slow.
And then the Sherbourne was through the opening.
Behind them the dark skies paled and once more became blue and clear. The sandy desert of Tats-Tor seemed to hurtle past them while Sikerman threw in the retro-thrusters.