Destroyer Z-82 kept on its course going straight toward the Stardust without any action from its artillery pieces.

Tiff didn't notice this change at once; he was concentrating too much on advancing toward the s.p.a.cesphere as close as possible, in order to increase the effectiveness of the death-dealing rays. Not until the very last moment did he let the helm-jets come into play so that Ray would also have a chance to shoot off a thrust of fire at the opponent.

Tiff moved the steering lever to the right but Z-82 remained on the same course.

The slender craft raced straight toward the protective energy screen of the Stardust, collided with it at an obtuse angle and was propelled forward with almost no change of direction. The impact imparted a slight spin to the destroyer. Tumbling slowly, the Z-82 was gliding into the s.p.a.ce between Mars and Earth. The energy supply was completely cut off. The artificial gravitational fields that were used to neutralize the increase in G's failed completely. Tiff was thrown out of his seat when the ship hit the Stardust's energy field. He sailed clear through the control centre till he hit his head against a brace. He was knocked out for a second. Then he realized with amazement that he had become weightless.

Pete and Ray more or less shared his fate. The Mexican was suspended from the ceiling, head downwards, trying all the time in vain to reach the firing b.u.t.ton of his cannon in order to continue with the senseless shooting. Ray was not quite as lucky. He toppled over sideways from his chair and hit his head against the controls of his neutron-beamer. He lost consciousness immediately.

Bell observed on his screen how Tiff's ship was drifting out into s.p.a.ce. Then he turned to the little mouse-beaver, who had just returned from his mission.

Pucky looked none the worse for the tremendous strain he had just gone through when he teleported himself back and forth between the Stardust and the Z-82 and deployed his telekinetic skills.

The mouse-beaver rubbed his little nose with his paw and yawned loudly. Suddenly he gave out a whistling sound, grinned, very pleased with himself, and bared his lonely incisor. "It was pretty difficult," he admitted; "I'd like to know who thought up that barrier installation in that reactor. I could hardly move it."

"But you made it alright!" Bell was triumphant. He bent down to gently rub his little friend's brown fur. "Tiff's ship has no energy supply at all. Unless we pick him up and rescue him he'll drift in for a little visit to the planet Pluto."

Major Nyssen pointed at the observation screen. He seemed quite worried. "It's high time we get to them."

"Don't be too alarmed, we'll bring them back to the Stardust and anchor their ship outside. Then we'll get those poor devils under Dr. Manoli's care as fast as we can. He'll teach them quickly again who's their friend and master."

And with stupendous acceleration the giant s.p.a.cesphere set out on its chase after the helplessly drifting Z-82.

7/ ULTIMATUM.

Allan D. Mercant left his headquarters rather unwillingly but Rhodan's invitation to come to Terrania had sounded very official and urgent. Mercant was under the impression that he wasn't the only one to be invited there. Later on it turned out that he was correct in this a.s.sumption.

Within a few hours the jet carried him to Asia. As he was arriving at the airport of Terrania, climbing on stiff legs out of the cabin and then walking the short stretch to the barrier gate, another machine came in for a landing. Five minutes later he recognized the lone pa.s.senger of that machine as the President of the Asiatic Federation. There was no reception committee for either Mercant or the president to welcome them on their arrival. Now the president strode over to Mercant, his face clearly expressing his surprise.

"You-?" the Chinese murmured while his perplexity rose. Then he narrowed his eyes to a slit and stretched out his hand in greeting to the Chief of the Terranian Defence Federation. "So you received an invitation too."

"Would I have come here otherwise?" replied Mercant and shook hands with the other man. "I didn't want to miss the important disclosures Rhodan promised us."

The President of the AF, a husky, tall Chinese, shook his head. "They haven't even found it necessary to come and get us from the airport. Or are we supposed to walk on foot from here to Terrania?"

"There are plenty of taxis outside," Mercant enlightened him, remembering his last visit to the capital city of the New Power. "Could be that Rhodan wants to avoid any notice of our coming."

"Then let's go. I hope I've enough change on me to pay for the taxi," remarked the Chinese.

"They're free of charge here in Terrania," Mercant rea.s.sured him.

The Chinese pressed his narrow diplomat's satchel tightly under his arm and started to move in the direction of the exit.

"I'm quite surprised though," said Mercant, "that there isn't as much traffic here at the airport as usual. It looks half asleep. There's hardly anyone around."

An Arkonide service robot was sitting at the gate and let them pa.s.s without checking on them. Mercant presumed that their brain-wave patterns must have been programmed in the automaton's positronic brain. That meant that their arrival and reception had been planned in all details.

But why then no reception committee such as always welcomed VIP's?

Mercant decided to drop the subject. Rhodan did nothing without having a valid reason behind it. There must have been some weighty motivation for his behaviour. While they were walking across the wide square toward the waiting cabs, Mercant recalled once more the text of the invitation. It had been quite brief and to the point:

Allan D. Mercant, Chief of the TDF. You are herewith requested to take part in an extraordinary session of the New Power and the rest of the various terrestrial power blocs. This meeting will clear up many vital questions for all concerned parties.

Perry Rhodan President of the New Power

A taxi driver opened the door for them, waited until they had got into the cab. Then he brought them by the fastest route to the modern metropolis. Mercant's attempt to start a conversation with the driver failed. The man simply would not reply. Besides he acted as if he had no idea that his pa.s.sengers were quite prominent people.

Mercant soon forgot his problems. Beneath them lay the most modern city in the world with its towering skysc.r.a.pers, wide ribbons of roads and the gigantic green recreational s.p.a.ces. Flying very low the aircab crossed the central square of the dry, which was framed on all four sides by the official government buildings of the New Power.

The square wasn't empty today.

To Mercant's utmost astonishment he observed that a regular army had lined up on parade down there. There wasn't too much he could recognize from up above but still he could make out not only soldiers but also heavy artillery pieces. In between were armoured tanks with their impenetrable Arkonite hulls.

With very alert eyes the Chinese regarded the military spectacle. He cleared his throat and spoke to Mercant. "I wonder whether there is any connection between this display and our meeting?"

Mercant shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know but perhaps Rhodan will be good enough to explain the purpose of this demonstration. But it could also be just a victory parade to honour those men who defeated the Supermutant."

The corners of the AF president's mouth drooped. "As far as I can recall, this Supermutant managed to escape. Rhodan conquered merely his hiding place."

Mercant felt anger rising inside him. "What do you mean by 'merely'? After all, Rhodan was successful in liberating 12 men from the clutches of the so called Supermutant. I'm afraid you don't quite realize in what danger all of us have been. We all owe thanks to Perry Rhodan that he was able to break the mutant master's power."

"Wasn't the Supermutant Rhodan's enemy and not ours?" suggested the Chinese. Mercant noticed that the taxi was coming in for the landing now. He decided to change the topic. "Perhaps we'll soon learn more about this affair. Look, we're landing on the Government heliport. That's a sure sign that our pilot here knew all along who his pa.s.sengers were and where he was supposed to take them. Well, let's let them surprise us."

They touched down on a circular place covered with white gravel. Here for the first time it became quite obvious that they were being expected. Flanked by two high officers, Reginald Bell advanced in an almost solemn pace, greeted first the President of the AF then-with a glance imploring for understanding-Mercant.

"Gentlemen, you are late. The other guests are already waiting impatiently for you. May I ask you to follow me, please!"

It was actually not a question but a request. Before Mercant could put in a word, Bell turned on his heels and walked ahead of them. The two officers moved to either side of Mercant and the Chinese and led them on, walking behind the Minister of the Security Forces of the New Power.

Mercant used this opportunity to glance swiftly toward the troops which were standing at attention on the central square. One could hardly avoid noticing this powerful display of disciplined might.

With a shock he realized suddenly that the rows upon rows of motionless, quietly waiting soldiers were not genuine soldiers at all. They were glittering robots, each armed with a super heavy hand pulse-raygun. Also the mobile pieces of artillery were manned by robots. There was not a single living soul to be seen on this square.

The uncanny silence and immobility of the una.s.sailable army made such a deep impression on Mercant that he followed after Bell and the President of the AF with an indescribable sense of helplessness. His only hope was that the President of the AF too would sense the implied threat behind this demonstration of the strength of the New Power.

But he quickly revised this view and thought instead: warning!

It was a small and very functional room. One of its walls consisted of an oversized videoscreen which was not on at present. At a semi-circular table sat four men: Mercant and the presidents of the Western and Eastern Blocs and of the Asiatic Federation.

Across from them, and a little higher, were seated five persons. Perry Rhodan in the middle, to his right his representative Colonel Freyt and Bell. To Rhodan's left, the Arkonides Khrest and Thora with impenetrable miens. Thora's reddish eyes rested impa.s.sively on the faces of the most powerful men on Earth.

Rhodan's hands were resting on a small box on which 10 red b.u.t.tons could be seen. Next to each b.u.t.ton was a tiny sign with some inscription.

Rhodan lifted his head and contemplated the faces of the four men across the table who looked up to him eagerly and expectantly. There was a fine, hardly observable smile in Rhodan's eyes, mixed with a cold blaze which seemed to contain a warning.

"Gentlemen," began Perry Rhodan with a friendliness which was in sharp contrast to the atmosphere in the room. "You've probably been wondering why I invited you to come to this discussion here in Terrania. You are quite justified in doing so. But I won't keep you much longer in suspense. Before I state my demands a few explanations are in order."

The President of the AF leaned forward. "Demands?" he said in disbelief and surprise.

Bell grinned sideways at him with a rather friendly smile. Rhodan nodded curtly without moving a muscle in his face. "Demands-you have heard me correctly, Mr. President. But let this now be your least worry. Right now there are other things of far greater immediate interest to you-and all of you, gentlemen, by the way."

Rhodan glanced at the little box and pushed a b.u.t.ton.

The outsize videoscreen was clearly visible to all; it almost looked like a movie screen. The room was fairly dark so that the three-dimensional colour pictures looked lifelike.

The spectators reacted with bewilderment when they recognized what Rhodan planned to show to them. Partially, these events had taken place within their own realms of power and were still quite vivid in their memories.

Strike of the machinists in Detroit, USA.

Revolution in Brazil.

An attempt on the life of the chief delegate of the Eastern Bloc on the occasion of his visit to London and the resulting diplomatic complications.

Rebellion of the workers in Siberia.

Race riots in the USA.

Rise of the crime rate in j.a.pan.

Famine in China due to the failure of those officials in charge of agriculture and the food industry.

The events were unfolding continuously on the plcture screen, without commentary or sound. This heightened the effectiveness of the presentation.

Then the screen darkened again. The four men looked questioningly at Rhodan. Finally the President of the Western Bloc cleared his throat. "What is all that supposed to mean? We are all familiar with this from our recent news programs and TV reports. I'm sure you haven't had us come all this way here just to show us these news pictures."

"Quite right!" Rhodan answered and placed his finger on the next b.u.t.ton. "Let's go on."

What came now were older war pictures from the worldwide conflagrations that had periodically wracked mankind from World War I to the latest atomic conflict which had been nipped in the bud thanks to Rhodan's energetic intervention. These scenes, too, unrolled on the videoscreen without any additional commentary.

Rhodan removed his hand from the little box as soon as the screen grew dark again. He looked straight at the four men. "You have just witnessed a demonstration of cause and effect. Wars are always caused by some reason or other. If we believe now that we have overcome any future threats of war we are sadly mistaken, as events here have demonstrated so clearly. There are still revolutions, strikes, dissatisfactions and armed conflicts. There is still distrust and suspicion amongst the members of the human race, though we have already crossed the threshold to a new era. You know all this, gentlemen-but you are ignorant of one vital fact: one man alone is responsible for a large part of these causative events. I'm referring to the Supermutant, Clifford Monterny."

Murmuring and restlessness broke out among the audience which had been so silently attentive all along. Mercant leaned forward and gazed into Rhodan's eyes. There was a deep fold in the middle of his forehead; he opened his mouth as if he wanted to speak but no sound came out.

"The mutant master?" asked an unbelieving president of the Eastern Bloc.

"Yes, he is responsible to a large extent for these catastrophes on Earth. The second guilty party is none other than you, Gentlemen. Yes, you are also to be blamed for all the misery that still rules over mankind. How difficult it is for you to overcome your past; you cannot forget the old ways. However! The mutant master's example has taught us that a divided world may always be at the mercy of an individual if the latter is a positive mutant but endowed with negative character traits. For the time being I have smashed the Supermutant's command centre but don't a.s.sume that all danger has been removed now. Even if Clifford Monterny should be dead, such a threat will always be hanging over our heads. There will forever arise new supermutants, new slave masters-forever and ever."

Rhodan pushed once more on another b.u.t.ton. The bright videoscreen showed suddenly a true-to-life image of the universe. At first the people viewing the screen could not ascertain which section of the universe this was supposed to represent. But then they recognized a brightly flaring nova.

"That," said Rhodan with chilling calm, "used to be a solar system like our own. It too contained only one inhabited planet. Its people were intelligent and vital but also ambitious and narrow-minded in a cosmic sense. They constructed the best weapons to fight each other. And then, one day the Topides, a lizard-like intelligent race, found that solar system and attacked and destroyed it. They met with no defence preparations for the native inhabitants had been too busy making each other's lives miserable. Well, they got rid of all worries, their petty squabbles and compet.i.tive wars with one fell sweep."

Rhodan pointed at the flaming nova. "That's all that remained of their sun and the rest of its eleven planets."

The picture faded away and the screen was dark again.

Breathless silence had fallen over the room.

Rhodan cleared his throat. "I see you have grasped the meaning of my message. Alright, I'm asking you now: Is that the fate you'd desire for mankind? Do you want our own sun to some day flare up into a nova, ignited by the horrendous powers of an extraterrestrial intelligent race?"

"We are strong enough to ward off any attack," countered the President of the AF. "We have weapons..."

"True, you have weapons," Rhodan interrupted sarcastically. He quickly exchanged glances of agreement with Mercant, who was on his side as Rhodan knew. "But why do you have these weapons? To defend your own Asiatic Federation! Not until you produce arms solely for the defence of all mankind, of all the world, will this make sense. But let's return to the Supermutant for a moment. I've learned from his mutants that he was busy adding fuel to the discord among our nations, was inciting them to riots, caused strikes and headed them towards war. He is a hypno, gentlemen. He took over the will power of influential politicians and used them to his own nefarious ends. He might even have exerted his influence on you. Now that he has fled from our globe, temporarily I a.s.sume. I give you this good advice: use this breathing s.p.a.ce well. Find new ways to unite the governments of the AF, the Eastern Bloc and the Western Bloc to one single, united force. That is the demand I mentioned earlier! It is not a new request, you must admit. New this time is the limit I am setting for the fulfilment of my demand. Unless a World government has become a reality by one year from today, I'll bring about this unification without your consent. And I shall use for this purpose all,the means I have at my disposal."

Mercant regarded the empty screen. His face was devoid of any expression.

The three presidents had jumped up in unison and stared furiously at Perry Rhodan. When their eyes met his icy cold, determined glance they fell back into their seats. The faces of the two Arkonides showed no emotion whatsoever. Colonel Freyt and Reginald Bell had a hard time suppressing a violent desire to grin.

"We could conduct some preliminary talks," the President of the Western Bloc moaned painfully. He threw a pleading glance at his two colleagues. "The organization of a World government..."

"Is not so difficult," interrupted Rhodan. "Just imagine Earth threatened by a gigantic danger. You'd be surprised how fast you'd find a solution then. By the way, I can a.s.sure you that this threat is not a figment of my imagination. It is very real, as long as Clifford Monterny is alive and undefeated."

"We'll think about it," said the President of the Eastern Bloc.

"Don't think! Act!" Rhodan ordered. "And this goes for all of you. Get used to the idea it's better to live in harmony some day with all the lizards and spider-like races-or whatever shape the various intelligent life forms in the universe come in. Gentlemen, the final decision of how and under what form the world government will come about rests with you alone. The decision whether it will come to pa.s.s is mine." And for the first time Rhodan smiled. "You may believe me, this decision has already been reached."

Rhodan motioned to Bell.

The Minister of Security of the New Power rose. "This concludes our meeting, gentlemen. May I invite you to watch a parade of our troops which has been arranged in your honour. Afterwards, a reception for you has been planned by our diplomatic corps. Later tonight, our jets will return you to your countries. Will you follow me, please!"

Wordlessly the three presidents followed Reginald Bell out of the room. None seemed to notice that Allan D. Mercant remained behind and was led to an adjoining room by Perry Rhodan.

"...which is why its imperative that we don't rest till the mutant master has been rendered harmless or finished off for good, Mercant." It was Rhodan speaking. "I myself will stay here on Earth but Reg will resume pursuit of the fugitive. We've already a.s.sembled a small fleet for the sole purpose of finding the Supermutant."