#40 - Challenge of the Unknown by Clark Darlton

Author:Clark Darlton [Clark Darlton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Publisher: Ace Books
Published: 1973-01-15T08:00:00+00:00

* * * *

Half an hour later, when they took the lift up to the command centre of the Titan, Colonel Freyt was waiting for them. He seemed to be very agitated about something. Thora and Pucky sat on a couch in one corner; the tender hand of the Arkonide woman moved loving fingers through the fur of the mousebeaver, who grunted his satisfaction at even intervals and appeared to have forgotten all of his problems. When Rhodan and his companions entered, he straightened up and swept Marshall with a brief surveillance, sounding out his thoughts.

He chirped casually, "You report first, John. I have time." And he lay back and closed his eyes. Thora was left no recourse other than to resume her previous activity.

Rhodan greeted Freyt but signalled him off when he wanted to talk. "Wait, Colonel. First I have to ask Marshall some questions. During our little journey into town we didn’t dare because we were under telepathic surveillance. Well, Marshall, what is your impression of the Zarlt? Does he speak the truth?"

"You’re going to be surprised—he speaks the truth. He did not withhold anything from you and in no instance did he lie."

Rhodan seemed to be disappointed—and on the other hand not. "Good. Then we know where we stand. The Zarlt wants power over the decaying Empire. Since his people are more energetic and capable than the race of the Arkonides, there would presumably be no particular disadvantage to speak of—yet in spite of it all I have second thoughts. The Zalites are basically of a provincial mould; I don’t know if they can learn to think in cosmic terms. In rulership of the Empire they see only their own advantage. Am I right, Marshall?"

"Correct. I have the same impression. But don’t you think they might change for the better, once they have the responsibility of such power?"

Rhodan smiled. "Never! Anybody who is accustomed to restricted provincial thinking won’t change from one day to another into a cosmopolitan. Oh, of course it’s possible—but I have an uneasy feeling about this. If I only knew what it was that keeps me from trusting the Zarlt… In my presence he did not he to me, that is true. And yet it seems to me that what he said was not what he thought…"

"I was able to monitor him," defended Marshall. "He said exactly what he was thinking."

Rhodan shook his head. "Strange, really very strange." He looked at Colonel Freyt. "Well? What’s eating you? Has something happened?"

"Plenty!" complained Freyt, his face darkening slightly. "My men have lost their marbles—some of them, anyway."

"Huh?"

"Yes. Admittedly harmless stuff but anyway I don’t get it. They do nutty things and then when you ask them about it, presumably they don’t know what you’re talking about. I keep bumping into the craziest sleepwalkers."

"Sleepwalkers?" Rhodan became very thoughtful.

Pucky straightened up on the cough and revealed his incisor tooth. The mousebeaver was grinning somewhat disrespectfully.

"That’s right, and when you talk to them they wake up as if from a trance.

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