Perry Rhodan (005a) Space Battle in the Vega Sector by Kurt Mahr

Author:Kurt Mahr [Kurt Mahr]
Format: epub
Tags: Unknown
Publisher: Ace Books
Published: 2010-01-03T09:00:35+00:00

CHAPTER 6

The manoeuvre had not been easy, inasmuch as it had been carried out deep within the heavy gravitational pull of a giant planet. Even Khrest was amazed at the size of this world, which must have measured three times the diameter of Jupiter.

The wreckage of former spaceships had already started the slow, inexorable drift downward into the grip of the heavy gravitation by the time Rhodan could match the Good Hope’s speed and course for salvage operations. After a protracted search in the vacuum of space they had found one survivor. That, and only that. There was nothing more.

When they pulled the creature in through the airlock with the traction beam, they found it close to death by asphyxiation. Also the body of the alien displayed a number of burns, evidently caused by the ultraviolet rays of mighty Vega. The entity had initially cowered in its seat in the control room, intimidated and shaking with fear, until the helpful attentions Of Doctors Haggard and Manoli demonstrated that no one here was intent upon taking its life.

Yes, it was a Ferron, they decided; a descendant of those beings which the Arkonide search expedition had discovered 10,000 years before. Of course, its race had long since outgrown the age of primitive gunpowder weapons. Rhodan thought that actually the Ferrons should have developed further than was apparent. Humankind on Earth had required only five hundred years to graduate from fire to the first satellite rocket. By that yardstick the Ferrons should have long since conquered interstellar travel.

Their means of propulsion had developed only to that stage, however, which required a furtherance of the principles involved in order to progress. The fact finally emerged that the Ferrons lacked the mental capacity, by their nature, to think in fifth-dimensional terms and to work out a corresponding system of mathematics, They were simply not so constituted. Without a high order of mathematics, which ultimately required an exceptional power of the imagination, space travel beyond the speed of light was not possible. So they utilized their extremely reliable quanta propulsion system, which at least had permitted them to achieve the speed of light.

On the other hand they had developed such a marvellous technology of micromechanics that Rhodan’s cursory examination of ship parts they had picked up caused him to whistle softly. All in all it had to be recognized that the Ferrons were far ahead of Earth in every respect. It would be some time yet before the intelligent race of Earthmen might reach such a state unaided. Of course, the Ferrons were immeasurably behind the superior technology of the Arkonides.

When the Ferron was brought on board and his thinking processes emerged from the lethargy of total exhaustion, Rhodan made an announcement over the ship’s P.A. system. "He’s coming to. With the help of telepathy the mutants will try to establish rapport as a basis of understanding with him. Nevertheless I must insist that everyone avoid the concept or expression of ‘Earth’ or ‘Terra.’ Don’t forget the location of our home planet must remain a secret.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.