Perry Rhodan Lemuria 1: Ark of the Stars by Frank Borsch

Author:Frank Borsch
Language: eng
Format: mobi, azw, epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Publisher: Perry Rhodan digital
Published: 2015-10-07T11:00:00+00:00

15

What a day.

First, the maphan called her into the holy sanctuary of the control center, then they stumbled on a gigantic Lemurian ship—the largest artifact found in centuries from the time of the First Humanity!—and finally, Jere von Baloy let her stay in the control center, at her own console, quite as though she belonged there.

Solina Tormas wondered what further wonders awaited her.

She did not have to wait long.

Hardly a quarter hour after the Palenque had launched its peculiar fighters, the Espejel announced, "Maphan, the Terrans are calling. Their commander wants to speak with you!"

Jere von Baloy sent the faintest hint of an all-knowing smile in Echkal cer Lethir's direction and said, "Put them through, Netkim. We don't want to waste any more time here."

Solina understood the underlying meaning of his remark. The Las-Toór had matched its speed with the Lemurian ship. At just below light-speed, each minute on board the Lemurian ship corresponded to one hundred minutes in the Blue system—so time was passing quite quickly. It was regrettable, but there was nothing to be done at the moment if they didn't want to give up their claim to the discovery. And no one on board would consider that, certainly not Solina. Floating above her in the holo, the huge cylinder with its long, antennae-like feelers filled her with a powerful yearning. There, the early history of her people waited for her—and possibly even living history. The head of the Terran commander displaced the image of the Lemurian ship. She had an angular face set in a military-neutral expression, an effect that was not softened by almond-colored eyes and a smooth fall of shining hair. The holo showed her body only to just below her shoulders, but it was enough to see that she wore a black, tightly fitting uniform that reminded Solina unpleasantly of the security forces on Drorah.

"Sharita Coho, commander of the Terran prospecting ship Palenque," she introduced herself, speaking the intergalactic language of Intercosmo.

"Jere von Baloy, Maphan of the Akonian explorer ship Las-Toór," came the reply, also in Intercosmo.

For a moment there was silence as the two tried to size each other up.

The Terran's expression gave nothing away, but Solina wondered what was going through her head at the sight of Jere von Baloy in his dirty overalls. This was supposed to be a starship commander? On the other hand ... Solina had never before looked a Terran commander in the face, but somehow the Akonian had pictured it differently: more relaxed, certainly not in uniform. But as a historian, Solina knew that when one looked more closely, things were always different than one imagined them.

"You look like a man who appreciates frankness," the Terran said. "Therefore I won't waste any time: you're wasting your time. We were here first, so just go away!"

"Not so fast," Jere von Baloy replied, giving the Terran his most radiant smile. "Isn't there an old Terran proverb, 'Good things take time'? We are ready and willing to compare the log data in our syntrons with yours.

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