Perry Rhodan 0097 by (89) Powers Price

Author:(89) Powers Price [Price, Powers]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-12-30T02:00:19.425000+00:00

* * * *

On board the Drusus it was the beginning of the 5th hour of waiting. The operators at the hypersensors were yawning as their alertness gradually wavered. Suddenly, however, they came alive. Their tracking instruments flashed a proximity alarm.

Lt. Brack at range control beat them to the punch: "Spaceship! Distance is 2.4 million km., Colonel!"

"The course…?"

Then the data began to rattle out like a hailstorm. The ship’s computer automatically registered all indicator inputs and proceeded to process them. The Drusus ’ power stations instantly switched the reserve energy banks into full-load distribution. A siren whined in the Fire Control Central and 3 eerily glowing red lights came on.

Top alert!

The Drusus ’ impulse engines groaned aloud as though pausing for an instant to take a deep breath and then they blasted forth with all their thundering power. The vast ship came out of freefall and picked up speed. At the same time the antigrav generators set up their deep-throated rumbling. Power plants 11

through 14 were feeding their total outputs into the anti-detection screens. Only ships of the Stardust and Imperium class were able to generate anti-screens of this magnitude and hold them stable.

"Alien ship undercuts our course at…" And again came the readouts, degrees, timing factors and all other pertinent data.

With the flip of a switch Sikerman ordered the positronic nav-computer to regulate the Drusus ’ course. The distance of the alien vessel narrowed perceptibly.

"Ship class? Gentlemen, what’s holding up the show?" urged the Colonel.

"Still need 2 more inputs… It looks like… Colonel, it’s a Solten type! Zep-shaped—no mistake!"

"Thank you! Baldur Sikerman leaned slightly toward his panel microphone. "Fire Control! By order 1, you’re free to fire!"

The confirmation was like an echo: "By order 1, free to fire!" But the guns of the Drusus still remained silent. Order 1 required the superbattleship to make a closer approach to the target vessel.

The compartments of the Drusus began to set up a rumble. This effect was characteristic of all spherical spaceships when their engines were under full power. Even the Arkonides had so far been unable to eliminate these resonance effects which under sustained full-power flight could be fatiguing to both men and machines.

The Fire Control officer was oblivious to the hull rumble. He was reading the range data coming from the ship’s computer and he could see by his panel scopes that his gun positions were aligned with the tiny target blip.

Then the range indicators flashed green!

It appeared that the positronicon was as familiar with Order 1 as Col. Sikerman or the Fire Control officer.

Green-fire free… The signal came through to pulsator cannon 4.

Sustained fire, 3 seconds. Energy consumption 10, the minimum amount for this duration and range. The energy consoles of power station 2 only registered the emission on their pen graphs but the main gauges did not move.

The Fire Control officer reported laconically to Col. Sikerman in Control Central: "Direct hit, by order 1."

Nobody in Control Central was surprised that the small zep-shaped ship continued on its course unhindered.

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