The Last Days of Lemuria, page 18
part #5 of Perry Rhodan Lemuria Series
Flying into the heavily defended central system of the Lemurian Empire was a risky undertaking.
"Very well," Levian Paronn said, his determination making his voice sound louder than usual. "We will set course for the Apsu System. Maximum velocity. I want to reach our destination as quickly as possible."
Without a word, Tolot activated the semispace engines.
Seconds later, the double-star system of Torbu disappeared from the vidscreens and gave way to the red streaks of the intermediate dimension.
They were on the way to Lemur.
19
The cabin into which Levian Paronn had retired was designed for a Beast, and he seemed like a small child on the gigantic, bulky couch. In the background rumbled the impulse engines and the semispace drive's Hyperdim converter. With each minute, each light-year put behind them, the Apsu System grew closer, as did the completion of his fateful mission.
Up to now, the flight had proceeded without incident, but with each pause between the semispace stages, there was a threat of discovery by the Beasts—or worse, by a Lemurian squadron. A lone Beast ship would be considered easy prey.
Paronn lay on the couch, stared at the high ceiling, and tried to calm his churning emotions, but he didn't succeed. Exhilaration alternated with deep depression, righteous anger gave way to pessimistic desperation.
He would not be able to save the Great Tamanium.
His great plan, born of desperation, changing the course of history by going back into the past, could not be accomplished.
The Lemurian people was doomed. Lemuria would fall, sink beneath the waves of the ocean, and it would not be long until no one remembered it any more.
That was the most terrible of all possibilities, even though in the end the Lemurians would still vanquish the Beasts and turn them into peaceful beings, if Tolot had told the truth.
The question was, could he trust this Beast from the future? Who could guarantee that it wasn't feeding him false or incomplete information in order to manipulate him by subtle means? And even if what it had said about the course of history and the situation in a future more than 50,000 years away was true—perhaps the time mission still could be carried out.
Perhaps Tolot only wanted to prevent the shape of time from being changed and thus giving the future a new form.
Reflectively, Paronn reached for his Cell Activator and thought of what the Beast had said about the being called IT. Perhaps a Superintelligence did in fact hide behind the Twelfth Hero, helpfully intervening in the Lemurians' fortunes. Even so, that didn't change anything about the significance of his mission. Just the opposite. It only made it all the more pressing and important.
A highly advanced entity that had simultaneous access to the past, present, and future must have had a good reason to make him an immortal. It could only mean that he—somehow—would be successful, because IT knew, after all, how coming events would play out.
Paronn sighed.
Tolot's description of the star arks that he would construct deep in the past and send on a dilation flight lasting for thousands of years was unquestionably fascinating. That scenario at least explained the Cell Activator. He would have to be immortal to be able to accompany one of the arks all the way to its destination. He would also have to have immortal helpers to guide the other arks as well.
From Tolot's viewpoint, all that had already happened. He had built the arks and successfully sent them on their long journey. So he would be able to make other Cell Activators as well.
But did that necessarily mean his original plan couldn't be carried out?
Everything within him yearned to destroy the Beasts completely and save the Great Tamanium. The Lemurians might be able to transform the Beasts into peaceful beings in the end by means of the Psychogenic Regenerator, but that wasn't enough for him. It was too little, much too little. After all the spilled blood, the massacres and terrible devastation. After all the horrible things they had done to the Lemurians, they had earned death.
All of them, without exception.
And hadn't Tolot himself said that the Beasts would become active again in the distant future? That meant their pacification hadn't been one-hundred percent successful. They still represented a danger. They were still out for war.
They had to be wiped out.
There was no other solution.
And he already had an idea how he could eliminate the old enemy.
The Anti-Beast Weapon in the Ichest System and the time machine on Gorbas were the means he could employ to exterminate the four-armed monsters. He just had to revise his original plan a little, and think on a larger scale.
Excitement gripped Levian Paronn. He leaped up from the massive couch and paced back and forth in the undecorated cabin.
First, he must follow exactly the scenario that Tolot had described in order not to make the Beast suspicious. He couldn't afford having his plans ruined at the last moment. So he would go back in time to the year 4500 dha-Tamar, build the star arks over the course of a century, and then go with them on the long dilation flight. Everything would proceed in accordance with the course of events on Icho Tolot's future time line.
But later, when he assumed the identity of the Akonian Achab ta Mentec, he would secretly gather information. About the mysterious First Vibratory Power that Tolot had mentioned and which was the master of the Beasts. He would discover the intergalactic position of its home system, and learn about the propulsion technologies that were used to cross the enormous gulfs between the galaxies.
And when the right time came, he would go to the Ichest System and appropriate the Anti-Beast Weapon for himself. With that weapon and the assembled data about the First Vibratory Power, he would use the time machine on Gorbas to go back to the year 6290, thirty years before the outbreak of the war. He would hand the weapon and the information over to the Lemurian fleet command and push for a comprehensive armaments program. So, when the Beasts attacked, the Lemurians would be ready.
They would utterly destroy the enemy with the Anti-Beast Weapon and at the same time send a fleet to the home system of the First Vibratory Power to destroy the evil at its source.
They would exterminate the Beasts and their masters.
After that, no one would threaten the Great Tamanium any longer. The Lemurian people would be saved and under his leadership rise to heights of even greater glory. They would settle the entire galaxy of Apsuhol and the neighboring galaxy of Karahol, and push onwards, ever onwards out into the universe ...
If this plan also meant the end of the peaceful Halutians ... very well. Sacrifices had to be made. And if with this venture into time he wiped out the existence of the Second Humanity and the descendants of the Lemurians like the Arkonides or the Tefrodians, it was regrettable but basically unimportant.
They didn't even exist yet. They were now, in the year 6417 dha-Tamar, only possibilities in the pattern of time, not realities.
He couldn't—he mustn't take them into consideration.
He was obligated only to the Lemurians.
Paronn stopped and took a deep breath.
Possibly that was the mission that the Twelfth Hero had given him. If it was correct that Vehraáto was identical with the Superintelligence IT, then IT must have considerable interest in a peaceful, harmonious course of events in the realm it controlled.
A sphere of influence that was ruled by a homogenous bloc of Lemurians, instead of by quarreling Lemurian descendants and unpredictable alien races, must be vastly more in line with IT's goals.
He felt drunk, intoxicated by the magnificent prospects opening up before him, the fateful processes that he would set in motion. Once more the prophetic words of the Twelfth Hero echoed within him. For the first time he understood the deeper, utterly colossal truth that lay behind them.
You will accomplish great things, Levian Paronn. You have been chosen to do things that no one else has done before you. Things that anyone else would consider impossible, but not you.
"I will not disappoint you, Vehraáto," he whispered into the constant rumbling of the impulse engines that filled the cabin like the muttering of a giant.
Tears filled his eyes as he realized the enormity of his task, the unimaginable consequences that his actions would have. In the end, justice would triumph. Tolot had told him that the Beasts' hatred and destructive urge were based on the Lemurians' early experiments with time travel. The First Vibratory Power had a pathological fear that intervening in the past would nullify its own existence. What wonderful irony that it was the Beasts' attack that forced the Lemurians to destroy them with just such an intervention in time ... !
His com-wristband hummed and he gave a start like a thief caught red-handed. He cleared his throat and switched the unit to Receive. It was Merhon Velsath.
"We are approaching the Apsu System, Technad," his scientific assistant said. "Your presence in the control center is required." "I'm coming," Paronn answered.
He took a deep breath and felt a knot of tension in his chest. The crucial moment was almost here. They were about to fly into the central system of the Great Tamanium—in a Beast ship. They could only hope that no overzealous fleet commander felt obligated to destroy the presumed enemy ship before they had a chance to explain everything.
With hurried steps he left the cabin and made his way to the bridge. The members of the Torbutan base crew were camped in the wide corridors, visibly the worse for wear from the long flight, the forced inactivity, and the poor nutrition of the last few days. Supplies had grown short and it was a blessing that they had finally reached their destination.
The men and women reluctantly made way for him, and out the corner of his eye he caught hostile, hate-filled expressions. Many had still not forgiven him for working together with the Beast, even though that collaboration had saved their lives. Without Icho Tolot's help they would have all died on Torbutan.
He ignored their looks and the muttered imprecations that accompanied him as he walked by, and entered the control center. Besides the Beast, Merhon Velsath, and Ruun Lasoth, two armed soldiers were in the room. Paronn had officially declared that it was a security measure in case Tolot was playing some dishonest game of his own. In truth though, he'd had the two armed guards posted here only to reassure his crew.
If Tolot really had attempted to deceive them and fly to a Beast base planet, they couldn't have stopped him even with armed force.
But the Beast, no, the Halutian, as he called himself, had kept his word.
Tolot turned his massive command chair towards Paronn and said in his rumbling voice, "We will return to normal space at the edge of the Apsu System in five minutes. I suggest that you make com contact with the Lemurian fleet immediately in order to prevent an attack on us."
"Of course," Paronn murmured. He crossed the control center and sank into the second gigantic chair. His heart was pounding fast and loudly, and his mouth felt dry. He knew how dangerous the following seconds and minutes would be.
Lasoth and Velsath stepped behind his chair and stared expectantly at the monitors showing the red streaks of semispace. Paronn bent over the com controls. During the flight, he had familiarized himself with the ship's systems. He had no problems adjusting the communications console cameras so that only the Lemurians could be seen, and not the enormous Halutian.
If the Lemurian fleet commanders saw a Beast on their vidscreens, they would not hesitate to open fire.
The seconds passed slowly.
Then Tolot said, "Reentry into normal space underway ... now."
In the next moment, the monitor images changed. The bloody, pulsating streaks of the intermediate dimension transformed into the familiar blackness of space, sprinkled with myriads of stars. Apsu itself, the central star of the system, was just a point of light among countless others, billions of kilometers away.
A shrill howling sounded from concealed loudspeakers as the Beast ship's powerful hyperdetectors reacted.
"Three objects at Seventeen-Yellow-F," Tolot rumbled. "Distance twenty-two light-seconds. Identification running ... Objects identified as Lemurian units, two heavy cruisers and one GOLKARTHE-Class battleship ... The ships are accelerating and activating their energy shields and weapons systems."
Paronn switched on the communications console's transmitter and looked directly into the camera. "This is Levian Paronn," he said in a calm, steady voice. "Technical Administrator of Tanta III. I am on board a captured Beast ship and request permission to enter the Apsu System. The ship is completely under Lemurian control. Do not open fire on us."
He waited holding his breath, but only the crackling of static came from the receiver.
"Another seven Lemurian units in Nine-Blue-G." Tolot added in a low voice. "Light cruisers and battlecruisers. Distance one light-minute. They're approaching on an intercept course."
Paronn pressed the Transmit button again. "To all Lemurian units. This is Levian Paronn speaking, Technad of Tanta III. Do not open fire on the Beast ship. It is completely under our control."
There was still no reply. The units of the Lemurian sentry fleet continued to approach, enveloped in their reddish semispace fields, their weapons systems activated and ready to fire.
"They think it's a trick," Velsath said with a raw, trembling voice. "By the old gods, they're going to blow us out of space!"
Ruun Lasoth swore under his breath and bent down to Paronn so his face also appeared in camera range. His voice sounded sharp as he spoke, the voice of a man with authority, who was accustomed to having his orders followed.
"This is Ruun Lasoth, Chief Scientist of the First Tamanium, Special Emissary of High Tam Councilor Merlan, entrusted with a mission that is of crucial importance for the Great Tamanium." He added a brief, thoroughly calculated pause for effect. "I confirm all of Technad Paronn's statements. My authorization code is 7-9-X-B-4-Tolon. Lemurian units, identify yourselves."
This time, only a few short seconds elapsed before a reply was received. The communications monitor lit up and showed the grim face of a Lemurian fleet officer. Suspicion shone in his eyes as he regarded Paronn and Lasoth.
"This is Colonel Korcht, commanding officer of the 9th Peripheral Sentry Fleet," he said tensely. "Your authorization code has been verified, Chief Scientist Lasoth."
Lasoth narrowed his eyes and glared at Korcht. "Then you should deactivate your weapons systems at once. This Beast ship is of utmost importance for the continuation of the war. Our specialists must examine it as soon as possible. Therefore I demand immediate permission to enter the system. In addition, I must speak at once with High Tam Councilor Merlan."
The fleet officer hesitated. The suspicion had still not left his eyes. "I am sorry, Chief Scientist, but I must refuse entry permission until I have sent a boarding party to your ship and verified your claims."
Lasoth snorted. "Are you accusing me of lying?"
"I have my orders," Korcht said stiffly in his defense. "After all, it is conceivable that you are under Beast control."
The Chief Scientist was about to explode in rage, but Paronn laid a soothing hand on his arm. To Korcht he said, "We will wait for the boarding party, Colonel. But I must urge you to hurry. Our mission is of supreme importance for Lemur and further delay cannot be tolerated."
"Of course, Technad," the fleet officer said, nodding. "I will send the inspection team at once." He broke off the connection.
Paronn turned to Tolot. "I suggest you go to your cabin until the boarding party has completed verification. I'm afraid that the presence of a Beast on board would be difficult to explain to Fleet personnel."
Tolot nodded his hemispherical head in understanding and left the control center. The two armed soldiers accompanied him but he ignored them.
Paronn looked back at the main monitor. Colonel Korcht's small squadron, consisting of three units, had almost reached the Beast ship. A small auxiliary craft emerged from one of the heavy cruisers and took off with flaming engine exhausts.
Paronn slowly relaxed.
The greatest danger had been overcome.
He closed his eyes, waiting for the arrival of the boarding party, and thought of what he would do, of the glorious future that he would bestow on the Lemurian people.
20
They had landed at a Fleet base in the southwest of Lemuria, the mighty continent that occupied most of the later Pacific Ocean and merged with the American continent in the east. The base was located only fifty kilometers from Matronis, a city with a population of millions, and the inland sea of Sokaton. The sky over Lemuria was illuminated in a dark purple, and Apsu, the sun, was just a washed-out, pale fleck in the reddish haze. This was the result of the destruction of Zeut, the fifth planet, by the Beasts and the clouds of dust and debris that swirled through the Apsu System and blocked the sun's rays. The temperature was nearly freezing. The icy wind that blew down from the north was an ominous reminder of the glaciers that were pushing out from the poles into the temperate latitudes.
Merhon Velsath had not been on Lemur for more than five years. He had the feeling that the Lemurians' home world was dying. Under normal circumstances, the dawning ice age could be halted by weather control and removal of the interplanetary dust clouds, but circumstances were not normal. The constant attacks of the Beasts prevented any attempt to stop the climactic catastrophe. Many of Lemur's inhabitants had already given up and left the planet. They had flown in enormous convoys to Tanta III and from there had been sent to the twin galaxy Karahol two million light-years away by means of the Hexagonal Star Teleporter.
And the exodus continued.
At the Matronis spaceport, a convoy of one-hundred ships was currently being assembled under the supervision of the famous Commander Drorah. The commander's ancestors had founded the colony of the same name in the 87th Tamanium. If this development continued, Lemur would be completely depopulated in a few years.
