Event was heaped upon event until it was time to go. We were accompanied by the simulated Sotala as we took off in the Ironduke to pay the Ruling Council of Akon an official "courtesy call". The deputy commander of the Arkonide cruiser was Maj. Heintz, a cosmonautics expert from Solar Intelligence. His crew consisted of 750 men as was the custom on heavy cruisers of the Imperium. In those days we still had sufficient manpower because the degeneration of the ruling race had only just begun.

It was only later that I and Rhodan were to transfer to the cruiser along with Jefe Claudrin and several other staff officers from the Ironduke. Our special equipment was already on board the Sotala, such as our uniforms, documents, weapons and whatever went with them.

The Ironduke proceeded in direct linear flight to the near centre of the galaxy where we sent out a message to the Ruling Council. The giant blue sun of Akon, whose 5th planet was the home world of the Akons, had already illuminated our viewscreens when the answering dispatch was received.

Within 10 hours Claudrin started his braking manoeuvres and once more I had an opportunity to admire the beauty of Akon 5. Rhodan had named it Sphynx although the natives referred to it as Drorah.

The reception by several delegates from the Council had been noticeably cool. We were happy to withdraw to the Terran commercial base where almost all the members of the Mutant Corps had assembled.

Two days were taken up with festivities and inspection tours. The Akons had no choice but to show a proper amount of attentiveness to the ruling chief of the Solar Imperium but at the same time it became increasingly evident that the members of the Ruling Council were supporters of the Arkonide rebels. They had given me to understand that my presence on Sphynx could be tolerated for the moment but that it would be in the best interests of their relationship with the new Imperator for me to cut my visit short.

The radio monitoring station at our base had intercepted several hypercom dispatches and decoded them. My successor, Minterol I, was advised that my appearance on Sphynx was unfortunately something that could not very well be hindered, inasmuch as I was in the "retinue" of the Terrans’ Chief of State.

I was no longer concerned about what they thought of me or what conclusions they might draw. I knew that the Zorab was waiting for us at a distance of 10,000 light-years in an almost unknown sector of space. All that remained was for us to steal the time converter.

The mutants had made all the necessary preparations. Rhodan had just returned an hour before from another reception and now he was relaxing in a contour chair while he listened to a report from Corps Chief John Marshall.

Mousebeaver Pucky had gone on a mission with the mutant Kitai Ishibashi, by means of teleportation. It was the latter’s assignment to "prepare" the 4 Akon scientists. Ishibashi’s talent enabled him to use a kind of remote hypnosis to force his will upon other individuals. The resulting mental block or suggestion was hardly noticeable but of long duration. To this extent everything had been done to enable us to "appropriate" the secret device. However, a few problematical items still had to be clarified.

The so-called trading settlement was actually a modern and fully equipped base for Solar Intelligence. On the viewscreens the structures of the main spaceport of Sphynx were discernible. After Perry Rhodan’s discovery of the Blue System the Akons had been forced to take up space flight again. Now as before, however, they still managed their interstellar traffic by means of gigantic matter transmitters, although these were not adequate in a military sense. It had not been too difficult for Rhodan and the Terran Fleet to overcome the system’s defences—after due provocation—and to destroy the satellite power stations. After that the system-wide blue defence screen had ceased to exist.

The Akons had clearly recognized the fact that in spite of their perfected transport technology they would not be able to have any role in galactic affairs unless they built up their space travel once more. Doubtlessly they wouldn’t have been so peaceful if they had been able to call in 10,000 warships to their aid. The Terrans were considered to be intruders. I well knew their opinion of me, the former ruler of a rebellious colonial race. By Akon values the Arkonides were degenerate savages, comparable to galactic vermin, undeserving of notice.

It was calm and peaceful at the city’s new spaceport. There were no robotships of the Regent’s fleet to be seen. Merchant ships of other races were not allowed to land. The Akons maintained a zealous surveillance of their zone of influence which included an unknown number of colonial worlds. All such planets were contacted and supplied exclusively with the help of the giant transmitters. They had set up a communications system which had functioned well until Rhodan discovered the Blue System.

He had startled the Akons out of their calm complacency and now we were feeling the effects of it. The Terran agents had informed us that the Ruling Council maintained relations with the rebels on Arkon. A few months before this, that fact had been denied, but meanwhile conditions had changed.

Rhodan had followed my gaze and become pensive. "It looks quite deserted out there. In a few years it will be swarming with spaceships of every type and description. The Akon ship-building industry will soon be on its way. Considering the high state of science and technology here I’d say we can expect to see some pretty sensational products."

"We won’t have to wait for that, sir," interjected Marshall. "They are already setting their trap for us. Imperator Minterol has been officially recognized. Of course they know he’s only a shadow figure. Our latest investigations have revealed that the Akon government has sent scientific teams to Arkon. Guerilla actions have come to a stop. Within a few months the Regent will be so completely reprogrammed that it will be nothing more than a super computer, stripped of all command functions. This will enable the Akons to become the first nation in the galaxy. They are already making preparations for taking over the Regent’s fleet. The new shipyards represent a heavy expenditure but their chief purpose is to convert the robotships. Things are getting serious, sir."

Rhodan got to his feet. Bordering the territorial region of the Terran settlement the gleaming force lines of the energy screen could be seen. Our hypersensors were reacting continuously. The Akon long-range transmitters were functioning again.

"They’re sending crews to Arkon and the Brain is allowing it," remarked Rhodan. "Well, John, what have you accomplished? ‘Operation Last Ditch’ is becoming critical."

I observed the Ironduke with interest. It was parked in the port sector, which still belonged to the Terran sphere of influence. Jefe Claudrin and the crew were on board. The big warship was in battle readiness. There was still no space vessel on the planets of the Blue System that could have offered it any resistance. The few smaller spaceships of the Akon Energy Command had been destroyed in December of 2102. At that time we knew that the Akons would not take such a blow lying down. On the other hand we had counted on a breathing space of at least 30 years. Even with the Akon state of technology a major fleet-building program could not be realized earlier.

But now thanks to my rebellious countrymen they had found a better way. The Imperium possessed about 100,000 modern robot units which could be quickly converted for human crews. It was a diabolical plan which was characteristic of the Akons.

Marshall’s strategic report was brief. All that was still necessary was to tie down the final details. "The time converter is located at Impton. Akon pride in the accomplishments of their ancestors has led to the erection of a museum city which is called Impton in honour of a famous physicist. The device is cubical and measures 8.3 meters on each side. It rests on a platform that is 5 meters high, which contains the power plant. The latter consists of high-powered reactors of an alien design. A fusion principle is used in it which could not be simulated by present-day Akon scientists. Its power capacity is an unknown factor but we estimate it to be about 50 million kw."

I was impressed. Such power outputs were not unusual, in fact quite commonplace on board the major spaceships, but in such a relatively small machine this was enormous.

"The museum town is closed off by energy barriers and the air space is closely monitored. The only way to take the machine is by putting it to work. That is, the mutants will have to get in unobserved and turn it off. The museum complex was built around 3000 years ago, so we’ll have to go back about 4000 years where we’ll probably be in an open area. We’ll have to bring antigrav transporters with us. In the converter field we’ll be able to move the time-phaser to the place where 4000 years later the Terran trading base is located. That way we’ll have the machine right here. The museum was to be destroyed by means of a nuclear explosion—which will help to explain the sudden disappearance of the time converter."

"How will it be accomplished?" asked Rhodan.

"A special commando detail is standing by. For several days now the Akon service posts have been informed that unknown agents have been wanting to get into Impton to study the products of the ancient Akons. Moreover, according to local security officials, the Terrans are suspected of having something to do with

it."

"No wonder!" I muttered aloud to myself.

Rhodan chuckled.

After checking his watch, Marshall continued. "The scientists who are familiar with the operation of the time-converter will arrive punctually. Kitai is already at work on them. And that’s about it, sir."

I looked about me. The tracking room looked like a military encampment except that the warriors present were not carrying swords and spears. They were equipped with the most modern energy weapons in the Milky Way. I wore a Terran uniform and my white-blond Arkonide hair was concealed by a radio helmet. The best experts of Terra were poised on the threshold of a mission which could decide the fate of the Solar

System.

It was beginning to get dark. The blue sun of the system sank behind the horizon. The dense maze of stars here in the centre of the galaxy appeared so suddenly that it seemed an invisible hand had raised a cosmic curtain.

"Synchronize your watches," said Rhodan. "The scientists will arrive in 2 hours."

My extra-brain was bothering me again. Undoubtedly the men here had worked very thoroughly but nevertheless I was apprehensive. The whole plan was somewhat too bold, especially since nobody could say what the effects of a time-displacement would be. Even if everything succeeded, could the theft off the machine be covered by an explosion so cleverly that no one would guess the truth?

I learned later that I had underestimated Mercant once more. This man knew how to play a double game behind the scenes. It had been an ingenious idea to inform the Akon defence posts of the activity of the Terran agents.

* * * *

The commando detail consisted of 20 men who were led by the telepath John Marshall. Rhodan and I were the last to make the jump. Our teleporters were Pucky and Tako Kakuta. The gravity neutralizer had already gone ahead of us. The combined powers of 3 teleporters had been necessary to bring it to the museum city.

We were wearing Terran combat suits which had been designed after the Arkonide pattern except that the Earthmen had built in some improvements. For example the deflector screens were no longer detectable by instruments because the energy radiations were damped by special absorbers.

Pucky was looking at me with his loyal hound-dog eyes. "Are you nervous?" he asked in his shrill little voice.

"What else would he be?" Rhodan cut in, sounding more harsh than he intended.

The little fellow wrinkled his mouselike snout in an obvious expression of injury. "Why is everybody so uptight? We got here safely, didn’t we? Sure the Akons have set up extra guard details and they even have snooper gadgets at every entrance but there are a thousand rooms alone in the physical section of the museum. They can’t all be watched at once, you know."

"How about the room where the converter is located? Is that strongly guarded?"

"No more and no less than others. They probably think we wouldn’t know what to do with the machine if we had it."

"They’ll soon change their minds about that," commented Rhodan. "Are you ready, Atlan?"

I nodded and bent down to take up Pucky into my arms. He wore a custom-made combatsuit that even accommodated his tail. The little fellow patted my nose. We understood each other.

Moments later came the sensation of dematerialisation. It was the same as ever. Before I could fully register the pulling pain of teleportation I arrived at my destination. Automatically I turned on my deflector field and the micro-reactor responded soundlessly. Pucky still clung to me but he was the only living thing I could see at the moment. The other men of the commando detail who were present were already under the protection of their screens. They were invisible.

My pulse raced almost audibly. In this empty- seeming stillness the weapon in my hand appeared a bit ludicrous. I holstered it and looked around. We had landed in a giant hall that was filled with machinery and equipment that was strange to me. However, all items were provided with nameplates in ancient Arkonide, explaining what each had been used for.

"Use your absorption filter," whispered Pucky.

I reached up to my helmet and swung down the special viewing device. Without affecting normal vision it eliminated the optical effects of the deflector screens. Now I could see the other men who had deployed themselves in a semi-circle in front of an arched doorway.

I carefully placed Pucky on the floor. Ras Tschubai and the third teleporter of the Corps, Tako Kakuta, were beckoning to us. Rhodan moved silently to Marshall, who was standing by an oblong machine. We communicated only by signs and gestures. As for our mutant "seer"—Wuriu Sengu was standing before the partition wall that separated us from the adjacent room. It was there that the converter had been installed. Films previously taken by the mutants indicated that the device had been given a special location. The room was comparatively small and contained no other displays of equipment.

Sengu concentrated his gaze on the wall. The illumination from the few glow tubes on the ceiling seemed to disturb him. After a few moments he raised his hand. His 4 outstretched fingers told us that Akon security had posted a stronger guard than expected around this device which was probably the most valued legacy of their ancestors.

Pucky nudged me. Before I joined Rhodan I noted that the mousebeaver had vanished along with the other teleporters. They had gotten their orders to go fetch the 4 scientists who were familiar with the converter. If everything had gone according to plan, these men would be meeting together about now in order to discuss some things that Ishibashi had previously suggested to them.

What we had in mind wasn’t especially difficult when regarded from the purely practical side; however, the psychological factors involved were by far more important. We had to avoid letting anyone know that the machine had actually disappeared. Otherwise conclusions as to our further intent would be inevitable.

A second "psycho-point", as John Marshall called it, was the 4 scientists. Solar Intelligence had decided to bring them into the museum by force. Their abduction was to be made known to the Akon secret service as soon as the machine was ready to operate. For this purpose it had been arranged for Marshall to be in telepathicontact with a mutant waiting on the outside. The result of such a "tipoff" from unknown sources would be an immediate occupation of the museum area. By that time we should have disappeared with the machine but special combat robots would start a mock battle, during which the nuclear explosion would occur.

It was a complicated plan. It contained many elements of danger that we had to consider. Above all, the abduction of the 4 scientists must not be discovered prematurely. They were presently meeting in the country home of a physicist named Artol of Penoral. There they were to be overpowered and teleported secretly to the museum site.

Perry pointed to the interconnecting passageway. We heard a loud, commanding voice. Another voice answered.

Marshall gave us a signal . It was apparent that he had picked up the thoughts of the Akons. "The guards have permission to fire on sight," he whispered. "The tipoff strategy is working."

Rhodan checked his shock-gun. We were not to make our move until the scientists were on hand. Without their help the use of the time-phaser would be impossible. The second hand of my watch seemed to have stopped. As always in such situations, time stood still.

A red-headed sergeant moved carefully to the arched doorway. Sengu passed him a small diagram which indicated the position of the Akon sentinels. Other specialists of the commando group examined their sensor and tracking devices. Beyond the intervening wall there were no signs of a surprise buildup of energy, as in preparation for an attack. They actually seemed not to expect a move in the direction of the time-phasing machine.

It was another 20 minutes before the teleporters appeared. In 2 separate jumps they brought the scientists along with Kitai Ishibashi, whose suggestive influence had made the Akons think that their arrival here was quite normal and proper.

When Tako Kakuta approached us the soles of his boots were squeaking. It was hardly audible and yet it seemed to me that it could be heard in every room of the museum. Rhodan raised a hand and Kakuta paused long enough to wipe his soles with a cloth. Evidently he had come in contact with some kind of wax material used in floor maintenance.

When he moved again his footsteps were as silent as those of the other men. "Sorry!" he whispered. "The kidnaping worked out alright. Betty Toufry has been advised. We can begin."

I observed the Akons more closely. They were wearing robe-like shoulder capes as a sign of their dignified stations. There was still a slightly blank expression in their eyes, which would soon change, however. I was wondering if a total suggestive block in their minds might not have undesirable repercussions. If these experts did not operate the controls correctly the whole mission would be unfeasible. The only thing left would be flight.

Rhodan came out from behind the machine where he and Marshall had been standing. His signal sent the commando detail into action. I joined Marshall as we entered the adjacent hall. It was a large, vaulted room which contained the strangest apparatus I had ever seen. It was a large cube resting on a platform that was several meters high. On one side of this square "foundation" there was a built-in staircase. Nearby a steel door could be seen which gave entrance into the power room beneath the assembly.

When I looked about for the guards I saw two of them standing at the other entrance. One was crouched down at the staircase but the fourth man was so close to me that I could have touched him.

The Terrans operated smoothly and soundlessly. A team of two attacked each sentry and prevented him from crying out, while a third man pressed an anaesthesia mask over his face. Finally the unconscious Akons were placed in deep sleep by a doctor.

Once more no word was spoken aloud. Kitai Ishibashi had the scientists fully under his control. I could imagine the challenge it must have been for his paramental faculties to force them to disregard the surrounding circumstances. They were under the impression that they had come here of their own free will to carry out an experiment that had been authorized by the Ruling Council. They moved with the assurance of men who were being escorted by the highest of official dignitaries.

Moreover they did not speak with one another. Marshall and Pucky led them over to the machine. One of the Akons—it was Artol of Penoral—extracted a code-signal device from his pocket and inactivated the energy screen that surrounded the machine. I nodded appreciatively. The Terrans had thought of everything. How quickly a plan like ours could go wrong because of details like this.

I remained in the hall until the intricately worked-out steps had run their course . The technicians came in with the powerful grav-neutralizer and anchored it magnetically to the converter floor plates. Twenty robots took up positions at the entrances. They were armed with heavy energy weapons. Their special programming was equivalent to a kamikaze assignment. They were to hold the site until we had disappeared with the time- phaser and then the bomb was to explode. For Rhodan the 20 robots were a small price to pay when the salvation of the Earth was at stake.

Only a few commandos remained outside. I went up the stairs of the machine and passed through an airlock. I heard voices in the connecting passage. John Marshall was briefing his men.

"This way, sir," said the red-haired sergeant. "Please turn off your deflector screen."

I depressed the control button and the hum of the projector died away. When I shoved up my filter I could again see quite normally. The passage led to the control room which was additionally secured by hermetic hatches. This was also a cubically-shaped room which was filled with a maze of equipment of every description. Not too much room was available for extra personnel.

No one paid any attention to me so I drew back into a protected angle between 2 triangular viewscreens where I was able to watch the operations of the Akons. Apparently they had no intention of violating Ishibashi’s instructions. Moreover, they really seemed to be familiar with the intricate controls.

When I heard the machine start to hum, my extra- brain immediately sent me a warning signal.

"I’d hold off with that until the Akons attack," I said aloud. "They could get an energy trace on us."

Rhodan nodded and ordered the machine to be turned down again. Ishibashi passed the order along to the Akons. Moments later a telepathic message was received. Marshall and Pucky detected it simultaneously.

"It’s Betty calling us," said the little one. "The local security boys have found out about the kidnaped scientists. Airborne commandos are on their way. Red alert for the museum town."

He had not quite finished speaking before we heard a racket outside. It was the typical thundering of impulse weapons. Rhodan looked at his watch. The scientists were finally allowed to speak and they began at once to discuss the problems of activating the time field. I only understood a fraction of the conversation. They thought that Kitai was the chairman of the Ruling Council but they took no heed of the commando troops.

Outside we heard the sounds of heavy firing. The rumbling of the powerful robot weapons indicated that the Akon defenders had responded as we had expected.

"Get ready!" Rhodan called out. "Ras, go plant the bomb."

The swarthy-skinned Terran nodded. Around his neck was suspended a micro-bomb of Earthly design. Ras Tschubai dematerialised. When he came back he told us he had planted the device outside the hall in an adjacent chamber. This time I looked at my own watch. We still had 10 minutes. The robots would have to hold their line until then.

Out hypno-mutant was very silent. I was worried about the drops of sweat that had appeared on his forehead during the past few minutes. Unquestionably it must be a terrible strain on him to keep the 4 Akons continuously under his mental control.

"Activate!" said Perry almost too swiftly. "Have them build up the phaser field so that it just encloses the machine."

The last of the commando troops came on board. The hatches closed automatically. Under our feet the nuclear pile of the power plant came to life. The indicator needles began to rise on the scales. I was more or less familiar with such power controls since the same kind of arrangement had been used on the old Arkonide spaceships. I noted that the reactors were only operating at 2% of their capacity. The physicist Artol appeared to be the leader of his group. We could all hear his instructions but for the most part he was explaining things that we could only grasp by using our imaginations.

"Speed it up!" urged Rhodan. His blanched face revealed the extent of his inner turmoil.

I attempted to monitor the activity of the Akons. The power step-up control of the converter was operated by contact buttons. So far only the power plant itself had been fired up. Current feed for a field projector, regardless of what kind, had a much different sound.

Kitai suddenly groped about for support. I leapt forward, pushing a Terran technician out of the way, and grasped the slightly-built mutant under his arms. Marshall saw what was going on and understood.

I was waiting for something that I could neither explain nor even estimate. A displacement or conversion of the applicable time lines was so much to conceive of that the brain failed to produce the normal thinking processes for comprehension. All I could do was struggle for some mental image that might reasonably match the situation that was to come.

When the phaser field came on, the converter did not move from its position. This meant that many things were happening in the same place but separated by different planes of reference. The determining factor here, however, was time rather than distance.

Ishibashi groaned. I gripped him more firmly but his glassy-eyed look told me he had reached the end of his stamina. He had been working for days to produce the suggestive mental block in his subjects. If he should collapse now there was no telling what the Akons would do. Naturally we could force them by other means. The only question was, how long would we have to do it to keep them tractable for our purposes.

The humming of the power plant irritated me. It was a steady, monotonous sound—too normal, in fact, to indicate the technical wonder we were anticipating. Rhodan was bending over the shoulders of the Akons while they concentrated on their control panels. The viewscreens were functioning by now, revealing both the outside world and the machine itself.

"Pucky!" said Rhodan suddenly. "Get ready to dispose of that bomb!"

This startled me as I realized the demolition device would explode in 2 minutes. If we hadn’t pulled out of the present time frame by then we could be caught in a fire of annihilation.

"Hold on another minute," Marshall interjected. "Jump within 30 seconds of ignition."

The red-haired sergeant pointedly checked his impulse beamer. Breaking out of the museum could bring on a catastrophe. It would precipitate incalculable political complications. If only one wounded Terran should be found here it would mean more than a lost battle for Rhodan.

The mousebeaver was standing beside me. Kitai’s knees began to tremble. Outside we could hear the thunder of the robots’ weapons. Mingled with this were frequent bursts of metallic sounds, usually followed by an explosion. It was obvious that our combat machines were being shot down. It had only been intended that they would have to provide a brief holding action. The fighting force had been adequate for our planned schedule except that by now we should have vanished from the present time plane.

"Pucky … !"

The little one glanced at Rhodan. In 5 seconds it would be time for his teleport jump . Everyone stared at him entranced as he concentrated—except for myself. My attention was occupied by Kitai, who slumped against my chest.

But in that instance I happened to see the viewscreens. The battling robots had disappeared from view while under my feet I felt and heard the rumbling of another apparatus.

Without thinking I cried out: "Stop—come back! We’re pulling out. Stay here, Pucky!"

I shoved the mutant into Marshall’s arms and sprang forward. The Akons were busy discussing their work, apparently fascinated by what was happening to the machine. Artol of Penoral was bent forward intensely concentrating on a circular screen above the controls of the phaser field. I reached the mousebeaver just as he came out of his fixation but I jerked him off his feet and shook him roughly.

"Snap out of it!" I shouted."Pucky, don’t jump—it would be the end of you!"

Pucky understood. Without a word he leaned his head on my shoulder and closed his eyes. I realized that even mousebeavers have nervous systems.

By now Ishibashi was lying on the floor and the medico of our commando team was taking care of him. Rhodan and the other mutants were watching the scientists. Apparently their mental blocks were very deep-seated because they had not yet become aware of Kitai’s withdrawal.

"Can they come out of their trance?" asked Rhodan quickly.

Our other hypno mutant, Andre Noir, seemed calm about it. "Kitai did his work well. They still don’t know what’s going on here. If they start to get edgy I’ll move in on them. No sweat, sir."

I couldn’t take my eyes from the viewscreens. The bomb must have detonated a minute or so ago but we had not felt any repercussions from it. It was hard to imagine that the exhibit hall that we were looking at as though in a fast-motion film had already been destroyed.

I finally followed Artol’s gaze. The digital counter over the control panel seemed to be measuring the rate of reversal of relative time. It was impossible to read the flickering numbers, however, to determine how many years we had returned into the past.

Within a few moments my logic sector reacted. It reminded me that the impression of "time travel" was confusing and false. The counter was only measuring the increasing strength of the phaser field. But somewhere there would have to be a synchronously operating device to convert that indication into equivalent years of time. When I shared this thought with Rhodan we soon found the computer that was doing this work. It stood behind me . We’d have to figure out the schematics later. Apparently Artol could read them and interpret the output data.

The pictures on the screens were changing in such rapid succession that we could hardly distinguish one from the other. It was like a runaway film. The cultural periods were rolling past while the exhibit hall remained unchanged.

Then suddenly it was gone. We saw open country that was bordered to the north by a long stretch of forest. We had reached a time period when the museum town of Impton had not yet come into being. A bell sounded. The maximum power of the phaser field was being held constant by an automatic program control . It meant that we had come to a "stop". I awoke as if from a dream. Rhodan kept looking at the screens.

"Success, Your Eminence," said Artol. But his eyes were still glazed and vacant looking. Andre nodded to me. I realized that Kitai’s suggestive block was stronger than we had anticipated.

I stepped forward since I spoke the ancient Arkonide language better than the Terrans. Apparently the physicist was now considering me to be the chairman of the Council.

"Hold the machine steady where it is," I said. "How big is the radius of the phaser field?"

"20 meters, Excellence. It only encloses the epotron."

I realized this was the Arkonide name for the machine. "Is it possible to go out on the platform without being exposed to any danger?"

"Yes, it’s possible but it would be advantageous to intensify the phaser field in that case."

"Why?"

The scientist seemed strangely reserved. "You have the research data, Your Eminence," he replied.

Rhodan cleared his throat warningly. I did not follow up the remark. Naturally, Artol would have prepared and submitted the results of his studies. I knew it would be useless to bring him out of his state of hypnosis.

Andre pressed me aside. "I’ll take over," he whispered. "Get on with the transport operation."

I followed Rhodan, who was already at the outer airlock. Certainly the atmospheric conditions of the planet Sphynx could be no worse than those of our own "present" time. We could open the outer hatch without any special preparations. When we stepped out onto the platform we experienced something that it took me a few seconds to analyse.

"Illogical!" warned my extra-brain. "Something is not right. If the phasing field’s radius is so limited—how is that you don’t see the surroundings of your own time frame beyond its effective range?"

I grasped Rhodan’s arm. My logic sector was right! When I told him my thoughts he cleared his throat as if embarrassed.

"This is over my head," he answered. "We should have brought Kalup along. I would presume that a person inside the field could not see the normal world."

"Especially when the field only encompasses a fraction of the other time plane. Perry, this disturbs me. We were told this wasn’t to be a regular trip through time—merely a distortion of the reference point. I imagine I’m seeing everything that exists within the distortion zone. What lies beyond it should either not be seen or it should be only shadowy and vague. Actually what we should be seeing out there is our own plane of time!"

If the other men were as confused as I was they didn’t show it. They were only concerned about the antigrav transporter which had apparently come through the strange journey unharmed.

"We’ll discuss it later," said Rhodan, changing the subject. "Right now what we have to do first is to get this thing to the Ironduke."

I withdrew and strolled around the platform. To the east of our real position lay the museum town—that is, in our own time reference. In that sense one could say that we were in the exhibit hall which had already been ripped asunder by the nuclear bomb.

"Enough to drive you donk," commented Pucky.

I turned to see the little fellow standing at the top of the stairs. He was looking down uncertainly. Directly before us was a growth of Akon air-root trees. Far and wide, no one was to be seen.

"If I had my druthers, Atlan, I’d take a jump right now," he said. "Then we’d really know what it looks like out there."

"That you will not do."

"I could make it." The little fellow’s incisor tooth gleamed enterprisingly.

Wordlessly I took his hand and drew him back from the stairs. If I myself couldn’t understand what physical laws were affecting us at the moment I could at least imagine the consequences of suddenly leaving the phaser zone.

The commando troops had taken up defensive positions along the edges of the platform. Their weapons bristled menacingly. The technicians activated the antigrav transporter and adjusted its field to the mass of the converter machine.

"Whether or not it’ll bear up under the phaser field we’ll soon find out," said a young engineer almost indifferently.

Rhodan was listening at the entrance passage. He had sent somebody back inside to keep an eye on the scientists. They were still under the impression that they were carrying out an authorized experiment.

An unexpected jolt threw me to the deck of the platform. I clung to the railing and waited. The transformer bank of the antigrav was in an uproar. The time-phaser lifted uncertainly from the ground, reeling and jerking, finally hovering at an elevation of 3 meters while the antigrav took its measure. I remained lying in the same position although I turned on my back to look over at Rhodan. His features were trembling visibly with agitation and then I knew that someone had miscalculated. The antigrav field was just barely sufficient to neutralize the weight of the machine.

I waited patiently until our 2 small propulsion units started whistling. Their base plates had been welded to the platform. The converter slowly began to move. I didn’t try to calculate the effects of the air resistance nor did I think in terms of how fast the entire mass could move. Certainly our speed would not be very great. The propulsion units had a thrust capability of 150 kilos per unit.

It was enough for me that the whole structure moved at all. We glided around a group of low hills where a new view presented itself. The tops of high buildings could be seen beyond the horizon. The blue sun of the Akon System had just risen. It was early morning.

"Now all that’s left is to make a precision landing at our own settlement in the extra-territorial zone," said Rhodan.

I laughed ironically. "All that’s left … " How simple it sounded! Wuriu Sengu smirked but he refrained from commenting. The nervous stamina of these Terrans was astonishing. I never stopped marvelling at their spirit of enterprise.

I finally got to my feet and dusted off my uniform while trying to be casual in my observation of the "non-existent" landscape. After about 10 minutes a ground vehicle put in an appearance. I waited curiously to see the reaction of its occupants. They only noticed us when we were close upon them. They looked up in surprise. Somebody shouted something I couldn’t make out. Rhodan casually waved at them. We knew then that we could make contact with the inhabitants of a specific era through the displaced time lines of the phaser.

"Those 2 men have been dead for thousands of years," said Wuriu.

I said nothing. My eyes burned as I watched their figures grow smaller in the distance. Far ahead the first of the buildings of the city rose completely above the horizon. They were considerably smaller than those of the time reference we belonged to. And of course the spaceport was not yet in existence.

We flew toward the familiar group of hills where Terran engineers had erected the trading base. The tall limestone cliffs had not changed. This was our goal. The Ironduke was scheduled to come back to the base in time to meet us, so we knew that if we landed exactly in a certain relationship to the hills we would be about 30 meters from the warship’s nearest landing strut—that is, from where it would be located in our own time.

We were sighted twice again by the "local" inhabitants. I made a note to check Akon history to see if anything would be noted there concerning our strange advent.

Rhodan went back into the time-phaser. I remained on the platform until we sank softly to the ground. The howling of the over-burdened antigrav subsided. The men’s faces had grown tense. The plan called now for an immediate return to the regular time plane. How would this come about?

The transition was so sudden that it struck me like a shockwave. I felt a painful pulling sensation while a red mist welled up before my eyes. When I could see clearly again, it was night. Above us shone the stars of the Milky Way and to our right the contours of the battleship loomed into the sky.

A blood-red nuclear flare illumined the horizon. Our bomb! Rhodan joined me. Shadowy figures rushed toward us. They were troops from the Ironduke. Colonel Claudrin was the first to pound his way up the staircase, which trembled under the Epsalian’s weight.

As usual his voice was thunderous. I groped my way toward him and stretched out my hand. He shoved his weapon into its holster and gripped me. A sudden pain shot through me. When this giant shook hands with enthusiasm it could be felt.

"Relax, sir," he said. "You’ll have to excuse me but I thought I should let you know for sure that you’re back here again."

"It’s been a mad dream," commented Rhodan.

"You’d better give me the same treatment, Jefe." I had to laugh when the tall Terran sank to his knees with a groan. "Alright! Don’t overdo it!"

The warship’s commander desisted at last. "You’re ahead of schedule, sir. We figured you’d be an hour yet getting back. About an hour ago the Akon guard patrol wanted to talk to you. I held them off—and then the bomb hit."

"When it happened, Jefe, we were about 4000 years in the past," I told him. "So you say we’ve hit the bullseye? No time displacement? Our preparations for departure took about 30 minutes. I’d say that the flight itself lasted about 45 minutes."

"That fits the picture exactly , sir . It proves that when the field is shut off there’s an immediate return to the true plane of reference. So timing of operations on our side can take that into account. From that standpoint there’s no danger. Knowing that, you can’t ever go wrong."

Somebody shouted. When I turned around I caught sight of a slender figure darting out of the sliding hatchway. The lock door closed again with a dull thud and the light from inside was cut off. Sengu had just come out of the inner chamber of the time-phaser. He spoke in a calm and objective manner. "The 4 scientists have pulled out of their trance, sir. What are your instructions?"

Rhodan pondered swiftly. Men were moving about under the giant spherical hull of the ship in the darkness. The cargo lock slid open. It was big enough to have taken in 2 converters. Everything was carried out silently and under cover of the night. Rhodan delayed answering until somebody announced that the ship’s tractor beam was ready. Now it would be easy to handle the mass of the machine.

"Make an official arrest," he finally ordered. "Bring them into the Ironduke."

"Arrest—?!" I echoed in surprise.

"That’s right—it’s an arrest," he confirmed. "Intelligence information indicates that the physicist Artol of Penoral had a great deal to do with the reprogramming of the robot Regent. That means he violated the non-aggression pact between Terra and the Akon Empire."

"He was only following orders, Perry."

"Probably, but that doesn’t change my position in the matter. The other 3 scientists were pretty high up in the Blue System and they also had their hands in the operation. Carry out my instructions, Col. Claudrin."

As Rhodan turned away my extra-brain came through to me again: "Fool! Is it so important—when the existence of an entire race is at stake?"

I looked around uneasily as if the admonishment might have been overheard. Then I hastily got off the platform. The machine was grappled by the loading equipment and drawn into the lower cargo hold of the Ironduke.

"Let’s go," cried Pucky. "Some class, eh? Man, was that ever a caper we pulled!"

The mousebeaver emitted a shrill chuckle. I went with him to the ground-lock entrance. The arching hull above us blocked out the starry firmament. The only lingering sign of strange happenings was the red glow hanging over the museum town of Impton. What had become of the people we had seen back there 4000

years ago?

4000 years? For me it had been but a moment. I shuddered at the thought of this machine, which was to be my means of destroying the robot Regent.