Doctor Who_ The Zarbi - Bill Strutton [26]
‘We can only hope to get a message through before...’
Vrestin did not finish the sentence. From the cave mouth came a sudden yell from Challis.
‘Vrestin! Hrostar — the Zarbi...!’
Barbara stood at the entrance. A strange wishbone-shaped necklet encircled her throat. Her face was glazed and trance-like. On either side of her crowded the hated Zarbi, staring inward.
Vrestin lunged for the transmitter and hurled it against the cave wall with a mighty sweep, smashing it. Zota and Challis were backing before the advancing Zarbi, who pointed, directing the dazed Barbara ahead of them like a shield. Challis darted and picked up a rock. He poised this to hurl it among the Zarbi crowding forward. One of the Zarbi gestured with its claw.
A venom grub leaped forward with startling swiftness from between them. Its evil snout spat fire. Challis gave a high scream. The rock dropped from his hand and he reeled, clutching at his chest.
He collapsed to the cave floor and rolled there, twitching feebly. Smoke began to issue from his body.
Zota wheeled and shouted, ‘Captain Vrestin — run! Get away!’
Vrestin, farther back in the cave, hesitated. There was nothing else for it. He turned and darted away, halted, spotting a side tunnel, charged towards it as the venom grub fired again. At that, Zota lunged for the venom grub with a raised spar — but the fire caught him. He whirled and fell, smoke rose from his face and body, and suddenly he was still.
Barbara stared unseeingly at all this as though frozen into a statue.
Wisely now, Hrostar stood stock still. A Zarbi pointed at him. Its claw signed for him to join Barbara. He bowed his head and obeyed.
Several of the Zarbi moved forward, their claws making a scuttling noise on the floor of the cave as they headed for the smashed communicator and clustered around to examine its remains.
Hrostar looked at Barbara. He saw the necklet around her throat. With an eye on the Zarbi he reached and pulled it off. For a moment, while he held it, his own eyes dulled and he stood motionless. Then the necklet dropped from his nerveless fingers. He recovered.
Barbara was blinking as if awakening from a deep sleep.
She cowered suddenly at the sight of the Zarbi all around them in the cave. She felt Hrostar’s hand on her arm. He was sizing up the Zarbi, and said slowly, ‘I think we are safe... for the present...’
‘How did I get back here?’
Hrostar pointed down at the necklet he had dropped to the floor. ‘You were morphatized.’
She stared at the necklet, following his pointing finger.
‘I don’t... understand...’
‘The Zarbi can control anyone — even us, the Menoptera — who wear that metal.’
Barbara looked down at the necklet and her curiosity overcame her fear. She stooped furtively and reached out to examine it.
‘It’s gold..:’ she murmured.
‘Don’t touch it!’ Hrostar said hastily.
She withdrew her hand as if stung, and touched her wrist, remembering, wondering.
‘So my... bracelet...’ Barbara murmured. She got up, looked around. ‘Why don’t they put it back? Why don’t they put one on you?’
‘If they want us in a trance, they will.’
Barbara gave a gasp as she saw the bodies of Zota and Challis lying motionless on the ground. Hrostar moved to shield her from the sight.
‘They are... at peace,’ he said gently.
An angry chirruping had arisen around them from the Zarbi as their leader brought back the smashed communicator box. Now they crowded threateningly about Barbara and Hrostar, prodding them towards the cave mouth with their claws.
Barbara reached fearfully to cling to Hrostar’s arm.
‘Where will they take us?’ she whispered.
‘To the Crater of Needles, most probably.’
‘... and... then?’
Hrostar squared his shoulders, showing a glimpse of his beautiful wings. ‘Work,’ he said shortly. He turned for a brief farewell glance towards his fallen comrades, then looked grimly at Barbara.
He said, ‘Once there... you may well wish... they had not spared you...’
In the control room of the weird Zarbi Headquarters, Ian gripped Vicki’s arm