Doctor Who_ The Zarbi - Bill Strutton [52]
‘Very well!’ Hrostar wheeled and faced Barbara. ‘How can we establish a landing point for our forces? Tell me that!’
Barbara shook her head. ‘We couldn’t! But... perhaps we could do something else – just as effective.’
Hilio pointed a scornful finger at Barbara. ‘Should we listen to a stranger? Let the invasion go on! Some of us will get through! We must!’
Prapillus held up his hand. ‘Hilio – surely this disaster has taught you something good.’
‘Good?’ Hilio exploded.
Prapillus nodded. ‘We Menoptera are blessed with the power of flight. It has made us god-like in our confidence –
that we can rise above any difficulty, instead of solving it.
It has made you blind! But we slaves are not blind. When we had our wings clipped or taken from us, we were forced to use our brains, to think! For that lesson we must thank the Zarbi!’
He turned towards Barbara. ‘And we can learn much from this earth girl. Sheer courage alone is not enough to win us victory. We must be ready to change tactics, plan, scheme, outwit...!’
Hilio folded his arms. ‘Very well,’ he said sarcastically.
‘Let us listen to this girl – and her brilliant ideas.’
There was a pause. All eyes were on Barbara.
She said uncertainly, ‘Well... if your spearhead had been successful, what would you have then done?’
‘If we had met no resistance,’ Hilio answered curtly, ‘We would have proceeded to the centre of the great web growing over Vortis – and destroyed whatever it is that controls the Zarbi!’
‘How?’
Hilio paused. He looked at them, hesitated, then drew out a small instrument the size of a pistol from inside his brilliant combat jacket. It had a short, thick snout, but instead of a target sight, it was equipped with a tiny, saucer-shaped mirror with an electrode projecting from its centre. At the trigger end the barrel was wound thickly with fine wires, like an armature, and studded with a circle of brilliantly coloured tubes the size of transistor valves. A short tension-sprung lever switch took the place of a trigger.
Hilio held the weapon carefully before him.
‘With this,’ he said.
‘What is it?’ Prapillus asked, his bright old eyes alight with interest.
‘A whole generation of our scientists have been working to produce it. It was called Project V-W-D. It is designed for one use – against the Intelligence which controls the Zarbi. You would understand it better if I called it by the name our invasion command has given it. They know it as... the Web Destructor.’
Prapillus stretched forward his hand and reluctantly Hilio allowed him to handle the instrument. The old Menoptera examined it keenly, his eyes roving over the armature with its cluster of brilliant tubes and the tiny glittering dish-shaped sight.
‘... A... living cell destructor...?’ Prapillus ventured, musing. ‘Correct...?’
Hilio nodded. ‘That web and the living thing behind it is an organic matter that grows — and spreads its evil around Vortis. This destructor will reverse the process...
the cells will mutate, grow inwards — and the being will be destroyed...’
Prapillus finished admiring the Web Destructor and restored it to Hilio. He wagged his head doubtfully.
‘It is precious little use to you, though, while the Zarbi stand in your way. Your ordinary electron-guns proved useless against them.’
Hilio hung his head and admitted that. ‘We must expect setbacks. We are prepared for massive casualties.’
Barbara shook her head. ‘That is not the way!’ she said.
‘It is folly to waste countless lives! The thing is to get behind this creature’s shield — The Zarbi — and strike at its heart. I agree with Hilio about one thing...’
‘Yes...?’ Prapillus prompted her.
‘The key to all this is to attack the centre — the Intelligence behind it. What I do not agree about is that we should try to reach it by overcoming the Zarbi in open battle.’
‘When our invasion force lands...’ Hilio began to say...