Doctor Who_ The Zarbi - Bill Strutton [55]
‘Are you all right, Vrestin?’
‘A faint muffled call answered him. ‘All... right... but everybody else... out...’
Ian attacked the wall like a man demented. He felt his
strength ebbing. He had to pause, wrapped a handkerchief around his mouth, tried breathing through it. He picked up the tool and again slogged at the wall, his strokes becoming more feeble and aimless. He coughed and retched. He felt a dizziness now, and his knees were buckling.
He could hardly see any more. It was no use. They were all doomed, he thought dimly, to be gassed to death in this tomb of a place.
His eyes began to close and he sank to his knees.
A large web had been scratched in the floor of the temple and Barbara pondered it wearily.
They had been arguing – for hours it seemed – about the best way to reach the centre. It was the newcomer Hilio who had proved the biggest stumbling block to any really novel plan. Try as he might to agree, the Menoptera officer could not cast off his lofty confidence in attacking openly –
in spite of the grim lesson his ill-fated spearhead had just been given.
Barbara stared at the map and said again, ‘I still think that the best idea is to create a mock attack on one of the web openings, while one of us tries to reach the centre from the opposite side...’
‘It will fail!’ Hilio declared. ‘Even if it drew most of the defences, it would only need one sting grub to stop anybody penetrating in from the other side!’
‘Still,’ Prapillus murmured, ‘with only five of us, it does seem the best strategy...’
‘I agree,’ Hrostar said, ‘It’s still terribly risky, but I can see no sensible alternative.’
Hilio stood up. ‘Very well! I shall go in alone from the other side!’
Hrostar looked at Hilio scornfully. ‘You? When you don’t even believe in its success?’
Hilio glared back, opened his mouth to retort, and Barbara interrupted hastily. ‘Please... please – we can decide who goes by drawing lots.’
‘No!’ Hrostar insisted. He looked around at them. ‘Two women... an old man... and an unbeliever – I am the natural choice!’
Barbara looked at him and smiled. The proud Hrostar had drawn himself up and spread his magnificent wings.
‘You’ll also be the most easily spotted,’ she reminded him gently.
‘Shh!’ Hlynia commanded. She was standing at the winged rock door, listening intently. ‘Quiet, there’s somebody outside!’
They all stood stock-still. From the other side of the rock they heard it clearly now – a faint scratching.
‘Not very loud,’ Barbara said.
‘Open the door – just a crack,’ Prapillus suggested.
‘No!’ Hilio exclaimed. ‘It must be the Zarbi!’
‘Then we’ll see – won’t we,’ Prapillus retorted.
‘Carefully, Hrostar. The rock is counterbalanced, look. Be ready to slam it shut instantly if...’
They waited as Hrostar applied his weight to the winged door of rock. It swung back suddenly several feet – and they recoiled. A Zarbi stood there, reared, and came scuttling in. Hilio dived for the electron-gun. The others scattered and grabbed around them for rocks, spars, any weapon. Hrostar lunged to close the door aperture behind the lone Zarbi.
‘Wait!’ Barbara yelled. ‘Look – friends!’
The Zarbi had come to a halt and simply stood there motionless and peaceful. Behind it, poised at the entrance, stood the slight, frock-coated figure of – Doctor Who!
Vicki stood clinging to the doctor, staring at them.
‘Hello?’ the Doctor called cheerfully. ‘Any body at home? Please – don’t attack him! He’s harmless...’
Barbara rushed out to greet the Doctor. He and Vicki saw her and his kindly face wrinkled into an amazed beam of delight. Vicki shrieked excitedly, ‘Barbara! It’s Barbara!’
‘My dear girl,’ the Doctor stammered, ‘What an extremely pleasant surprise!’
‘Doctor... Vicki!’ Barbara gasped, unable to express her joy and relief.
They hugged each other. Doctor Who looked about