Doctor Who_ The Zarbi - Bill Strutton [60]
‘Your escape attempt failed-ed...’
‘Escape attempt? My dear whatever-you-are – we went on a little exploration, that’s all...’
‘You lie-ie!’ the Voice roared.
‘When your creatures found us, we were returning here!
Does that sound like an escape to you? Mmm?’ Doctor Who retorted.
‘The Zarbi you took with you – it is no longer under my control! Why?’
Doctor Who could not repress a chuckle. His face straightened as he realized the gravity of their position and he flung up his head defiantly, bluffing outrageously.
‘Oh – so that’s my fault too, is it? You know, when your systems break down, you really shouldn’t start blaming everybody in sight!’
There was a strange silence. Then the Voice bellowed again, ‘I cannot follow your trickery – but that is what it is!
You will be brought to the centre! To me!’
Doctor Who stared. He hesitated. A note of uncertainty crept into his voice, but he kept his outward calm. ‘And the girl?’ he demanded.
‘She will be brought with you-ou...!’
‘If any harm comes to us, I warn you—’.
‘Enough...!’ the Voice roared. ‘Your threats are of no interest-st...!’
The Dome whisked upward from Doctor Who’s head.
He turned and saw the Zarbi at the control panel reacting busily to a stream of hummed orders from the flashing panel. The Doctor’s guards closed in on him and gripped him. Others turned their attention now to Vicki, hovering at the Doctor’s astral table. They pounced on her too, and jostled the two of them towards an opening near the control wall. Vicki fought and kicked, resisting, gasping with fear.
‘Doctor – what are they going to do...?’
There was no use keeping the truth from her. Doctor Who said gently, ‘Taking us to the centre. Try not to be afraid, my dear...’
The Zarbi shoved them roughly through the door.
Barbara and her Menoptera comrades lay scattered behind the scanty cover of the small rocks outside of the Web Headquarters. Barbara turned and raised a beckoning hand towards Hrostar. He came scrambling forward, darting from cover to cover on the way, until he sprawled beside her. He looked over the rock towards the great glowing web.
Barbara whispered to him, ‘The Doctor must be in the control room by now.’
Hrostar nodded. ‘I’ll tell the others.’ He darted away again.
Now Barbara signalled to Prapillus, crouched under a near-by rock. The old Menoptera came crawling painfully towards her.
Barbara gestured to where the Zarbi under Prapillus’
control hunched motionless on the ground. She pointed towards the web entrance of the great glowing structure.
‘Send our Zarbi in – we’ll try and follow,’ she whispered.
Prapillus nodded. He gestured. The Zarbi rose slowly. It moved like a creature in a dream across the desolate landscape making for the entrance as Prapillus pointed the way commandingly.
The Zarbi nudged and jostled Doctor Who and Vicki deeper down a great glowing tunnel, and, as they lurched and stumbled on, a new noise came to their ears above the humming and chirruping around them.
It was a steady throb-throb, like a gigantic heartbeat. It was so powerful and yet so low-pitched that they felt its beat rather than heard it.
At the end of this corridor a great light pulsed in time with the beat. Doctor Who hesitated as they saw it and nudged Vicki.
‘Try and pass me back the Web Destructor now,’ he muttered. ‘We may not get another chance...’
He stared ahead and his hand furtively sought Vicki’s.
‘Come, come – don’t worry if these creatures see it now,’ he said.
Vicki gulped, ‘I... I haven’t got it,’ she stammered.
‘Of course you have – I gave it to you, remember?’
‘I didn’t know we’d be leaving the control room. I wanted to... keep it safe, and...’
Doctor Who halted and stared. He was jostled on by the Zarbi. He kept looking at Vicki, alarmed now.
‘Where is it now?’
‘On your control table! I hid it there! Oh – Doctor, I’m sorry! I didn’t know that—’
Vicki began to sob. Doctor Who masked his grave concern and tried to comfort her. He managed to smile.
‘Well, don’t distress yourself, child. It’s not your fault...’
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