Doctor Who_ The Zarbi - Bill Strutton [61]
They moved straight on down the straight long corridor which pulsed so strangely, towards the great throbbing glare of light which grew brighter and brighter at the far end.
Barbara, Hrostar and the others rose silently from their rock cover,as they and the Zarbi under Prapillus’ control neared the web entrance to the great building.
As their Zarbi halted, a commotion broke out at the entrance.
This time the Zarbi guard challenged it with an excited humming and chirruping.
The controlled Zarbi ignored it. It stepped purposefully on, pausing only to thrust the challenging guard lurching out of the way.
‘Now!’ Barbara cried. She balanced a stalagmite spear she carried and hurled it.
The spear caught the Zarbi guard and whanged harmlessly away against the creature’s hard, shiny shell.
But it reared, alarmed, and scampered hastily back into the web entrance.
Hlynia came running to join Barbara as they watched the creature retreat.
‘It will bring reinforcements,’ Hlynia murmured.
Barbara turned. ‘That’s what we wanted — isn’t it?’
Prapillus now ventured forward and raised his hand towards the web entrance. Inside, they saw the figure of their Zarbi stop, in complete obedience still.
‘Into the corridors,’ Prapillus cried. ‘The Zarbi will find it more difficult to scatter us there!’
He rushed forward. The others followed the valiant old man, hot on his heels. Hrostar gained on Barbara and reached out to stay her.
‘Barbara — go back! This is not your war! It is not right that you should. risk your life for us!’
Barbara thrust his hand away. ‘I’m doing it for my friends as well! Come on!’
She ran swiftly towards the entrance, racing Hrostar and Hilio to be first to the door.
Inside the great web the alarms were sounding.
Barbara leaped through the web entrance and to the astonishment of the younger Menoptera, old Prapillus came panting in right on their heels.
‘Hrostar!’ he called.
‘I’m ready, Prapillus!’
Prapillus pointed ahead. ‘Be ready to move up to the next junction of the corridors!’ Hrostar nodded and stationed himself ahead of them as Prapillus now gave his attention to controlling their Zarbi captive.
‘What are you doing?’ Barbara called.
‘The Zarbi will have venom-guns,’ the old man muttered. ‘This is the only way we can stop them. Now —
help me with this creature!’
Barbara paused, confused. ‘To do what?’
‘To hold him — you, Hilio and Hlynia. I’m taking off the necklet.’
Prapillus had taken complete charge, and there was no time to argue. Together they held the great Zarbi tight as Prapillus reached up and snatched off the treated slave necklet by which they had controlled it.
Immediately it was free, the Zarbi came to vicious life, striking out and struggling to be free.
Prapillus threw the necklet towards Hrostar who caught it and darted away ahead, running off into a side corridor.
A moment later a knot of Zarbi rounded a bend and rushed into sight, urging a venom-gan forward.
‘Look out!’ Prapillus called back. ‘Sting-gun!’
Barbara, Hilio and Hlynia bore their struggling Zarbi back against the tunnel wall, taking cover behind it.
Prapillus backed swiftly to join them, his eye on the evil sting as it leaped forward.
‘Hrostar — now!’ Prapillus yelled.
As the venom grub came level with the side corridor ahead of them Hrostar leaped out from his hiding-place there, the necklet levelled. The Zarbi saw him and with incredible speed one of them reacted, gestured. The sting slithered to a stop, turned, and pointed its wicked snout.
As Hrostar darted towards it, it spat fire.
Hrostar screamed and threw up his hands. He staggered forward, lunged with his last ounce of strength – and clipped the necklet over the snout of the sting creature where it broadened to meet the grub’s body.
Then he fell face down on the floor.
The sting creature stopped. Prapillus darted out and gestured. The venom grub wheeled and turned on its masters – the Zarbi. As Prapillus guided it, it levelled its sting straight at them.
The Zarbi reared wildly and