Menagerie - Martin Day [66]
There was a large metal shutter towards the far end of the room, and a blank screen in one corner. In front of it was a small raised dais, topped by plastileather-bound chairs with built-in executive terminals. The pot plant had died, leaving an ornate bowl full of mouldy earth.
The Doctor sat at one of the consoles in the main part of the room, pushing a headphone to one side. He began tapping furiously at the keyboard, nodding and tutting as the system presented more and more information. It was clear even to the Dugraq that a number of the graphs were swinging over into the red.
'Right,' said the Doctor. 'We've got to execute a type two emergency close-down procedure. I'll need your help on another console and then perhaps we can —'
'Stop,' sighed a huge voice. The Doctor and the Dugraq scout turned as an enormous humanoid stepped into the room. The crudely formed creature was the colour of clay and soil. A pendant covered with esoteric symbols hung from its neck but seemed to merge into its oily skin. 'You must not tamper with the instruments.'
'Listen to me,' said the Doctor urgently. 'I need to talk to your master. We're all in danger.'
The creature stopped a few yards from the Doctor, inclining its head slightly.
'You must contact Defrabax,' continued the Doctor. 'Tell him that this whole power station is unstable. I realize you've only got this running at less than a tenth of its full potential but —'
'My instructions are now to bring the station fully on-line,' explained the figure. It walked to the closest console and began stabbing in authorization codes with its blunt fingers. 'Do not attempt to interfere. I have assessed that I am much stronger than both of you. If either or both of you attempt to stop me performing my duties I will have to restrain you. And your bones and organs are very weak.'
'Don't bring the station on-line!' exclaimed the Doctor.
'Why?' asked the creature, although its fingers still tapped at the keyboard.
'Because if you do, you'll cause this entire plant to explode. In an instant you'll not only destroy this city, but the new world built over it.'
Thirteen
As the creature lunged, Zoe dived to the floor. Its arms swept over her, rough skin tearing into her back. She sprang to her feet and ran towards the open furnace door, still hoping desperately that her ideas about the animal might prove correct.
Zoe turned to face the creature, her bruised back to the furnace's licking flames. The beast swung its head in her direction, its body swaying from side to side, but it did not see her. It seemed to know that she should be there, but could see nothing but the great heat.
There was a shout and both Zoe and the creature turned their heads towards the source. The twins were frantically screaming and jumping up and down. The creature looked back in Zoe's direction for the last time, perhaps deciding that the heat it saw was not that of an animal, and then trotted towards Raitak and Reisaz. It had a new target in its sight.
The twins darted towards the protective metal wall around the central turbine and kicked open a small gate. The creature followed them through, into the narrow maintenance area that ran around the entirety of the enormous hissing, clanking machine. Cogs and dynamos hummed, safety valves let off steam, and in the centre a huge wheel turned.
The creature's pursuit of the twins was halted by a sudden stinging spray of hot water. Zoe noticed that as Reisaz and Raitak ran they released valves and emergency cutouts, causing jets of steam to fly over the body of their pursuer.
The creature showed little pain, and continued its relentless, teasing search, peering through the broiling haze.
The turbine pounded a metallic beat, oblivious to the figures that moved around it. The twins were about halfway around the machine now, but the creature was gaining ground all the time. It made a deep hissing noise and then leapt at them, a lithe grey figure made dim by the steam. An outstretched claw caught the twins' right