Astrosaurs 21

by Steve Cole

  “Good thinking.” Iggy grinned at her. “The more time we have to reach the captain, Arx and Tute, the better.”

  Now Gipsy could see the pyramid through the hole too, like a giant spearhead sticking through the sand. “Well, no time like the present, I suppose.” With a tum full of butterflies, she took one side of the tablecloths. Iggy tucked the roast-rifle under his arm and gripped the other side.

  “Three, two, one – skydive!” Iggy closed his eyes and jumped through the hole.

  Gipsy followed a split second later. “Whoooosh!” she yelled as the sandy wind caught the fabric and sent her and Iggy tumbling through the air. The yellow sand and blue sky blurred together as the two astrosaurs spun in wide circles past the three T. rex warcraft, drifting down faster and faster . . .

  “OOOF!” Iggy and Gipsy landed clumsily on top of a sand dune and rolled all the way down it, finally slithering to a stop at the base of the pyramid.

  “We did it!” Gipsy spat sand from her mouth. “We survived the drop bang on target!”

  “But look,” groaned Iggy. “I don’t know how the captain got into the pyramid, but the entrance is closed up again!”

  Gipsy’s headcrest turned blue as she saw that he was right – and bluer still as the T. rex spaceships came in to land in a roaring rush of smoke, their clawed undersides digging into the sand. “But if we can’t get in, there’s nothing we can do!”

  “Wait! Remember those bandaged T. rexes we ran into? They appeared from nowhere and vanished again.” Iggy scrambled up. “Tute said there could be a secret way into the pyramid. We’d better get looking and hope we find it fast.”

  “No, you don’t. Come back here!” The chubby figure of Chef Sheff squeezed out through the hole they had made in the kitchen. “Brigadier Skunch, quick! Our evening meal’s making a run for it!”

  “Uh-oh,” said Iggy, helping Gipsy to her hooves. “Time we weren’t here.”

  Then Skunch himself dropped down through the hole, looking meatier and mightier than ever in his full T. rex battle-armour. Growling angrily, he pulled out a pistol and fired laser beams at Iggy and Gipsy. They dashed for the shelter of the pyramid.

  “Me can’t be doing with this,” Skunch rumbled. “Me got invasion to lead. But you’d better catch the plant-eaters, Sheff – or us be chewing on you before the day is through!”

  Panting for breath, pressed up against the side of the pyramid, Gipsy gave Iggy a hopeful smile. “At least it won’t be too hard to outrun a fat, one-legged meat-chomper in all this sand.”

  But then they heard Sheff hollering through the hole in the bottom of the ship: “Kitchen hands, get down here and carry me. NOW!”

  Three colossal, overweight T. rexes in filthy white overalls came scrambling out, snarling and snapping like crocodiles.

  “Run for it, Gipsy,” Iggy cried. “If we can’t find a hidden way into this pyramid – we’re dead!”

  * * *

  Back in the chamber of the bomb, Teggs was wide-eyed and Arx’s horns were curling with shock at the sight of the menacing T. rex.

  Tute was all a-tremble. “This is the craziest treasure hunt I’ve ever been on, Teggsy,” he whispered. “I’m not sure I can take much more!”

  “Hang in there, Tute,” whispered Teggs. “I think we’re close to getting some real answers around here.”

  He raised his voice and turned to the T. rex. “Well? Are you the same Lord Ganster – one thousand years later?”

  The cold-eyed T. rex nodded. “Pyramid sealed with special barrier that holds back time.” The hissed words came haltingly, as if spoken with a great effort. “Nothing grows old here. No need for food or water.”

  “So that’s why we’ve lost our appetites,” Teggs realized.

  Tute nodded. “And why my watch stopped working.”

  “And why such an old pyramid still looks like new,” Arx concluded. “A time-resistant force field – amazing technology!”

  “Scarabs is smartest beings in universe.” Ganster paused, then raised an arm stiffly and lifted the tapestry with one claw. “Keprish wants to see you.”

  The mummy T. rex jerked into life, stomping towards the dinosaurs. “See you, NOW.”

  Tute gulped. “I don’t want to see him!”

  “Quick, pretend to faint,” Teggs whispered. “Ganster sent his mummies outside so there must be a hidden exit around here. When we’ve gone, try to find it – in case we need to make a quick getaway!”

  “Gotcha.” Tute winked at Teggs. Then he pretended to swoon and fell to the floor.

  “Our friend is unwell,” Teggs told Ganster.

  “Leave him,” snarled the T. rex as the mummy bundled Teggs and Arx towards the tapestry. “You two most important to Keprish.”

  The two astrosaurs soon found themselves shoved into Keprish’s lair. It was cavernous and grand and piled high with gold and jewels and big dusty treasure chests. The ceiling was lost from sight in shadow, but Teggs guessed it stretched right up to the pyramid’s pointed roof. A massive emerald as big as a table was fixed to one wall. Big TV screens showing views of the pyramid’s rooms lined another.

  A white, pyramid-shaped rocket stood in one cobwebby corner. But Ganster crossed straight to a great stone altar in the middle of the room, where an alien figure lay. It was ancient, oval-headed with three spindly legs and a single closed eye, dressed in robes and a headdress like Ganster and Tute.

  “Here is great Keprish,” said Ganster.

  “So that’s what a Scarab looks like,” Arx murmured. “The robots and statues we saw are based on them.”

  Suddenly, both Ganster and the bandaged T. rex jerked and slumped, as if they were just empty suits of skin. And the eye of the creature on the altar snapped open, bright and purple, making Teggs and Arx jump.

  “At last,” Keprish hissed, through a mean little mouth in the centre of its eyeball. “After thousands of years, you have come . . . the creatures who shall set me free!”

  Chapter Nine

  THE POWER OF KEPRISH

  “Er . . . Hi, Keprish!” Teggs forced a smile. “If we’d known you were here, we’d have brought grapes.”

  “You’re dressed like our friend lying down outside,” Arx told Keprish. “Did you used to live on Egyptus?”

  “Yes. We ruled this entire sector of space,” Keprish replied. “Lesser beings we encountered worshipped us as gods, and copied our clothes and customs.”

  “Dinosaurs aren’t ‘lesser beings’,” Teggs said sharply. “Tute was the one who found this pyramid in the first place.”

  “Many have found it, these last ten thousand years,” hissed Keprish. “Trapped for all time behind an energy screen, unable to move, I have watched them take the tests on these screens – and watched them fail.”

  “That strikes me as odd.” Teggs tapped the air above Keprish – and snatched his hand away as blue crackles stung his skin. “I mean, this is a prison. Why do the Scarabs want to tempt others inside? And why set them tests instead of just killing them?”

  “You heard the voice of my jailers,” snarled Keprish. “They have seen fit to torture me by leaving the tiniest hope that some day I might get free.” He narrowed his eye. “Why do you think they left my mind free but my body rooted to the spot? Why do you think they left all my wealth in here with me, knowing I could never spend it? Why do you think they left me my rocket ship, knowing I could never repair its ruined engines?”

  Teggs frowned. “You must have done a lot of bad things to make them want to treat you so meanly. Just what were you locked up for, Keprish?”

  “Hardly anything!” Keprish scowled. “All I did was rob eight hundred space-banks, blow up twenty-two worlds, exterminate fifteen alien races and do a wee in the Scarab Queen’s bathtub!”

  Arx swapped a very worried look with Teggs. “Er . . . is that all?”

  “And so now, this computerized prison is programmed to lure other races inside.” Keprish dribbled and hissed with rage. “It spits out my jewels t
o tempt in the unwary. Then the computer tries to taunt me by forcing you to demonstrate your skills. When you passed the star-chart test, you showed your knowledge of space. So if I made you my crew, you could take me anywhere in the universe . . .”

  “And we proved we can break through energy screens like the one that holds you, and that we can repair spaceship engines too.”

  “But someone must’ve broken through the pyramid’s shield already,” said Teggs. “Ganster sent his servants out to find us. Didn’t you?”

  Ganster still stood with his head slumped beside his motionless mummy.

  “The shield is not broken. One brick in the pyramid is loose, to let in air, that is all.” Keprish sighed crossly. “My puppets can get out – but trapped by this energy screen, I cannot.”

  Teggs was puzzled. “Your puppets?”

  “That’s right.” Keprish smiled slyly. “I control Ganster and his followers. Observe . . .”

  Suddenly Ganster and the mummy started hopping on the spot. Then the mummy did a handstand while Ganster started smacking his own bottom.

  “These poor fools have been my puppets for a thousand years,” Keprish went on. “Thanks to that brain-stone on the wall behind you.”

  Teggs turned and saw the enormous emerald on the wall. “What’s a brain-stone?”

  Keprish smiled. “The Scarabs made one big mistake when they buried me here with my possessions – they thought that the brain-stone was just a giant jewel.” He chuckled. “In fact, it magnifies the power of my mind. Anyone who touches it is mine to command! Once I had taken control of Ganster and his slaves, I made him summon hundreds more T. rexes to the pyramid and trapped them inside.”

  “What happened to them then?” Teggs demanded.

  “Me show you,” growled Ganster, jerking back into life under Keprish’s control. The carnivore crossed to a plush velvet curtain and ripped it aside to reveal a hidden room . . .

  A room stuffed from floor to ceiling with sleeping T. rexes!

  “Behold,” Keprish purred proudly. “My hidden army of unquestioning carnivores that will one day conquer the galaxy!”

  Gipsy and Iggy hared across the sand, laser bolts whizzing past their heads. The two T. rex kitchen helpers were carrying Chef Sheff on their shoulders, and he was firing wildly at his escaping dinners.

  “Not matter to me if me has to char-grill you with laser instead of roasting you!” he yelled. “Me just season you with extra dung pepper!”

  “Remind me to look up the recipe,” joked Iggy. He tried to turn and fire the roast-rifle, but Sheff kept shooting and he had to dodge and duck.

  “How are we ever going to find a hidden way into the pyramid while we’re dodging those meat-gobblers . . .” Gipsy trailed off, then skidded to a stop, pointing halfway up the pyramid wall. “Look!”

  With amazement, Iggy spotted a scrap of bandage flapping from between two enormous bricks like a grubby flag. “You think one of the mummies tore that while squeezing through a secret gap in the brickwork?”

  “I think it’s worth checking out!” Gipsy ran up to the pyramid and started climbing the steep wall, gripping onto every crack and crevice as hard as she could. Iggy came scaling the sheer surface behind her, feet slipping, claws scraping the stone, desperate not to fall.

  But Chef Sheff and his friends were quickly catching up. Just as the two astrosaurs reached the fluttering bandage, the T. rexes gathered beneath them.

  Gipsy tugged on the giant brick with all her strength. “It won’t budge!”

  “It’s got to,” gasped Iggy, heaving and straining to shift it. “It must!”

  “Prepare to be cooked, plant-scoffers!” yelled Chef Sheff. While his kitchen boys jeered and dribbled beside him, he took careful aim . . .

  Suddenly the heavy brick shot out of the pyramid wall like the cash tray in a supermarket till, barely missing the two astrosaurs. It tumbled down the side of the pyramid and smashed all three T. rexes into the sand!

  Iggy stared in amazement. “How did that happen?”

  “I pushed it out from the inside! Easy.” Tute’s head appeared through the hole in the wall. “Wow, am I ever pleased to see you two.”

  Iggy grinned. “Where’d you spring from?”

  “Things are mega-freaky-spooky in this place,” Tute explained. “Teggsy sent me off to find the emergency exit.”

  “Right now, it’s an emergency entrance.” Gipsy clambered inside. “We must warn the captain and Arx – any minute now, three T. rex battle squads will be banging on the pyramid’s doors.”

  Tute’s face fell. “I don’t believe it! More T. rexes?”

  “What do you mean, more?” asked Iggy. “What’s been going on?”

  “If you’re feeling brave enough,” said Tute, “come in and find out!”

  Chapter Ten

  MENACE IN MIND

  “I don’t believe it,” breathed Teggs. In Keprish’s lair he was staring at the squashed-up sleeping T. rexes. “They’re all still alive after so many centuries.”

  “Alive and in prime condition,” said Keprish proudly. “The T. rex creatures are the most savage fighters I have ever encountered . . .” Suddenly he laughed. “And look! Just look at the screen! What incredible luck – here come some more!”

  Teggs and Arx gasped to see a hundred bloodthirsty T. rex shock troops massing at the entrance to the pyramid.

  “Hear me, Bad Something in pyramid!” bellowed their leader. “Me, Brigadier Skunch, will smash you for great T. rex defeat one thousand years ago. Doors not keep us out! Us know code ’cos was spying on the astrosaurs when they got in. Ruby, emerald, diamond, sapphire, pearl . . .”

  The doors slid open, and Skunch led his rabble of ’rexes inside.

  “A full-scale T. rex invasion?” Teggs gulped. “Well, at least they’ll have to pass the pyramid’s tests before they can get any further.”

  “No they won’t,” said Keprish. “It takes a whole day for the computer to re-set the tests.”

  Arx stared in horror as Skunch’s troops tore into the star-system mosaics on the screen. “They’ll use brute force to smash their way through – then they’ll rip us apart!”

  “Fear not, horned one,” Keprish hissed. “I shall use Ganster to trick the T. rexes into touching the brain-stone. Then my mind shall invade the invaders and take control! I shall add these creatures to my army, ready to conquer whole worlds in the name of Keprish!” He smiled nastily at Teggs and Arx. “And now you’re here to set me free, that conquest will soon begin! The energy-screen controls are built into this altar. You must shut them down.”

  “No way!” Arx cried. “You’re a monster.”

  “We’d sooner die than help you,” Teggs added.

  Keprish’s big eye narrowed. “You have no choice. As soon as you touch the brain-stone, my mind will control yours.”

  “Then we won’t touch it,” said Teggs.

  “Yes, you will,” growled Ganster, grabbing hold of Teggs while his bandaged-up buddy seized Arx. Both T. rexes were incredibly strong. Neither astrosaur could break free.

  “Look into the brain-stone,” whispered Keprish as the massive emerald began to sparkle. “See its pretty colours . . . see how it shines . . .”

  “It . . . it does shine.” Arx began struggling less in the mummy’s grip as it forced him closer to the evil jewel. “I want to touch it . . .”

  “No, Arx!” Teggs struggled with all his might. “Do you want to end up like Ganster – a helpless puppet?” His head was throbbing. His vision was filled with the burning bright brain-stone.

  “You WILL set me free!” cried Keprish. “Touch the stone! Let my mind control yours!”

  “No!” gasped Teggs. Keprish’s words echoed in his mind, drowning out all thoughts of resistance. His head was almost touching the brain-stone. Arx’s horn was millimetres away.

  “You cannot fight any longer!” laughed Keprish.

  “Maybe they can’t!” roared Iggy, bursting into the room with Gipsy
and Tute. “But WE can!”

  With a cry of “Hiiiiii-YAH!” Gipsy leaped through the air and kicked Ganster in the teeth. As the T. rex staggered backwards, Tute dived at Teggs in a rugby tackle, bringing him down. Both dinosaurs fell against Arx, pushing him away from the brain-stone.

  “Who dares enter my domain?” raged Keprish.

  “Who else?” said Iggy. “Astrosaurs!” He lifted his stolen roast-rifle and aimed it at the brain-stone.

  “I don’t know what this thing is, but I’m guessing it’s nothing cool. In fact, it looks downright HOT!”

  He blasted away with the roast-rifle.

  “Noooooooo!” screamed Keprish as the greenish stone turned scarlet – and then exploded into a billion blazing fragments. The alien shook as if he’d been electrocuted. Then his eye closed, and his body was still. Ganster roared with pain and the mummy sank to his knees. Finally, both T. rexes flopped over backwards and lay still.

  “Iggy! Gipsy! I’m so glad to see you!” Teggs shook his aching head and grinned. “We’ve been going out of our minds with worry!”

  “Well done, you three.” Arx got up groggily from the floor and looked at Keprish. “Our evil alien’s still breathing. When the brain-stone blew up it must’ve shocked his mind and knocked him out.”

  “Lord Ganster’s still alive too,” said Teggs.

  “Ganster?” echoed Gipsy and Iggy.

  “Never mind all that, we’ve got to get out of here!” Tute scrambled to his feet and pointed to the screens. “Look!”

  The pictures showed Skunch and his troops in the energy-screen room, firing their powerful lasers at the door – which was starting to crumble.

  “Once they get through that door there’s only one more between them and the bomb chamber,” Arx noted. “It won’t take them long to sniff us out behind the tapestry!”

  Teggs heard a chorus of low, growling yawns behind him, and frowned. “Uh-oh. As if all that wasn’t enough, I think Keprish’s sleeping T. rex army next door is waking up.”

  “I guess Keprish’s mind control was keeping them asleep,” said Arx. “And when they wake up and see us, I don’t think they’ll be very friendly!”