Altos nodded. "And what of the one that has escaped?'
The tremulous Voice paused, awaiting a surge of power from the bloated, throbbing brains. Then it spoke.
"That is your responsibility. As soon as it is light a thorough search must be made. If you fail, then you will be killed. She must be found.'
Altos bowed low and withdrew.
The sound of footsteps in the corridor brought Barbara to her senses. The footsteps stopped at the door to the cell. Barbara dived for her hiding place. The door opened and Altos entered.
He descended the steps and crossed to the wooden bench where Sabetha was now slumped asleep. "You are to come with me.'
The girl made no movement. Grasping her under the arms, Altos dragged her to the steps.
Seeing her opportunity, Barbara crept to the staircase ahead of him. As she reached the top she slipped and Altos span round. He released Sabetha and drew a knife. Spreadeagled on the steps Barbara could only parry the blow. The blade waved wildly in the air for a second then forced itself slowly against her throat. As the cold metal dug into her skin there was a sudden crash and Altos toppled unconscious to the floor. Looking up,
Barbara saw Sabetha standing over him, clutching one of the heavy, wooden chairs.
Barbara clasped the girl in her arms but Sabetha remained unaffected, still in a state of trance.
Barbara glanced towards the open door of the cellar.
"Sabetha... I must find the others and try to convince them... If I succeed, I'll come back for you.'
She gave the girl a final hug and ran up the steps. Sabetha tottered unsteadily to the bench and slumped into unconsciousness.
Barbara moved cautiously along the narrow passage. She had covered several hundred yards when she spotted a door ahead. As she drew nearer, someone stepped out. It was Ian. Overjoyed, Barbara ran to greet him.
"Thank heaven I've found you, Ian. I thought they must have got to you...' She suddenly became aware of Ian's lack of response. "I thought... Ian?...'
She scrutinised his face. The pupils of his eyes were dilated and gazed fixedy ahead. "You must be the one who escaped,' he said in a strange voice. "The one they told me about.' He gripped her fiercely by the arms.
"Ian!'
He stared at her unblinking and without recognition. "I must take you to them...' Unmoved and unremembering, he dragged her through the open door.
Barbara recoiled in horror at the sight of the four brains glowing eerily inside their transparent domes. There was a deathly pause, then the Voice of the Morphos spoke.
"So! She has been caught. You have done well and proved yourself worthy.'
Ian made a slight bow.
Barbara stared at him in revulsion. "It's disgusting,' she cried. "Ian, can't you see how you are being used?'
Ian merely tightened his grip. Barbara looked around. There was no-one else in the room apart from a girl attendant who stood motionless and glassy-eyed. Those monstrous brains had everyone in their thrall.
"We are the masters of this city,' rasped the Voice, echoing Barbara's thoughts.
"So you use your people to act as machines for you.'
"Much more than machines,' the disembodied Voice answered proudly. "The human body is the most flexible instrument in the world. No single mechanical device could reproduce its mobility and dexterity.'
"So I'm to become one of your slaves.'
"No, you have seen the truth of our city. It is beyond our power to erase this from your memory. You must be destroyed.' The hoarse tones rose in pitch. "Kill her!'
Without expression Ian placed his hands around Barbara's throat. She felt his grip tighten. She clawed wildly at his face, but his fingers squeezed her throat relentlessly, forcing the blood to her temples. With a desperate effort Barbara raised her arms above her head and brought her fists crashing down onto Ian's wrists. For a second his hold was weakened and she shook herself free.
Her momentum carried her headlong into the table which housed the intricate life-support equipment. On the table lay a heavy, metal jug which Barbara grabbed and held out ready to defend herself.
"Kill her!' screamed the Voice. "Kill her, kill her, kill her.'
Ian advanced towards her, his eyes like marbles.
With a cry Barbara brought the heavy jug down onto the life support equipment. There was a strangulated gasp from the Voice. Running to the glass domes, she began smashing them with the jug. The room was filled with inhuman screams as she pulverised the cases in a frenzy of destruction. The carnage stopped Ian in his tracks. He looked dazed and bewildered. When all four domes had been reduced to fragments Barbara sank to her knees, sobbing.
Limp and exposed, the Brains twitched like wounded animals on the floor of the Control Room. After a minute they gave a final, shuddering gasp and lay still.
Ian and the girl immediately put their hands to their heads as if waking from a deep sleep.
"Barbara... Barbara... I... I...'
"It's alright, Ian.' Barbara rose and took him by the shoulders. "It's alright now.'
The Doctor waited alone in the main chamber, anxiously tapping his stick on the marbled floor. Outside, the corridors echoed to the sounds of destruction as the liberated citizens of Morphoton ran riot through the capital.
Ian and Barbara entered, looking dishevelled.
"They're burning the city,' said Ian.
The Doctor shook his head sadly. "Taking their revenge, poor creatures.'
We should get out of here as soon as possible,' said Barbara. "Where's Susan?'
"Oh, we're meeting here.' The Doctor waved his stick airily. "She's bringing Sabetha and that young man Altos. I've questioned him and there's no doubt about it, he's one of Arbitan's couriers. He dug into one of his pockets. "By the way I found these travel dials. Those repellent brain things didn't appreciate their significance.' He showed them two wrist-straps identical to their own.
"Ah, here are the others.' He turned to greet Susan. She was followed by Altos and Sabetha, both looking quite natural and animated for the first time.
"We have one key, but there are three more to find,' announced the Doctor.
"Yes, Sabetha wants to continue the search with us,' said Susan.
"I wish to join too,' added Altos.
The Doctor nodded.
"I was sent by Arbitan,' continued the young man, "I and a friend called Eprin. He was to go ahead in search of key four and I came here for the first.'
"Arbitan had not heard from either of you,' said the Doctor. "We must presume something has happened to your friend Eprin.'
"It may just be that he couldn't reach the key,' explained Altos. "It lies somewhere in the city of Millenius.'
"Ah, yes, the place you mentioned,' said the Doctor, his face brightening, "the highly civilised society.' He turned on the others sharply. "I've decided to adopt his plan.'
"You mean go two jumps ahead and find the fourth key?' said Ian.
"Precisely. I shall find out what happened to Eprin,' the Doctor nodded at Altos, "and if he's alive, make con-tact with him. Then we can all meet again.'
Susan threw her arms around the Doctor. "I want to go with you.'
The old man gently disengaged himself. "Yes, yes, Susan. But it's better to split our forces. You will travel with the main party, my child.' He nodded towards Ian and Barbara.
"I was just wondering if we should fix a time to meet?' suggested Barbara.
After a brief consultation they agreed on seven days hence. The Doctor distributed the wrist-straps and there was a general leavetaking. The Doctor watched as first Susan, then the others dematerialised. Finally the Doctor adjusted his own dial to a later setting, gave it a firm twist and vanished.
Susan reappeared by a crumbling wall. For a moment she thought the dial had failed to work properly and she had landed outside Morphoton. But the dense weeds growing between the cracks in the wall told her this was a different place - deserted, dead, silent.
She looked ar
ound her. Strewn across the ground were lumps of carved masonry, once part of the wall. Underfoot the vegetation was thicker than grass and wilder, like the beginnings of a jungle. An archway set in the wall was no longer passable. Creepers as thick as a man's wrist blocked the entrance, the giant leaves and tendrils spread out from the stonework to a depth of several feet. Twenty yards either side of the archway the wall disappeared into a mass of trees and foliage. Behind her the clearing stretched a mere ten or twelve paces.
Susan stood silently, taking all this in. It was so quiet she could hear her heart thumping. A faint singing began in her ears and the forest rustled and stirred around her. She thought she heard talking and whispering, first coming from behind the creepers on the wall, then off to her left, or was it her right? Her senses were playing tricks in the silence. But no, there was a noise. It grew louder and louder, wrapping around her like a howling wind, piercing her eardrums.
"Stop it! Stop it!' she heard herself cry, her voice distant and muffled. The loud, harsh screeching pervaded her entire being.
"Go away! Go away!'
She ran in circles, delirious with pain, but still the noise continued, until the volume became unbearable. Finally her resistance gave way and she fell unconscious to the ground.
5: The Screaming Jungle
Barbara materialised a few feet from the vine-covered wall. Nearby Susan was scrambling groggily to her feet, clutching her ears.
"Go back, go back!' Susan cried.
"What is it?'
"Don't stay here!'
Barbara halted, unsure what to do. At that moment Ian, Sabetha and Altos materialised. Ian looked around and caught sight of Susan.
"What's happened?' he asked.
Susan uncovered her ears. "It's stopped,' she said.
"What has?' demanded Barbara.
"Didn't you hear it?' Susan looked incredulously at the others.
There was an embarrassed pause. Barbara placed an arm around Susan's shoulders. "There could be animals in this jungle.'
"It wasn't anything like that,' snapped Susan angrily.
"Take it easy,' said Ian. "Just tell us what happened.'
"It was... I don't know... It was... horrifying...'
"Well, whatever it was has gone now,' said Barbara brightly.
Susan gave her a steady look. "I did hear it you know.'
Barbara nodded. "Yes.'
There was another silence. Then Sabetha remarked, "This is a dead place.'
"It is a bit quiet, isn't it?' replied Ian, trying to sound jolly.
"That's not what I meant.'
Ian knew exactly what she meant. Therewas something deathly in the atmosphere, a feeling of decay, an absence of human life.
"The key will be on the other side of that wall,' said Altos, reminding them of their mission.
They looked at the dense creepers guarding the entrance.
Sabetha said, "I suppose we could cut them down.'
"It would take us the best part of a day,' replied Ian. "Let's make a short tour of the wall first.'
They split up. Ian, Altos and Sabetha went to look for another entrance while Barbara and Susan stayed put.
"Don't do anything until we get back,' warned Ian as he left.
"I do wish he wouldn't treat me like Dresden china,' complained Barbara.
"It's rather nice the way he looks after us all the time,' said Susan.
"I know, but just once in a while...'
"Rebel,' said Susan with a smile.
There was a slight pause.
"Are you feeling alright now?' asked Barbara. Susan nodded calmly. "Yes.'
"What did happen?'
"A noise. Very loud. A kind of slithering and screeching sound, amplified many times. I've heard it before - or something like it.'
"Where?'
"I can't remember. I only know that I recognised it as something... evil.' Susan gave a shudder.
Barbara glanced over her shoulder at the surrounding jungle. It looked thicker and darker than ever. Some of the trees were over two hundred feet tall. Their massive branches interlaced to form a canopy of green which blotted out the sun. Lower down a subsidiary growth of vines and creepers stretched from trunk to trunk, creating a second, denser ceiling which had enclosed the wall like a giant, green wave.
I've never seen vegetation like it,' said Barbara, in awe.
"Do you think the key's inside?'
"It must be.'
Barbara approached the hidden entrance while Susan sprawled lazily on the ground.
"You know, Susan, looking at this archway these things aren't half as dense as they seem.' She pulled a few creepers aside. "I'm sure we could get through.'
"Maybe.' Susan shifted her position on the coarse grass. Her leg itched and she brushed it idly with the back of her hand. The next instant something rough and wiry wrapped itself around her left thigh and began tugging her backwards across the ground. Susan let out a yell.
Turning, Barbara saw a thick creeper entwined around Susan's body, like a large snake.
Barbara ran across and tried to drag it off. The creeper twisted and writhed in her grip like a live animal. She seized a heavy stone and hammered at it with all her might. It loosened its hold and Susan struggled free.
"It was alive!' sobbed Susan, trembling with fright.
"It must have fallen on you from the tree.'
"No it didn't, Barbara... it didn't. I tell you it was alive. It was trying to twine all around me!'
Barbara shook her. "Stop it, Susan! It's just your imagination.' She gestured towards the creeper which now lay motionless on the ground. "It couldn't move by itself. You know it couldn't.'
Susan pulled herself together. "No. I'm sorry.'
Barbara put her arm around the young girl. "Come and help me clear the archway.'
Susan managed a brave smile and together they began pulling at the loose vines.
After a while they had created a small tunnel and Barbara peered into it. The creepers had grown through the arch and over the wall, filling up what might once have been a small courtyard. Barbara thought she could see more stonework further in.
"What is it?' asked Susan eagerly.
"I'm not sure. It's so dark. It looks like a statue or something.' Barbara pushed through the tangled vegetation towards the far end of the tunnel.
"Be careful,' warned Susan from the entrance.
Working her way down Barbara could see it was a carved idol about fifteen feet tall set into a crumbling wall. The idol faintly resembled an Eastern Bhudda, squat and round with crossed legs and a large, pot belly. Its face, however, was more like that of a gargoyle, with a gaping mouth and hideous, protruding eyes. Its arms were stretched out as though to embrace someone. On its head, in a small container, was a dazzling array of precious stones; diamonds, sapphires, ropes of pearl, emeralds and rubies set in bracelets of gold, as well as scores of lesser trinkets in silver and copper.
"Please don't go any further.'
Susan's voice sounded dimly along the tunnel but Barbara pressed forward through the remaining creepers intent on reaching the idol. Amidst the jewels she had spotted the shining micro-circuit!
"There doesn't seem to be any other way in. Where's Barbara?'
Susan found Ian, Altos and Sabetha at her elbow.
"In there.' She pointed to the archway. Barbara's blue dress was barely visible through the wilderness of green.
"Barbara! I told you to wait for us,' yelled Ian angrily. He set off down the tunnel.
Barbara had clambered onto the base of the idol and was reaching up for something. "The key! I've found the key,' she cried.
As she grasped the micro-circuit there was a click and a rumble of creaking machinery. Ian gazed in horror as the outstretched arms of the idol began to close around Barbara's waist.
"Help me, Ian! Help me!'
The statue started to revolve with Barbara clasped tightly in its arms. Screaming, Barbara managed to throw the key back into the
tunnel before disappearing into the stone wall. When Ian reached it there was nothing to see but bare masonry. Altos arrived at his side.
"You saw what happened?'
The young man nodded. "Is there no break in the wall? Perhaps a hidden spring?'
Ian scoured the stonework. "If there is I can't find it.' He leaned his head against the wall in desperation. "Let's get out into the open for a minute. I can't think in here.' He backed off down the tunnel.
Altos stopped to retrieve the micro-circuit and followed.
On hearing what had happened Sabetha said, "Barbara was wearing her travel dial. Wasn't she? As long as she isn't injured she can escape whenever she wants.'
A rumbling from the tunnel attracted their attention. The idol was swinging back into place, its arms empty.
After a silence Ian said, "Either it has released her, or she's escaped. She could be injured.'
"If she has used the dial and gone on to the next destination we don't know what danger she may be in there,' said Sabetha.
"We must cover all possibilities.' Ian turned to Sabetha. "You must go on ahead with Susan and Altos. I'll try to get inside. The statue worked once as a trap, it should work again. If there's no sign of Barbara I'll use my travel dial and follow you as quickly as I can.'
He took the micro-key from Altos and handed it to Sabetha. "I think you'd better put that on your chain with the other one. Right, off you go.'
Altos and Susan pressed their travel dials and disappeared.
"Hurry up,' said Ian to Sabetha who was still fiddling with the micro-key.
"Wait a minute, Ian. There's something wrong.' She held up the micro-key. "It's an imitation.'
Ian compared the key with the one Arbitan had given them.
"This edge is a fraction shorter,' said Sabetha pointing out the discrepancy.
"You're sure about this? It's not possible that there's some slight variation in the genuine circuits?'
Sabetha shook her head decisively. "No. They're all absolutely identical. This one must be an imitation.'
Doctor Who And The Keys of Marinus Page 4
