'I'm sorry, but I can't leave here. I must wait for—'
'You have a companion? Which way did he go?'
Sarah pointed to the left hand tunnel. 'Down there.'
Bellal gave a little hiss of alarm. 'That way lies death.'
'Then we must find the Doctor and warn him. Please, come with me.'
Bellal said reluctantly. 'It may already be too late. But I will do what I can.'
Another little creature scuttled out of the darkness, so like Bellal as to be almost identical. 'The machine-creatures from the space ship... Two of them... they are very close.'
'Machine creatures ?' said Sarah. 'You mean Daleks?'
Bellal grasped Sarah's arm and pulled her into a nearby fissure. He and his companion crowded in behind her, shielding her with their bodies. Sarah realised that their greyish garments blended perfectly with the walls of the tunnel, forming a perfect camouflage.
Two Daleks glided into view. They drew to a halt at the sight of the three entrances facing them. They hovered for a moment, eye-sticks swivelling uneasily to and fro. Then the one in the lead said, 'We will search independently. Fugitives are to be exterminated on sight.'
'I obey.' The harsh metallic voices echoed through the tunnels. The Daleks separated and moved off, one to the left and one to the right.
As soon as they were out of sight Sarah wriggled out of her hiding-place. 'One of those Daleks will be coming up behind the Doctor. We must go and warn him.'
Bellal gripped her arm, holding her back. 'It will be of no use. You must stay silent, or we will all be killed. You must understand... It is beyond anyone's power to help your companion now.'
The Doctor was reaching a similar conclusion. In his desperate dash for safety he had run straight into a trap. He couldn't go on because the crack became too narrow. He couldn't go back because the probe was still hovering outside the fissure, trying to work out what had happened to its prey. The Doctor had hoped that it would eventually give up and go away, but he had underestimated its persistence.
It was only a servo-mechanism of limited intelligence, he thought. But it was obviously programmed to seek out and destroy intruders, and not to give up until it had found them. It wouldn't take even the dimmest mechanical mind much longer to work out that there was only one place the Doctor could be. And once it had him located, it need only blast a few energy-bolts down the fissure and that would be that. It was a wonder it hadn't found him already. Perhaps the narrowness of the rock-fissure was confusing its sonar.
Suddenly the probe appeared, directly outside the fissure. The red eye-lens glowed, as it moved cautiously towards the crack. Surely it would spot him any moment now...
Help came at last, not from the Doctor's friends, but from his greatest enemies. A Dalek appeared down the tunnel, and the probe withdrew from the crack, and whipped round to face this new threat.
From his hiding place inside the crack the Doctor had a grandstand view of the confrontation. The Dalek stopped short as the snake-like metal form of the probe hovered in the air above it. The probe hovered over the Dalek, its red eye seeming to blink in astonishment. For a moment the two metal monsters studied each other.
Then the Dalek made its predictable response to the unknown danger. With a harsh cry of 'Exterminate!' it opened fire on the probe. At exactly the same moment the probe made the same decision, and lunged forward, blasting the Dalek with an energy-bolt.
There was an explosive crackle of fierce blue sparks and the Dalek spun round, cannoning into the rock wall, like a demented dodgem-car. At the same time some of the Dalek's bullets struck the probe; it lashed about the tunnel in panic-stricken fury.
The Dalek swivelled round, trying to bring its machine-gun to bear. 'I am under attack,' it screeched. 'Assist ! Assist ! Assist!'
Before the Dalek could take aim the probe lunged forward again, blasting the Dalek with another energy-bolt. The Dalek spun round, smashing into the rock wall. 'Oh good shot, sir!' called the Doctor delightedly. 'A hit, a palpable hit!' He moved to the end of the fissure to get a better view.
With an angry howl the probe reared to its full height. Then it lunged forward again and again, blasting the stricken Dalek with a rain of energy-bolts. The Dalek blew up.
Back at the junction point, Sarah was listening to the sounds of battle. They rose to a crescendo, there was the sound of a distant explosion—then silence.
Shaking off Bellal's restraining hand, Sarah headed determinedly for the left-hand tunnel. Baal darted in front of her, barring her way. 'No!' he hissed.
'I must find out what's happening to the Doctor...'
'The other Dalek will come back this way,' said Bellal desperately. 'We must leave.'
'The Doctor may be hurt. I've got to find him.'
'As soon as it is safe, I will send some of our people to look for him,' promised Bellal. 'Now we must leave here...' He broke off. 'No... it is too late. There is something coming... Quick!' whispered Bellal. He dragged Sarah back to the fissure where they'd hidden before, and his companion ran to join them.
Tensely Sarah watched the tunnel entrance. The sound of movement came nearer, a shadow loomed up—and the muzzle of a Dalek machine-gun appeared...
Sarah shrank back—and the Doctor moved warily into view, holding the machine-gun before him.
With a sob of relief, she ran forwards, throwing herself into his arms. 'Doctor, you're safe. What happened? How did you get away from the Dalek? What did you see down there?'
The Doctor grinned. 'Steady on, Sarah, one thing at a time. I had a confrontation with a rather nasty root—a kind of probe.'
'A root?'
'That's right. I think it was part of the City's defences.' The Doctor smiled. 'It wasn't very fond of me, but it positively hated the Dalek!'
'So what happened?'
'Probe City—one, Dalek United—nil,' said the Doctor happily. 'It blew the Dalek to bits.' He held up the machine-gun. 'I managed to salvage this from the wreckage—it was about the only bit left undamaged.' He tossed it aside.
Bellal and his companion came forward from the fissure, and the Doctor swung round. 'It's all right, Doctor, they're friends,' said Sarah. She gave the Doctor a brief account of her meeting with Bellal and his companion. 'They say they're part of a group who oppose the other Exxilons.'
'How do you do, gentlemen,' said the Doctor politely. 'We could certainly do with some allies.'
The little Exxilon gave a kind of bow. 'We shall try to help you, Doctor. My companion here is called Gotal—' Bellal broke off. He ran to the right-hand tunnel, and stood listening. 'I think I hear movement. The other Dalek must be coming.'
Gotal was hovering impatiently by the entrance to the central tunnel. 'This way. Come quickly!'
The Doctor and Sarah ran into the tunnel, and Bellal followed. Soon all four had disappeared into the darkness.
A few minutes later the second Dalek came back down the right-hand tunnel. It turned towards the left-hand entrance then paused, seeming to sense some movement. It hovered for a moment—then set off after the Doctor and his companions.
9
The Pursuit
The little party hurried down the central tunnel, Gotal leading the way, followed by the Doctor and Sarah. Bellal himself brought up the rear, pausing from time to time to listen. The Doctor could hear nothing, but he imagined long residence underground had made Bellal's hearing particularly acute. Bellal hurried forward, urging them on. 'Move more quickly. The Dalek is coming this way, and it is gaining on us.'
They ran on down the tunnel at a terrible pace, until suddenly Gotal stopped. The way ahead was blocked by a fall of rock. 'It's a dead end,' said Sarah. 'We're trapped.'
Bellal was scanning the pile of rubble with an expert eye. 'Not quite. See! There at the top' He pointed, and they saw a little gap at the top of the pile of rubble.
The Doctor looked at the narrow space. 'Through there? I'll never make it!'
'It is the only way,' said Gotal. He began scrambling u
p the rock pile, with the others following.
Gotal slipped through the little gap with ease. He and his people were used to wriggling through cramped spaces underground. Even Sarah got through without much difficulty.
It was the Doctor who found himself in trouble.
Although he was thin, he was tall and broad shouldered as well, and he soon began to feel that squeezing himself through the narrow gap was next to impossible. With a desperate heave he wriggled halfway through the gap—and then stuck.
'Hurry, Doctor,' urged Bellal. 'The Dalek is very close now.'
The Doctor stretched an arm out in front of him. 'Sarah, give me a pull from your side will you?'
Sarah grasped the Doctor's wrist and pulled with all her might. Bellal put his shoulder against the Doctor and shoved with surprising strength. They all heaved—and the Doctor shot through the narrow space like a cork coming out of a bottle, just as the Dalek appeared behind them.
Baffled by the rock-pile, the Dalek halted—Daleks cannot climb. With an angry cry of 'Exterminate! Exterminate!' it sent a fusillade of bullets after the disappearing Bellal.
'Down!' yelled the Doctor. They all threw themselves down as Dalek bullets whistled over their heads. They howled and ricochetted down round the tunnel, bringing a shower of rock-chips down on their heads. The Doctor and his companions lay face clown, like a patrol caught in no-man's-land. The roar of the firing ended at last, and there was silence. Either the Dalek had run out of ammunition, or it had become discouraged and gone away. Cautiously the Doctor raised his head, 'I think it's gone now. Everyone all right?'
He got to his feet, and the others did the same, dusting themselves down. 'We can rest for a while,' whispered Bellal. 'We are safe now—for a time.'
The Doctor stretched. 'Maybe so—but we can't just stay hiding underground. We've got to get back power for the TARDIS, for one thing—and for another, we must do what we can to help the mission from Earth.'
Sarah was all in favour of getting away, but she didn't much fancy risking her life for people who'd abandoned them. 'They'll be all right, won't they? They seem to be pretty pally with the Daleks.'
The Doctor shook his head. 'There may be an alliance of some kind for the moment. But take it from me—the moment they cease to be useful, the Daleks will wipe them out without a qualm.' The Doctor shook his head worriedly. 'I only wish I knew what was going on up there.'
'One of my people is watching, Doctor,' said Bellal. 'He will report to me soon. Come, I will take you to our base.'
The Subterranean Exxilon was called Jebal, and he lay wrapped in his cloak at the top of a dune that overlooked the mining area. The coarse-woven garment was exactly the same colour as the sand, and Jebal's tiny form was almost invisible. Like most of his people Jebal hated being out in the open, especially during daylight. The burning sun scorched his delicate white skin, and its glare dazzled his sensitive eyes, which were adapted to the permanent semi-darkness of the caves. Shading them with his hand he peered over the edge of the dune, trying to work out what was going on below.
A little group of Exxilons was chipping at the rocky outcrop with simple store tools. Not Jebal's people, but the savage surface Exxilons. Standing over them were two aliens. One was human from the Earth expedition, the other one of the machine-creatures, the Daleks. They were engaged in angry discussion.
The Dalek scanned the working party with its eye-stick, then swivelled back towards Galloway. 'The Exxilons are working too slowly.'
'Aye, and I'm not surprised. With the kind of primitive equipment they use...' The use of any kind of modern equipment was apparently against the Exxilon religion. The power drills were useless anyway because of the energy-blockage, but the Exxilons refused even to use the picks and shovels the Earth expedition could supply. They were chipping at the Parrinium-bearing rock with a variety of stone-age tools, and not surprisingly the work went with infuriating slowness.
The Dalek knew all this, but it was concerned only with results. 'The workers must work more quickly, and the work force must be increased. You will arrange it.'
'You arrange it,' growled Galloway. 'That high priest isn't exactly co-operative, for all your threats. We were lucky to get this many workers.'
Faced with opposition, the Dalek simply repeated its command. 'More workers! More! Exxilons will obey our commands.'
'And if they don't?'
'They will be exterminated. Go and tell them.'
Galloway turned away muttering, 'I'm not running errands for you. We made an agreement. We're supposed to be allies.'
'It was expedient at the time. Now it is no longer necessary. You will live only as long as you serve the Daleks. You will obey!'
Galloway had no particular objection to bullying and threatening the Exxilons, particularly if it would get the work done quicker. But to act as an errand-boy for the Daleks offended his dignity. 'I won't do it, I tell you. Go yourself.'
The Dalek's machine-gun swung round to cover him. 'Obey the Daleks,' it grated. 'Obey! Obey!'
Galloway glared furiously at the metal shape before him. But he knew he was beaten. The Dalek would kill him without a second's hesitation if it decided he was no longer useful. 'All right, all right,' he muttered. He turned and headed in the direction of the great cavern.
In a little cave deep below the surface of the planet, the Doctor and Sarah were sharing a meal with Bellal and some of his people. It wasn't much of a meal—brackish water in a stone jug, some coarse black bread, and a few wizened fruits, but it was better than nothing, and the Doctor and Sarah ate hungrily. The little group of Subterraneans devoured the food with relish, and Sarah guessed that even this simple food was in short supply.
The cave had been turned into a simple communal dining and living area, with beds in niches around the walls, and roughly shaped stone chairs and tables. It was clear that for these Exxilons as for those on the surface, life was hard and primitive, a perpetual struggle for survival. Sarah finished the last of her fruit, and turned to Bellal. 'As far as I can gather, this City seems to be the cause of all the trouble. Where did it come from? Who built the wretched thing?'
Bellal said sadly, 'You do not know? But of course, how could you realise? We built the City ourselves, we Exxilons.'
Sarah looked round the cave, which bore all the signs of a culture not much above the stone age. She thought of the savage Exxilons of the surface, with their bows and arrows and ritual sacrifice. And she thought of the City, gleaming remote and beautiful, towering high above the stony desert. 'I'm sorry, I don't understand. How could you have...' her voice tailed away in embarrassment.
Bellal was well aware what she was thinking. 'The Exxilons were not always savages.' His voice changed, becoming a sort of ritual chant as he recited the tragic history of his people. 'Exxilon had grown old before life had ever begun on Earth. Our ancestors solved the great mysteries of science. They built craft that travelled through space. They were the supreme beings of the galaxy.'
The Doctor was listening in fascination. 'What ended their power?' he asked gently. 'Was it war?' The Doctor knew of all too many planets where great scientific achievement had ended in mindless self-destruction.
Bellal shook his head. 'No. Yet it is true that our ancestors created their own destruction. They built the City.' Bellal paused, overcome by emotion. His voice steadied and he went on, 'They dreamed of crowning their civilisation with one supreme achievement. Using all their knowledge, all their energies, they planned to build the ultimate City, a City that would be greater than any in the cosmos—a City that would outlast Time itself.'
Sarah said, 'Well, it looks as if they succeeded. When I saw the place it looked as if it had been built only yesterday.'
Bellal went on, 'They used their scientific brilliance to make the City into a living being, an entity that could protect itself; repair itself, absorb the energy it needed directly from the air of the planet and turn it to any use. They even gave it a brain.'
&nb
sp; 'I see,' said the Doctor softly. 'So the City became a single living thing—greater and more powerful than the many who built it?'
Bellal nodded. 'By the time the City was completed, it realised that only one thing flawed its perfection—the Exxilons, the inferior beings who had created it. Our ancestors realised too late that they had created a monster. They tried to destroy the City—and it used the weapons they had given it to destroy them. It drove out the survivors, and barred its gates forever. Now we, and those others you met on the surface are all that remain. We have become savages.'
'You're not a savage, Bellal,' said Sarah. 'Though I can't say as much for the others. Why are you so different from them?'
'When the City expelled them, most of the Exxilon people turned against science and progress completely. Any culture, any invention, progress of any kind became completely forbidden. They rejected the City and all it stood for. They deliberately turned themselves into savages. But although they hate the City, they fear it too. Over the long years it became their god—a cruel and savage god. They worship it, and they make sacrifices to it.'
'Yes, I know,' said Sarah. 'We almost qualified for that ourselves.'
The Doctor said, 'But you Subterraneans don't worship the City?'
'We hate and fear it, but we do not worship it. The City absorbs all life, all energy from our planet, turning it into a desert. Constantly it rebuilds and improves itself, while outside its walls we, the Exxilons, starve and die. Every year the food grows less, and our numbers grow fewer. Our aim is to destroy the City. Unless we succeed, our race will soon vanish from this planet. Only the City will remain.'
10
The City Attacks
Dan Galloway smashed a football-sized chunk of rock from the big boulder with a swing of his pick-axe and passed it over to Jill Tarrant who began chipping it into smaller chunks with her hammer, and sorting out the pieces showing the silvery gleam of the Parrinium ore. For some reason the Parrinium vein ran through the rocks in a kind of inner stripe, so that a good deal of rock had to be smashed to get at it. With automated mining equipment it would have been simple enough, but working by hand it was a back-breaking and tedious business.
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