Part 16 (1/2)

'It must gain power via a small transmitter from the central power unit. We don't want any accidents.'

'It could be a mock-up-like the Cyberman,' said Kaftan.

'We'll soon know,' said Klieg. 'Turn off the power. The switch on the right of that board.'

Kaftan clicked over a switch. 'All the sequences show negative,' she said quietly.

'Good,' said Klieg.

He put his hand into his side pocket and took out a set of jeweller's tools. Kaftan watched while he began to dismantle the weapon. Skilfully he worked out where each separate part must be, unscrewed it and placed it gently on the metal floor. It was a beautiful piece of design, made of better metal alloys than anything they had yet seen on Earth.

'There is nothing wrong with this,' said Klieg. 'Now, they will have to listen to us.'

'The Cybermats are ready.'

'Stand clear,' said the Controller.

The Cybermats were arrayed in a horseshoe round the body of Toberman, their antennae pointing towards him. The Cybermen stood watching.

'Now,' said the Controller's level but precise voice. He turned the control k.n.o.b.

There was a low buzzing noise, a whine, rising slowly to a higher and higher pitch. Nothing moved except the antennae on the Cybermats. They started moving forward towards the giant lying in front of them.

'Excellent!' Klieg was saying. 'A small X-ray laser, I'd guess.'

He took aim with the Cybergun, pointing it at the metal panel on the other side of the room. Kaftan moved back nervously and waited.

Klieg pressed the trigger b.u.t.ton and, with a flash, smoke began to come out of the metal panel. With the trigger pressed, he burned a neat circle in the panel. A round piece of metal clattered forward on to the floor.

'Yes! A laser! Cuts metal, drills through anything we want it to, my dear Kaftan,' he smirked, the gun in his hand giving him the power he knew he had to have.

'What are you going to do now?' asked Kaftan.

'Take command of course,' said Klieg. 'What do you. think?

With this, we shall be able to deal with those people in there.'

Behind him was the hole torn in the metal by the laser gun.' Up through it came the chill wind from the Cybercaverns, and creeping up towards it came the first of a swarm of something else: the first of the reprogrammed Cybermats.

'Never mind about the others,' said Kaftan. 'The important thing for us is to command the Cybermen.'

'Er... yes... I know,' said Klieg. 'But...'

Even with the gun in his hand, he now looked anything but the arrogant conqueror.

'Isn't it, Eric?' insisted Kaftan's clear voice.

'You haven't been down there,' he muttered. 'You haven't seen those... vile things.'

He s.h.i.+vered.

'You're not scared, are you?'

'We have completely underestimated their power,' said Klieg, trying to convey to her some slight inkling of the horror that still waited below them in the chill cavern.

'But this time we have the power,' said Kaftan. 'At least, you do.'

Klieg didn't understand her.

'The gun, Eric. The gun. You have the Cybermen's own weapon. This laser. You can turn it against them. Now they will have to obey,' she went on, her eyes s.h.i.+ning. 'If they refuse, we shall destroy the opening device and seal them up in their tomb for ever.'

Klieg looked at her, understanding, full of arrogance again.

'Do you understand?' asked Kaftan.

'Yes, you are right. I am invulnerable with this,' said Klieg. 'I shall be Master of the Cybermen.'

'Come on!' said Kaftan briskly. 'Let's deal with the others.'

She moved towards the door, but Klieg was not following her.

She turned around.

'Eric?' she said.

'Master,' he said, 'the supreme moment of my life.'

She looked at him hard. But he stood still, a strange fixed expression on his face.

'... The supreme moment of my life,' he repeated. 'It was logical that it should happen this way.'

'Eric, we have work to do,' she said firmly.

'Yes, of course,' he said, rousing himself. 'But hardly work-'

A slow smile spread over his features, different from anything she had seen on his face before, a strange self-satisfied grin, but dangerous, blind...

'... More of a pleasure.'

'A what?' asked Kaftan.