Part 14 (1/2)

'Don't blame yourself, Merdeen.'

'I've known him all his life,' said Merdeen brokenly, as he got to his feet. 'I asked for him to join the guards. I hoped one day he might see there was no reason for the Cullings.'

'Perhaps I can convince the Immortal of that,' said the Doctor urgently. 'I must get in to his Castle.'

'He will kill you,' said Merdeen dully.

'Not if he thinks I can still be of use to him. Come on, Merdeen, there isn't much time...'

Drathro stood swaying in the centre of his malfunctioning control room. Lights flashed wildly on the consoles and electricity arced across them.

'The black-light system will soon collapse in on itself,'

he said in a blurred, dragging voice. 'Then we shall all cease to function.'

As Drathro moved away, Tandrell whispered, 'We must leave here, Humker.'

'Where could we go?'

'I don't know. But Drathro says there will be an explosion and we shall all be killed. So, the logical course is to leave.'

Humker glanced up at the monitor and saw a ragged-looking group of armed men pounding down the corridor, a red-haired woman leading them.

'The wild ones!' said Humker. 'We are too late.'

'I've always said you talked too much,' said Tandrell.

'Come on!'

He led the way to the door.

By now Katryca and her little army were literally battering at the Castle doors. But their gun b.u.t.ts and spear handles made no impression.

'The gates will not yield, Katryca,' said Broken Tooth gloomily. 'They are of iron.'

'Then we will cut down the walls,' said Katryca, undeterred. 'Fetch tools!'

'Wait,' called Balazar. 'The Castle gates open.'

As they watched the gates swung slowly open.

Katryca turned to rally her reluctant warriors. 'Come, the Immortal is dead. We have nothing to fear!'

She led them across the anteroom towards the inner doors. When the warriors had all pa.s.sed through, Humker and Tandrell slipped out from behind the doors and disappeared down the corridor. As the little army crossed the anteroom, the inner doors opened also. Excitedly they hurried into the control room, Katryea and Broken Tooth in the lead.

Drathro was waiting for them. They stand up at the gleaming, metal figure with its strange sickle-shaped head in horrified amazement.

'It can't be,' whispered Katryca.

But somehow they all knew that this was the true Immortal.

'Why have you entered here?' boomed Drathro in his slurred, dragging voice.

Katryca's courage did not fail her. 'The guns, Broken Tooth!'

'Lay aside your useless toys,' ordered Drathro. 'I ask why have you entered here?'

'We are the tribe of the Free.'

'You are va.s.sals,' said Drathro contemptuously, 'Outside the law, outside the Plan. You have brought disorder where order reigned.'

Broken Tooth raised his gun, and Drathro lashed out and shattered it in his hand.

'I am Katryca. Queen of the-'

Drathro's clamplike hand fastened about her throat, For a second or two the whole robot pulsed with power.

Katryca writhed and twisted for a moment. then her charred body dropped to the ground, face blackened and hair scorched away, Broken Tooth launched himself at the robot in a mad frenzy, Drathro's other hand clamped about his throat. Seconds later his twisted body dropped beside that of his Queen, his features scorched beyond all recognition.

'You cause me to waste energy,' said Drathro reprovingly. 'Wait outside all of you. You will be Culled in accordance with the Plan.'

'Oh great Immortal one,' cried Balazar, Drathro dismissed him. 'Go. Do not attempt to hide.

My guards will track you down.'

Balazar led the defeated army from the control room.

Humker and Tandrell hurried along the corridors.

'I remember these subways from my childhood,' said Humker.

'Is this then the way to the surface?'

'I said I remembered the subways, Tandrell - not where they led!'

'If we do not find the surface. Drathro's guards will find us.' 'First we must deal with the wild ones, Then if there is an explosion...'

They turned a corner and ran straight into the Doctor, Peri and Merdeen.

'Tumker and Handrail,' said the Doctor. 'Where are you two off to?'

'We are leaving, Doctor,' said Tumker.

'Drathro says there is going to be an explosion.' said Tandrell, 'I know,' said the Doctor ruefully.