Doctor Who: The Zarbi Read Online Free PDF

straining his ears.
    ‘Where did it come from?’
    Doctor Who remained where he was, listening too. The Doctor wagged his head, frowning thoughtfully.
    ‘It’s... it’s some form of communication. I’m sure of it...’
    Ian turned his head swiftly back. ‘Are you saying those noises we heard were messages ?’
    A slow nod. A pause.
    ‘They come from some sentient thing... or,... perhaps, a machine operated by it.’
    Suddenly Doctor Who stopped as though struck by an idea.
    ‘Of course!’
    He looked up at the crags, around him, then stared triumphantly at Ian.
    ‘That’s what’s holding us here!’
    ‘This... sound?’ Ian said, puzzled.
    ‘Whatever’s making it... yes! Aurally it’s the same pattern. The same pulse, the same rhythm as we got on the scanner.’
    ‘Those bars of light, those blobs... all that interference!’
    The Doctor gripped Ian’s arm. ‘Chesterton, we’ve got to locate its source!’
    Ian hesitated. ‘Yes... but how? With all those echoes around us? It could have come from anywhere! Trying to trace it would be hopeless!’
    ‘It isn’t,’ the Doctor snapped. ‘Not if we use one of our detectors. Come on – let’s get back to the ship...!’
    He turned to retrace his steps. Ian pointed to a defile between the crags.
    ‘It’s this way, Doctor’.
     
    He led on. As they entered the defile another distant sound floated to them over the crunching of their boots.
    Ian was first to hear it and stayed Doctor Who with his hand. They paused and it floated to them again, a faint anxious echo.
    ‘... Barbara... Barbara...!’
    ‘It’s Vicki!’ Ian shouted. ‘Something’s wrong, back at the ship!’
    ‘I thought you told them not to leave it?’
    ‘I did! Come on , Doctor!’
    Ian raced ahead, stumbling over the uneven ground, charging blindly down the defile. It was the Doctor who saw the danger which loomed suddenly ahead of them both, and halted.
    Illuminated palely in this cold light something was stretched between two tall rocks across the defile, barring their way. It glittered faintly.
    It was a web – a giant one, swaying faintly between the crags. Ian, stumbling ahead, turned to yell over his shoulder. ‘Hurry, Doctor!’
    ‘Chesterton! In front of you! Look out!’
    But Ian had turned to race on and came charging straight into the immense web. Its threads enveloped him stingingly wherever they touched. Ian thrust out his hands and clawed wildly to free himself, but the web caught his hands too, and prickled wherever they touched bare flesh.
    He saw Doctor Who running towards him as he fought vainly to free himself.
    ‘Keep away, Doctor! Get back to the ship!’
    His further shouts were drowned in the humming that now again rose all around them, speckled with the curious insect chirruping. He yelled again desperately, as Doctor Who halted a little helplessly.
    ‘Get back to the ship!’
    But Doctor Who stood there, warily free of the great mesh of the glistening web.
    ‘Don’t move! Stay absolutely still!’ the Doctor commanded.
    ‘It hurts!’ Ian gasped. ‘It... stings...!’
    ‘Don’t move, I say!
    Ian ceased his struggling. He winced at the strands of the web which lay stingingly across his face. Doctor Who was peering at the web for all the world as if it was a specimen of great scientific interest. He reached out a wary hand, touched it, and drew immediately back.
    ‘Hmmm!’ he grunted. ‘No good – I’ll have to go back to Tardis – get something to free you with.’
    ‘... all... right...’
    ‘Now keep as still as you can! I’ll try not to be too long!’
    Ian managed a faint nod. The web strands which held him powerless prickled even through his coat-sleeves and across his chest.
    Doctor Who backed away, took his bearings, and looking cautiously around him, circled the crag.
    Vicki gasped and backed away, clutching her ears as the noise invaded the ship again and pierced her ears like a knife. As she stumbled backward into the control room,