target and wasting valuable ammunition. Yet there was no time to admonish him as, seconds later, Sezon screamed the order everyone was waiting for: ‘ Fire! ’
A volley of shots echoed through the area directed at the first line of advancing warriors. Four of the five androids took blaster power as direct hits on their streamlined chest pieces, but with little effect. The Borad had created an invincible group of crack killers whose ranks were already two deep into the Inner Sanctum.
The Doctor struggled to unloop the final circuit he was manipulating within his wet grasp. ‘Nearly there, Mykros,’
he gasped, knowing full well that he had run out of time.
Mykros looked at his chronographer. A new digit display marked the end of hope for the Inner Sanctum. Distraught and upset he released his hold on the opened unit in his grasp, jogging the Time Lord’s elbow, sending his screwdriver down into one of the power control boxes.
‘Mykros!’ barked the Doctor, horrified. ‘What have you done?’
The first line of androids stopped in front of Sezon and some of his group, while the second line of five allocated themselves on a one-to-one basis with Vena, Herbert and Katz. The others marched on through the chamber looking for more life forms, allowing the execution party to carry out their first programmed task.
Sezon tried close fire and then ramming one of the androids, only to be thrown on the floor himself. All the metallic creatures raised their spiked death clubs high into the air as Peri closed her eyes. She had forgotten all about the Timelash, and it was too late now anyway. Like seals to be culled, the maces were angled over the heads of the cowering group. The leading android signalled completion of the slaughter, and the solid metal clubs fell with full force unmercifully downwards, but only halfway to their targets. The hum of the androids’ power packs stopped, as did marching in other areas. All was quiet.
Katz opened her eyes to see a fat wedge of steel a head’s length away from her own. She jumped to her feet around the bristling weapon joined by the others. The fierce execution squad had become frozen statues, quite lifeless and entirely useless. Peri smiled.
‘Well done, Doctor.’
11
The Bandrils’ Bomb
Mykros stared at the black lifeless interior of the power box nearest the Doctor.
‘You do realise I was very attached to that screwdriver, don’t you?’
‘Sorry Doctor, but it seems that it did the trick.’
‘Trick?’ queried the Time Lord, moving back from the power panels. ‘ Trick? ’ he snapped, rubbing the sweat from his forehead. ‘ Trick! ’ he shouted, humbling poor Mykros, who recoiled. ‘I know I’m looked upon as a magician by some, but it’s pure science I deal in, I’ll have you know, not cheap tricks.’
Mykros apologised, tongue in cheek, and closed the power panels. ‘How did you know that one controlled the androids, Doctor?’
‘I guessed.’
They moved out of the vault back into the corridor.
Mykros sealed the doors once more.
‘And I assume that none of those metal giants will harm or endanger anyone any more?’
The Doctor paused to get his bearings. He surveyed the area to see several doors leading off the strip of walkway.
‘Where do these lead, Mykros?’
‘Oh, just technical rooms, Doctor, and storage for the Borad’s personal androids.’
The Time Lord’s curiosity bit and he ventured to the first door. Mykros, on the other hand, was eager to get back to see if Vena was all right, and he was also concerned about the Bandrils.
Opening the door, the two of them walked into the damp area, and along to another inner chamber. This door was cold - very cold.
‘Some sort of refrigeration complex. Your food storage?’
quizzed the Doctor, quite intrigued by the possibilities.
Mykros shook his head, fearing that any response would delay them further.
Trying the door, there seemed no way in, until it became obvious that the
A volley of shots echoed through the area directed at the first line of advancing warriors. Four of the five androids took blaster power as direct hits on their streamlined chest pieces, but with little effect. The Borad had created an invincible group of crack killers whose ranks were already two deep into the Inner Sanctum.
The Doctor struggled to unloop the final circuit he was manipulating within his wet grasp. ‘Nearly there, Mykros,’
he gasped, knowing full well that he had run out of time.
Mykros looked at his chronographer. A new digit display marked the end of hope for the Inner Sanctum. Distraught and upset he released his hold on the opened unit in his grasp, jogging the Time Lord’s elbow, sending his screwdriver down into one of the power control boxes.
‘Mykros!’ barked the Doctor, horrified. ‘What have you done?’
The first line of androids stopped in front of Sezon and some of his group, while the second line of five allocated themselves on a one-to-one basis with Vena, Herbert and Katz. The others marched on through the chamber looking for more life forms, allowing the execution party to carry out their first programmed task.
Sezon tried close fire and then ramming one of the androids, only to be thrown on the floor himself. All the metallic creatures raised their spiked death clubs high into the air as Peri closed her eyes. She had forgotten all about the Timelash, and it was too late now anyway. Like seals to be culled, the maces were angled over the heads of the cowering group. The leading android signalled completion of the slaughter, and the solid metal clubs fell with full force unmercifully downwards, but only halfway to their targets. The hum of the androids’ power packs stopped, as did marching in other areas. All was quiet.
Katz opened her eyes to see a fat wedge of steel a head’s length away from her own. She jumped to her feet around the bristling weapon joined by the others. The fierce execution squad had become frozen statues, quite lifeless and entirely useless. Peri smiled.
‘Well done, Doctor.’
11
The Bandrils’ Bomb
Mykros stared at the black lifeless interior of the power box nearest the Doctor.
‘You do realise I was very attached to that screwdriver, don’t you?’
‘Sorry Doctor, but it seems that it did the trick.’
‘Trick?’ queried the Time Lord, moving back from the power panels. ‘ Trick? ’ he snapped, rubbing the sweat from his forehead. ‘ Trick! ’ he shouted, humbling poor Mykros, who recoiled. ‘I know I’m looked upon as a magician by some, but it’s pure science I deal in, I’ll have you know, not cheap tricks.’
Mykros apologised, tongue in cheek, and closed the power panels. ‘How did you know that one controlled the androids, Doctor?’
‘I guessed.’
They moved out of the vault back into the corridor.
Mykros sealed the doors once more.
‘And I assume that none of those metal giants will harm or endanger anyone any more?’
The Doctor paused to get his bearings. He surveyed the area to see several doors leading off the strip of walkway.
‘Where do these lead, Mykros?’
‘Oh, just technical rooms, Doctor, and storage for the Borad’s personal androids.’
The Time Lord’s curiosity bit and he ventured to the first door. Mykros, on the other hand, was eager to get back to see if Vena was all right, and he was also concerned about the Bandrils.
Opening the door, the two of them walked into the damp area, and along to another inner chamber. This door was cold - very cold.
‘Some sort of refrigeration complex. Your food storage?’
quizzed the Doctor, quite intrigued by the possibilities.
Mykros shook his head, fearing that any response would delay them further.
Trying the door, there seemed no way in, until it became obvious that the
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