Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters by Malcolm Hulke Page B

voices and saw the light of torches coming towards him. He held back in the shadows, hoping they would not see him. The little group that went by him was led by the Doctor, who carried two UNIT rifles and the twisted remains of what had been Major Barker’s high-velocity rifle, and the Brigadier and two UNIT soldiers carrying the dead or unconscious body of Major Barker. As soon as the group had gone out of earshot, Quinn emerged into the main passageway and headed towards the reptile people’s shelter.
    At the far end of the large cathedral-like cave, Quinn went up to a huge stone and stood perfectly still.
    ‘I am Dr Quinn,’ he said to the stone,’ your friend.’
    Nothing happened.
    ‘This is Dr Quinn,’ he said, trying to hide the panic in his voice,’ you know me. I am your friend.’
    To his relief the stone opened at a crack down its middle, revealing a metal door. As Quinn stepped forward, the hollow stone closed behind him and the metal door slid open. He stepped into a small metal box. In it were two metal stools, and another door that led into the main part of the shelter. Quinn had never been through that other door. He knew he was welcome this far, and this far only. He sat on one of the stools and waited. A few moments later the other door opened and Okdel entered and sat down.

    ‘Why have you come?’ Okdel asked. ‘It is not the time.’
    ‘I’ve come to warn you,’ said Quinn. ‘There have been men searching the caves, soldiers with weapons.’
    ‘Your warning is too late,’ said Okdel.
    Quinn looked at the reptile face in front of him. It was impossible to tell whether Okdel was angry or forgiving. It was the first time he had really looked closely into Okdel’s scaly green face because the sight of it made him want to be sick.’ I was busy,’ he said. ‘I only heard about it a few minutes ago. You’ve brought this on yourselves, you know.’
    ‘We?’ Okdel sat up very straight, breathing in with an unnerving whining sound.
    ‘If only that human hadn’t been killed,’ said Quinn, ‘and if only you would stop taking power from the cyclotron …’
    Okdel cut in sharply, ‘We need power!’
    ‘Yes, I know, I know,’ said Quinn. ‘And I want to help you to have it. But you have already caused too much trouble. There’s a full-scale investigation going on.’
    ‘We, too, are conducting an investigation,’ Okdel said. ‘You promised to supply us with detailed information about weapons and the humans’ ability to make war. Where is this information?’
    ‘It’s very complicated,’ said Quinn,’ an enormous study. There are so many different countries, and thousands of millions of people.’
    ‘Yes,’ said Okdel, the green lids of his eyes closing for a moment’s contemplation. ‘The little furry animals have increased and multiplied.’
    Quinn seized Okdel’s momentary thoughtfulness to push forward his own claims for information. ‘There is a lot of information which you promised to me,’ he said. ‘Particularly about those little furry animals, my ancestors.’
    ‘You must meet our scientist, K’to,’ said Okdel, ‘but all in good time. Meantime, this is for you.’ Okdel produced a small flat object with various controls, and offered it to Quinn.
    ‘What is it?’
    ‘One of our calling devices,’ said Okdel. ‘This is how you make it give sounds.’ Okdel touched the controls in a pattern, and the flat object produced a fluting sound. ‘Your soldiers wounded one of our people, and he had to flee to the surface. You must find him and bring him back to us.’
    ‘That may be impossible!’ said Quinn.
    ‘When you have brought him back to us,’ said Okdel, ‘I may allow you to put your questions to our scientist.’ The muscles of Okdel’s face twitched three times, which Quinn had come to recognise as a reptile man’s way of smiling – except that this time Quinn knew it was a false smile, and that behind it was a threat. ‘What is it you really