a menacing whisper. ‘There will be no second chance’
At that moment, one of the Quarks sparked and chattered into action. ‘Alien specimens approaching!’ it bleated.
‘Not now!’ Rago breathed venomously. ‘I warned them...
Visual!’ he ordered, turning to the Quark.
The display blacked out and a view of the area around the saucer flashed up in its place. Three white-suited but helmetless figures could be seen descending the slope of the dunes and approaching the Dominators’ craft.
‘Shall we destroy?’ Toba suggested eagerly, trembling with excitement.
‘Negative,’ Rago retorted. ‘These are new specimens.’
He leaned forward in anticipation. ‘They may be from the superior species. Investigate.’
Balan, Kando and Teel stood underneath the saucer, gazing in wonder at the sleek monster towering over them.
‘So Kully was telling the truth,’ Teel murmured, awestruck.
‘Was he?’ Balan said sharply. ‘Then where are the robots?’
Kando glanced down at the maze of parallel tracks leading from the open hatchway at the bottom of the central shaft. ‘Perhaps... perhaps they are inside,’ she suggested nervously.
Balan shook his head dismissively. ‘Why seek unlikely answers to simple problems? This is probably some form of experimental craft being tested by the Technological Committee.’
‘But why is it here on the Island?’ Teel persisted stubbornly.
‘No doubt it is highly secret,’ Bolan warned, turning to leave. ‘Come, we have work to do.’
Kando and Teel stood their ground. ‘Perhaps there has been an accident... a forced landing!’ Kando burst out.
‘Yes, it is our duty to investigate,’ Teel agreed, starting towards the hatchway.
‘There has been no reference to any accident in the Bulletins,’ Balan objected, ‘and I forbid you to interfere.’
‘If it is secret the Bulletins will not refer to it,’ Teel answered triumphantly.
Kando joined him, her beautiful eyes alive with excitement ‘We must investigate,’ she urged.
Warily the two students stepped into the cylindrical chamber. Speechless with rage Balan came hurrying after them. No sooner had he entered than the hatch slid shut with a slick whirr and the floor immediately heaved under their feet as the elevator bore them rapidly up into the saucer.
The three Dulcians stared around them open-mouthed as they stepped our into the deserted control centre, echoing and dark.
‘This is not the technology of Dulkis...’ Teel murmured almost reverently, gesturing at the crystal mosaic sphere glittering on the central control column.
Still struck dumb with amazement, Balan walked slowly over to the dais and grasped the slim rail surrounding it or support. From the shadows came a shrill giggling.
Something glowed red and a nauseating throbbing burst our. Balan went chalk white and tried to let go of the rail.
‘I... I cannot move...’ he stuttered, gaping in utter terror at his shocked pupils.
The throbbing was repeated and Teel was flung across the chamber and pinned helplessly to the wall. Kando screamed in panic as two whirring, chattering machines with flashing antennae marched out of the gloom towards her. Slowly she backed away.
‘Stand still!’ croaked a hollow alien voice and Toba strode into the chamber hunched in his carapace of armoured plates.
Then Rago entered, his suit creaking menacingly as he loomed over Balan. The terrified Educator’s mouth moved but no words emerged, only strange incoherent sounds.
His eyes were bloodshot and popping out of his head.
‘You... you are not Dulcians,’ Teel gasped, his slim body crumpled against the panel.
‘Quark!’ Toba harked.
The wall panel swung Teel like a dummy and suspended him horizontally while the globular apparatus descended over him. Then the Quark connected its probes into the bottom edge of the pallet.
Activate!’ Toba ordered.
Teel was bathed in the bluish aura as Rago fitted the visor over his head and strode over to
At that moment, one of the Quarks sparked and chattered into action. ‘Alien specimens approaching!’ it bleated.
‘Not now!’ Rago breathed venomously. ‘I warned them...
Visual!’ he ordered, turning to the Quark.
The display blacked out and a view of the area around the saucer flashed up in its place. Three white-suited but helmetless figures could be seen descending the slope of the dunes and approaching the Dominators’ craft.
‘Shall we destroy?’ Toba suggested eagerly, trembling with excitement.
‘Negative,’ Rago retorted. ‘These are new specimens.’
He leaned forward in anticipation. ‘They may be from the superior species. Investigate.’
Balan, Kando and Teel stood underneath the saucer, gazing in wonder at the sleek monster towering over them.
‘So Kully was telling the truth,’ Teel murmured, awestruck.
‘Was he?’ Balan said sharply. ‘Then where are the robots?’
Kando glanced down at the maze of parallel tracks leading from the open hatchway at the bottom of the central shaft. ‘Perhaps... perhaps they are inside,’ she suggested nervously.
Balan shook his head dismissively. ‘Why seek unlikely answers to simple problems? This is probably some form of experimental craft being tested by the Technological Committee.’
‘But why is it here on the Island?’ Teel persisted stubbornly.
‘No doubt it is highly secret,’ Bolan warned, turning to leave. ‘Come, we have work to do.’
Kando and Teel stood their ground. ‘Perhaps there has been an accident... a forced landing!’ Kando burst out.
‘Yes, it is our duty to investigate,’ Teel agreed, starting towards the hatchway.
‘There has been no reference to any accident in the Bulletins,’ Balan objected, ‘and I forbid you to interfere.’
‘If it is secret the Bulletins will not refer to it,’ Teel answered triumphantly.
Kando joined him, her beautiful eyes alive with excitement ‘We must investigate,’ she urged.
Warily the two students stepped into the cylindrical chamber. Speechless with rage Balan came hurrying after them. No sooner had he entered than the hatch slid shut with a slick whirr and the floor immediately heaved under their feet as the elevator bore them rapidly up into the saucer.
The three Dulcians stared around them open-mouthed as they stepped our into the deserted control centre, echoing and dark.
‘This is not the technology of Dulkis...’ Teel murmured almost reverently, gesturing at the crystal mosaic sphere glittering on the central control column.
Still struck dumb with amazement, Balan walked slowly over to the dais and grasped the slim rail surrounding it or support. From the shadows came a shrill giggling.
Something glowed red and a nauseating throbbing burst our. Balan went chalk white and tried to let go of the rail.
‘I... I cannot move...’ he stuttered, gaping in utter terror at his shocked pupils.
The throbbing was repeated and Teel was flung across the chamber and pinned helplessly to the wall. Kando screamed in panic as two whirring, chattering machines with flashing antennae marched out of the gloom towards her. Slowly she backed away.
‘Stand still!’ croaked a hollow alien voice and Toba strode into the chamber hunched in his carapace of armoured plates.
Then Rago entered, his suit creaking menacingly as he loomed over Balan. The terrified Educator’s mouth moved but no words emerged, only strange incoherent sounds.
His eyes were bloodshot and popping out of his head.
‘You... you are not Dulcians,’ Teel gasped, his slim body crumpled against the panel.
‘Quark!’ Toba harked.
The wall panel swung Teel like a dummy and suspended him horizontally while the globular apparatus descended over him. Then the Quark connected its probes into the bottom edge of the pallet.
Activate!’ Toba ordered.
Teel was bathed in the bluish aura as Rago fitted the visor over his head and strode over to
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