[Galaxy Of Fear] - 03(20)

“There’s no time!” Zak insisted. “And there are stairs right over here. I think they go all the way to the bottom.” Zak hurried for the stairs on the side of the ziggurat, without waiting.

“Tending human children,” Deevee muttered to himself. “I would rather herd a shipload of Gamorrean slime cats.”

He descended in pursuit of Zak.

He did not see the two shapes that came out from the shadow of a nearby ship and follow them down the stairs.

Tash found herself growing uncomfortable under the Infirmary technician’s suspicious glare.

“I thought you said you were looking for Dr. Kavafi,” the technician growled after a moment of silence.

Tash thought quickly. “I thought he’d be here,” she said. “I was supposed to bring him this electroscope,” she added, picking up the electronic visor.

The story sounded lame. She felt a drop of moisture trickle down her back.

The technician studied her a moment longer, and then said slowly, “Let’s see if I can locate the doctor for you.”

He put one hand on Tash’s arm and used the other to call up some information on the computer terminal. “There you go,” he said. “Dr. Kavafi is in a meeting on the twentieth floor. You can wait for him up there.”

“Great,” Tash said. “Thanks.”

But this time the technician did not leave her. He escorted her back to the turbolifts and waited until one of the cars arrived. When it did, he watched Tash step aboard; then he leaned in and said, “Droid, take this young lady straight to the twentieth floor.”

The door closed on his irritating smirk.

“Laser burn,” Tash muttered as the turbolift shot up to the twentieth floor.

Maybe she could find a computer terminal there.

Still holding the electroscope, Tash stepped out onto the top floor of the Infirmary. The corridor was empty and quiet, lit by a few glowpanels and the light from a bank of viewports that looked out over the steamy floor of the planet. The hallway was lined with doors on either side, and the corridor curved away from her to the right and to the left, with no signs indicating where a computer terminal might be located. Tash guessed that this floor must be reserved for administrative offices. She had just decided to go left, when she heard a familiar voice approaching from that direction.

“I can’t thank you enough for letting me in on your secret, Kavafi,” she heard Uncle Hoole say. Tash had never heard her uncle sound so friendly or relaxed. “I’m sure it is a worthwhile endeavor.”

“Think nothing of it, Hoole,” Kavafi replied from around the corner. “There is no one I’d rather show my work to than you.”

Tash scurried down the hallway to the right until she was out of sight. She listened as Hoole and Kavafi reached the lifts.

“How do we get there?” Hoole was asking.

“Right this way,” Kavafi said.

She heard them step onto the turbolift. Just before the doors closed, she heard Kavafi say, “Bottom floor.”

Quick as lightspeed Tash dashed for the turbolifts. Reading the indicator lights, she saw which lift Kavafi and Hoole had taken. It was moving fast.

Tash jumped inside another turbolift.

“Bottom floor,” she said.

A mechanical voice issued from a small speaker. “Access limited. Password required.”

“What?” Tash couldn’t believe it. Access limited?

“Incorrect. Correct password required,” said the voice.

Tash thought quickly. There must be a floor beneath the lobby-a secret floor. One that requires a password to enter. “Password required,” the mechanical voice repeated.

Tash braced herself. “Starscream.”

The turbolift began to descend.

The lift moved at top speed, but the ride was very long. Tash felt the small chamber grow hotter, as if she was heading down toward the source of Gobindi’s humid climate.

Finally the turbolift stopped. The doors opened, and Tash peered out. There was a long hallway outside, but it looked nothing like the Infirmary. The walls and floor were made of massive stones packed tightly together. Moss grew in thick patches on the walls. The air was heavy and so moist that puddles had formed on the floor.

She was inside the ziggurat.

Cautiously she crept forward. There didn’t seem to be any guards or sentries.

Tash’s heart was pounding. The hallway was dim, lit only by small glowpanels placed far apart. She wondered how far she was inside the ziggurat. She guessed that she must be close to the bottom.

Tash heard a soft, squishing sound echo faintly behind her. She quickly glanced over her shoulder.

No one was there.

She took a few more steps, and heard the squish again. She looked back. The hallway was still empty. Then, Tash looked up.