ARACHNID

One more lunge and those steel mandibles would take off an arm or a leg, with the tiny fragment of mop handle she had left Jo looked around in desperation there had to be something she could do, what did the Doctor always say never give up?

Then she saw it, yes it might work there was certainly nothing else she could reach.

Spinning her now tiny club around she twisted and smashed the fire alarm at once a pulsing whine filled the air and high above her the sprinkler hissed, fizzed and began to eject a storm of rainwater.

The metal spider reared back from this at once no doubt protecting its circuits, in fact it retreated with such vigour that it crashed into the leg of a table and unbalanced itself tumbling head over heels. Seeing her chance Jo ran for the exit, but unluckily for her there were only three sprinklers in the lab and the torrential downpour did not extend that far.

Looking back she heard an unmistakable clackity clack and saw the spider following her using the tables and terminals for cover, skeeting under them as it rushed to cut her off, with 8 legs against 2 the outcome was inevitable and she came to a halt, there was no point running in a race she couldn't win. The spider would catch her long before she made it to the door and then those terrible mandibles would do their worse.

Halting under a sprinkler and getting progressively wet through Jo looked about for what she could do next, there had to be another winning move she just had to find it. Ahead of her now and stood on a dry patch of floor the spider glared at her with those fierce green eyes, Clegg certainly didn't want anyone stealing his creation but what use was it that pulsing mass of green vegetation, it reminded her of green mould.

Okay come on agent Grant do something, you're supposed to a UNIT officer act like it no doubt the Doctor or the Brig would come up with the plan – oh if only they were here now. Near to a table she studied its contents a mass of dishes, beakers, tubes and a centrifuge. Maybe she could throw them at the robot try and dent it in some way, or perhaps there was an acid that would corrode its silver skin.

Then she noticed that the falling water was starting to fill several of the beakers, she picked one up it contained at least a litre of water now; she threw this at the spider. At once it flew away from her, scrambling back as quickly as those thin legs could carry it.

Of course why hadn't she thought of that before – holding the beaker out she watched it begin to fill again, she picked up another one and did the same thing. If this monster was afraid of H2O then the solution was obvious, Jo now knew she could get out of the lab; but what then? Would the spider follow her, pursue her through the entire building and even outside it? Well she'd cross that bridge when she came to it, her first priority was to escape and get her film to the UNIT.

Then the sprinklers suddenly cut out and the gush of water ceased abruptly, Jo could have cried in frustration why had they stopped? Even the whine of the alarm could no longer be heard. Water dripped from the sprinkler nozzles for a moment then slowed and stopped the lab floor was very wet and very slippery so Jo knew she'd have to be careful.

How many beakers were full of water, she counted six was that enough?

The spider was scuttling back in her direction; she hurled another litre of water at it and was gratified to see it fly away.

"Yeah that's right," she shouted. "You keep your distance you horrible metal bug."

As if in defiance of her words the robot was soon creeping back, Jo threw more water at it forcing it to take cover. She didn't have a great deal left so there was no point wasting it, with beakers in both hands she began to back up to the lab door. Its eyes never leaving her the spider cautiously advanced sliding from cover to cover never giving her a clear shot at it. Once she was within a yard of the door Jo risked a look, the door had closed itself she was going to need a hand free to turn the handle. Putting one of the beakers down on a shelf she edged up to the handle and gripped it the handle refused to budge it was either jammed or locked!

She couldn't believe it she was trapped in here, tugging hard at the door angrily she also kicked it but the heavy metal barrier denied her. Jo felt like screaming in desperation, fancy beating a robot monster only to be defeated by something as common as a door.

Spinning around she found the spider was barely two yards away, curiously it had risen up onto its hind legs making it as tall as her the mandibles had been withdrawn into the silver shell and now in their place she could see a grill like a small vent under the eyes.

Jo was just ready to hurl one of her beakers when a voice came from the grill, it was synthesized and electronic but there was no denying that it sounded very like the voice of her employer.

"Remain where you are Miss Grant," it said, "Do not force me to harm you."

So astounded was Jo that she lowered her beaker a little, a spider that could talk now wonders would never cease.

"I'm leaving this lab," she replied firmly, "And you're not going to stop me." The beaker was hoisted, "Or you get a faceful of this and I know you don't like it."

Remaining upright the robot responded, "I can stop you if I have to but it would be painful and organic life forms are so…feeble."

Oh are we really Jo fumed we'll see about that, "At least we're not scared of a little rain."

She retreated a step then another there had to be some way of opening the door some trick or technique, a way of overriding the locking mechanism, then it came to her in a flash, why couldn't the same trick work twice? Quickly she tipped up her beaker and spilled some water onto the door handle there was a crack, a small red spark and the entire door shuddered before sliding inwards. Oh well done agent Grant, who needs 007 or the Doctor?

But the spider barked, "You cannot escape it is not permitted."

I don't care what's permitted thought Jo I'm off and kicking the door fully open she backed away through it or rather she would have had not a donkey kicked her in the middle of the chest.

That's what it felt like anyway being kicked – hard! Dropping both beakers she fell to her knees and tried to suck in air but her lungs wouldn't work and she crouched there on all fours feeling helpless.

"I did try to warn you," said the robot sounding insufferably smug. "Your water deactivated the lock but not the force field, only I can switch that off." Dropping back down onto 8 legs the creature clattered over, it was now poised over her menacingly. Lifting one of its legs it plucked something from her back pocket, when the leg reappeared, Jo saw that it held her small spy camera.

"This evidence must remain here," said the tinny voice. Unable to speak or move or even weep Jo sagged she had failed and failed miserably and now she was probably going to die.

Footsteps just outside the lab heralded the arrival of a third party, craning her neck and squinting she saw a tall, bearded figure framed in the doorway the man wore thick lens glasses and favoured his left leg.

"Oh dear me," he said with a gruff, triumphant voice. "What have we here, a nosey typist, a curious clerk or could it be young lady that you are something altogether more impressive."

Striding into the lab unaffected by any force field Professor Clegg went over to his tin pet and actually patted it on the back like a dog. A single leg held up the camera for him to see and taking this Clegg examined it briefly.

"You have a few questions to answer Miss Grant," he said, "Before you suffer a most unfortunate industrial accident."

Next episode……CLEGG