On the Web Planet (comic story)

Summary
On the lunar-like planet Vortis, the TARDIS lands beside a huge boulder and near an enormous crater. Dr Who announces to his grandchildren, John and Gillian, that he has visited this world before, when he helped to defeat the giant ants called Zarbi. No sooner have the three left the TARDIS than they see two of the creatures – and to the Doctor’s amazement they are flying! He has barely commented to John and Gillian about this when the Zarbi demonstrate another new feature: a sting weapon powerful enough to blast a rock to pieces. The butterfly-like Menoptera, the Doctor’s allies in his previous struggle, arrive on the scene. Generations have passed, but the Doctor’s name is still remembered. The Menoptera describe how the Zarbi, after their brain (a reference to the Animus of the television story) was killed, worked with them to till the soil and make Vortis habitable again. Then new problems arose: the Zarbi became rebellious once more and unaccountably developed the power of flight.

The Doctor accompanies the Menoptera to the hills, where Zarbi activity is centred. On the way they come across a deserted alien spacecraft and realise that there must be other beings on the planet. Moving on, they reach the Zarbi base: a mushroom-shaped metal tower encircled at some distance by a deep trench. John picks up a rock that is shot with veins of what Dr Who identifies as Galvinium X, a very rare and valuable mineral with powerful qualities. If the Zarbi made weapons with it the armaments could be terrifying.

A non-flying Zarbi appears and menaces Gillian. They manage to overpower it, but a huge group of the creatures is approaching. The Doctor notices a pile of mined Galvinium X near the edge of the trench. While the Menoptera swoop into the air and distract the attention of the Zarbi, Dr Who edges nearer to the mineral and uses a Menoptera weapon to ignite it. There is a huge explosion that scatters the Zarbi. Triumph, however, is short-lived: the flying Zarbi now swoop down to attack. One is shot down, but another seizes the Doctor and flies off with him.

A Menoptera follows and watches as the old man is taken into the mushroom tower via a roof hatch, then returns to John and Gillian with the news. John’s attention is then caught by the flying Zarbi that was shot: a spindly hand is emerging from a hole in its underside. The flying Zarbi are fakes, flown by the alien Skirkons, one of whom now comes fully into view: a skinny creature with a face reminiscent of an owl’s.

John and Gillian, upon whom everything now seems to depend, squeeze inside the abandoned Zarbi shell and succeed in piloting it to the mushroom tower and in through the roof hatch. Leaving their camouflage, they locate the Skirkon control room, where the Doctor is secured to a metal bench. A laser beam is moving inexorably towards him.

The children free their grandfather, but are spotted by the Skirkon leader, Zarka, who is forcing captured Menoptera to quarry Galvinium X. Dr Who has noticed a small machine topped with a transparent dome, and believes it to be a contrivance with which Zarka controls the real Zarbi. Before he can be prevented, the Doctor hurries to the machine and deactivates it, releasing the creatures from the device’s power.

The time travellers escape in two of the flying Zarbi outfits, but Zarka warns via a loudspeaker that he still has the whip hand and has given orders that the humans, and every one of the Menoptera, are to be ruthlessly mown down. The flying Zarbi begin to leave the tower to carry out the instructions, but the Doctor turns his own Zarbi disguise back towards the Skirkon base and operates its sting gun, aiming for piles of Galvinium X which are very close to the tower. They all explode more or less together, taking the mushroom tower and the Skirkons with them and creating a spectacular conflagration.

Later, the Menoptera bid farewell to Dr Who and his grandchildren beside the TARDIS. Soon afterwards there is a sudden rush of wind and the time and space machine disappears.

Characters
Dr Who, his grandchildren John and Gillian, the Zarbi, the Menoptera, the Skirkons.

Continuity
to be added