His ears rang and his eyes smarted with the flash and noise. The blast knocked the human backwards. When he recovered enough to use his flashlight again and look, the robot and part of the wall had been reduced to atoms and green smoke.

“What the hell's going on up there,” came John's voice over the inter phone.

“I... I... there... there was another robot,” Eric stuttered back.

“Eric come down quick, I think I hear static.”

He didn't have to repeat it. Static meant there could be another sphere coming. When Eric reached the ground his eyes were glued to the sky though they had still not completely recovered from the searing flash of the blasting. “What shall we do?” he said.

“I think,” John said slowly. “I think, that we could best meet them in the monolith, we better get there and quick.”

Instantly they both broke into a brisk run, and made a bee line for the huge building that had afforded them protection once before. The static suddenly grew louder and the men ran faster. It was as if the demons of hell were breathing down their necks. In one leap Eric cleared one of the prostrate Procyonites, now they had not far to go for shelter, even so a blue sphere approached and prepared to land on the green.

The enemy did not fire and so the Earthlings reached what they hoped would be safety. Assuming their original positions, Eric behind the door and John behind the wall they watched the sphere from some two or three hundred metres away. Close enough to see three small landing legs and the colour had died in the glass. Now all was silent as the explorers awaited their fate. The door of the sphere opened downwards making a ramp to the ground. The Earthmen watched in horror and amazement as firstly came one of the familiar man sized robots, then from the small doorway crawled a monster. Once out of the sphere it stood upright, like the ancient dead one seen on the ground earlier it was a good five metres tall with clawed hands and feet.

John took a shot at it; nothing happened except the air all around it ionised in a blue haze, which only lasted for a split second. The small robot took cover behind the giant. Slowly they began to advance menacingly.

“Don't panic,” John whispered. “When I give the word we'll both fire together, aim at its silly-little head.”

“Okay.”

“Three, two, one, fire.” Instantly both fired. The giant stopped wavered and continued. It could be seen that it had no eyes, and where it had been hit was glowing red-hot.