Episode Three
Frederick talks to Thaddius and tries to persuade him that there is something wrong here. When that fails, he reminds him of their mission. Thaddius becomes confused. They go for food and Thaddius begins to recover, though he cannot remember what happened when he met the Abbot.
It is getting dark so they decide to retire and prepare for a journey up the mountain tomorrow. They gather supplies ready.
Krisong As An Ally
They talk to Krisong after prayers. He is keen to help them. Thaddius warns him about the Abbot as he cannot remember what happened at a meeting with him. Krisong says he has been acting strange. His order not to investigate a spiritual cave where the Yeti are seems opposite of what should happen.
He also mentions that the Master of the Monastery has not been seen for many years and Abbot Songsen is the only one who apparently sees him. It is claimed he has lived for hundreds of years.
Journey Back To The Cave
Ralpachan and two others monks will accompany them part of the way up the mountain. As they head up, Thaddius spots something out of place and it turns out to be Professor Travers, lying on his side off the path, looking close to death. He mutters something to Frederick about the cave, then passes out.
The two other monks carry Travers back to the Monastery while Ralpachan continues with the time travellers up the mountainside.
They continue to climb higher, resting at times. Ralpachan seems fitter and more resistant to temperature. When the path splits, he remains behind while the two time travellers approach the cave.
Yeti Guards
When they reach the cave, two Yetis are still standing on guard. They try to find an alternative entrance but cannot find one. They discuss how to get past them, by talking to them perhaps or by distraction.
They approach within 25 yards and call out to them, but there is no reaction from the Yeti. They store their back packs away and Frederick sneaks closer. Thaddius then walks up and shoots one of the Yetis with his service revolver – but the Yeti does nothing.
Thaddius then he runs past them into the cave. Still they don’t move. Frederick follows after a moment.
Pyramid Horror
They see a mysterious glow and hear noise further down a different branch of the cave network to where they arrived. There is a large pyramid filling with substance from a “crack”, some sort of break in the space / time continuum. Frederick is overcome by the horror of it and flees.
Thaddius shoots the pyramid, cracking the glass and the substance starts to leak out. An alarm starts to ring. He uses a rock to smash more of it, but gets the weird substance on his gloves and boots. When it touches his skin, it stings. He removes his gloves and leaves them on the floor.
Escape
He leaves, but the two Yetis from the entrance have entered the cave in response to the alarm and are approaching him. They attack but he is able to dodge out of the way. The Yetis continue past him to the pyramid.
They meet up outside and Frederick examines the strange substance still on Thaddius’s boots, it appears to be “liquid spider web” that stings and brings up blisters on the skin.
Unearthly Web
They proceed down the mountain back to Ralpachan and tell him what they saw. He is disturbed by the substance on Thaddius’s boots. It is unnatural. They proceed further down the mountain but Thaddius begins to get pain in his leg. The stuff on his feet has spread and absorbed one of his boots and it starting to spread up his leg.
They remove Thaddius’s boot and trousers using a knife. Fortunately, the “jump suit” they are wearing under their clothes protects Thaddius from the weird substance and it scraps off this undergarment easily, but Thaddius is exposed to the cold. Frederick and Ralpachan rush him back to the Monastery.
Telling Their Story
After they rest and eat, they tell Krisong what they saw. He is shocked and orders that no one must leave the Monastery.
Travers rests in his bed but wants to leave to explore, but Krisong forbids it. It later emerges he has left, telling the guard he had the permission of Krisong, which was not true. They ponder what Travers is up to.
Thaddius continues to want to investigate the psi emissions in the Monastery, but he is reluctant to push too far after his previous experience.
Yeti Attack
The Yeti attack the Monastery in force. They smash the gate open and wound and kill as many as they can. Nothing seems to stop them. Krisong is struck down by one of them.
After the carnage is over, Abbot Songsen springs up and tells everyone that the Monastery is cursed. They must leave. This is the order of the Master.
The Priests are willing to obey but Krisong is determined to stay. The Abbot reminds him of his vow of obedience, but Krisong defies him. Songsen tells him it is the will of the Master, and Krisong demands that the Master comes forth and tells them. This causes shock amongst the Priests and Songsen tells him his has lost his way.
They spend the rest of the day helping the wounded and preparing the leave.
The Master’s Pagoda
Thaddius realises the Master is source of the psi emissions. It is time they investigated the Master’s Pagoda further. Krisong goes with them. Songsen is at the gates, denying them access. When Frederick reads his mind, he realises the Abbot is “possessed” or otherwise working on instructions.
When they refuse to leave, Songsen suddenly goes crazy and attacks with a sword, wounding Krisong badly. Thaddius draws his sword and there is a short fight, but Songsen is no swordsman and the British Army Lieutenant is able to beat him and disarm him, but he is still possessed of a murderous rage. They overpower him and subdue him.
The Master
A loud ethereal voice them welcomes them to the Monastery of Detsen and the greats doors of the inner sanctum open of their own accord. The Master bids them enter.
Frederick and Thaddius enter, emerging into a throne room where the figure on the throne is obscured by net curtains. He looks old and frail, with a table in front of him.
The Master speaks with two voices, one soft and philosophical, the other sharp and aggressive. It is clear he has powerful psychic ability.
The Great Intelligence
In the soft voice, the Master tells them he was experimenting is astral projection techniques when he encountered a mental entity in outer space – the Great Intelligence. It told him of the loneliness of astral space and its desire for physical form. He agreed to help it create a body for itself on Earth. However, it’s mental powers have grown and he can no longer contain it.
The harsh voice of the Great Intelligence tells them it is in control and it will create a body that will absorb the whole world. They will be destroyed.
The wizened old man animates and moves figures on the table in front of him, small Yeti models – summoning the Yeti to the Monastery to kill them.
Battle of Minds
Thaddius enters into a mental fight with the Great Intelligence. It is very powerful and he is going to lose, but he is just about able to distract it while Frederick sneaks round behind the Throne, where his sonic screwdriver has detected advanced technology.
He finds transmitter equipment – how the Yeti are controlled. There is also a large glass pyramid with electronic parts. As the Yeti smash their way into the throne room and Thaddius’s mind is overcome by the Intelligence, Frederick smashes the equipment he can find. There is an electrical feedback and the equipment shorts out.
The Yeti suddenly turn motionless and there is a great scream from the figure on the Throne. The Intelligence has lost its link to Earth.
As they recover and contemplate what to do now, the bracelets on their wrists suddenly beep and they vanish back into the time vortex.