Creature in the Crater : 03

Leaving Lyr loosely tethered to the branches of an ash tree, Klane scrambled up a short slope and looked down over the rim of the crater.
Although unfamiliar in detail, Klane recognised at once that he was looking at the products of an advanced technology. The creature's lair was a sort of base, protected by a rectangular perimeter fence and containing a short squat building at one end and a tall metallic tower at the other. All this was completely outside the range of experience of a typical Rider, but Klane had been brought up amongst Enclave machinery in Kalonia and he had seen something similar when he journeyed to the Beacon Of Ulon. He tried to remember all the things Crinomu has told him and the lessons he had received from the seers at the station. Was it even possible that the tower was some kind of space ship? The bottom of the crater looked deserted. Where was the creature? Or was the creature just an invention by the Riders to justify their fear and their abandonment of the settlement? Perhaps there was no creature. Perhaps the Riders in their primitive ignorance had mistaken advanced technology for a creature? But then what about the kidnapped girls? Or was that just invention too? So many questions...
Klane was on the point of considering a closer approach when he became aware of a mechanical thrashing sound behind him, growing rapidly louder. The creature was no invention of the Riders. Its sensors had detected his approach long before he climbed the crater rim and it had the advantage over him. Twisting round to face it, Klane found the monster almost upon him!