Barring the path of the Caton armada was a massed force of deadly fighter-craft. The Trigans! The Emperor’s brother, Brag, in the lead fighter was in contact with Trigo. They’ve seen us! The question now is—will they risk destruction and continue, or will they turn back? The captain of the lead Caton bomber asked for orders. They’re not moving out of our way! To get through, I shall have to start shooting! Do I have your permission? It was a tense moment back at Caton High Command. Prime Minister, are we ready to go to war with the Trigan Empire for the sake of an obscure valley? Even if this valley contains the richest mineral resources on the planet? There are other methods of getting the valley. Call back the bomber force! Break off the operation! Return to base! We will take the valley with our ground forces. To do this, they will have to pass through the Tharv province. Send emissaries to the Potentate of Tharv, to ask permission for our army to cross his territory.Zad Krakkar, the wily old Potentate of Tharv, held his ramshackle empire together by playing off one major foreign power against the other. Sit down, gentlemen. Of course your soldiers may pass through my province . . . The passing of such a large force will, of course, cause havoc with the roads . . . Shall we say ten million thullars compensation? And no armour—only infantry. But, Excellency . . . No armour! I have a treaty with the Trigan Empire that forbids the passing of foreign armoured troops through my territory! A full report of all this tortuous diplomacy was brought to Janno and Peric in the valley of the Nobes. So the old demon’s letting them through—but no armoured war-machines. What does it matter? The Catons are sending 10,000 picked troops and the Nobes have nothing to stop them. We can raise 10,000 strong young Nobes. Can’t we, Kalli? Yes! They don’t know what the word war means but you can teach them. At that moment they were interrupted by a disturbance in the street. Get out of the way! I . . . I can’t stop it! It was then that Janno had his brainwave. Yes! We’ll raise a Nobe Army and our army will be MOBILE! With motorised infantry and armoured warmachines!
This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 745 on 24 April 1976.
