The Thing from the Sea (continued . . .)




It seemed to give Ura Zircon a savage pleasure to display his might before the Trigan prisoners. My plan of destruction is fast approaching its climax. You shall see one of the four destroying units at work ! The Trigans were led to one of four control compartments set round the vast circular interior of the conquest machine. This destroying unit is about to make an attack upon the fortresses guarding the mouth of the River Trigan— watch closely ! In front of the operator was a screen, on which appeared a landscape very familiar to Janno and his comrades. Before their horrified eyes, one of the dreaded shapes rose from the deep. Alarm ! Alarm ! Open fire ! Impervious to counter- attack, the thing struck !
Janno and his comrades saw it all through the “eyes” of the attacker. So ! And now we must flood the conquest machine. We are familiarising ourselves to breathe air, but our devices work for only half the day—for the remainder we must breathe water. Janno, Roffa and Keren were provided with their underwater breathing masks. Soon the vast interior was flooded, and their captors relaxed. This must be their sleeping time . . . Our guard isn’t armed— but I know from experience that these brutes have some fiendish means of destruction. Janno dived towards the guard, dodging the forked light which seared the water. He smashed his victim’s head against the floor. A few seconds later the three Trigans were swimming towards one of the control compartments. Now ! We’ll put that destroying machine to our own use !

This installment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 470 on 16 January 1971.