The ring of blade on blade resounded through the great courtyard of the Imperial Palace. Ha! The rascally Zacho and Serro watched from a balcony above. Our fine new Emperor knows how to defend himself. He is all brawn and no intelligence. The fellow can neither read nor write, and he will put his signature to anything. The uneven contest of sword-practice came to a sudden and dramatic climax . . . . . . and a thrilling finish! Hola! After sword-practice, the new Emperor attended to business of state. Two small matters requiring your signature, Imperial Majesty. Oh, yes . . . As always, he signed with a cross. How small are these matters, Zacho? Minor details concerning trade in the outer provinces, Imperial Majesty. Hardly worth your attention. Outside the Imperial apartments . . . Excellent! This first order permits both of us to take as much money as we need from the Imperial Treasury! The second order says that every citizen of the empire must pay one-third of his possessions into the Imperial Treasury. Neat, eh? Very neat, my dear Zacho! We simply take over one-third of the empire’s wealth!The tax on one-third of a citizen’s possessions caused riots in the city. Down with the tyrant! Bring back Trigo! In the end, everybody paid. Some paid peacefully, but with reluctance. I am the merchant Rocca—and I bring three thousand thullars. Rocca—three thousand thullars. Next! Others resisted the ruinous tax—to their cost! Says he has no money, eh? What about . . . this? You will pay the required one-third, plus an extra third for concealing your fortune and making a false statement to officers of the Imperial Crown! Meanwhile, far out across the barren wilderness of Vorg, a party of desert warriors came in sight of their city. With them was a prisoner. The prisoner had lost his memory. Unknown to his captors, he was the rightful Emperor of the Trigans. Who is he? A Trigan animal! We found him lying out in the desert. He will make a useful slave. Take him away, and to make sure that he doesn’t escape, blind him!
This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 672 on 30 November 1974.
