A World within a World (continued . . .)




A truce was declared. The Emperor’s brother, Brag, met leaders of the revolt and the more moderate political groups. Where is the Emperor ? It’s useless to talk of reforms, when the only man who can make them law refuses to show himself ! The Emperor will appear . . . in . . . in good time ! The leader of the moderates spoke up . . . Lord Brag—you must produce the Emperor by the end of the lunar month, or we shall have no alternative but to agree to the declaration of a Republic ! Brag knew that Trigo was as good as doomed already. If—if my brother does not appear within the time you have given, would I be acceptable in his place ? No, my Lord, you would not ! It’s Trigo— or nothing ! And so . . . It’s all up to you, Peric. You’ve got to restore the Emperor to his proper size by the end of the lunar month, or the Trigan Empire’s finished ! I am nowhere near the answer to the problem, Lord Brag. Meanwhile, the Emperor is shrinking fast ! Look ! Brag looked. His brother was living in the nightmare world of the microscopic ! By all the stars ! This is horrible ! My greatest problem is to protect him from predatory bacteria. Unfortunately, in keeping him alive and nourished, I am also keeping alive the creatures that could destroy him ! Even at that moment, Trigo was in deadly peril ! I am done for !

This installment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 581 on 3 March 1973.