A sudden stunning blow dashed Janno senseless.

Uuuuhh!

Back in Trigan City, Janno’s disappearance had caused the Emperor to summon a special meeting to discuss his nephew’s possible fate.

I think we may take it that Janno can be counted as the ninth person to vanish in this strange manner.

Precisely, Imperial Majesty . . .

 . . . And it is of vital importance that we discover immediately what is the connection between Janno and those other eight unfortunates.

But, Peric, the computer machines have been working on it day and night.

Elekton’s top scientist smiled sagely.

There comes a time, Colonel, when computer machines, however sophisticated, cannot compete with . . . the mind!

I shall apply my mind to the problem!

Out on the edge of space, in the long-abandoned weather station . . .

. . . Janno recovered consciousness.

By all the stars!























Eight people regarded him, and one man’s face was startlingly familiar.

Marshal Rossu! What are you doing here, Excellency?

I might well ask you the same question, Lieutenant.

Suddenly—a newcomer!

You! I demand an explanation as to why we’ve been tricked into coming here.

There are eight of you, plus one intruder who should not be here at all, but who will suffer the same fate as the rest . . .

The time has now come for me to unmask and tell you all!

The concealing mask was ripped away, revealing a countenance that was lined and hardened with great suffering.

Well, do you know me?

I never saw you before!

The stranger began his story.

I take you back ten lunar years. To the day when this weather station was a new project and operating with a crew of a hundred trained personnel, of which I was one.

“One terrible day, a deadly virus fever struck the crew, laying them low in their scores. By the end of that day, I was the only person alive and on my feet. And pleading for help . . .”

Come to our aid . . . come to our aid . . . please . . . please . . .

This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 758 on 24 July 1976.

Night time, silence and darkness as a dark figure emerged from an upper window of Trigan City Hospital . . .

 . . . and embarked on a dizzy downward climb.

Some time later, a night nurse making her rounds spotted the empty bed.

He’s gone!

Alarm! Alarm! Lieutenant Janno is missing from his room!

News was brought to the Imperial Palace, and the Emperor himself awakened, to hear of his nephew’s disappearance.

But I understood Janno had only just come off the danger list, and the doctors had prescribed several more weeks of complete rest and quiet.

That is so, Imperial Majesty. I am afraid we must assume that your nephew did not leave the hospital of his own free will.

That assumption was incorrect. Janno had left of his own accord, and for a very good reason. At that moment, he was entering Air Fleet Base.

They won’t believe what I tell them. They treat me as if I’m wandering in my mind—and so . . .























 . . . I’ll go and investigate that old weather station myself!

Entering the crew-room unseen, he later emerged in full flying kit, his face masked by the visor.

Now to take off in one of the stand-by craft!

Three zippy fighter-craft stood ready for emergency take-off, day and night. Approaching the nearest, Janno was challenged.

Excuse me, sir, may I see your authorisation, please?

A touch of a starter button blasted the powerful engines into life . . . and . . .

Hey!

Later, high in the sub-stratosphere, Janno saw, for the second time, the deserted city in space.

If only I can get in there, before I’m shot down again.

Janno decelerated rapidly, and brought his craft down upon a landing platform on the ancient, abandoned weather station.

I hope that pressure door over there still works, so that I can get inside.

The pressure door was still operative. Moments later, Janno was inside the station.

So far, so good!

But he was not alone!

This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 757 on 17 July 1976.

With his doomed craft in flames and the ground coming up to meet him at supersonic speed, Janno pressed the escape button.

But . . .

I’m going to hit that hightension cable!

ZZZZZKKK-K-K-KK!

They found him later.

Is he? . .

As near as makes no difference!

In fact, Janno did not die. And, after an examination of his craft’s wreckage, a report was made to his uncle the emperor.

The craft was fired upon, you say?—Fired upon by whom?

That, Imperial Majesty, only Janno can tell us, when he recovers . . .























. . . If he recovers!

Another matter for your attention, Imperial Majesty. While enquiring into the strange disappearance of Marshal Rossu, our computers have come up with a series of most remarkable coincidences . . .

Explain yourself, Colonel.

See, Imperial Majesty—there have been no less than seven other disappearances in the last lunar month.

You are surely not suggesting some connection? What possible link exists between the Marshal of the Trigan Air Fleet and . . . for instance . . . a beggar?

The circumstances of the disappearances provides the only link so far, Imperial Majesty . . .

All seven persons were seen, apparently hale and hearty, immediately prior to vanishing . . .

And all left their outer clothing behind.

Rossi was the youngest senator the Empire had ever known, and tipped for Supreme Minister before he was much older.

Do not wait for me. I will find my own way home.

Yes, Excellency.

Rossi had—a certain weakness . . .

Gambling was his passion. He played badly and staked recklessly.

Fool that I am, I’m ruined . . . ruined!

But help was at hand. As soon as Rossi arrived home, he had a call.

 . . . Listen carefully . . .

Who are you?

That is immaterial, Excellency. I am a friend. I am willing to pay off all your gambling debts—in return for a simple service that you must perform for me . . .

This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 755 on 3 July 1976.