Janno followed Narri over the high battlements, with a last word for Roffa.

You know where to meet up—tonight!

Right! Good luck!

He struck the water of the moat with breath-robbing force, and seized the floundering Narri.

Aaaah . . . aaaahhh . . . I’m drowning!

Courage, Narri! In here!

They crawled into the dank darkness.

Where . . . where does it lead?

It’s an overflow for the moat. It probably comes out at the river bank.

Meanwhile, Roffa had raised the alarm.

What’s happened? Where’s the prisoner?

He jumped for it! Lord Janno went after him. He’ll catch him, never fear!

That night, Roffa went to Janno’s apartment—to find his friend and Narri already there.

It was easy. We were home before dark. I contacted the governor and told him Narri had given me the slip.

There won’t be much fuss. Narri isn’t important. They regard him as a harmless half-wit.

Well—what do we do to save the empire?

Is there anything we can do to change the future? Narri saw it happen—isn’t it unchangeable?

Narri answered them.

Three years from now, I saw a young tree growing outside my house. The other day, I tore it out of the ground as a sapling.

Here it is! I have kept it concealed upon my person ever since! It is proof that we can change coming events!























Their spirits rose.

The three bombers that are due to attack the palace are already armed and fuelled!

Then we’ll sabotage those bombers! They’ll never reach their target!

Later that night, two black-garbed figures crept towards the Air Fleet bombing base.

They took cover.

Look who’s there!

It’s Ossan! He’s going to say something to the crewmen!

Marshal Ossan addressed the pilots and bombardiers of the three craft.

You know your orders, gentlemen! Let there be no mistakes! At midday precisely, you will make a low-level run over the Imperial Summer Palace . . .

It was in that instant that Roffa’s foot knocked against a case of ammunition!

What’s that? Someone’s over there!

This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 575 on 20 January 1973.

Above the muzzle of the levelled weapon, Janno saw the eyes that he knew so well.

So you’re the one behind it all! You, who were appointed my bodyguard, have been trying to destroy me all this time!

A question sprang to Janno’s lips—and Sweya gave a contemptuous laugh.

And what of King Yutta’s Mummy?

The Mummy?—Hah!

I am not alone in this, Janno. My orders are to kill you, which is a pity, since I quite like you. But there it is . . . goodbye, Janno.

Bla-a-a-mm! At the precise moment that he saw Sweya’s finger tighten on the trigger, Janno threw himself sideways!

And then . . .

Aaaaaagh!

. . . He leapt into action!

Uuuuh . . .

Looking down at the unconscious face beneath him, a chord of memory stirred in Janno’s mind.

That voice! The voice I heard coming from the Mummy—now I know where I heard it before!























Moments later, he was rising skywards above the island.

I’ve got to get back to uncle Trigo and warn him! By all the stars, I hope I’m not too late!

Though it was contrary to his nature, the Emperor Trigo was taking special care for his personal safety. That night, he retired early in his locked bedchamber.

I wonder how Janno is faring on his secret island? At least, if I’m destroyed, and poor Brag never recovers, there’ll be someone to be Emperor of the Trigans!

The Emperor lay himself down.

He’s a wild lad in many ways, but he’d settle down and make a good ruler . . .

In the darkest hour of the night, a panel opened in the wall of the Imperial bedchamber . . .

A strange figure flitted silently towards the sleeping form.

 . . . And dropped something from a box by Trigo’s head!

This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 566 on 18 November 1972.

The King’s ejector gear brought him safely to the ground. Instants later, a column of water descended near by the shocked monarch.

The water trickled towards the King, touched him, and—

Eeeeaaaaghh!

Vella re-materialised.

It will be several days before you recover your senses, you barbarian!

He dragged his victim to a cave mouth, close to which stood an air fleet fighter-craft.

He will lie safely in the cave till I have been paid the ransom-money. What could be simpler?

At that moment, in Trigan City, a squad of police were surrounding Vella’s apartment.

Smash the door in!

Peric was among the first to enter the apartment and see the strange apparatus that filled one of the rooms.

I was right in my assumption! That young scoundrel has submitted himself to my process—and used it for criminal purposes!

Why! That’s the folder containing details of your invention! I remember the night you showed it to Vella and me!

I should have guessed right from the start, when he had his miraculous escape from the air crash. I told you at the time, Janno—there are no such things as miracles!























They questioned Vella’s shrinking accomplice Zerros.

Where is he now? Where’s Vella?

He . . . he has kidnapped the King of Daveli and hidden him in a cave in the wilderness. And now he’s flying back to the City!

Peric looked grimly out into the storm-blackened sky.

He’ll have an unpleasant flight through that!

Storm warnings have gone out, and all air craft in the area have been grounded!

Indeed, Vella’s craft was flying through the thick of the aerial inferno!

The best thing I can do is to switch on the automatic pilot and turn myself into my water-state. Then I shall be indestructible!

Next instant, there was a pool of water slopping about in the bottom of the pilotless cockpit.

Even if the craft is struck by lightning, I can fall to the ground unhurt!

That was Vella’s last coherent thought . . .

. . . A lightning-flash turned the craft into a fireball!

No wreckage was ever found, nor any sign of the pilot. As Peric said later . . .

If he was in his water-state, he has strictly speaking not been destroyed. Rather, he was instantly turned to steam, and then into tiny particles of condensation—minute globules of water that will have been scattered all over the upper air of this planet!

He spoke the chilling epitaph on the man who could turn himself to water.

Vella may still live—but his atomic particles can never be reunited!

This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 558 on 23 September 1972.