All civilised Elekton saw the audivision relay of the departure of the fateful bombing-craft. Tharv technology and Tharv air-power are about to save civilisation! You have just witnessed the take-off of the Tharv air-fleet craft containing the magnetic energy bomb, which will be dropped upon the barbarian horde of Yossa. Lukaz Rann saw the transmission. By all the stars! What have I done? Leaving his fortress home, he flew direct to Trigan City. I will confess all to Peric. He’ll know what to do. The great scientist was in his laboratory when the rocketeer made an unceremonious entry. Peric! That bomb! Lukaz Rann! Will you be silent? I’m trying to convince the rulers of Tharv that, if they explode that bomb, the magnetic chain-reaction cannot fail to destroy the entire planet! Unfortunately, they do not believe me. I might be able to convince that fool Vallu, but he’s missing. I have got Vallu! He’s my prisoner!He confessed . . . everything! Before I met my end, I was determined to leave Elekton a better place . . . So I captured Zorza, the barbarian! Vallu, the evil scientist! Yackrass, the spreader of hatred! You decide to act as if you were some kind of god, and what happens? Zorza’s successor threatens civilisation, Yackrass’s replacement proposes dropping the bomb, and Vallu’s assistant tells everyone that it’s perfectly safe! After that, matters moved swiftly. Trigan guards burst open the door of the prisoners’ dungeon. On your feet! You, Vallu, are coming to Trigan City! A short discussion with Peric convinced the Tharv scientist of one thing. You’ve studied my calculations. Do you not now see that your confounded bomb is going to detonate the entire planet? You’re right, Peric! I must contact Tharv at once! That bombing-craft must be brought back! But even at that moment, the huge Tharv craft was passing over the massed horde of barbarians on their trail of conquest and destruction. AND THE BOMB WAS DROPPED!
This instalment was originally published in Look and Learn issue no. 707 on 2 August 1975.
