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An attempted assassination at court is foiled but the spy has (false) documents that suggest Arn/Gordon is a traitor. Arn is imprisoned, but then "rescued" by Commander Corbulo and Lianna. But once in space, they discover the ship captain is a traitor and allegiant to The Cloud.
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"Zarth, I don't believe a word of all this talk of treachery on your part. I have to lock you up, but you can depend on me to do everything I can to clear you." [Corbulo]
. . .
Lianna added eagerly, "We have it all planned, Zarth. Corbulo has a light naval cruiser with trusted officers waiting at the spaceport. That ship will take us up to my Fomalhaut Kingdom. We'll be safe there until Corbulo and your brother can prove you're not guilty."
. . .
"They're not taking us toward Fomalhaut Kingdom!" Lianna exclaimed. "[Captain] Thern Eldred has betrayed us!"
Gordon stared into the blazing jungle of stars that spread across the sky ahead.
. . .
He knew instantly what it was. The Cloud! The distant, mysterious realm of semi-darkness within which lay the stars and planets of that League of the Dark Worlds of which Shorr Kan was master, and that was hatching war and conquest for the rest of the galaxy.
"They're taking us to the Cloud! Lianna cried. "Zarth, this is Shorr Kan's plot!"
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