- Ming develops Android Clones of the Defenders and programs them to commit a series of crimes, so that the real Defenders will be put on trial by the Galactic Federation -- and banished to a galaxy 300 light-years from Earth.
- When the Defenders receive an SOS coming from the Moon, all of them except Kshin fly up to investigate, but fail to find any sign of a ship in distress. However, after they have made twelve orbits, a solar sailing ship built by Ming appears, but Dynak reports that the ship is unoccupied and that the distress call was a recording. Seconds later, Flash and the others are ambushed by Ming's robo-ships and realise they have been led into a trap. During the ensuing battle, Flash notices that though Ming's forces have the advantage in terms of numbers they don't seem to be putting up much of a fight. When the solar sailing ship is shot down, Ming's forces retreat, and Flash and the others head back to Earth.
Later, Flash tells his fellow Defenders that he is concerned by how easily they won the battle and that he has a feeling something is about to happen. Meanwhile, Rick and Dynak have been tracking a comet, but Dynak keeps reporting that the comet has changed course even though this can't happen without some outside influence. However, when Dynak reports that the comet's latest trajectory will put it on a collision course with Earth, Flash says that, regardless of how it changed course, it must be diverted. Most of the Defenders (with Kisa in tow) head into space to deal with the comet, leaving Kshin and Zuffy to keep an eye on things at Monitor.
As Flash and the others prepare to use their lasers to redirect the comet, Dynak reports that the comet has changed course again and there is no longer any danger to Earth. Suddenly, they become caught in a tractor beam which draws them inexorably towards the comet, though it turns out that what they thought was a comet is really a planet, Ilyria, which has been hollowed out and converted into a gigantic spaceship. Finding themselves inside Ilyria, Flash and the others exit their ships, taking their laser guns with them as a precaution. But a voice then tells them to put their weapons down and, moments later, an Ilyrian named Egral appears on the scene, flanked by two shape-changing entities which act as guards.
Egral repeats his request for Flash and the others to put down their guns and the guards force them to comply, though Lothar has a spare gun about his person which he also has to give up. As Egral escorts Flash and the others, he explains that his people are galactic law-keepers who bring those who threaten a planet's freedom to Ilyria for trial. At first, Flash and the others think Ming is on trial, but they then discover that they are the defendants and that Ming is the chief witness for the prosecution. Ming claims to have proof that Flash and the others are intent on conquering Earth and, when Flash angrily denies this, suggests that Egral show them the evidence. This evidence comes in the form of what appear to be news reports in which the Phantom and Jedda are shown deliberately starting a forest fire, Lothar and LJ are shown blowing up a bank, and Flash and Rick are shown stealing top-secret weapons, none of which are true.
The recording then shows the battle which led to the destruction of Ming's solar sailing ship. However, the footage has been doctored to remove the robo-ships from the film and make it look as though Flash and the others launched an unprovoked attack on a ship which was on a mission of mercy to rescue stranded astronauts. Flash tells his fellow Defenders they will have to convince the Ilyrians of their innocence and, if simply telling the truth doesn't work, make a break for it in the hope that at least one of them manages to escape and bring back proof that Ming faked the reports.
At their trial, Flash and the others are unable to prove their innocence and the judge is about to pass sentence when Flash puts his escape plan into operation. Mandrake distracts the Ilyrians with an impromptu magic show and, when directed to do so by Flash, makes a cloud of green smoke appear, at which point he and the others flee from the courtroom. However, Flash, Mandrake, the Phantom and Lothar are all recaptured, leaving only Rick, LJ, Jedda and Kisa to get to the rocket hangar. They are pursued by five guards, but manage to escape in one of the Defenders' ships and head for Ice Station Earth. Meanwhile, their elders are brought back into the courtroom where Egral says they have not helped their case by trying to escape, to which Flash replies that he doesn't think much of Ilyrian justice. Mandrake adds that no-one should have to prove their innocence because everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
Rick, LJ and Jedda discover that Ming has made life-like robot copies of themselves and their elders which he used to create the fake news footage, with the news anchor also being a robot. Having overpowered Garax, they gather up the robots and load them onto their ship before returning to Ilyria. Back in the courtroom, Flash, Mandrake, the Phantom and Lothar are found guilty and are sentenced to be banished to a distant galaxy. Transparent tubes descend over them as the Ilyrians begin to carry out this sentence, starting with Mandrake. However, before Flash, the Phantom and Lothar can be banished, Rick, LJ and Jedda arrive with the robots which, LJ explains, were created by Ming and were responsible for the destruction the Ilyrians saw. Rick and Jedda then demonstrate how the news broadcasts were also faked, prompting the judge to order Flash, the Phantom and Lothar released.
Ming escapes and, as Flash and the others prepare to leave, Egral asks that the Ilyrians be allowed to capture him, but Flash declines, saying he and his fellow Defenders can handle Ming themselves. Egral then suggests that his people try to reverse Mandrake's banishment, but it turns out that Mandrake was casting one of his illusions and was never actually banished. Flash and the others then depart, leaving the Ilyrians to reflect on the fact that they found innocent people guilty and must therefore put their own laws on trial.
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