CHAPTER XXI
AN AIR SCOUT FOR ZODANGA
As I proceeded on my journey toward Zodanga many strange and
interesting sights arrested my attention, and at the several farm
houses where I stopped I learned a number of new and instructive
things concerning the methods and manners of Barsoom.
The water which supplies the farms of Mars is collected in immense
underground reservoirs at either pole from the melting ice caps,
and pumped through long conduits to the various populated centers.
Along either side of these conduits, and extending their entire
length, lie the cultivated districts. These are divided into tracts
of about the same size, each tract being under the supervision of
one or more government officers.
Instead of flooding the surface of the fields, and thus wasting
immense quantities of water by evaporation, the precious liquid is
carried underground through a vast network of small pipes directly
to the roots of the vegetation. The crops upon Mars are always
uniform, for there are no droughts, no rains, no high winds, and
no insects, or destroying birds.
On this trip I tasted the first meat I had eaten since leaving
Earth--large, juicy steaks and chops from the well-fed domestic
animals of the farms. Also I enjoyed luscious fruits and
vegetables, but not a single article of food which was exactly
similar to anything on Earth. Every plant and flower and vegetable
and animal has been so refined by ages of careful, scientific
cultivation and breeding that the like of them on Earth dwindled
into pale, gray, characterless nothingness by comparison.
At a second stop I met some highly cultivated people of the noble
class and while in conversation we chanced to speak of Helium. One
of the older men had been there on a diplomatic mission several
years before and spoke with regret of the conditions which seemed
destined ever to keep these two countries at war.
"Helium," he said, "rightly boasts the most beautiful women of
Barsoom, and of all her treasures the wondrous daughter of Mors
Kajak, Dejah Thoris, is the most exquisite flower.
"Why," he added, "the people really worship the ground she walks
upon and since her loss on that ill-starred expedition all Helium
has been draped in mourning.
"That our ruler should have attacked the disabled fleet as it was
returning to Helium was but another of his awful blunders which I
fear will sooner or later compel Zodanga to elevate a wiser man to
his place."
"Even now, though our victorious armies are surrounding Helium, the
people of Zodanga are voicing their displeasure, for the war is
not a popular one, since it is not based on right or justice. Our
forces took advantage of the absence of the principal fleet of
Helium on their search for the princess, and so we have been able
easily to reduce the city to a sorry plight. It is said she will
fall within the next few passages of the further moon."
"And what, think you, may have been the fate of the princess, Dejah
Thoris?" I asked as casually as possible.
"She is dead," he answered. "This much was learned from a green
warrior recently captured by our forces in the south. She escaped
from the hordes of Thark with a strange creature of another world,
only to fall into the hands of the Warhoons. Their thoats were
found wandering upon the sea bottom and evidences of a bloody
conflict were discovered nearby."
While this information was in no way reassuring, neither was it
at all conclusive proof of the death of Dejah Thoris, and so I
determined to make every effort possible to reach Helium as quickly
as I could and carry to Tardos Mors such news of his granddaughter's
possible whereabouts as lay in my power.
Ten days after leaving the three Ptor brothers I arrived at Zodanga.
From the moment that I had come in contact with the red inhabitants
of Mars I had noticed that Woola drew a great amount of unwelcome
attention to me, since the huge brute belonged to a species which is
never domesticated by the red men. Were one to stroll down Broadway
with a Numidian lion at his heels the effect would be somewhat
similar to that which I should have produced had I entered Zodanga
with Woola.
The very thought of parting with the faithful fellow caused me so
great regret and genuine sorrow that I put it off until just before
we arrived at the city's gates; but then, finally, it became
imperative that we separate. Had nothing further than my own safety
or pleasure been at stake no argument could have prevailed upon me
to turn away the one creature upon Barsoom that had never failed in
a demonstration of affection and loyalty; but as I would willingly
have offered my life in the service of her in search of whom I was
about to challenge the unknown dangers of this, to me, mysterious
city, I could not permit even Woola's life to threaten the success
of my venture, much less his momentary happiness, for I doubted
not he soon would forget me. And so I bade the poor beast an
affectionate farewell, promising him, however, that if I came
through my adventure in safety that in some way I should find
the means to search him out.
He seemed to understand me fully, and when I pointed back in the
direction of Thark he turned sorrowfully away, nor could I bear to
watch him go; but resolutely set my face toward Zodanga and with
a touch of heartsickness approached her frowning walls.
The letter I bore from them gained me immediate entrance to the
vast, walled city. It was still very early in the morning and the
streets were practically deserted. The residences, raised high
upon their metal columns, resembled huge rookeries, while the
uprights themselves presented the appearance of steel tree trunks.
The shops as a rule were not raised from the ground nor were their
doors bolted or barred, since thievery is practically unknown upon
Barsoom. Assassination is the ever-present fear of all Barsoomians,
and for this reason alone their homes are raised high above the
ground at night, or in times of danger.
The Ptor brothers had given me explicit directions for reaching the
point of the city where I could find living accommodations and be
near the offices of the government agents to whom they had given me
letters. My way led to the central square or plaza, which is a
characteristic of all Martian cities.
The plaza of Zodanga covers a square mile and is bounded by the
palaces of the jeddak, the jeds, and other members of the royalty
and nobility of Zodanga, as well as by the principal public
buildings, cafes, and shops.
As I was crossing the great square lost in wonder and admiration of
the magnificent architecture and the gorgeous scarlet vegetation
which carpeted the broad lawns I discovered a red Martian walking
briskly toward me from one of the avenues. He paid not the
slightest attention to me, but as he came abreast I recognized him,
and turning I placed my hand upon his shoulder, calling out:
"Kaor, Kantos Kan!"
Like lightning he wheeled and before I could so much as lower my
hand the point of his long-sword was at my breast.
"Who are you?" he growled, and then as a backward leap carried me
fifty feet from his sword he dropped the point to the ground and
exclaimed, laughing,
"I do not need a better reply, there is but one man upon all Barsoom
who can bounce about like a rubber ball. By the mother of the
further moon, John Carter, how came you here, and have you become
a Darseen that you can change your color at will?"
"You gave me a bad half minute my friend," he continued, after I had
briefly outlined my adventures since parting with him in the arena
at Warhoon. "Were my name and city known to the Zodangans I would
shortly be sitting on the banks of the lost sea of Korus with my
revered and departed ancestors. I am here in the interest of Tardos
Mors, Jeddak of Helium, to discover the whereabouts of Dejah Thoris,
our princess. Sab Than, prince of Zodanga, has her hidden in the
city and has fallen madly in love with her. His father, Than Kosis,
Jeddak of Zodanga, has made her voluntary marriage to his son the
price of peace between our countries, but Tardos Mors will not
accede to the demands and has sent word that he and his people would
rather look upon the dead face of their princess than see her wed to
any than her own choice, and that personally he would prefer being
engulfed in the ashes of a lost and burning Helium to joining the
metal of his house with that of Than Kosis. His reply was the
deadliest affront he could have put upon Than Kosis and the
Zodangans, but his people love him the more for it and his strength
in Helium is greater today than ever.
"I have been here three days," continued Kantos Kan, "but I have
not yet found where Dejah Thoris is imprisoned. Today I join the
Zodangan navy as an air scout and I hope in this way to win the
confidence of Sab Than, the prince, who is commander of this
division of the navy, and thus learn the whereabouts of Dejah
Thoris. I am glad that you are here, John Carter, for I know your
loyalty to my princess and two of us working together should be
able to accomplish much."
The plaza was now commencing to fill with people going and coming
upon the daily activities of their duties. The shops were opening
and the cafes filling with early morning patrons. Kantos Kan led me
to one of these gorgeous eating places where we were served entirely
by mechanical apparatus. No hand touched the food from the time it
entered the building in its raw state until it emerged hot and
delicious upon the tables before the guests, in response to the
touching of tiny buttons to indicate their desires.
After our meal, Kantos Kan took me with him to the headquarters of
the air-scout squadron and introducing me to his superior asked that
I be enrolled as a member of the corps. In accordance with custom
an examination was necessary, but Kantos Kan had told me to have no
fear on this score as he would attend to that part of the matter.
He accomplished this by taking my order for examination to the
examining officer and representing himself as John Carter.
"This ruse will be discovered later," he cheerfully explained,
"when they check up my weights, measurements, and other personal
identification data, but it will be several months before this is
done and our mission should be accomplished or have failed long
before that time."
The next few days were spent by Kantos Kan in teaching me
the intricacies of flying and of repairing the dainty little
contrivances which the Martians use for this purpose. The body
of the one-man air craft is about sixteen feet long, two feet wide
and three inches thick, tapering to a point at each end. The driver
sits on top of this plane upon a seat constructed over the small,
noiseless radium engine which propels it. The medium of buoyancy is
contained within the thin metal walls of the body and consists of
the eighth Barsoomian ray, or ray of propulsion, as it may be termed
in view of its properties.
This ray, like the ninth ray, is unknown on Earth, but the Martians
have discovered that it is an inherent property of all light no
matter from what source it emanates. They have learned that it
is the solar eighth ray which propels the light of the sun to the
various planets, and that it is the individual eighth ray of each
planet which "reflects," or propels the light thus obtained out
into space once more. The solar eighth ray would be absorbed by the
surface of Barsoom, but the Barsoomian eighth ray, which tends to
propel light from Mars into space, is constantly streaming out from
the planet constituting a force of repulsion of gravity which when
confined is able to lift enormous weights from the surface of the
ground.
It is this ray which has enabled them to so perfect aviation that
battle ships far outweighing anything known upon Earth sail as
gracefully and lightly through the thin air of Barsoom as a toy
balloon in the heavy atmosphere of Earth.
During the early years of the discovery of this ray many strange
accidents occurred before the Martians learned to measure and
control the wonderful power they had found. In one instance, some
nine hundred years before, the first great battle ship to be built
with eighth ray reservoirs was stored with too great a quantity
of the rays and she had sailed up from Helium with five hundred
officers and men, never to return.
Her power of repulsion for the planet was so great that it had
carried her far into space, where she can be seen today, by the aid
of powerful telescopes, hurtling through the heavens ten thousand
miles from Mars; a tiny satellite that will thus encircle Barsoom
to the end of time.
The fourth day after my arrival at Zodanga I made my first flight,
and as a result of it I won a promotion which included quarters in
the palace of Than Kosis.
As I rose above the city I circled several times, as I had seen
Kantos Kan do, and then throwing my engine into top speed I raced
at terrific velocity toward the south, following one of the great
waterways which enter Zodanga from that direction.
I had traversed perhaps two hundred miles in a little less than an
hour when I descried far below me a party of three green warriors
racing madly toward a small figure on foot which seemed to be trying
to reach the confines of one of the walled fields.
Dropping my machine rapidly toward them, and circling to the rear
of the warriors, I soon saw that the object of their pursuit was a
red Martian wearing the metal of the scout squadron to which I was
attached. A short distance away lay his tiny flier, surrounded by
the tools with which he had evidently been occupied in repairing
some damage when surprised by the green warriors.
They were now almost upon him; their flying mounts charging down on
the relatively puny figure at terrific speed, while the warriors
leaned low to the right, with their great metal-shod spears. Each
seemed striving to be the first to impale the poor Zodangan and in
another moment his fate would have been sealed had it not been for
my timely arrival.
Driving my fleet air craft at high speed directly behind the
warriors I soon overtook them and without diminishing my speed I
rammed the prow of my little flier between the shoulders of the
nearest. The impact sufficient to have torn through inches of
solid steel, hurled the fellow's headless body into the air over the
head of his thoat, where it fell sprawling upon the moss. The mounts
of the other two warriors turned squealing in terror, and bolted in
opposite directions.
Reducing my speed I circled and came to the ground at the feet of
the astonished Zodangan. He was warm in his thanks for my timely
aid and promised that my day's work would bring the reward it
merited, for it was none other than a cousin of the jeddak of
Zodanga whose life I had saved.
We wasted no time in talk as we knew that the warriors would
surely return as soon as they had gained control of their mounts.
Hastening to his damaged machine we were bending every effort to
finish the needed repairs and had almost completed them when we saw
the two green monsters returning at top speed from opposite sides of
us. When they had approached within a hundred yards their thoats
again became unmanageable and absolutely refused to advance further
toward the air craft which had frightened them.
The warriors finally dismounted and hobbling their animals advanced
toward us on foot with drawn long-swords.
I advanced to meet the larger, telling the Zodangan to do the best
he could with the other. Finishing my man with almost no effort, as
had now from much practice become habitual with me, I hastened to
return to my new acquaintance whom I found indeed in desperate
straits.
He was wounded and down with the huge foot of his antagonist upon
his throat and the great long-sword raised to deal the final thrust.
With a bound I cleared the fifty feet intervening between us, and
with outstretched point drove my sword completely through the body
of the green warrior. His sword fell, harmless, to the ground and
he sank limply upon the prostrate form of the Zodangan.
A cursory examination of the latter revealed no mortal injuries
and after a brief rest he asserted that he felt fit to attempt the
return voyage. He would have to pilot his own craft, however, as
these frail vessels are not intended to convey but a single person.
Quickly completing the repairs we rose together into the still,
cloudless Martian sky, and at great speed and without further mishap
returned to Zodanga.
As we neared the city we discovered a mighty concourse of civilians
and troops assembled upon the plain before the city. The sky was
black with naval vessels and private and public pleasure craft,
flying long streamers of gay-colored silks, and banners and flags
of odd and picturesque design.
My companion signaled that I slow down, and running his machine
close beside mine suggested that we approach and watch the ceremony,
which, he said, was for the purpose of conferring honors on
individual officers and men for bravery and other distinguished
service. He then unfurled a little ensign which denoted that his
craft bore a member of the royal family of Zodanga, and together we
made our way through the maze of low-lying air vessels until we hung
directly over the jeddak of Zodanga and his staff. All were mounted
upon the small domestic bull thoats of the red Martians, and their
trappings and ornamentation bore such a quantity of gorgeously
colored feathers that I could not but be struck with the startling
resemblance the concourse bore to a band of the red Indians of my
own Earth.
One of the staff called the attention of Than Kosis to the presence
of my companion above them and the ruler motioned for him to
descend. As they waited for the troops to move into position facing
the jeddak the two talked earnestly together, the jeddak and his
staff occasionally glancing up at me. I could not hear their
conversation and presently it ceased and all dismounted, as the last
body of troops had wheeled into position before their emperor. A
member of the staff advanced toward the troops, and calling the name
of a soldier commanded him to advance. The officer then recited the
nature of the heroic act which had won the approval of the jeddak,
and the latter advanced and placed a metal ornament upon the left
arm of the lucky man.
Ten men had been so decorated when the aide called out,
"John Carter, air scout!"
Never in my life had I been so surprised, but the habit of military
discipline is strong within me, and I dropped my little machine
lightly to the ground and advanced on foot as I had seen the others
do. As I halted before the officer, he addressed me in a voice
audible to the entire assemblage of troops and spectators.
"In recognition, John Carter," he said, "of your remarkable courage
and skill in defending the person of the cousin of the jeddak Than
Kosis and, singlehanded, vanquishing three green warriors, it is the
pleasure of our jeddak to confer on you the mark of his esteem."
Than Kosis then advanced toward me and placing an ornament upon me,
said:
"My cousin has narrated the details of your wonderful achievement,
which seems little short of miraculous, and if you can so well
defend a cousin of the jeddak how much better could you defend the
person of the jeddak himself. You are therefore appointed a padwar
of The Guards and will be quartered in my palace hereafter."
I thanked him, and at his direction joined the members of his staff.
After the ceremony I returned my machine to its quarters on the roof
of the barracks of the air-scout squadron, and with an orderly from
the palace to guide me I reported to the officer in charge of the
palace.
