CHAPTER XXI
AN AIR SCOUT FOR ZODANGA
As I proceeded on my journey toward Zodanga many strange andinteresting sights arrested my attention, and at the several farmhouses where I stopped I learned a number of new and instructive thingsconcerning the methods and manners of Barsoom.
The water which supplies the farms of Mars is collected in immenseunderground reservoirs at either pole from the melting ice caps, andpumped through long conduits to the various populated centers. Alongeither side of these conduits, and extending their entire length, liethe cultivated districts. These are divided into tracts of about thesame size, each tract being under the supervision of one or moregovernment officers.
Instead of flooding the surface of the fields, and thus wasting immensequantities of water by evaporation, the precious liquid is carriedunderground through a vast network of small pipes directly to the rootsof the vegetation. The crops upon Mars are always uniform, for thereare no droughts, no rains, no high winds, and no insects, or destroyingbirds.
On this trip I tasted the first meat I had eaten since leavingEarth--large, juicy steaks and chops from the well-fed domestic animalsof the farms. Also I enjoyed luscious fruits and vegetables, but not asingle article of food which was exactly similar to anything on Earth.Every plant and flower and vegetable and animal has been so refined byages of careful, scientific cultivation and breeding that the like ofthem on Earth dwindled into pale, gray, characterless nothingness bycomparison.
At a second stop I met some highly cultivated people of the noble classand while in conversation we chanced to speak of Helium. One of theolder men had been there on a diplomatic mission several years beforeand spoke with regret of the conditions which seemed destined ever tokeep 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, DejahThoris, is the most exquisite flower.
"Why," he added, "the people really worship the ground she walks uponand since her loss on that ill-starred expedition all Helium has beendraped in mourning.
"That our ruler should have attacked the disabled fleet as it wasreturning to Helium was but another of his awful blunders which I fearwill sooner or later compel Zodanga to elevate a wiser man to hisplace."
"Even now, though our victorious armies are surrounding Helium, thepeople of Zodanga are voicing their displeasure, for the war is not apopular one, since it is not based on right or justice. Our forcestook advantage of the absence of the principal fleet of Helium on theirsearch for the princess, and so we have been able easily to reduce thecity to a sorry plight. It is said she will fall within the next fewpassages of the further moon."
"And what, think you, may have been the fate of the princess, DejahThoris?" I asked as casually as possible.
"She is dead," he answered. "This much was learned from a greenwarrior recently captured by our forces in the south. She escaped fromthe hordes of Thark with a strange creature of another world, only tofall into the hands of the Warhoons. Their thoats were found wanderingupon the sea bottom and evidences of a bloody conflict were discoverednearby."
While this information was in no way reassuring, neither was it at allconclusive proof of the death of Dejah Thoris, and so I determined tomake every effort possible to reach Helium as quickly as I could andcarry to Tardos Mors such news of his granddaughter's possiblewhereabouts 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 ofMars I had noticed that Woola drew a great amount of unwelcomeattention to me, since the huge brute belonged to a species which isnever domesticated by the red men. Were one to stroll down Broadwaywith a Numidian lion at his heels the effect would be somewhat similarto that which I should have produced had I entered Zodanga with Woola.
The very thought of parting with the faithful fellow caused me so greatregret and genuine sorrow that I put it off until just before wearrived at the city's gates; but then, finally, it became imperativethat we separate. Had nothing further than my own safety or pleasurebeen at stake no argument could have prevailed upon me to turn away theone creature upon Barsoom that had never failed in a demonstration ofaffection and loyalty; but as I would willingly have offered my life inthe service of her in search of whom I was about to challenge theunknown dangers of this, to me, mysterious city, I could not permiteven Woola's life to threaten the success of my venture, much less hismomentary happiness, for I doubted not he soon would forget me. And soI bade the poor beast an affectionate farewell, promising him, however,that if I came through my adventure in safety that in some way I shouldfind the means to search him out.
He seemed to understand me fully, and when I pointed back in thedirection of Thark he turned sorrowfully away, nor could I bear towatch him go; but resolutely set my face toward Zodanga and with atouch 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 streetswere practically deserted. The residences, raised high upon theirmetal columns, resembled huge rookeries, while the uprights themselvespresented the appearance of steel tree trunks. The shops as a rulewere not raised from the ground nor were their doors bolted or barred,since thievery is practically unknown upon Barsoom. Assassination isthe ever-present fear of all Barsoomians, and for this reason alonetheir homes are raised high above the ground at night, or in times ofdanger.
The Ptor brothers had given me explicit directions for reaching thepoint of the city where I could find living accommodations and be nearthe 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 ofall Martian cities.
The plaza of Zodanga covers a square mile and is bounded by the palacesof the jeddak, the jeds, and other members of the royalty and nobilityof Zodanga, as well as by the principal public buildings, cafes, andshops.
As I was crossing the great square lost in wonder and admiration of themagnificent architecture and the gorgeous scarlet vegetation whichcarpeted the broad lawns I discovered a red Martian walking brisklytoward me from one of the avenues. He paid not the slightest attentionto me, but as he came abreast I recognized him, and turning I placed myhand upon his shoulder, calling out:
"Kaor, Kantos Kan!"
Like lightning he wheeled and before I could so much as lower my handthe point of his long-sword was at my breast.
"Who are you?" he growled, and then as a backward leap carried me fiftyfeet 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 Barsoomwho can bounce about like a rubber ball. By the mother of the furthermoon, John Carter, how came you here, and have you become a Darseenthat you can change your color at will?"
"You gave me a bad half minute my friend," he continued, after I hadbriefly outlined my adventures since parting with him in the arena atWarhoon. "Were my name and city known to the Zodangans I would shortlybe sitting on the banks of the lost sea of Korus with my revered anddeparted ancestors. I am here in the interest of Tardos Mors, Jeddakof Helium, to discover the whereabouts of Dejah Thoris, our princess.Sab Than, prince of Zodanga, has her hidden in the city and has fallenmadly in love with her. His father, Than Kosis, Jeddak of Zodanga, hasmade her voluntary marriage to his son the price of peace between ourcountries, but Tardos Mors will not accede to the demands and has sentword that he and his people would rather look upon the dead face oftheir princess than see her wed to any than her own choice, and thatpersonally he would prefer being engulfed in the ashes of a lost andburning Helium to joining the metal of his house with that of ThanKosis. His reply was the deadliest affront he could have put upon ThanKosis and the Zodangans, but his people love him the more for it andhis strength in Helium is greater today than ever.
"I have
been here three days," continued Kantos Kan, "but I have notyet found where Dejah Thoris is imprisoned. Today I join the Zodangannavy as an air scout and I hope in this way to win the confidence ofSab 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 arehere, John Carter, for I know your loyalty to my princess and two of usworking together should be able to accomplish much."
The plaza was now commencing to fill with people going and coming uponthe daily activities of their duties. The shops were opening and thecafes filling with early morning patrons. Kantos Kan led me to one ofthese gorgeous eating places where we were served entirely bymechanical apparatus. No hand touched the food from the time itentered the building in its raw state until it emerged hot anddelicious upon the tables before the guests, in response to thetouching of tiny buttons to indicate their desires.
After our meal, Kantos Kan took me with him to the headquarters of theair-scout squadron and introducing me to his superior asked that I beenrolled as a member of the corps. In accordance with custom anexamination was necessary, but Kantos Kan had told me to have no fearon this score as he would attend to that part of the matter. Heaccomplished this by taking my order for examination to the examiningofficer and representing himself as John Carter.
"This ruse will be discovered later," he cheerfully explained, "whenthey check up my weights, measurements, and other personalidentification data, but it will be several months before this is doneand our mission should be accomplished or have failed long before thattime."
The next few days were spent by Kantos Kan in teaching me theintricacies of flying and of repairing the dainty little contrivanceswhich the Martians use for this purpose. The body of the one-man aircraft 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 planeupon a seat constructed over the small, noiseless radium engine whichpropels it. The medium of buoyancy is contained within the thin metalwalls of the body and consists of the eighth Barsoomian ray, or ray ofpropulsion, as it may be termed in view of its properties.
This ray, like the ninth ray, is unknown on Earth, but the Martianshave discovered that it is an inherent property of all light no matterfrom what source it emanates. They have learned that it is the solareighth 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 oncemore. The solar eighth ray would be absorbed by the surface ofBarsoom, but the Barsoomian eighth ray, which tends to propel lightfrom Mars into space, is constantly streaming out from the planetconstituting a force of repulsion of gravity which when confined isable to lift enormous weights from the surface of the ground.
It is this ray which has enabled them to so perfect aviation thatbattle ships far outweighing anything known upon Earth sail asgracefully and lightly through the thin air of Barsoom as a toy balloonin the heavy atmosphere of Earth.
During the early years of the discovery of this ray many strangeaccidents occurred before the Martians learned to measure and controlthe wonderful power they had found. In one instance, some nine hundredyears before, the first great battle ship to be built with eighth rayreservoirs was stored with too great a quantity of the rays and she hadsailed up from Helium with five hundred officers and men, never toreturn.
Her power of repulsion for the planet was so great that it had carriedher far into space, where she can be seen today, by the aid of powerfultelescopes, 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, andas a result of it I won a promotion which included quarters in thepalace of Than Kosis.
As I rose above the city I circled several times, as I had seen KantosKan do, and then throwing my engine into top speed I raced at terrificvelocity toward the south, following one of the great waterways whichenter Zodanga from that direction.
I had traversed perhaps two hundred miles in a little less than an hourwhen I descried far below me a party of three green warriors racingmadly toward a small figure on foot which seemed to be trying to reachthe confines of one of the walled fields.
Dropping my machine rapidly toward them, and circling to the rear ofthe warriors, I soon saw that the object of their pursuit was a redMartian wearing the metal of the scout squadron to which I wasattached. A short distance away lay his tiny flier, surrounded by thetools with which he had evidently been occupied in repairing somedamage when surprised by the green warriors.
They were now almost upon him; their flying mounts charging down on therelatively puny figure at terrific speed, while the warriors leaned lowto the right, with their great metal-shod spears. Each seemed strivingto be the first to impale the poor Zodangan and in another moment hisfate would have been sealed had it not been for my timely arrival.
Driving my fleet air craft at high speed directly behind the warriors Isoon overtook them and without diminishing my speed I rammed the prowof my little flier between the shoulders of the nearest. The impactsufficient to have torn through inches of solid steel, hurled thefellow's headless body into the air over the head of his thoat, whereit fell sprawling upon the moss. The mounts of the other two warriorsturned squealing in terror, and bolted in opposite directions.
Reducing my speed I circled and came to the ground at the feet of theastonished Zodangan. He was warm in his thanks for my timely aid andpromised that my day's work would bring the reward it merited, for itwas none other than a cousin of the jeddak of Zodanga whose life I hadsaved.
We wasted no time in talk as we knew that the warriors would surelyreturn as soon as they had gained control of their mounts. Hasteningto his damaged machine we were bending every effort to finish theneeded repairs and had almost completed them when we saw the two greenmonsters returning at top speed from opposite sides of us. When theyhad approached within a hundred yards their thoats again becameunmanageable and absolutely refused to advance further toward the aircraft which had frightened them.
The warriors finally dismounted and hobbling their animals advancedtoward us on foot with drawn long-swords.
I advanced to meet the larger, telling the Zodangan to do the best hecould with the other. Finishing my man with almost no effort, as hadnow from much practice become habitual with me, I hastened to return tomy new acquaintance whom I found indeed in desperate straits.
He was wounded and down with the huge foot of his antagonist upon histhroat and the great long-sword raised to deal the final thrust. Witha bound I cleared the fifty feet intervening between us, and withoutstretched point drove my sword completely through the body of thegreen warrior. His sword fell, harmless, to the ground and he sanklimply upon the prostrate form of the Zodangan.
A cursory examination of the latter revealed no mortal injuries andafter a brief rest he asserted that he felt fit to attempt the returnvoyage. He would have to pilot his own craft, however, as these frailvessels 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 mishapreturned to Zodanga.
As we neared the city we discovered a mighty concourse of civilians andtroops assembled upon the plain before the city. The sky was blackwith naval vessels and private and public pleasure craft, flying longstreamers of gay-colored silks, and banners and flags of odd andpicturesque design.
My companion signaled that I slow down, and running his machine closebeside mine suggested that we approach and watch the ceremony, which,he said, was for the purpose of conferring honors on individualofficers and men for bravery and other distinguished service. He thenunfurled a little ensign which denoted that his craft bore a member ofthe royal family of Zodanga, and together we made our way through themaze of low-lying air vessels until we hung directly over the jeddak ofZodan
ga and his staff. All were mounted upon the small domestic bullthoats of the red Martians, and their trappings and ornamentation boresuch a quantity of gorgeously colored feathers that I could not but bestruck with the startling resemblance the concourse bore to a band ofthe red Indians of my own Earth.
One of the staff called the attention of Than Kosis to the presence ofmy companion above them and the ruler motioned for him to descend. Asthey waited for the troops to move into position facing the jeddak thetwo talked earnestly together, the jeddak and his staff occasionallyglancing up at me. I could not hear their conversation and presentlyit ceased and all dismounted, as the last body of troops had wheeledinto position before their emperor. A member of the staff advancedtoward the troops, and calling the name of a soldier commanded him toadvance. The officer then recited the nature of the heroic act whichhad won the approval of the jeddak, and the latter advanced and placeda 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 militarydiscipline is strong within me, and I dropped my little machine lightlyto the ground and advanced on foot as I had seen the others do. As Ihalted before the officer, he addressed me in a voice audible to theentire assemblage of troops and spectators.
"In recognition, John Carter," he said, "of your remarkable courage andskill in defending the person of the cousin of the jeddak Than Kosisand, singlehanded, vanquishing three green warriors, it is the pleasureof 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 acousin of the jeddak how much better could you defend the person of thejeddak himself. You are therefore appointed a padwar of The Guards andwill 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 ofthe barracks of the air-scout squadron, and with an orderly from thepalace to guide me I reported to the officer in charge of the palace.