Sola's Story

: The Gods Of Mars

Once within the palace, I drew Sola to the dining hall, and, when she

had greeted her father after the formal manner of the green men, she

told the story of the pilgrimage and capture of Dejah Thoris.



"Seven days ago, after her audience with Zat Arras, Dejah Thoris

attempted to slip from the palace in the dead of night. Although I had

not heard the outcome of her interview with Zat Arras I knew that

some hing had occurred then to cause her the keenest mental agony, and

when I discovered her creeping from the palace I did not need to be

told her destination.



"Hastily arousing a dozen of her most faithful guards, I explained my

fears to them, and as one they enlisted with me to follow our beloved

Princess in her wanderings, even to the Sacred Iss and the Valley Dor.

We came upon her but a short distance from the palace. With her was

faithful Woola the hound, but none other. When we overtook her she

feigned anger, and ordered us back to the palace, but for once we

disobeyed her, and when she found that we would not let her go upon the

last long pilgrimage alone, she wept and embraced us, and together we

went out into the night toward the south.



"The following day we came upon a herd of small thoats, and thereafter

we were mounted and made good time. We travelled very fast and very

far due south until the morning of the fifth day we sighted a great

fleet of battleships sailing north. They saw us before we could seek

shelter, and soon we were surrounded by a horde of black men. The

Princess's guard fought nobly to the end, but they were soon overcome

and slain. Only Dejah Thoris and I were spared.



"When she realized that she was in the clutches of the black pirates,

she attempted to take her own life, but one of the blacks tore her

dagger from her, and then they bound us both so that we could not use

our hands.



"The fleet continued north after capturing us. There were about twenty

large battleships in all, besides a number of small swift cruisers.

That evening one of the smaller cruisers that had been far in advance

of the fleet returned with a prisoner--a young red woman whom they had

picked up in a range of hills under the very noses, they said, of a

fleet of three red Martian battleships.



"From scraps of conversation which we overheard it was evident that the

black pirates were searching for a party of fugitives that had escaped

them several days prior. That they considered the capture of the young

woman important was evident from the long and earnest interview the

commander of the fleet held with her when she was brought to him.

Later she was bound and placed in the compartment with Dejah Thoris and

myself.



"The new captive was a very beautiful girl. She told Dejah Thoris that

many years ago she had taken the voluntary pilgrimage from the court of

her father, the Jeddak of Ptarth. She was Thuvia, the Princess of

Ptarth. And then she asked Dejah Thoris who she might be, and when she

heard she fell upon her knees and kissed Dejah Thoris' fettered hands,

and told her that that very morning she had been with John Carter,

Prince of Helium, and Carthoris, her son.



"Dejah Thoris could not believe her at first, but finally when the girl

had narrated all the strange adventures that had befallen her since she

had met John Carter, and told her of the things John Carter, and

Carthoris, and Xodar had narrated of their adventures in the Land of

the First Born, Dejah Thoris knew that it could be none other than the

Prince of Helium; 'For who,' she said, 'upon all Barsoom other than

John Carter could have done the deeds you tell of.' And when Thuvia

told Dejah Thoris of her love for John Carter, and his loyalty and

devotion to the Princess of his choice, Dejah Thoris broke down and

wept--cursing Zat Arras and the cruel fate that had driven her from

Helium but a few brief days before the return of her beloved lord.



"'I do not blame you for loving him, Thuvia,' she said; 'and that your

affection for him is pure and sincere I can well believe from the

candour of your avowal of it to me.'



"The fleet continued north nearly to Helium, but last night they

evidently realized that John Carter had indeed escaped them and so they

turned toward the south once more. Shortly thereafter a guard entered

our compartment and dragged me to the deck.



"'There is no place in the Land of the First Born for a green one,' he

said, and with that he gave me a terrific shove that carried me

toppling from the deck of the battleship. Evidently this seemed to him

the easiest way of ridding the vessel of my presence and killing me at

the same time.



"But a kind fate intervened, and by a miracle I escaped with but slight

bruises. The ship was moving slowly at the time, and as I lunged

overboard into the darkness beneath I shuddered at the awful plunge I

thought awaited me, for all day the fleet had sailed thousands of feet

above the ground; but to my utter surprise I struck upon a soft mass of

vegetation not twenty feet from the deck of the ship. In fact, the

keel of the vessel must have been grazing the surface of the ground at

the time.



"I lay all night where I had fallen and the next morning brought an

explanation of the fortunate coincidence that had saved me from a

terrible death. As the sun rose I saw a vast panorama of sea bottom

and distant hills lying far below me. I was upon the highest peak of a

lofty range. The fleet in the darkness of the preceding night had

barely grazed the crest of the hills, and in the brief span that they

hovered close to the surface the black guard had pitched me, as he

supposed, to my death.



"A few miles west of me was a great waterway. When I reached it I

found to my delight that it belonged to Helium. Here a thoat was

procured for me--the rest you know."



For many minutes none spoke. Dejah Thoris in the clutches of the First

Born! I shuddered at the thought, but of a sudden the old fire of

unconquerable self-confidence surged through me. I sprang to my feet,

and with back-thrown shoulders and upraised sword took a solemn vow to

reach, rescue, and revenge my Princess.



A hundred swords leaped from a hundred scabbards, and a hundred

fighting-men sprang to the table-top and pledged me their lives and

fortunes to the expedition. Already my plans were formulated. I

thanked each loyal friend, and leaving Carthoris to entertain them,

withdrew to my own audience chamber with Kantos Kan, Tars Tarkas,

Xodar, and Hor Vastus.



Here we discussed the details of our expedition until long after dark.

Xodar was positive that Issus would choose both Dejah Thoris and Thuvia

to serve her for a year.



"For that length of time at least they will be comparatively safe," he

said, "and we will at least know where to look for them."



In the matter of equipping a fleet to enter Omean the details were left

to Kantos Kan and Xodar. The former agreed to take such vessels as we

required into dock as rapidly as possible, where Xodar would direct

their equipment with water propellers.



For many years the black had been in charge of the refitting of

captured battleships that they might navigate Omean, and so was

familiar with the construction of the propellers, housings, and the

auxiliary gearing required.



It was estimated that it would require six months to complete our

preparations in view of the fact that the utmost secrecy must be

maintained to keep the project from the ears of Zat Arras. Kantos Kan

was confident now that the man's ambitions were fully aroused and that

nothing short of the title of Jeddak of Helium would satisfy him.



"I doubt," he said, "if he would even welcome Dejah Thoris' return, for

it would mean another nearer the throne than he. With you and

Carthoris out of the way there would be little to prevent him from

assuming the title of Jeddak, and you may rest assured that so long as

he is supreme here there is no safety for either of you."



"There is a way," cried Hor Vastus, "to thwart him effectually and for

ever."



"What?" I asked.



He smiled.



"I shall whisper it here, but some day I shall stand upon the dome of

the Temple of Reward and shout it to cheering multitudes below."



"What do you mean?" asked Kantos Kan.



"John Carter, Jeddak of Helium," said Hor Vastus in a low voice.



The eyes of my companions lighted, and grim smiles of pleasure and

anticipation overspread their faces, as each eye turned toward me

questioningly. But I shook my head.



"No, my friends," I said, smiling, "I thank you, but it cannot be. Not

yet, at least. When we know that Tardos Mors and Mors Kajak are gone

to return no more; if I be here, then I shall join you all to see that

the people of Helium are permitted to choose fairly their next Jeddak.

Whom they choose may count upon the loyalty of my sword, nor shall I

seek the honour for myself. Until then Tardos Mors is Jeddak of

Helium, and Zat Arras is his representative."



"As you will, John Carter," said Hor Vastus, "but--What was that?" he

whispered, pointing toward the window overlooking the gardens.



The words were scarce out of his mouth ere he had sprung to the balcony

without.



"There he goes!" he cried excitedly. "The guards! Below there! The

guards!"



We were close behind him, and all saw the figure of a man run quickly

across a little piece of sward and disappear in the shrubbery beyond.



"He was on the balcony when I first saw him," cried Hor Vastus.

"Quick! Let us follow him!"



Together we ran to the gardens, but even though we scoured the grounds

with the entire guard for hours, no trace could we find of the night

marauder.



"What do you make of it, Kantos Kan?" asked Tars Tarkas.



"A spy sent by Zat Arras," he replied. "It was ever his way."



"He will have something interesting to report to his master then,"

laughed Hor Vastus.



"I hope he heard only our references to a new Jeddak," I said. "If he

overheard our plans to rescue Dejah Thoris, it will mean civil war, for

he will attempt to thwart us, and in that I will not be thwarted.

There would I turn against Tardos Mors himself, were it necessary. If

it throws all Helium into a bloody conflict, I shall go on with these

plans to save my Princess. Nothing shall stay me now short of death,

and should I die, my friends, will you take oath to prosecute the

search for her and bring her back in safety to her grandfather's court?"



Upon the hilt of his sword each of them swore to do as I had asked.



It was agreed that the battleships that were to be remodelled should be

ordered to Hastor, another Heliumetic city, far to the south-west.

Kantos Kan thought that the docks there, in addition to their regular

work, would accommodate at least six battleships at a time. As he was

commander-in-chief of the navy, it would be a simple matter for him to

order the vessels there as they could be handled, and thereafter keep

the remodelled fleet in remote parts of the empire until we should be

ready to assemble it for the dash upon Omean.



It was late that night before our conference broke up, but each man

there had his particular duties outlined, and the details of the entire

plan had been mapped out.



Kantos Kan and Xodar were to attend to the remodelling of the ships.

Tars Tarkas was to get into communication with Thark and learn the

sentiments of his people toward his return from Dor. If favourable, he

was to repair immediately to Thark and devote his time to the

assembling of a great horde of green warriors whom it was our plan to

send in transports directly to the Valley Dor and the Temple of Issus,

while the fleet entered Omean and destroyed the vessels of the First

Born.



Upon Hor Vastus devolved the delicate mission of organising a secret

force of fighting-men sworn to follow John Carter wherever he might

lead. As we estimated that it would require over a million men to man

the thousand great battleships we intended to use on Omean and the

transports for the green men as well as the ships that were to convoy

the transports, it was no trifling job that Hor Vastus had before him.



After they had left I bid Carthoris good-night, for I was very tired,

and going to my own apartments, bathed and lay down upon my sleeping

silks and furs for the first good night's sleep I had had an

opportunity to look forward to since I had returned to Barsoom. But

even now I was to be disappointed.



How long I slept I do not know. When I awoke suddenly it was to find a

half-dozen powerful men upon me, a gag already in my mouth, and a

moment later my arms and legs securely bound. So quickly had they

worked and to such good purpose, that I was utterly beyond the power to

resist them by the time I was fully awake.



Never a word spoke they, and the gag effectually prevented me speaking.

Silently they lifted me and bore me toward the door of my chamber. As

they passed the window through which the farther moon was casting its

brilliant beams, I saw that each of the party had his face swathed in

layers of silk--I could not recognize one of them.



When they had come into the corridor with me, they turned toward a

secret panel in the wall which led to the passage that terminated in

the pits beneath the palace. That any knew of this panel outside my

own household, I was doubtful. Yet the leader of the band did not

hesitate a moment. He stepped directly to the panel, touched the

concealed button, and as the door swung open he stood aside while his

companions entered with me. Then he closed the panel behind him and

followed us.



Down through the passageways to the pits we went. The leader rapped

upon it with the hilt of his sword--three quick, sharp blows, a pause,

then three more, another pause, and then two. A second later the wall

swung in, and I was pushed within a brilliantly lighted chamber in

which sat three richly trapped men.



One of them turned toward me with a sardonic smile upon his thin, cruel

lips--it was Zat Arras.