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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 life 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
furthe