The Chessmen of Mars Read online

  CHAPTER IX

  ADRIFT OVER STRANGE REGIONS

  Presently Ghek pushed aside a door that opened from the stairway, andbefore them Tara saw the moonlight flooding the walled court where theheadless rykors lay beside their feeding-troughs. She saw the perfectbodies, muscled as the best of her father's fighting men, and thefemales whose figures would have been the envy of many of Helium's mostbeautiful women. Ah, if she could but endow these with the power toact! Then indeed might the safety of the panthan be assured; but theywere only poor lumps of clay, nor had she the power to quicken them tolife. Ever must they lie thus until dominated by the cold, heartlessbrain of the kaldane. The girl sighed in pity even as she shuddered indisgust as she picked her way over and among the sprawled creaturestoward the flier.

  Quickly she and Ghek mounted to the deck after the latter had cast offthe moorings. Tara tested the control, raising and lowering the ship afew feet within the walled space. It responded perfectly. Then shelowered it to the ground again and waited. From the open doorway camethe sounds of conflict, now nearing them, now receding. The girl,having witnessed her champion's skill, had little fear of the outcome.Only a single antagonist could face him at a time upon the narrowstairway, he had the advantage of position and of the defensive, and hewas a master of the sword while they were clumsy bunglers bycomparison. Their sole advantage was in their numbers, unless theymight find a way to come upon him from behind.

  She paled at the thought. Could she have seen him she might have beenfurther perturbed, for he took no advantage of many opportunities towin nearer the enclosure. He fought coolly, but with a savagepersistence that bore little semblance to purely defensive action.Often he clambered over the body of a fallen foe to leap against thenext behind, and once there lay five dead kaldanes behind him, so farhad he pushed back his antagonists. They did not know it; thesekaldanes that he fought, nor did the girl awaiting him upon the flier,but Gahan of Gathol was engaged in a more alluring sport than winningto freedom, for he was avenging the indignities that had been put uponthe woman he loved; but presently he realized that he might bejeopardizing her safety uselessly, and so he struck down another beforehim and turning leaped quickly up the stairway, while the leadingkaldanes slipped upon the brain-covered floor and stumbled in pursuit.

  Gahan reached the enclosure twenty paces ahead of them and raced towardthe flier. "Rise!" he shouted to the girl. "I will ascend the cable."

  Slowly the small craft rose from the ground as Gahan leaped the inertbodies of the rykors lying in his path. The first of the pursuerssprang from the tower just as Gahan seized the trailing rope.

  "Faster!" he shouted to the girl above, "or they will drag us down!"But the ship seemed scarcely to move, though in reality she was risingas rapidly as might have been expected of a one-man flier carrying aload of three. Gahan swung free above the top of the wall, but the endof the rope still dragged the ground as the kaldanes reached it. Theywere pouring in a steady stream from the tower into the enclosure. Theleader seized the rope.

  "Quick!" he cried. "Lay hold and we will drag them down."

  It needed but the weight of a few to accomplish his design. The shipwas stopped in its flight and then, to the horror of the girl, she feltit being dragged steadily downward. Gahan, too, realized the danger andthe necessity for instant action. Clinging to the rope with his lefthand, he had wound a leg about it, leaving his right hand free for hislong-sword which he had not sheathed. A downward cut clove the softhead of a kaldane, and another severed the taut rope beneath thepanthan's feet. The girl heard a sudden renewal of the shrill whistlingof her foes, and at the same time she realized that the craft wasrising again. Slowly it drifted upward, out of reach of the enemy, anda moment later she saw the figure of Turan clamber over the side. Forthe first time in many weeks her heart was filled with the joy ofthanksgiving; but her first thought was of another.

  "You are not wounded?" she asked.

  "No, Tara of Helium," he replied. "They were scarce worth the effort ofmy blade, and never were they a menace to me because of their swords."

  "They should have slain you easily," said Ghek. "So great and highlydeveloped is the power of reason among us that they should have knownbefore you struck just where, logically, you must seek to strike, andso they should have been able to parry your every thrust and easilyfind an opening to your heart."

  "But they did not, Ghek," Gahan reminded him. "Their theory ofdevelopment is wrong, for it does not tend toward a perfectly balancedwhole. You have developed the brain and neglected the body and you cannever do with the hands of another what you can do with your own hands.Mine are trained to the sword--every muscle responds instantly andaccurately, and almost mechanically, to the need of the instant. I amscarcely objectively aware that I think when I fight, so quickly doesmy point take advantage of every opening, or spring to my defense if Iam threatened that it is almost as though the cold steel had eyes andbrains. You, with your kaldane brain and your rykor body, never couldhope to achieve in the same degree of perfection those things that Ican achieve. Development of the brain should not be the sum total ofhuman endeavor. The richest and happiest peoples will be those whoattain closest to well-balanced perfection of both mind and body, andeven these must always be short of perfection. In absolute and generalperfection lies stifling monotony and death. Nature must havecontrasts; she must have shadows as well as highlights; sorrow withhappiness; both wrong and right; and sin as well as virtue."

  "Always have I been taught differently," replied Ghek; "but since Ihave known this woman and you, of another race, I have come to believethat there may be other standards fully as high and desirable as thoseof the kaldanes. At least I have had a glimpse of the thing you callhappiness and I realize that it may be good even though I have no meansof expressing it. I cannot laugh nor smile, and yet within me is asense of contentment when this woman sings--a sense that seems to openbefore me wondrous vistas of beauty and unguessed pleasure that fartranscend the cold joys of a perfectly functioning brain. I would thatI had been born of thy race."

  Caught by a gentle current of air the flier was drifting slowly towardthe northeast across the valley of Bantoom. Below them lay thecultivated fields, and one after another they passed over the strangetowers of Moak and Nolach and the other kings of the swarms thatinhabited this weird and terrible land. Within each enclosuresurrounding the towers grovelled the rykors, repellent, headlessthings, beautiful yet hideous.

  "A lesson, those," remarked Gahan, indicating the rykors in anenclosure above which they were drifting at the time, "to thatfortunately small minority of our race which worships the flesh andmakes a god of appetite. You know them, Tara of Helium; they can tellyou exactly what they had at the midday meal two weeks ago, and how theloin of the thoat should be prepared, and what drink should be servedwith the rump of the zitidar."

  Tara of Helium laughed. "But not one of them could tell you the name ofthe man whose painting took the Jeddak's Award in The Temple of Beautythis year," she said. "Like the rykors, their development has not beenbalanced."

  "Fortunate indeed are those in which there is combined a little goodand a little bad, a little knowledge of many things outside their owncallings, a capacity for love and a capacity for hate, for such asthese can look with tolerance upon all, unbiased by the egotism of himwhose head is so heavy on one side that all his brains run to thatpoint."

  As Gahan ceased speaking Ghek made a little noise in his throat as onedoes who would attract attention. "You speak as one who has thoughtmuch upon many subjects. Is it, then, possible that you of the red racehave pleasure in thought? Do you know aught of the joys ofintrospection? Do reason and logic form any part of your lives?"

  "Most assuredly," replied Gahan, "but not to the extent of occupyingall our time--at least not objectively. You, Ghek, are an example ofthe egotism of which I spoke. Because you and your kind devote yourlives to the worship of mind, you believe that no other created beingsthink. And possibly we do not in the sense that you
do, who think onlyof yourselves and your great brains. We think of many things thatconcern the welfare of a world. Had it not been for the red men ofBarsoom even the kaldanes had perished from the planet, for while youmay live without air the things upon which you depend for existencecannot, and there had been no air in sufficient quantities upon Barsoomthese many ages had not a red man planned and built the greatatmosphere plant which gave new life to a dying world.

  "What have all the brains of all the kaldanes that have ever lived doneto compare with that single idea of a single red man?"

  Ghek was stumped. Being a kaldane he knew that brains spelled the sumtotal of universal achievement, but it had never occurred to him thatthey should be put to use in practical and profitable ways. He turnedaway and looked down upon the valley of his ancestors across which hewas slowly drifting, into what unknown world? He should be a veritablegod among the underlings, he knew; but somehow a doubt assailed him. Itwas evident that these two from that other world were ready to questionhis preeminence. Even through his great egotism was filtering asuspicion that they patronized him; perhaps even pitied him. Then hebegan to wonder what was to become of him. No longer would he have manyrykors to do his bidding. Only this single one and when it died therecould not be another. When it tired, Ghek must lie almost helplesswhile it rested. He wished that he had never seen this red woman. Shehad brought him only discontent and dishonor and now exile. PresentlyTara of Helium commenced to hum a tune and Ghek, the kaldane, wascontent.

  Gently they drifted beneath the hurtling moons above the mad shadows ofa Martian night. The roaring of the banths came in diminishing volumeto their ears as their craft passed on beyond the boundaries ofBantoom, leaving behind the terrors of that unhappy land. But to whatwere they being borne? The girl looked at the man sitting cross-leggedupon the deck of the tiny flier, gazing off into the night ahead,apparently absorbed in thought.

  "Where are we?" she asked. "Toward what are we drifting?"

  Turan shrugged his broad shoulders. "The stars tell me that we aredrifting toward the northeast," he replied, "but where we are, or whatlies in our path I cannot even guess. A week since I could have swornthat I knew what lay behind each succeeding ridge that I approached;but now I admit in all humility that I have no conception of what liesa mile in any direction. Tara of Helium, I am lost, and that is allthat I can tell you."

  He was smiling and the girl smiled back at him. There was a slightlypuzzled expression on her face--there was something tantalizinglyfamiliar about that smile of his. She had met many a panthan--they cameand went, following the fighting of a world--but she could not placethis one.

  "From what country are you, Turan?" she asked suddenly.

  "Know you not, Tara of Helium," he countered, "that a panthan has nocountry? Today he fights beneath the banner of one master, tomorrowbeneath that of another."

  "But you must own allegiance to some country when you are notfighting," she insisted. "What banner, then, owns you now?"

  He rose and stood before her, then, bowing low. "And I am acceptable,"he said, "I serve beneath the banner of the daughter of The Warlordnow--and forever."

  She reached forth and touched his arm with a slim brown hand. "Yourservices are accepted," she said; "and if ever we reach Helium Ipromise that your reward shall be all that your heart could desire."

  "I shall serve faithfully, hoping for that reward," he said; but Taraof Helium did not guess what was in his mind, thinking rather that hewas mercenary. For how could the proud daughter of The Warlord guessthat a simple panthan aspired to her hand and heart?

  The dawn found them moving rapidly over an unfamiliar landscape. Thewind had increased during the night and had borne them far fromBantoom. The country below them was rough and inhospitable. No waterwas visible and the surface of the ground was cut by deep gorges, whilenowhere was any but the most meager vegetation discernible. They saw nolife of any nature, nor was there any indication that the country couldsupport life. For two days they drifted over this horrid wasteland.They were without food or water and suffered accordingly. Ghek hadtemporarily abandoned his rykor after enlisting Turan's assistance inlashing it safely to the deck. The less he used it the less would itsvitality be spent. Already it was showing the effects of privation.Ghek crawled about the vessel like a great spider--over the side, downbeneath the keel, and up over the opposite rail. He seemed equally athome one place as another. For his companions, however, the quarterswere cramped, for the deck of a one-man flier is not intended for three.

  Turan sought always ahead for signs of water. Water they must have, orthat water-giving plant which makes life possible upon many of theseemingly arid areas of Mars; but there was neither the one nor theother for these two days and now the third night was upon them. Thegirl did not complain, but Turan knew that she must be suffering andhis heart was heavy within him. Ghek suffered least of all, and heexplained to them that his kind could exist for long periods withoutfood or water. Turan almost cursed him as he saw the form of Tara ofHelium slowly wasting away before his eyes, while the hideous kaldaneseemed as full of vitality as ever.

  "There are circumstances," remarked Ghek, "under which a gross andmaterial body is less desirable than a highly developed brain."

  Turan looked at him, but said nothing. Tara of Helium smiled faintly."One cannot blame him," she said, "were we not a bit boastful in thepride of our superiority? When our stomachs were filled," she added.

  "Perhaps there is something to be said for their system," Turanadmitted. "If we could but lay aside our stomachs when they cried forfood and water I have no doubt but that we should do so."

  "I should never miss mine now," assented Tara; "it is mighty poorcompany."

  A new day had dawned, revealing a less desolate country and renewingagain the hope that had been low within them. Suddenly Turan leanedforward, pointing ahead.

  "Look, Tara of Helium!" he cried. "A city! As I am Ga--as I am Turanthe panthan, a city."

  Far in the distance the domes and walls and slender towers of a cityshone in the rising sun. Quickly the man seized the control and theship dropped rapidly behind a low range of intervening hills, for wellTuran knew that they must not be seen until they could discover whetherfriend or foe inhabited the strange city. Chances were that they werefar from the abode of friends and so must the panthan move with theutmost caution; but there was a city and where a city was, was water,even though it were a deserted city, and food if it were inhabited.

  To the red man food and water, even in the citadel of an enemy, meantfood and drink for Tara of Helium. He would accept it from friends orhe would take it from enemies. Just so long as it was there he wouldhave it--and there was shown the egotism of the fighting man, thoughTuran did not see it, nor Tara who came from a long line of fightingmen; but Ghek might have smiled had he known how.

  Turan permitted the flier to drift closer behind the screening hills,and then when he could advance no farther without fear of discovery, hedropped the craft gently to ground in a little ravine, and leaping overthe side made her fast to a stout tree. For several moments theydiscussed their plans--whether it would be best to wait where they wereuntil darkness hid their movements and then approach the city in searchof food and water, or approach it now, taking advantage of what coverthey could, until they could glean something of the nature of itsinhabitants.

  It was Turan's plan which finally prevailed. They would approach asclose as safety dictated in the hope of finding water outside the city;food, too, perhaps. If they did not they could at least reconnoiter theground by daylight, and then when night came Turan could quickly comeclose to the city and in comparative safety prosecute his search forfood and drink.

  Following the ravine upward they finally topped the summit of theridge, from which they had an excellent view of that part of the citywhich lay nearest them, though themselves hidden by the brush behindwhich they crouched. Ghek had resumed his rykor, which had sufferedless than either Tara or Turan through their enforced fast.
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  The first glance at the city, now much closer than when they had firstdiscovered it, revealed the fact that it was inhabited. Banners andpennons broke from many a staff. People were moving about the gatebefore them. The high white walls were paced by sentinels at farintervals. Upon the roofs of higher buildings the women could be seenairing the sleeping silks and furs. Turan watched it all in silence forsome time.

  "I do not know them," he said at last. "I cannot guess what city thismay be. But it is an ancient city. Its people have no fliers and nofirearms. It must be old indeed."

  "How do you know they have not these things?" asked the girl.

  "There are no landing-stages upon the roofs--not one that can be seenfrom here; while were we looking similarly at Helium we would seehundreds. And they have no firearms because their defenses are allbuilt to withstand the attack of spear and arrow, with spear and arrow.They are an ancient people."

  "If they are ancient perhaps they are friendly," suggested the girl."Did we not learn as children in the history of our planet that it wasonce peopled by a friendly, peace-loving race?"

  "But I fear they are not as ancient as that," replied Turan, laughing."It has been long ages since the men of Barsoom loved peace."

  "My father loves peace," returned the girl.

  "And yet he is always at war," said the man.

  She laughed. "But he says he likes peace."

  "We all like peace," he rejoined; "peace with honor; but our neighborswill not let us have it, and so we must fight."

  "And to fight well men must like to fight," she added.

  "And to like to fight they must know how to fight," he said, "for noman likes to do the thing that he does not know how to do well."

  "Or that some other man can do better than he."

  "And so always there will be wars and men will fight," he concluded,"for always the men with hot blood in their veins will practice the artof war."

  "We have settled a great question," said the girl, smiling; "but ourstomachs are still empty."

  "Your panthan is neglecting his duty," replied Turan; "and how can hewith the great reward always before his eyes!"

  She did not guess in what literal a sense he spoke.

  "I go forthwith," he continued, "to wrest food and drink from theancients."

  "No," she cried, laying a hand upon his arm, "not yet. They would slayyou or make you prisoner. You are a brave panthan and a mighty one, butyou cannot overcome a city singlehanded."

  She smiled up into his face and her hand still lay upon his arm. Hefelt the thrill of hot blood coursing through his veins. He could haveseized her in his arms and crushed her to him. There was only Ghek thekaldane there, but there was something stronger within him thatrestrained his hand. Who may define it--that inherent chivalry thatrenders certain men the natural protectors of women?

  From their vantage point they saw a body of armed warriors ride forthfrom the gate, and winding along a well-beaten road pass from sightabout the foot of the hill from which they watched. The men were red,like themselves, and they rode the small saddle thoats of the red race.Their trappings were barbaric and magnificent, and in their head-dresswere many feathers as had been the custom of ancients. They were armedwith swords and long spears and they rode almost naked, their bodiesbeing painted in ochre and blue and white. There were, perhaps, a scoreof them in the party and as they galloped away on their tireless mountsthey presented a picture at once savage and beautiful.

  "They have the appearance of splendid warriors," said Turan. "I have agreat mind to walk boldly into their city and seek service."

  Tara shook her head. "Wait," she admonished. "What would I do withoutyou, and if you were captured how could you collect your reward?"

  "I should escape," he said. "At any rate I shall try it," and hestarted to rise.

  "You shall not," said the girl, her tone all authority.

  The man looked at her quickly--questioningly.

  "You have entered my service," she said, a trifle haughtily.

  "You have entered my service for hire and you shall do as I bid you."

  Turan sank down beside her again with a half smile upon his lips. "Itis yours to command, Princess," he said.

  The day passed. Ghek, tiring of the sunlight, had deserted his rykorand crawled down a hole he had discovered close by. Tara and Turanreclined beneath the scant shade of a small tree. They watched thepeople coming and going through the gate. The party of horsemen did notreturn. A small herd of zitidars was driven into the city during theday, and once a caravan of broad-wheeled carts drawn by these hugeanimals wound out of the distant horizon and came down to the city. It,too, passed from their sight within the gateway. Then darkness came andTara of Helium bid her panthan search for food and drink; but shecautioned him against attempting to enter the city. Before he left herhe bent and kissed her hand as a warrior may kiss the hand of his queen.