The Chessmen of Mars Read online

  CHAPTER IV

  CAPTURED

  As Thuria, swift racer of the night, shot again into the sky the scenechanged. As by magic a new aspect fell athwart the face of Nature. Itwas as though in the instant one had been transported from one planetto another. It was the age-old miracle of the Martian nights that isalways new, even to Martians--two moons resplendent in the heavens,where one had been but now; conflicting, fast-changing shadows thataltered the very hills themselves; far Cluros, stately, majestic,almost stationary, shedding his steady light upon the world below;Thuria, a great and glorious orb, swinging swift across the vaulteddome of the blue-black night, so low that she seemed to graze thehills, a gorgeous spectacle that held the girl now beneath the spell ofits enchantment as it always had and always would.

  "Ah, Thuria, mad queen of heaven!" murmured Tara of Helium. "The hillspass in stately procession, their bosoms rising and falling; the treesmove in restless circles; the little grasses describe their littlearcs; and all is movement, restless, mysterious movement without sound,while Thuria passes." The girl sighed and let her gaze fall again tothe stern realities beneath. There was no mystery in the huge banths.He who had discovered her squatted there looking hungrily up at her.Most of the others had wandered away in search of other prey, but a fewremained hoping yet to bury their fangs in that soft body.

  The night wore on. Again Thuria left the heavens to her lord andmaster, hurrying on to keep her tryst with the Sun in other skies. Buta single banth waited impatiently beneath the tree which harbored Taraof Helium. The others had left, but their roars, and growls, and moansthundered or rumbled, or floated back to her from near and far. Whatprey found they in this little valley? There must be something thatthey were accustomed to find here that they should be drawn in so greatnumbers. The girl wondered what it could be.

  How long the night! Numb, cold, and exhausted, Tara of Helium clung tothe tree in growing desperation, for once she had dozed and almostfallen. Hope was low in her brave little heart. How much more could sheendure? She asked herself the question and then, with a brave shake ofher head, she squared her shoulders. "I still live!" she said aloud.

  The banth looked up and growled.

  Came Thuria again and after awhile the great Sun--a flaming lover,pursuing his heart's desire. And Cluros, the cold husband, continuedhis serene way, as placid as before his house had been violated by thishot Lothario. And now the Sun and both Moons rode together in the sky,lending their far mysteries to make weird the Martian dawn. Tara ofHelium looked out across the fair valley that spread upon all sides ofher. It was rich and beautiful, but even as she looked upon it sheshuddered, for to her mind came a picture of the headless things thatthe towers and the walls hid. Those by day and the banths by night! Ah,was it any wonder that she shuddered?

  With the coming of the Sun the great Barsoomian lion rose to his feet.He turned angry eyes upon the girl above him, voiced a single ominousgrowl, and slunk away toward the hills. The girl watched him, and shesaw that he gave the towers as wide a berth as possible and that henever took his eyes from one of them while he was passing it. Evidentlythe inmates had taught these savage creatures to respect them.Presently he passed from sight in a narrow defile, nor in any directionthat she could see was there another. Momentarily at least thelandscape was deserted. The girl wondered if she dared to attempt toregain the hills and her flier. She dreaded the coming of the workmento the fields as she was sure they would come. She shrank from againseeing the headless bodies, and found herself wondering if these thingswould come out into the fields and work. She looked toward the nearesttower. There was no sign of life there. The valley lay quiet now anddeserted. She lowered herself stiffly to the ground. Her muscles werecramped and every move brought a twinge of pain. Pausing a moment todrink again at the stream she felt refreshed and then turned withoutmore delay toward the hills. To cover the distance as quickly aspossible seemed the only plan to pursue. The trees no longer offeredconcealment and so she did not go out of her way to be near them. Thehills seemed very far away. She had not thought, the night before, thatshe had traveled so far. Really it had not been far, but now, with thethree towers to pass in broad daylight, the distance seemed greatindeed.

  The second tower lay almost directly in her path. To make a detourwould not lessen the chance of detection, it would only lengthen theperiod of her danger, and so she laid her course straight for the hillwhere her flier was, regardless of the tower. As she passed the firstenclosure she thought that she heard the sound of movement within, butthe gate did not open and she breathed more easily when it lay behindher. She came then to the second enclosure, the outer wall of which shemust circle, as it lay across her route. As she passed close along itshe distinctly heard not only movement within, but voices. In theworld-language of Barsoom she heard a man issuing instructions--so manywere to pick usa, so many were to irrigate this field, so many tocultivate that, and so on, as a foreman lays out the day's work for hiscrew.

  Tara of Helium had just reached the gate in the outer wall. Withoutwarning it swung open toward her. She saw that for a moment it wouldhide her from those within and in that moment she turned and ran,keeping close to the wall, until, passing out of sight beyond the curveof the structure, she came to the opposite side of the enclosure. Here,panting from her exertion and from the excitement of her narrow escape,she threw herself among some tall weeds that grew close to the foot ofthe wall. There she lay trembling for some time, not even daring toraise her head and look about. Never before had Tara of Helium felt theparalyzing effects of terror. She was shocked and angry at herself,that she, daughter of John Carter, Warlord of Barsoom, should exhibitfear. Not even the fact that there had been none there to witness itlessened her shame and anger, and the worst of it was she knew thatunder similar circumstances she would again be equally as craven. Itwas not the fear of death--she knew that. No, it was the thought ofthose headless bodies and that she might see them and that they mighteven touch her--lay hands upon her--seize her. She shuddered andtrembled at the thought.

  After a while she gained sufficient command of herself to raise herhead and look about. To her horror she discovered that everywhere shelooked she saw people working in the fields or preparing to do so.Workmen were coming from other towers. Little bands were passing tothis field and that. There were even some already at work within thirtyads of her--about a hundred yards. There were ten, perhaps, in theparty nearest her, both men and women, and all were beautiful of formand grotesque of face. So meager were their trappings that they werepractically naked; a fact that was in no way remarkable among thetillers of the fields of Mars. Each wore the peculiar, high leathercollar that completely hid the neck, and each wore sufficient otherleather to support a single sword and a pocket-pouch. The leather wasvery old and worn, showing long, hard service, and was absolutely plainwith the exception of a single device upon the left shoulder. Theheads, however, were covered with ornaments of precious metals andjewels, so that little more than eyes, nose, and mouth werediscernible. These were hideously inhuman and yet grotesquely human atthe same time. The eyes were far apart and protruding, the nose scarcemore than two small, parallel slits set vertically above a round holethat was the mouth. The heads were peculiarly repulsive--so much sothat it seemed unbelievable to the girl that they formed an integralpart of the beautiful bodies below them.

  So fascinated was Tara of Helium that she could scarce take her eyesfrom the strange creatures--a fact that was to prove her undoing, forin order that she might see them she was forced to expose a part of herown head and presently, to her consternation, she saw that one of thecreatures had stopped his work and was staring directly at her. She didnot dare move, for it was still possible that the thing had not seenher, or at least was only suspicious that some creature lay hid amongthe weeds. If she could allay this suspicion by remaining motionlessthe creature might believe that he had been mistaken and return to hiswork; but, alas, such was not to be the case. She saw the thing callthe attention of others to
her and almost immediately four or five ofthem started to move in her direction.

  It was impossible now to escape discovery. Her only hope lay in flight.If she could elude them and reach the hills and the flier ahead of themshe might escape, and that could be accomplished in but oneway--flight, immediate and swift. Leaping to her feet she darted alongthe base of the wall which she must skirt to the opposite side, beyondwhich lay the hill that was her goal. Her act was greeted by strangewhistling sounds from the things behind her, and casting a glance overher shoulder she saw them all in rapid pursuit.

  There were also shrill commands that she halt, but to these she paid noattention. Before she had half circled the enclosure she discoveredthat her chances for successful escape were great, since it was evidentto her that her pursuers were not so fleet as she. High indeed thenwere her hopes as she came in sight of the hill, but they were soondashed by what lay before her, for there, in the fields that laybetween, were fully a hundred creatures similar to those behind her andall were on the alert, evidently warned by the whistling of theirfellows. Instructions and commands were shouted to and fro, with theresult that those before her spread roughly into a great half circle tointercept her, and when she turned to the right, hoping to elude thenet, she saw others coming from fields beyond, and to the left the samewas true. But Tara of Helium would not admit defeat. Without oncepausing she turned directly toward the center of the advancingsemi-circle, beyond which lay her single chance of escape, and as sheran she drew her long, slim dagger. Like her valiant sire, if die shemust, she would die fighting. There were gaps in the thin lineconfronting her and toward the widest of one of these she directed hercourse. The things on either side of the opening guessed her intent forthey closed in to place themselves in her path. This widened theopenings on either side of them and as the girl appeared almost to rushinto their arms she turned suddenly at right angles, ran swiftly in thenew direction for a few yards, and then dashed quickly toward the hillagain. Now only a single warrior, with a wide gap on either side ofhim, barred her clear way to freedom, though all the others werespeeding as rapidly as they could to intercept her. If she could passthis one without too much delay she could escape, of that she wascertain. Her every hope hinged on this. The creature before herrealized it, too, for he moved cautiously, though swiftly, to intercepther, as a Rugby fullback might maneuver in the realization that healone stood between the opposing team and a touchdown.

  At first Tara of Helium had hoped that she might dodge him, for shecould not but guess that she was not only more fleet but infinitelymore agile than these strange creatures; but soon there came to her therealization that in the time consumed in an attempt to elude his grasphis nearer fellows would be upon her and escape then impossible, so shechose instead to charge straight for him, and when he guessed herdecision he stood, half crouching and with outstretched arms, awaitingher. In one hand was his sword, but a voice arose, crying in tones ofauthority. "Take her alive! Do not harm her!" Instantly the fellowreturned his sword to its scabbard and then Tara of Helium was uponhim. Straight for that beautiful body she sprang and in the instantthat the arms closed to seize her her sharp blade drove deep into thenaked chest. The impact hurled them both to the ground and as Tara ofHelium sprang to her feet again she saw, to her horror, that theloathsome head had rolled from the body and was now crawling away fromher on six short, spider-like legs. The body struggled spasmodicallyand lay still. As brief as had been the delay caused by the encounter,it still had been of sufficient duration to undo her, for even as sherose two more of the things fell upon her and instantly thereafter shewas surrounded. Her blade sank once more into naked flesh and once morea head rolled free and crawled away. Then they overpowered her and inanother moment she was surrounded by fully a hundred of the creatures,all seeking to lay hands upon her. At first she thought that theywished to tear her to pieces in revenge for her having slain two oftheir fellows, but presently she realized that they were prompted moreby curiosity than by any sinister motive.

  "Come!" said one of her captors, both of whom had retained a hold uponher. As he spoke he tried to lead her away with him toward the nearesttower.

  "She belongs to me," cried the other. "Did not I capture her? She willcome with me to the tower of Moak."

  "Never!" insisted the first. "She is Luud's. To Luud I will take her,and whosoever interferes may feel the keenness of my sword--in thehead!" He almost shouted the last three words.

  "Come! Enough of this," cried one who spoke with some show ofauthority. "She was captured in Luud's fields--she will go to Luud."

  "She was discovered in Moak's fields, at the very foot of the tower ofMoak," insisted he who had claimed her for Moak.

  "You have heard the Nolach speak," cried the Luud. "It shall be as hesays."

  "Not while this Moak holds a sword," replied the other. "Rather will Icut her in twain and take my half to Moak than to relinquish her all toLuud," and he drew his sword, or rather he laid his hand upon its hiltin a threatening gesture; but before ever he could draw it the Luud hadwhipped his out and with a fearful blow cut deep into the head of hisadversary. Instantly the big, round head collapsed, almost as apunctured balloon collapses, as a grayish, semi-fluid matter spurtedfrom it. The protruding eyes, apparently lidless, merely stared, thesphincter-like muscle of the mouth opened and closed, and then the headtoppled from the body to the ground. The body stood dully for a momentand then slowly started to wander aimlessly about until one of theothers seized it by the arm.

  One of the two heads crawling about on the ground now approached. "Thisrykor belongs to Moak," it said. "I am a Moak. I will take it," andwithout further discussion it commenced to crawl up the front of theheadless body, using its six short, spiderlike legs and two stoutchelae which grew just in front of its legs and strongly resembledthose of an Earthly lobster, except that they were both of the samesize. The body in the meantime stood in passive indifference, its armshanging idly at its sides. The head climbed to the shoulders andsettled itself inside the leather collar that now hid its chelae andlegs. Almost immediately the body gave evidence of intelligentanimation. It raised its hands and adjusted the collar morecomfortably, it took the head between its palms and settled it in placeand when it moved around it did not wander aimlessly, but instead itssteps were firm and to some purpose.

  The girl watched all these things in growing wonder, and presently, noother of the Moaks seeming inclined to dispute the right of the Luud toher, she was led off by her captor toward the nearest tower. Severalaccompanied them, including one who carried the loose head under hisarm. The head that was being carried conversed with the head upon theshoulders of the thing that carried it. Tara of Helium shivered. It washorrible! All that she had seen of these frightful creatures washorrible. And to be a prisoner, wholly in their power. Shadow of herfirst ancestor! What had she done to deserve so cruel a fate?

  At the wall enclosing the tower they paused while one opened the gateand then they passed within the enclosure, which, to the girl's horror,she found filled with headless bodies. The creature who carried thebodiless head now set its burden upon the ground and the latterimmediately crawled toward one of the bodies that was lying near by.Some wandered stupidly to and fro, but this one lay still. It was afemale. The head crawled to it and made its way to the shoulders whereit settled itself. At once the body sprang lightly erect. Another ofthose who had accompanied them from the fields approached with theharness and collar that had been taken from the dead body that the headhad formerly topped. The new body now appropriated these and the handsdeftly adjusted them. The creature was now as good as before Tara ofHelium had struck down its former body with her slim blade. But therewas a difference. Before it had been male--now it was female. That,however, seemed to make no difference to the head. In fact, Tara ofHelium had noticed during the scramble and the fight about her that sexdifferences seemed of little moment to her captors. Males and femaleshad taken equal part in her pursuit, both were identically harnessedand both carried
swords, and she had seen as many females as males drawtheir weapons at the moment that a quarrel between the two factionsseemed imminent.

  The girl was given but brief opportunity for further observation of thepitiful creatures in the enclosure as her captor, after having directedthe others to return to the fields, led her toward the tower, whichthey entered, passing into an apartment about ten feet wide and twentylong, in one end of which was a stairway leading to an upper level andin the other an opening to a similar stairway leading downward. Thechamber, though on a level with the ground, was brilliantly lighted bywindows in its inner wall, the light coming from a circular court inthe center of the tower. The walls of this court appeared to be facedwith what resembled glazed, white tile and the whole interior of it wasflooded with dazzling light, a fact which immediately explained to thegirl the purpose of the glass prisms of which the domes wereconstructed. The stairways themselves were sufficient to cause remark,since in nearly all Barsoomian architecture inclined runways areutilized for purposes of communication between different levels, andespecially is this true of the more ancient forms and of those ofremote districts where fewer changes have come to alter the customs ofantiquity.

  Down the stairway her captor led Tara of Helium. Down and down throughchambers still lighted from the brilliant well. Occasionally theypassed others going in the opposite direction and these always stoppedto examine the girl and ask questions of her captor.

  "I know nothing but that she was found in the fields and that I caughther after a fight in which she slew two rykors and in which I slew aMoak, and that I take her to Luud, to whom, of course, she belongs. IfLuud wishes to question her that is for Luud to do--not for me." Thusalways he answered the curious.

  Presently they reached a room from which a circular tunnel led awayfrom the tower, and into this the creature conducted her. The tunnelwas some seven feet in diameter and flattened on the bottom to form awalk. For a hundred feet from the tower it was lined with the sametile-like material of the light well and amply illuminated by reflectedlight from that source. Beyond it was faced with stone of variousshapes and sizes, neatly cut and fitted together--a very fine mosaicwithout a pattern. There were branches, too, and other tunnels whichcrossed this, and occasionally openings not more than a foot indiameter; these latter being usually close to the floor. Above each ofthese smaller openings was painted a different device, while upon thewalls of the larger tunnels at all intersections and points ofconvergence hieroglyphics appeared. These the girl could not readthough she guessed that they were the names of the tunnels, or noticesindicating the points to which they led. She tried to study some ofthem out, but there was not a character that was familiar to her, whichseemed strange, since, while the written languages of the variousnations of Barsoom differ, it still is true that they have manycharacters and words in common.

  She had tried to converse with her guard but he had not seemed inclinedto talk with her and she had finally desisted. She could not but notethat he had offered her no indignities, nor had he been eitherunnecessarily rough or in any way cruel. The fact that she had slaintwo of the bodies with her dagger had apparently aroused no animosityor desire for revenge in the minds of the strange heads that surmountedthe bodies--even those whose bodies had been killed. She did not try tounderstand it, since she could not approach the peculiar relationshipbetween the heads and the bodies of these creatures from the basis ofany past knowledge or experience of her own. So far their treatment ofher seemed to augur naught that might arouse her fears. Perhaps, afterall, she had been fortunate to fall into the hands of these strangepeople, who might not only protect her from harm, but even aid her inreturning to Helium. That they were repulsive and uncanny she could notforget, but if they meant her no harm she could, at least, overlooktheir repulsiveness. Renewed hope aroused within her a spirit ofgreater cheerfulness, and it was almost blithely now that she moved atthe side of her weird companion. She even caught herself humming a gaylittle tune that was then popular in Helium. The creature at her sideturned its expressionless eyes upon her.

  "What is that noise that you are making?" it asked.

  "I was but humming an air," she replied.

  "'Humming an air,'" he repeated. "I do not know what you mean; but doit again, I like it."

  This time she sang the words, while her companion listened intently.His face gave no indication of what was passing in that strange head.It was as devoid of expression as that of a spider. It reminded her ofa spider. When she had finished he turned toward her again.

  "That was different," he said. "I liked that better, even, than theother. How do you do it?"

  "Why," she said, "it is singing. Do you not know what song is?"

  "No," he replied. "Tell me how you do it."

  "It is difficult to explain," she told him, "since any explanation ofit presupposes some knowledge of melody and of music, while your veryquestion indicates that you have no knowledge of either."

  "No," he said, "I do not know what you are talking about; but tell mehow you do it."

  "It is merely the melodious modulations of my voice," she explained."Listen!" and again she sang.

  "I do not understand," he insisted; "but I like it. Could you teach meto do it?"

  "I do not know, but I shall be glad to try."

  "We will see what Luud does with you," he said. "If he does not wantyou I will keep you and you shall teach me to make sounds like that."

  At his request she sang again as they continued their way along thewinding tunnel, which was now lighted by occasional bulbs whichappeared to be similar to the radium bulbs with which she was familiarand which were common to all the nations of Barsoom, insofar as sheknew, having been perfected at so remote a period that their veryorigin was lost in antiquity. They consist, usually, of a hemisphericalbowl of heavy glass in which is packed a compound containing what,according to John Carter, must be radium. The bowl is then cementedinto a metal plate with a heavily insulated back and the whole affairset in the masonry of wall or ceiling as desired, where it gives offlight of greater or less intensity, according to the composition of thefilling material, for an almost incalculable period of time.

  As they proceeded they met a greater number of the inhabitants of thisunderground world, and the girl noted that among many of these themetal and harness were more ornate than had been those of the workersin the fields above. The heads and bodies, however, were similar, evenidentical, she thought. No one offered her harm and she was nowexperiencing a feeling of relief almost akin to happiness, when herguide turned suddenly into an opening on the right side of the tunneland she found herself in a large, well lighted chamber.