Dejah turned and peered through Billy’s spyglass toward the horizon where the edge of the Great Canal met the sky. A large cloud of dust rose into the sky and was pushed by the winds into spectral fingers. “Yes,” she said. “Fighting to live is harder. But we are the last of my father’s warriors, and we must survive this day or all of Barsoom falls.” She turned to the men with her. “Tell me. Help me lay the pieces of a plan that will save us.”
“First,” Billy said, “I’ll leave the planning to you folks. Ekka has gone somewhere to bring back allies. She’s taking Bixie with her. I’m not sure what she’s planning, but when that woman gets something in her head, there’s no talking her out of it. Guthrie has gone to find Dakota. I’ve sent Pat to help Edgar Burroughs bring the Argent back to life. Now, it’s my turn.”
“Where are you going?” Carter asked.
“Avi and I are going to do what we came here for. We’re going to this tower of Mort Prime’s.” Billy pointed to the black, needle-like spire barely visible past the rising tide of dust. “We’re going to rescue my friend John Koothrappally and we’re going to take him home.”
“Yes,” Avi said. “That is why we came here, straight from my own rescue.”
“That place?” Carter pointed into the distance. “You’ll never get there before those hordes arrive here. When you come back, there may be nothing left here.
“We have to try,” Avi said.
“I’m not trying to dissuade you,” Carter said. “I just wanted to make sure you knew.”
“I know of a faster way,” Tardos Mors stated.
Dejah Thoris turned to look at him.
“My Princess, this is the hour of need, and your personal flier is here.”
“You have something that can fly?” Billy asked.
“The skies were once filled with fliers,” Tardos stated.
“Yes,” Dejah said. “But Zhong Kui has shot them down. Nearly all of them. No one dares take to the sky any longer.”
“Can this flier carry...two?” Billy asked.
“It can,” Dejah said. “Come with me.”
The men followed Dejah back into the tower and they climbed the final spiral of stairs to emerge into a circular room with a domed ceiling.
A strange craft sat in the middle of the floor and occupied the bulk of the space. It resembled a wasp with two saddles.
“How does it work?” Avi asked.
“It works on mental projection,” Tardos said.
John Carter looked back and forth between Billy and Avi. “That leaves you out, Billy.”
Ian chuckled.
“My Princess?” Tardos asked.
“Instruct them,” Dejah said. “John Carter, Ian, we must prepare for battle.”
“Good luck to you, ma’am,” Billy said. “If we can come back and help in time, we’ll do it.”
Dejah Thoris clasped Billy’s arm. “If I do not see you again this side of the River Iss, my friend Billy, I wish you safe travels.”
“Same to you, ma’am.” Billy said. Dejah slowly released him.
[ 84 ]
Pat Garrett and two guides arrived at the Argent as the pale pink sunlight of morning started down the edge of the far canal wall. As far as Pat could tell, they were on a high plateau within the canal. Farther on the rocky ground dropped away dramatically in a profusion of gold from the oxygen-giving plants. Thus far he had acclimated well to the thin Martian air such that he didn’t need the space suit. However, he tired easily, as he was tired now.
He entered the ship and found Edgar Burroughs asleep on his bunk hugging a long spanner.