CAPTURED
As Thuria, swift racer of the night, shot again into the sky the scene
changed. As by magic a new aspect fell athwart the face of Nature. It
was as though in the instant one had been transported from one planet
to another. It was the age-old miracle of the Martian nights that is
always new, even to Martians--two moons resplendent in the heavens,
where one had been but now; conflicting, fast-changing shadows that
altered 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 vaulted
dome of the blue-black night, so low that she seemed to graze the
hills, a gorgeous spectacle that held the girl now beneath the spell of
its enchantment as it always had and always would.
"Ah, Thuria, mad queen of heaven!" murmured Tara of Helium. "The hills
pass in stately procession, their bosoms rising and falling; the trees
move in restless circles; the little grasses describe their little
arcs; and all is movement, restless, mysterious movement without sound,
while Thuria passes." The girl sighed and let her gaze fall again to
the 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 few
remained hoping yet to bury their fangs in that soft body.
The night wore on. Again Thuria left the heavens to her lord and
master, hurrying on to keep her tryst with the Sun in other skies. But
a single banth waited impatiently beneath the tree which harbored Tara
of Helium. The others had left, but their roars, and growls, and moans
thundered or rumbled, or floated back to her from near and far. What
prey found they in this little valley? There must be something that
they were accustomed to find here that they should be drawn in so great
numbers. The girl wondered what it could be.
How long the night! Numb, cold, and exhausted, Tara of Helium clung to
the tree in growing desperation, for once she had dozed and almost
fallen. Hope was low in her brave little heart. How much more could she
endure? She asked herself the question and then, with a brave shake of
her 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, continued
his serene way, as placid as before his house had been violated by this
hot Lothario. And now the Sun and both Moons rode together in the sky,
lending their far mysteries to make weird the Martian dawn. Tara of
Helium looked out across the fair valley that spread upon all sides of
her. It was rich and beautiful, but even as she looked upon it she
shuddered, for to her mind came a picture of the headless things that
the 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 ominous
growl, and slunk away toward the hills. The girl watched him, and she
saw that he gave the towers as wide a berth as possible and that he
never took his eyes from one of them while he was passing it. Evidently
the inmates had taught these savage creatures to respect them.
Presently he passed from sight in a narrow defile, nor in any direction
that she could see was there another. Momentarily at least the
landscape was deserted. The girl wondered if she dared to attempt to
regain the hills and her flier. She dreaded the coming of the workmen
to the fields as she was sure they would come. She shrank from again
seeing the headless bodies, and found herself wondering if these things
would come out into the fields and work. She looked toward the nearest
tower. There was no sign of life there. The valley lay quiet now and
deserted. She lowered herself stiffly to the ground. Her muscles were
cramped and every move brought a twinge of pain. Pausing a moment to
drink again at the stream she felt refreshed and then turned without
more delay toward the hills. To cover the distance as quickly as
possible seemed the only plan to pursue. The trees no longer offered
concealment and so she did not go out of her way to be near them. The
hills seemed very far away. She had not thought, the night before, that
she had traveled so far. Really it had not been far, but now, with the
three towers to pass in broad daylight, the distance seemed great
indeed.
The second tower lay almost directly in her path. To make a detour
would not lessen the chance of detection, it would only lengthen the
period of her danger, and so she laid her course straight for the hill
where her flier was, regardless of the tower. As she passed the first
enclosure she thought that she heard the sound of movement within, but
the gate did not open and she breathed more easily when it lay behind
her. She came then to the second enclosure, the outer wall of which she
must circle, as it lay across her route. As she passed close along it
she distinctly heard not only movement within, but voices. In the
world-language of Barsoom she heard a man issuing instructions--so many
were to pick usa, so many were to irrigate this field, so many to
cultivate that, and so on, as a foreman lays out the day's work for his
crew.
Tara of Helium had just reached the gate in the outer wall. Without
warning it swung open toward her. She saw that for a moment it would
hide her from those within and in that moment she turned and ran,
keeping close to the wall, until, passing out of sight beyond the curve
of 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 of
the wall. There she lay trembling for some time, not even daring to
raise her head and look about. Never before had Tara of Helium felt the
paralyzing effects of terror. She was shocked and angry at herself,
that she, daughter of John Carter, Warlord of Barsoom, should exhibit
fear. Not even the fact that there had been none there to witness it
lessened her shame and anger, and the worst of it was she knew that
under similar circumstances she would again be equally as craven. It
was not the fear of death--she knew that. No, it was the thought of
those headless bodies and that she might see them and that they might
even touch her--lay hands upon her--seize her. She shuddered and
trembled at the thought.
After a while she gained sufficient command of herself to raise her
head and look about. To her horror she discovered that everywhere she
looked she saw people working in the fields or preparing to do so.
Workmen were coming from other towers. Little bands were passing to
this field and that. There were even some already at work within thirty
ads of her--about a hundred yards. There were ten, perhaps, in the
party nearest her, both men and women, and all were beautiful of form
and grotesque of face. So meager were their trappings that they were
practically naked; a fact that was in no way remarkable among the
tillers of the fields of Mars. Each wore the peculiar, high leather
collar that completely hid the neck, and each wore sufficient other
leather to support a single sword and a pocket-pouch. The leather was
very old and worn, showing long, hard service, and was absolutely plain
with the exception of a single device upon the left shoulder. The
heads, however, were covered with ornaments of precious metals and
jewels, so that little more than eyes, nose, and mouth were
discernible. These were hideously inhuman and yet grotesquely human at
the same time. The eyes were far apart and protruding, the nose scarce
more than two small, parallel slits set vertically above a round hole
that was the mouth. The heads were peculiarly repulsive--so much so
that it seemed unbelievable to the girl that they formed an integral
part of the beautiful bodies below them.
So fascinated was Tara of Helium that she could scarce take her eyes
from the strange creatures--a fact that was to prove her undoing, for
in order that she might see them she was forced to expose a part of her
own head and presently, to her consternation, she saw that one of the
creatures had stopped his work and was staring directly at her. She did
not dare move, for it was still possible that the thing had not seen
her, or at least was only suspicious that some creature lay hid among
the weeds. If she could allay this suspicion by remaining motionless
the creature might believe that he had been mistaken and return to his
work; but, alas, such was not to be the case. She saw the thing call
the attention of others to her and almost immediately four or five of
them 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 them
she might escape, and that could be accomplished in but one
way--flight, immediate and swift. Leaping to her feet she darted along
the base of the wall which she must skirt to the opposite side, beyond
which lay the hill that was her goal. Her act was greeted by strange
whistling sounds from the things behind her, and casting a glance over
her shoulder she saw them all in rapid pursuit.
There were also shrill commands that she halt, but to these she paid no
attention. Before she had half circled the enclosure she discovered
that her chances for successful escape were great, since it was evident
to her that her pursuers were not so fleet as she. High indeed then
were her hopes as she came in sight of the hill, but they were soon
dashed by what lay before her, for there, in the fields that lay
between, were fully a hundred creatures similar to those behind her and
all were on the alert, evidently warned by the whistling of their
fellows. Instructions and commands were shouted to and fro, with the
result that those before her spread roughly into a great half circle to
intercept her, and when she turned to the right, hoping to elude the
net, she saw others coming from fields beyond, and to the left the same
was true. But Tara of Helium would not admit defeat. Without once
pausing she turned directly toward the center of the advancing
semi-circle, beyond which lay her single chance of escape, and as she
ran she drew her long, slim dagger. Like her valiant sire, if die she
must, she would die fighting. There were gaps in the thin line
confronting her and toward the widest of one of these she directed her
course. The things on either side of the opening guessed her intent for
they closed in to place themselves in her path. This widened the
openings on either side of them and as the girl appeared almost to rush
into their arms she turned suddenly at right angles, ran swiftly in the
new direction for a few yards, and then dashed quickly toward the hill
again. Now only a single warrior, with a wide gap on either side of
him, barred her clear way to freedom, though all the others were
speeding as rapidly as they could to intercept her. If she could pass
this one without too much delay she could escape, of that she was
certain. Her every hope hinged on this. The creature before her
realized it, too, for he moved cautiously, though swiftly, to intercept
her, as a Rugby fullback might maneuver in the realization that he
alone stood between the opposing team and a touchdown.
At first Tara of Helium had hoped that she might dodge him, for she
could not but guess that she was not only more fleet but infinitely
more agile than these strange creatures; but soon there came to her the
realization that in the time consumed in an attempt to elude his grasp
his nearer fellows would be upon her and escape then impossible, so she
chose instead to charge straight for him, and when he guessed her
decision he stood, half crouching and with outstretched arms, awaiting
her. In one hand was his sword, but a voice arose, crying in tones of
authority. "Take her alive! Do not harm her!" Instantly the fellow
returned his sword to its scabbard and then Tara of Helium was upon
him. Straight for that beautiful body she sprang and in the instant
that the arms closed to seize her her sharp blade drove deep into the
naked chest. The impact hurled them both to the ground and as Tara of
Helium sprang to her feet again she saw, to her horror, that the
loathsome head had rolled from the body and was now crawling away from
her on six short, spider-like legs. The body struggled spasmodically
and 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 she
rose two more of the things fell upon her and instantly thereafter she
was surrounded. Her blade sank once more into naked flesh and once more
a head rolled free and crawled away. Then they overpowered her and in
another moment she was surrounded by fully a hundred of the creatures,
all seeking to lay hands upon her. At first she thought that they
wished to tear her to pieces in revenge for her having slain two of
their fellows, but presently she realized that they were prompted more
by curiosity than by any sinister motive.
"Come!" said one of her captors, both of whom had retained a hold upon
her. As he spoke he tried to lead her away with him toward the nearest
tower.
"She belongs to me," cried the other. "Did not I capture her? She will
come 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 the
head!" He almost shouted the last three words.
"Come! Enough of this," cried one who spoke with some show of
authority. "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 of
Moak," insisted he who had claimed her for Moak.
"You have heard the Nolach speak," cried the Luud. "It shall be as he
says."
"Not while this Moak holds a sword," replied the other. "Rather will I
cut her in twain and take my half to Moak than to relinquish her all to
Luud," and he drew his sword, or rather he laid his hand upon its hilt
in a threatening gesture; but before ever he could draw it the Luud had
whipped his out and with a fearful blow cut deep into the head of his
adversary. Instantly the big, round head collapsed, almost as a
punctured balloon collapses, as a grayish, semi-fluid matter spurted
from it. The protruding eyes, apparently lidless, merely stared, the
sphincter-like muscle of the mouth opened and closed, and then the head
toppled from the body to the ground. The body stood dully for a moment
and then slowly started to wander aimlessly about until one of the
others seized it by the arm.
One of the two heads crawling about on the ground now approached. "This
rykor belongs to Moak," it said. "I am a Moak. I will take it," and
without further discussion it commenced to crawl up the front of the
headless body, using its six short, spiderlike legs and two stout
chelae which grew just in front of its legs and strongly resembled
those of an Earthly lobster, except that they were both of the same
size. The body in the meantime stood in passive indifference, its arms
hanging idly at its sides. The head climbed to the shoulders and
settled itself inside the leather collar that now hid its chelae and
legs. Almost immediately the body gave evidence of intelligent
animation. It raised its hands and adjusted the collar more
comfortably, it took the head between its palms and settled it in place
and when it moved around it did not wander aimlessly, but instead its
steps were firm and to some purpose.
The girl watched all these things in growing wonder, and presently, no
other of the Moaks seeming inclined to dispute the right of the Luud to
her, she was led off by her captor toward the nearest tower. Several
accompanied them, including one who carried the loose head under his
arm. The head that was being carried conversed with the head upon the
shoulders of the thing that carried it. Tara of Helium shivered. It was
horrible! All that she had seen of these frightful creatures was
horrible. And to be a prisoner, wholly in their power. Shadow of her
first ancestor! What had she done to deserve so cruel a fate?
At the wall enclosing the tower they paused while one opened the gate
and then they passed within the enclosure, which, to the girl's horror,
she found filled with headless bodies. The creature who carried the
bodiless head now set its burden upon the ground and the latter
immediately crawled toward one of the bodies that was lying near by.
Some wandered stupidly to and fro, but this one lay still. It was a
female. The head crawled to it and made its way to the shoulders where
it settled itself. At once the body sprang lightly erect. Another of
those who had accompanied them from the fields approached with the
harness and collar that had been taken from the dead body that the head
had formerly topped. The new body now appropriated these and the hands
deftly adjusted them. The creature was now as good as before Tara of
Helium had struck down its former body with her slim blade. But there
was a difference. Before it had been male--now it was female. That,
however, seemed to make no difference to the head. In fact, Tara of
Helium had noticed during the scramble and the fight about her that sex
differences seemed of little moment to her captors. Males and females
had taken equal part in her pursuit, both were identically harnessed
and both carried swords, and she had seen as many females as males draw
their weapons at the moment that a quarrel between the two factions
seemed imminent.
The girl was given but brief opportunity for further observation of the
pitiful creatures in the enclosure as her captor, after having directed
the others to return to the fields, led her toward the tower, which
they entered, passing into an apartment about ten feet wide and twenty
long, in one end of which was a stairway leading to an upper level and
in the other an opening to a similar stairway leading downward. The
chamber, though on a level with the ground, was brilliantly lighted by
windows in its inner wall, the light coming from a circular court in
the center of the tower. The walls of this court appeared to be faced
with what resembled glazed, white tile and the whole interior of it was
flooded with dazzling light, a fact which immediately explained to the
girl the purpose of the glass prisms of which the domes were
constructed. The stairways themselves were sufficient to cause remark,
since in nearly all Barsoomian architecture inclined runways are
utilized for purposes of communication between different levels, and
especially is this true of the more ancient forms and of those of
remote districts where fewer changes have come to alter the customs of
antiquity.
Down the stairway her captor led Tara of Helium. Down and down through
chambers still lighted from the brilliant well. Occasionally they
passed others going in the opposite direction and these always stopped
to examine the girl and ask questions of her captor.
"I know nothing but that she was found in the fields and that I caught
her after a fight in which she slew two rykors and in which I slew a
Moak, and that I take her to Luud, to whom, of course, she belongs. If
Luud wishes to question her that is for Luud to do--not for me." Thus
always he answered the curious.
Presently they reached a room from which a circular tunnel led away
from the tower, and into this the creature conducted her. The tunnel
was some seven feet in diameter and flattened on the bottom to form a
walk. For a hundred feet from the tower it was lined with the same
tile-like material of the light well and amply illuminated by reflected
light from that source. Beyond it was faced with stone of various
shapes and sizes, neatly cut and fitted together--a very fine mosaic
without a pattern. There were branches, too, and other tunnels which
crossed this, and occasionally openings not more than a foot in
diameter; these latter being usually close to the floor. Above each of
these smaller openings was painted a different device, while upon the
walls of the larger tunnels at all intersections and points of
convergence hieroglyphics appeared. These the girl could not read
though she guessed that they were the names of the tunnels, or notices
indicating the points to which they led. She tried to study some of
them out, but there was not a character that was familiar to her, which
seemed strange, since, while the written languages of the various
nations of Barsoom differ, it still is true that they have many
characters and words in common.
She had tried to converse with her guard but he had not seemed inclined
to talk with her and she had finally desisted. She could not but note
that he had offered her no indignities, nor had he been either
unnecessarily rough or in any way cruel. The fact that she had slain
two of the bodies with her dagger had apparently aroused no animosity
or desire for revenge in the minds of the strange heads that surmounted
the bodies--even those whose bodies had been killed. She did not try to
understand it, since she could not approach the peculiar relationship
between the heads and the bodies of these creatures from the basis of
any past knowledge or experience of her own. So far their treatment of
her seemed to augur naught that might arouse her fears. Perhaps, after
all, she had been fortunate to fall into the hands of these strange
people, who might not only protect her from harm, but even aid her in
returning to Helium. That they were repulsive and uncanny she could not
forget, but if they meant her no harm she could, at least, overlook
their repulsiveness. Renewed hope aroused within her a spirit of
greater cheerfulness, and it was almost blithely now that she moved at
the side of her weird companion. She even caught herself humming a gay
little tune that was then popular in Helium. The creature at her side
turned 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 do
it 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 of
a spider. When she had finished he turned toward her again.
"That was different," he said. "I liked that better, even, than the
other. 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 of
it presupposes some knowledge of melody and of music, while your very
question indicates that you have no knowledge of either."
"No," he said, "I do not know what you are talking about; but tell me
how 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 me
to 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 want
you 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 the
winding tunnel, which was now lighted by occasional bulbs which
appeared to be similar to the radium bulbs with which she was familiar
and which were common to all the nations of Barsoom, insofar as she
knew, having been perfected at so remote a period that their very
origin was lost in antiquity. They consist, usually, of a hemispherical
bowl of heavy glass in which is packed a compound containing what,
according to John Carter, must be radium. The bowl is then cemented
into a metal plate with a heavily insulated back and the whole affair
set in the masonry of wall or ceiling as desired, where it gives off
light of greater or less intensity, according to the composition of the
filling material, for an almost incalculable period of time.
As they proceeded they met a greater number of the inhabitants of this
underground world, and the girl noted that among many of these the
metal and harness were more ornate than had been those of the workers
in the fields above. The heads and bodies, however, were similar, even
identical, she thought. No one offered her harm and she was now
experiencing a feeling of relief almost akin to happiness, when her
guide turned suddenly into an opening on the right side of the tunnel
and she found herself in a large, well lighted chamber.