READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

Tarzan on Mars
He could have argued the point that he was a panthan and not
guilty of any crime—that he was entitled to a hearing before
being subjected to the rough treatment which was evidently
given to prisoners in this place. But instead, he retaliated with
action rather than words.
As he sprang forward. Thum met him with a bellow of
laughter, and a mighty blow that sent Kar Komak reeling to
the floor of the corridor bleeding and all but senseless.
"Thum! You were told to bring the prisoner to me—
alive, not dead! I cannot question a dead man!"
Through blurred eyes, Kar Komak saw a richly harnessed
officer—a white man who wore a yellow wig. He was
a Thern.
Thum only grumbled disrespectfully and closed the door
of the prison cell upon Var Koros, who had witnessed his act
of brutality. He stood there, still guarding Kar Komak and
waiting for trouble.
"Can you stand?" asked the Thern.
Kar Komak felt that he would rather lie down and die. He
was sick. Waves of blackness swept intermittently before his
eyes. Yet, his mind was alert enough to sense that it was
being penetrated, either by the Thern or by others. And for
this eventuality he had prepared himself on the previous
night.
He had placed a post-hypnotic suggestion in his mind, to
be activated by the first mental probing of another. Instantly,
a false picture of an innocent panthan was presented to
whoever might care to investigate his thoughts, whereas a
deeper camouflaged screen sealed his real identity within.
He struggled to his feet.
"What is your name?" asked the officer.
John Carter had prepared him with a little known alias
which he, himself, had used to good advantage in the past, and
it was this that he used now. "I am Dotar Sojat," he answered,
through swollen, blood-soaked lips. "I am a panthan, but so far
117