READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

Tarzan on Mars
guide led him through a great, arched doorway, and that
which met his view indicated at once that he had arrived at his
goal. A huge chamber opened before him, which was illuminated
by the light of day more than it was by the radium bulbs
in the ceiling. Daylight flooded into the place from a great
opening at the room's opposite side. And between him and
that other, greater entrance lay three wonderful looking Barsoomian
aircraft.
All of them were of the air scout class, sleek and swift.
But it was the small black one which attracted his attention
most of all, for this one, according to Var Koros, was the
personal flier of the Dator of the First Born, himself—swifter
than any pursuit ship at Tarnath. It was this black craft which
was to carry him at once to John Carter, Warlord of Barsoom.
However, he was confronted by a tall, broad-shouldered
officer whose trappings revealed that he was a dwar, or
captain. The man glared at him, a sardonic smile playing about
the corners of his mouth.
"You are U-Bar Daj?" queried Kar Komak, hesitantly. "I
had thought you were a padwar." Inasmuch as it was unwritten
army protocol that a junior officer should not probe a
senior officer's mind, Kar Komak did not dare to do so now.
"I am not U-Bar Daj," said the officer. "He has but just left
his post because he has been summoned before the odwar for
questioning!"
Kar Komak's pulse began to race, but he guarded his
expression well. The odwar had tricked him! "Oh!" he said. "I
am sorry. I hope he is not in some kind of trouble. I had a
message for him—but it can wait."
"Just a moment, padwar!" exclaimed the dwar. "You are
Dator Sojat, a panthan but recently arrived to Tarnath, are
you not?"
"Yes. That is my name. Why do you ask?"
"I think that you, too, had better see the odwar," replied
the dwar. "Guard, take him!"
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