READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

Tarzan on Mars
rocket. As he did so, his movement activated a tiny switch.
"Greetings, Tarzan—and congratulations!"
The apeman started, then quickly relaxed with a slight
smile on his lips as he saw the small loudspeaker on the
panel. It was Gridley's voice on tape, carefully recorded for
this moment.
"This is Gridley," the tape continued, quietly and calmly.
"Our plan has been to follow your course visually in the
telescopes as well as mathematically. At the proper moment,
we were to send the radar impulse that would activate the
Ras Thavas pump and resuscitate you. The fact that you are
listening to this recording now is proof that everything has
developed according to plan. So you may relax, Tarzan. Take
a deep breath—and relax...”
After a long moment of silence, the voice continued.
"Now, listen carefully. First of all, I want you to know that you
have ample time to accomplish what I am going to instruct
you to do. In face, before you touch a single control, you
should have twelve hours to get yourself adjusted and
prepared. I'll give you your position. When our radar impulse
reached you, it also activated your chronometer. Read that
chronometer now...”
"At—precisely 0100," Gridley's voice continued, "your
position will be—five hundred and twenty three thousand
miles from the planet Mars. Your present velocity is 12.17
miles per second. In twelve hours, you will cross the orbit,
and, at that time, you will take the controls. Your deceleration
and landing maneuvers, including your time in the glider, will
require three hours. Therefore, Tarzan, at approximately
1500 by your chronometer, you should be standing on the
planet Mars.
* * *
From the smoldering ruins of a war-torn city, a red
Martian warrior looked up at the sky. Something had flashed
against the outer rim of the atmosphere, like a meteor.
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