READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

Tarzan on Mars
four years 12 ."
Kar Komak's face blanched. "Four year!" He grasped
Carthoris' shoulder. "By my first ancestor!—and the wars are
still continuing?"
Carthoris smiled a sad, cold smile. "The war against the
Holy Alliance," he said, "is about to begin in earnest, now that
we have you to tell us the location of the enemy."
"But—have they not used their new weapon?"
Carthoris cast a quick glance of apprehension toward Vad
Varo. "What new weapon?" he asked.
"Why—the secret weapon of the First Born! The nullifier
beam, which can eliminate the effectiveness of the eighth
Barsoomian ray!"
"Eighth Barsoomian ray!" Carthoris looked about the
deck, tensely, to see whether or not they had been overheard.
Then he grasped Kar Komak's arm. "Please, my friend!
Let us get into conference at once. Come to my cabin!"
Two hours later, the conference was concluded.
"So I can only believe either one of two things concerning
the secret weapon," said Kar Komak. "Either they have
been confronted with unforeseen technological difficulties, or
they are holding it in reserve for just such an all out offensive
upon Tarnath, itself, which you now anticipate."
"I must get to my father at once with all this information,"
said Carthoris, frowning. "But, whether the enemy is equipped
with this weapon or not, we shall attack!—if need be, on
foot! From what you have told me concerning the peculiar
political composition of the Holy Alliance, I can see that this
whole fantasy concerning Issus and religious reform is but a
masterfully refined deception of the people—again! Tario
would be Tharos Pthan—or, if not him, then Zithad, Dator of
the First Born, or else Sardon Dhur, Hekkador of Therns."
12 The Martian year is 1.88 Earth years in length.
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