READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

Tarzan on Mars
companion, "one truth stands clear. You are the mightiest
warrior of the ages!"
"Our moral advantage is going to be short-lived," observed
Tarzan, nodding quickly up the ramp.
"Stop fighting! came a sharp command from this direction.
When the Warlord looked to discover the author of it, he
discerned a delegation of Therns accompanied by several
black-skinned First Born officers.
"Fools!" cried the leading Thern. "You have the Warlord
in your hands! This other one is a blasphemous imposter! You
hold no warrior's code for such as these. Shoot them down!"
As the Tarnathian guards hesitated, the First Born
officers raised radium rifles to their shoulders, aiming directly
to John Carter and Tarzan. In that same instant, however, the
marksmen were blasted into fragments by explosive bullets
aimed at them from above, and all eyes turned upward to discover
a full three score commandos descending on malagors.
Firing on both sides followed almost instantaneously, but
those of the Therns who survived the first salvo soon took to
shelter. The malagors landed in the midst of the Tarnathians,
and the battle became equalized.
John Carter then leaped upon a guard, crying out to
Tarzan to cover him. The apeman stood in front of the two
and slew all who dared to approach. But few there were who
so dared, and within a short space of time the defenders were
completely demoralized.
"Tell me how to open the gate!" demanded the Warlord,
his short-sword at the throat of the dwar he had pinned to the
ground.
"Spare my life, John Carter," cried the dwar, "and my
sword is yours to command!"
"Then open the gate!" demanded the Warlord, getting to
his feet and pulling the Tarnathian up with him.
The red man went to the wall without hesitation then and
opened a secret niche. "The lever is inside here," he said, "but
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