Part 6 (1/2)
”The giant Joog, the giant!”
The creature had risen up from behind the shelter of a low hill, as the s.h.i.+ps approached above him. The giant grasped a huge tree trunk in his mighty hand.
Even from where they were, John Carter could discern the head of a man sitting in an armor-enclosed, steel howdah strapped to the top of Joog's helmet.
From the giant's lips there suddenly issued a thunderous, shrieking roar that echoed in the mountains and across the plain.
Then he clambered swiftly to the top of a small hill. Before the astonished Heliumites could swerve their speeding craft, the giant struck out mightily with the great tree trunk.
The great, synthetic muscles of Pew Mogel's giant swung the huge weapon full into the advancing craft.
The vanguard of twenty s.h.i.+ps, the pride of Helium's airfleet met the blow head-on went smas.h.i.+ng and shattering against the mountain-side, carrying their crews to swift, crus.h.i.+ng death!
Ten.
TWO THOUSAND PARACHUTES.
KANTOS KAN'S FLAGs.h.i.+P narrowly escaped annihilation at the first blow of the giant. The creature's club only missed the leading s.h.i.+p by a few feet.
From their position on the malagor, John Carter and Dejah Thoris could see many of the airs.h.i.+ps turning back toward the mountains. Others, however, were not so fortunate.
Caught in the wild rush of air resulting from the giant's swinging club, the craft pitched and tossed crazily out of control.
Again and again the huge tree trunk split through the air as the giant swung blow after blow at the helpless s.h.i.+ps.
”Kantos Kan is re-forming his fleet,” John Carter shouted above the roar of battle as the fighting on the ground was once more resumed with increased zeal.
”The s.h.i.+ps are returning again,” cried the princess, ”toward that awful creature!”
”They are spreading out in the air,” the earthman relied. ”Kantos Kan is trying to surround the giant!”
”But why?”
”Look, they are giving him some of Pew Mogel's own medicine!”
Helium's vast fleet of airs.h.i.+ps was darting in from all sides. Others came zooming down from above, As they approached within range of their ma.s.sive target, the gunners would pour out a veritable hail of bullets and rays into the giant's body.
Dejah Thoris sighed in relief.
”He can't stand that much longer!” she said.
John Carter, however, shook his head sadly as the giant began to strike down the planes with renewed fury.
”I'm afraid it's useless. Not only those bullets but the ray-guns as well are having no effect upon the creature. His body has been imbued with a serum that Ras Thavas discovered. The stuff spreads throughout the tissue cells and makes them grow immediately with unbelievable speed to replace all wounded or destroyed flesh.”
”You mean,” Dejah Thoris asked, horror-stricken, ”the awful monster might never be destroyed?”
”It is probable that he will live and grow forever, replied the earthman, ”unless something drastic is done to destroy him”
A sudden fire of determination flared in the earthman's steel grey eyes.
”There may be a way yet to stop him, my princess, and save our people”
A weird, bold plan had formulated itself in John Carter's mind. He was accustomed to acting quickly on sudden impulse. Now he ordered his malagor down close over Tars Tarkas's head.
Although he knew the battle was hopeless, the green man was fighting furiously on his great thoat.
”Call your men back to the mountains,” shouted Carter to his old friend. ”Hide out there and reorganize wait for my return!”
The next half hour found John Carter and the girl beside Kantos Kan's flags.h.i.+p.
The great Helium Fleet had once more retreated over the mountains to take stock of its losses and re-form for a new attack.
Every s.h.i.+p's captain must have known the futility of further battle against this indomitable element; yet they were all willing to fight to the last for their nation and for their princess, who had so recently been rescued.
After the earthman and the girl boarded the flags.h.i.+p, they freed the great malagor that had so faithfully served them. Kantos Kan joyously greeted the princess on bended knee and then welcomed his old friend.
”To know you two are safe again is a pleasure that even outweighs the great sadness of seeing our City of Helium fall into the enemy's hands,” stated Kantos Kan sincerely.
”We have not lost yet, Kantos Kan,” said the earthman. I have a plan that might save us I'll need ten of your largest planes manned by only a minimum crew.”
”I'll wire orders for them to break formation and a.s.semble beside the flags.h.i.+p immediately,” replied Kantos Kan, turning to an orderly.
”Just a minute,” added Carter. ”I'll want each plane equipped with two hundred parachutes!”
”Two hundred parachutes?” echoed the orderly. ”Yes, Sir!”
Almost immediately there were ten large aircraft, empty troop s.h.i.+ps, drifting in single file formation beside Kantos Kan's flags.h.i.+p. Each had a minimum crew of ten men and two hundred parachutes, two thousand parachutes in all!
Just before he boarded the leading s.h.i.+p, John Carter spoke to Kantos Kan.
”Keep your fleet intact,” he said, ”until I return. Stay near Helium and protect the city as best you can. I'll be back by dawn.”
”But that monster,” groaned Kantos Kan. ”Look at him we must do something to save Helium.”
The enormous creature, standing one hundred and thirty feet tall, dressed in his ill-fitting, baggy tunic, was tossing boulders and bombs into Helium, his every action dictated through short wave by Pew Mogel, who sat in the armored howdah atop the giant's head.
John Carter laid his hand on Kantos Kan's shoulder.
”Don't waste further s.h.i.+ps and men uselessly in fighting the creature,” he warned; ”and trust me, my friend. Do as I say at least until dawn!”