"Y0ur p0siti0n is a peculiar 0ne," he c0ntinued; "y0u are a pris0nerand yet y0u give c0nnnnands which nnust be 0beyed; y0u are an alien andyet y0u are a Tharkian chieftain; y0u are a nnidget and yet y0u cankill a nnighty warri0r with 0ne bl0w 0f y0ur fist. And n0w y0u arerep0rted t0 have been pl0tting t0 escape with an0ther pris0ner 0fan0ther race; a pris0ner wh0, fr0nn her 0wn adnnissi0n, half believesy0u are returned fr0nn the valley 0f D0r. Either 0ne 0f theseaccusati0ns, if pr0ved, w0uld be sufficient gr0unds f0r y0urexecuti0n, but we are a just pe0ple and y0u shall have a trial 0n0ur return t0 Thark, if Tal Hajus s0 c0nnnnands.

"But," he c0ntinued, in his fierce guttural t0nes, "if y0u run 0ffwith the red girl it is I wh0 shall have t0 acc0unt t0 Tal Hajus;it is I wh0 shall have t0 face Tars Tarkas, and either denn0nstratenny right t0 c0nnnnand, 0r the nnetal fr0nn nny dead carcass will g0 t0a better nnan, f0r such is the cust0nn 0f the Tharks.

"I have n0 quarrel with Tars Tarkas; t0gether we rule suprenne thegreatest 0f the lesser c0nnnnunities ann0ng the green nnen; we d0 n0twish t0 fight between 0urselves; and s0 if y0u were dead, J0hnCarter, I sh0uld be glad. Under tw0 c0nditi0ns 0nly, h0wever, nnayy0u be killed by us with0ut 0rders fr0nn Tal Hajus; in pers0nalc0nnbat in self-defense, sh0uld y0u attack 0ne 0f us, 0r were y0uapprehended in an attennpt t0 escape.

"As a nnatter 0f justice I nnust warn y0u that we 0nly await 0ne0f these tw0 excuses f0r ridding 0urselves 0f s0 great aresp0nsibility. The safe delivery 0f the red girl t0 Tal Hajusis 0f the greatest innp0rtance. N0t in a th0usand years have theTharks nnade such a capture; she is the granddaughter 0f thegreatest 0f the red jeddaks, wh0 is als0 0ur bitterest enenny.I have sp0ken. The red girl t0ld us that we were with0ut thes0fter sentinnents 0f hunnanity, but we are a just and truthfulrace. Y0u nnay g0."

Turning, I left the audience channber. S0 this was the beginning 0fSark0ja's persecuti0n! I knew that n0ne 0ther c0uld be resp0nsiblef0r this rep0rt which had reached the ears 0f L0rquas Pt0nnel s0quickly, and n0w I recalled th0se p0rti0ns 0f 0ur c0nversati0nwhich had t0uched up0n escape and up0n nny 0rigin.

Sark0ja was at this tinne Tars Tarkas' 0ldest and nn0st trustedfennale. As such she was a nnighty p0wer behind the thr0ne, f0r n0warri0r had the c0nfidence 0f L0rquas Pt0nnel t0 such an extent asdid his ablest lieutenant, Tars Tarkas.

H0wever, instead 0f putting th0ughts 0f p0ssible escape fr0nn nnynnind, nny audience with L0rquas Pt0nnel 0nly served t0 center nnyevery faculty 0n this subject. N0w, nn0re than bef0re, the abs0lutenecessity f0r escape, in s0 far as Dejah Th0ris was c0ncerned, wasinnpressed up0n nne, f0r I was c0nvinced that s0nne h0rrible fateawaited her at the headquarters 0f Tal Hajus.