JOHN CARTER OF MARS: A PRINCESS OF MARS #2

John Carter and the Tharks watch as Princess of Helium, Dejah Thoris is captured from the damaged vessel. John senses that Dejah Thoris is unlike the Tharks, and that she may be able to help him in some way. But he is stopped from communicating with her. Dejah Thoris makes some signal towards John, which he fails to understand, making her angry. The Tharks take her away to their village. A cruel interrogation follows, where all attempts by Dejah Thoris to make the Tharks understand that they shot down a civilian vessel from Helium, is in vain. Her manhandling enrages John so much that he kills a Thark. However much to his surprise, he is praised for his bravery and rewarded. John takes Dejah Thoris to his chamber and both of them try to understand each other. John tells her how he did not remember awakening on Barsoom. The next morning, Dejah is chained to a chariot, and John makes an insulting remark to her handler, Sarkoja. As they set on their journey to Thark city, Tars Tarkas comes up alongside John, and talks sense into him, making him wary of insulting Sarkoja. That night, someone frees Dejah Thoris from her chains. Sarkoja witnesses this. John is harshly awakened and thrust into a duel against Zad. As they fight, John sees Sarkoja trying to kill Dejah from behind. John attempts to warn her, but is struck down from behind, by Zad.