Ships on the Sea Surface

by Typewriter1989

Chapter 1: To the Reader

It had been a year since I had last seen my uncle, Captain John Carter, of Virginia, on the threshold of a small crypt built in the garden of his New York estate. The door of the crypt slammed shut behind him, and I have known nothing of his fate since. Carter intended to return to Mars, to his wife, Princess Dejah Thoris of Helium, to his friends, Kantos Kan, Tars Tarkas and his daughter Sola… I could only hope that he had succeeded, that Carter had been able to reconnect with his wife and friends, with the world of which he was now a part, and which had become his home forever, eclipsing even his native Earth.

I feared that the powerful and cunning Therns, a race of mysterious men with supernatural powers, might finally get to Carter, trap him, and kill him. After reading my uncle's diary, I was able to learn that it was thanks to the therns that he was able to travel between Earth and Mars, and how it prevented them from carrying out a secret plot against Helium. Their leader, Matai Shang, had every reason to hate Carter and wish him dead.

The therns followed Carter on Earth, and one of them even tried to kill me, but was shot by Carter himself. By the way, I buried the corpse in the garden away from the mansion the same day, hoping that none of the servants would know anything about it. However, Matai Shang could have ordered his men to try to kill me again, or to destroy Carter's body here on Earth, and then he would have died on Mars as well.

There was no way I could let that happen, for I had become its keeper, as my uncle had asked me to do before he disappeared from sight behind the door of the crypt. After all I had learned about him after reading the diary, I just couldn't refuse. It wasn't fair, because I was the only one on this planet who was privy to the secret of John Carter.

In addition, I owed my uncle my material well-being. As his only relative, I was the heir to Carter's vast fortune in gold mining, as well as the owner of his company, the Two Moons. At first, as a young man who had no idea how to do business, I was scared, but gradually I was able to get used to it and understand what was going on. I was assisted by several people — lawyers, financiers, advisers hired by my uncle and in charge of the trust fund that brought me income. Fortunately, they were all quite decent people, so I was not deceived and was not left with a broken trough. On the contrary, the company was doing well, we started developing several new fields, and I was confident about my future in this regard.

However, as I said, I was afraid of therns, and so I always kept my eyes open. Unfortunately, I couldn't tell anyone about my fears, so I had to rely entirely on my powers of observation. Over the course of this year, I visited my uncle's body several times to see if it was all right. Of course, I could have done it more often, but I shouldn't have drawn too much attention to myself. In fact, according to Carter's will, no one was supposed to go inside the crypt, and the door didn't even have an external handle: it was locked from the inside, and only he and I knew the secret mechanism to unlock the door from the outside if necessary.

John Carter's body was fine, and I hadn't seen any therns that year, and it would seem that I could relax and enjoy life, but somehow I felt that something was going to happen, and this story of Carter's trip to Mars was not over yet. I couldn't explain to myself the reasons for this — I guess you could call it a premonition or a sixth sense. Day after day, I've been waiting for something to happen, but will it be good or bad?

One warm spring evening, as I sat in my uncle's former office, now my own, looking over my business papers, my thoughts were interrupted by a low voice that I immediately recognized, "Hello, Ned!"

I froze for a moment, then slowly raised my head and stared at the door. It was open, and John Carter, who had not changed in the least, stood on the threshold. Yes, he was exactly the same, down to the tiniest line, as I remembered him that very night a year ago. I couldn't believe my eyes, and I sat there with my mouth open.

"I see you've matured, you've become a real businessman! Papers, reports… How's it going, my friend?"

"Carter!" At last, having acquired the ability to speak, I exclaimed out of place.

Carter immediately put his finger to his lips, signaling to me that it was not wise to talk so loudly, much less pronounce his name. Indeed, it was most unreasonable of me — I cannot imagine what would have happened if the butler or one of the servants had heard me now, and had come in and seen John Carter, whom they themselves had seen dead and attended his funeral.

I nodded my head to confirm that I understood. Carter peered through the half-open door and then quietly closed it, locking it. He walked towards me, I got up from the table, and we embraced.

"Carter," I repeated again, as we sat down across from each other, but much calmer and quieter, "but what about you? I mean… You're here and…" Questions came through my mind one after another, but my tongue couldn't keep up with the speed of my thoughts. At that moment, I felt like a stupid boy again.

Carter looked at me intently and smiled. Finally, I was able to more or less coherently express in words what had accumulated in my soul, "And I kept thinking, how are you on Mars, I mean… on Barsoom! Was your comeback a success? Have you met your friends again, found your beloved spouse? How did they react to the fact that you were gone for several years? I was afraid the therns might ruin you, Uncle John! But you're back! What for? See each other or something happened? I beg you to tell me everything quickly, I can't wait to hear about your adventures in the other world…"

As I spoke, Carter's smile grew wider. The smile is slightly condescending, like an adult's when a small child bombards him with the simplest questions.

"Don't worry, Ned, I'm fine," John Carter hastened to reassure me. "It's all right now. I did have some adventures on my return to Barsoom, but it ended happily. Later I will tell you about what I saw and experienced. And now I'd like to discuss one thing with you… I have a request for you, my friend."

"What should I do? I've got to go with you to Mar… to Barsoom?"

"No, no, Ned, it's a little simpler, and at the same time… harder…"

We talked with John Carter for half the night, then I walked him to the crypt, from where he returned to the red planet. I returned home to get some rest. For the next day I needed the strength to do what my uncle had asked me to do. Now that my fears had been dispelled, I could live with peace of mind. Besides, I knew that Carter and I would meet again after a while.

As time passes, I will be sure to publish all my notes that I have made from Carter's words, as well as his diaries. Among other things, I am sure that this small but memorable story will also take its rightful place.

 

Edgar Burroughs.

 

New York, May 1882

Chapter 2

And so, what I had dreamed of during my ten long years on Earth happened: I was able to return to Barsoom. I had to go through a lot of dangers before I could finally be reunited with my friends and my beloved Dejah Thoris. I fought an unbelievable monster, a carnivorous plant man in the valley of Dor, snatched my friend Tars Tarkas from their grasp, discovered that on Barsoom there was a state of surviving white men, the Tarns, who had degenerated into miserable cannibals, was captured by the Firstborn, the black race of Barsoom, whose kingdom is located on the shores of the subterranean sea, fought with pirates… But the most dangerous enemies, of course, were the therns. I had to work hard to defeat them, and without the help of my faithful comrades, I would not have been able to do it.

Someday I'll be sure to tell you more about it, but not now. Suffice it to say that, in the end, I was able to kill Matai Shang and provide Barsoom and Helium with protection from at least that side. Surely there are trials ahead of me, and all of us still have trials, perhaps even more dangerous and difficult, but for now in Helium they deservedly enjoy a peaceful, calm life.

Dejah and I were madly in love with each other and enjoyed every minute we spent together. I was involved in the affairs of state and the defense of Helium, serving as the first advisor to the Jeddak, Tardos Mors. Dejah devoted most of her time to further research into the ninth ray, heading the Academy of Sciences of Helium. But we didn't forget about having fun and hanging out with our friends — Tars Tarkas and Sola were frequent guests, and Dejah and I visited them several times, too. And when night came and we were alone, we also had something to do before we were both embraced by sleep, if you understand me…

Then, one night, I woke up to find that the bed next to me was empty. Dejah wasn't there. This surprised me, as my wife was not in the habit of wandering around at night. However, the mystery was solved quite quickly: Dejah was standing on the balcony, leaning her hands on the parapet and looking somewhere into the distance.

It reminded me of how I myself once stood in the middle of the night and thought about what I had done and what I had not done. Dejah came up to me, we talked for a while, and she went back to the bedroom, and I went for a walk, to get some air. Then I made the unforgivable mistake of throwing away the medallion with which I could travel between the planets. This allowed Matai Shang to send me back to Earth against my will…

"Dejah," I called softly.

She turned and looked at me. There was a slight smile on Dejah's face. For some reason, I found it a little sad.

"I'll be right there, John," she said in her soft, gentle voice. "Don't worry!"

However, I got out of bed and walked over to my wife and stood beside her. Dejah didn't seem surprised. I tried to figure out what it was staring at in the night sky. It was clear, and it was possible to see as well as possible some of the stars and planets. I was about to ask Dejah a question, but she beat me to it, "I was looking to Jasoom… to Earth," Dejah corrected herself. In my presence, she always tried to call my home planet that.

"Unfortunately, you can't see much from here. The Earth is just a small dot surrounded by stars. Haven't you seen it up close through a telescope at the Academy of Sciences?"

"Tell me something about the life you had there," Dejah asked instead of answering.

I thought about it. I don't think there's anything left that I haven't told Dejah since we were reunited. Therefore, it was difficult for me to fulfill my wife's wishes.

"I don't know, Dejah. My life wasn't all that interesting — I lived only in the hope of getting back here to you, and I spent all my time writing diaries, which I then passed on to Ned, and looking for the medallion—"

"Do you miss him, your nephew?"

"At times, yes… But I've left him in a good position: he's got an estate and money now, and I think he'll be able to manage it wisely.

"And he's looking after your body?"

"Yes, in my will I gave clear instructions not to enter my crypt, and only Ned is privy to my secret. And as far as I know, he knows how to keep secrets."

"But sooner or later he'll have to tell someone else!" Dejah rightly remarked. "After all, he won't live forever, and even then, it's not easy to keep such a burden of responsibility on your soul… He will have a family: a wife, children who will be able to continue his mission—"

"I know, I've been thinking about it… I guess I'll visit him again to see how things are going and discuss the matter—"

"Yes, I guess that would be the right thing to do," Dejah said with a kind of sadness in her voice.

"Is everything alright?" I hastened to ask.

"Yes. Let's go to bed."

We went back to the bedroom and lay down on the bed. Dejah kissed me and then immediately closed her eyes. I was about to turn off the light, but suddenly my wife looked at me again.

"John, do you remember how a long time ago, at the very beginning of our acquaintance, you told me about the ships of the Earth that sail the seas?" She said.

I tried to recall that episode in our lives.

This was after I rescued Dejah from falling from the Helium airship, and then both of us, along with the Tharks, gave a good fight to Zodanga's forces. We were standing near a large bonfire where the bodies of the soldiers who died that day were burned. Dejah drew a diagram of our solar system in the sand, and that's how we knew I was on another planet.

Then another picture came to my mind: Dejah and I had found an amazing thern machine that allowed them to move from planet to planet. Then Dejah finally believed that I was from Earth and uttered the phrase, "And the ships… on the surface of the sea. You've seen them! I guess that's wonderful—", and I said, "Of course!"

"How nice it would be to see them once, John Carter!" My wife's voice snapped me back to reality. She muttered it as she fell asleep.

It didn't immediately dawn on me what she said — it took me a few seconds. I stared at Dejah. But she was asleep, and I did not disturb my beloved's sleep, but thought to myself, and kept awake for a long time, thinking about these words.

I never even considered showing her the Earth. We never discussed it. But now it seemed to me that it was not such an unimaginable undertaking. I wanted to please Dejah, especially since we were going to have another wedding anniversary soon, and I couldn't think of a more original gift… Still, it was risky, and it was impossible to approach such an undertaking without proper preparation until I had checked it out. It was necessary to make sure that it was physically safe for the people of Barsoom to be on Earth, and it was also necessary not to forget about secrecy. I decided not to say anything to anyone yet, but to think carefully in my mind, to make a plan of action.

In the morning, Dejah did not seem to remember what she had said to me during the night. That was good for me, and I naturally tried not to bring it up. I was behaving as usual, but I was actually doing a lot of mental work. I must not have been able to hide my thoughts completely, because more than once different people have asked. As for me, it turns out that in the middle of some business I suddenly froze and did not immediately respond to requests.

This was eventually noticed by Dejah, although I tried to be especially careful not to think about my secret plan in front of her. One day, when we were having lunch, she asked me a question that I didn't even hear, and Dejah had to repeat it.

"Is something wrong, John? What are you thinking?" Dejah's voice was worried.

"What? Oh, no, it's okay, dear!" For some reason, I didn't want to make things up on the fly and lie to my wife, so I decided to tell the truth as much as possible, "I remembered about Ned. You know, after that conversation, I wondered if I should visit him. What do you think about it?"

"Yes, why not," Dejah agreed. My explanation seemed to calm her down, because my wife's anxious expression was replaced by a smile.

"When do you think you're going to do it?" She asked.

"To tell you the truth, I'm going tonight. Do you mind? It's just that it's better for me to appear on Earth at night — it will be calmer that way. It's not good if someone other than Ned sees me. 'Cause I'm listed as dead—"

"I understand, John. You're right," Dejah said calmly.

After a pause, we returned to our usual discussion of Helium. I was thankful that Dejah hadn't mentioned her desire to see the Earth ships. The rest of the day passed quietly, and at night, after saying good-bye to my wife, I went out on the balcony, took from my pocket the medallion which I always carried with me after returning to Barsoom, and, clasping it tightly in my hand, said one of the two phrases that are forever etched in my memory, "Ok oem oktei wiz Jasoom."

I was whirled, carried at fantastic speed through space. Stars and comets were rushing by, and the Earth was approaching me in front of me, becoming larger every second…

Chapter 3

Semi-darkness reigned all around: the light penetrated only through the glass dome on the roof; I specifically ordered not to leave any lanterns here, because in the event of a fire, my body would be quickly destroyed by fire. Again, as in the cave, it took me a while to recover and work out my limbs, which were numb without movement — I found myself in my own body inside the crypt.

I got down from my bed with difficulty and walked around for about ten minutes. Then I gently pulled the door handle toward me and looked out: everything was as quiet as I could see. It was warm and almost completely quiet, except for the slight wind to sway the branches of the trees and rustle the leaves on them. I went all the way out, without closing the door yet, and looked around. Yes, everything seemed to be the same: both the garden and the mansion that stood in the center of it had not changed in the least, as far as I remembered them. It was dark, and only one of the third-floor windows had a light. I used to have an office there, and I immediately thought it was Ned who had stayed up late at work.

The servants must be asleep. As far as I remembered, they always went to bed quite early so that they could be on their feet before dawn in the morning. Well, that was good for me. I closed the door of the crypt and walked carefully along the cobblestone winding path towards the house. I jerked open the doors of the main entrance to make sure they were locked. I wouldn't go in here anyway. I had in my pocket the key to the small emergency door.

Once inside the mansion, I began to move cautiously towards the stairs, trying not to make any noise. A couple of times the floorboards creaked treacherously, and I heard someone muttering behind the wall… one of the servants must have been having a disturbing dream. When I reached the stairs safely, I began to climb the stairs up slowly, almost by touch, for it was easy to trip and fall in the dark. In the end, after spending twice as much time as it usually took me when I was living here, I made it to the top floor.

A streak of light under one of the doors quickly gave away the location of the office where I assumed Ned was sitting. I turned the knob, pulled it toward me, and the door began to open silently. My nephew was indeed found sitting at a table, bent over some papers. His serious look amused me: Ned had grown up so much.

"Hello, Ned!" I called softly.

His reaction was predictable: Ned was surprised to see me. I motioned for him not to speak loudly, then we hugged. I sat down in the chair across from him.

"Carter," said my nephew, much more calmly, "but what about you? I mean… You're here and…"

I just smiled, not wanting to interrupt him, letting him speak.

"And I kept thinking, how are you on Mars, I mean… on Barsoom! Was your comeback a success? Have you met your friends again, found your beloved spouse? How did they react to the fact that you were gone for several years? I was afraid the therns might ruin you, Uncle John! But you're back! What for? See each other or something happened? I beg you to tell me everything quickly, I can't wait to hear about your adventures in the other world—"

"Don't worry, Ned, I'm fine," I hastened to reassure him. "It's all right now. I did have some adventures on my return to Barsoom, but it ended happily. Later I will tell you about what I saw and experienced. And now I'd like to discuss one thing with you… I have a request for you, my friend."

"What should I do?" Ned said eagerly. "I've got to go with you to Mar… to Barsoom?"

"No, no, Ned, it's a little simpler, and at the same time… harder… I want to show my wife Dejah the Earth and take her for a ride on a ship or yacht. You see, there are practically no bodies of water on Barsoom, and my stories about our rivers and seas seem like something fabulous to the locals…"

"Recently, I don't know if Dejah was joking or serious," I went on, "confessed that she would like to see ships on the surface of the sea. I thought it wasn't such a bad idea. Of course, if certain security measures are observed."

Ned listened to me very attentively and calmly, and only his eyes betrayed the excitement he felt.

"I don't know yet if the people of Barsoom can even be on Earth, but I plan to check it out soon. But there are many more things that need to be considered: organizing such a trip, taking Dejah and me to the ship's mooring, ensuring secrecy. You see, John Carter, who is listed as dead under the laws of the United States, can't just buy or hire a ship, hire a crew, and so on. That's why I want to ask you for help! I hope you won't refuse, my friend?"

The answer was pretty obvious: Ned would never turn down the thrilling adventure I was offering him, as well as the opportunity to meet living Martians. It was not long in coming.

"Yes, of course, I'll do my best!" My nephew's face lit up with anticipation of what he was about to do. "How much time do we have?"

"Dejah and I have our wedding anniversary in two weeks, so I'd like to meet that date."

Despite the fact that Ned had already agreed, I felt it necessary to clarify, "I'm sure I'm not distracting you too much? You must have a lot on your plate. By the way, how is gold mining going? Does "Two Moons" bring you income? Are the trustees deceiving you?"

"Oh, yes! We are expanding our business and are planning to open several new mines in the South and Mexico soon. The consultants and lawyers you've hired help me a lot, and without them I probably wouldn't have understood anything about this business. Therefore, I will gladly help you, Uncle John, and without prejudice to the affairs of the company. Tomorrow I'll start to find out about the ship and everything else. But what worries me is the secrecy you're asking for: it won't be easy!"

"Yes, I know, but we'll figure something out. I believe in your strength and your talent, Ned! And believe me, I appreciate your willingness to help!"

At these words, my nephew blushed even more.

The remainder of the conversation was devoted to discussing some concrete steps towards the accomplishment of our enterprise, and then, as I had promised, I told Ned of my adventures on Barsoom. Most of the time he sat with his mouth slightly open, and I was afraid that he would not be able to sleep today because of the abundance of impressions. With my permission, Ned wrote something down. He confessed that he had read my diary entries more than once.

Then, taking precautions, we left the house and headed towards the crypt. On the threshold, after once more a brief plan of action, we agreed that I would be here again in two nights. And Ned will have to meet me right here, because most likely I won't be alone. Leaving Ned outside the door, I went back to my bed. He uttered a special phrase like a spell: "Ok oem oktei wiz Barsoom" and returned to the red planet.

"How's that?" Dejah asked me first the next morning.

"It's all right. Ned was very happy to meet me. I told him about what we've all been through here over the past year, so now he can move on with peace of mind."

"Nice," my wife said.

"During my absence, no one was looking for me?"

"No, it's all right. Only I, your poor wife, missed you very much, my Jeddak."

Feeling that I missed Dejah very much, I hurried to embrace her, and we kissed.

Chapter 4

Now I had the difficult task of testing the effect of being on Earth for the inhabitants of Barsoom. I had to be very careful, because once again I was going to visit my home planet secretly. Consequently, I had limited time so that no one would guess anything, and there could be no delays or incidents on the other side. However, the most difficult thing was to decide whom to take with me and thus to initiate into my plans.

Logic dictated that it had to be one of the red men, but I didn't want to put the life of a person, even a stranger, in danger. I considered taking the Barsoom rat, the ulsio, with me, but quickly gave up the idea: the difference between the red men of Barsoom and these animals was too great, so the purity of the experiment could not be guaranteed. There wasn't much of a choice, so I reluctantly decided to take my six-legged friend, calot Woola, on the trip. This beast, which could be compared to a kind of dog, saved my life more than once and was absolutely devoted to me. Of course, his life was also at risk in this case, and I felt guilty, but nevertheless I decided to act in this way.

Luckily for me, I didn't have to come up with an excuse to abscond with Woola of Helium. Events did everything for me: Tardos Mors asked me to fly to Zodanga — the walking city was now under the command of Helium — and check on the combat readiness of the local garrison there. This task was supposed to take one or two days. During the night flight to Zodanga on a glider, I was going to be transported with Woola to Earth and quickly check his condition. If calot had died, I would have had to say that we had been attacked by white gorillas or something. Fortunately, in the end, I didn't have to lie.

Dejah didn't want to let me go alone, and kept asking me to take at least a small band of Helium's warriors with me, or just Kantos Kan, but I managed to persuade her. I promised that I would be back as soon as possible.

Woola and I left the city safely and flew north for half an hour. It began to get dark, I began to slow down, and finally landed the glider in the middle of the desert. Woola, who wasn't very fond of flying, was only too happy about it. He looked at me with his usual friendliness, and his mouth with its long rows of powerful fangs seemed to open in a smile.

I took out the medallion.

"I'm sorry, buddy, for what you're going to have to go through soon."

Calot continued to look at me and the medallion with interest. I got down on one knee, wrapped my free arm around Woola's neck, and began to say the necessary words for teleportation. That's where Woola seemed to sense something was wrong, because he growled and tried to break free. But it was too late.

During the transfer, I did not physically feel the animal's touch, but I mentally felt that Woola was somewhere nearby. Besides, every now and then I thought I could hear his plaintive whimpering. Luckily, the process doesn't take long, only about ten seconds, so Woola and I were soon at our destination.

This time it was much easier for me to get off the couch, but still a little warm-up was necessary. Woola, on the other hand, was restless, running around in circles, growling and whining. I think it was only my presence that had a calming effect on him, otherwise the calot would have started to smash everything here. Suddenly, a door opened outside, and Ned, attracted by strange noises coming from the crypt, decided to check if everything was all right.

"Hey, Carter, what's going on—"

"Ned, don't open the door!" I yelled as I watched Woola rush toward the aisle, which smelled of fresh air.

Again, it was too late: my nephew had already opened the door long enough for Woola to rush out. In doing so, it frightened Ned and even knocked him down, but fortunately did not injure him. However, the lamp that the guy was holding in his hands fell out and broke. A fire broke out. I had to take urgent action and sacrifice my frock coat to extinguish the flames.

"Are you okay?" I ran up to Ned.

"What… What was that?" He murmured in a trembling voice.

"Woola is my Martian dog. Now is not the time to explain! We urgently need to catch up with him and bring him back! Get up, Ned!"

To Ned's credit, he came to his senses pretty quickly and was able to think and act normally. In a minute he and I were mounting our horses. Disturbed animals in the middle of the night neighed, and I looked around the mansion anxiously, expecting us to wake up everyone inside. Ned, catching my eye, hastened to reassure me.

"There's no one here. For today, I have dismissed all the servants."

"Well done! And I didn't think about it at all…"

Armed with new lamps, we rushed off to look for Woola. I've noticed that the calot runs very fast and it won't be easy. Besides, we didn't even know the direction in which he had fled.

"I thought you were going to bring a man, a Martian," said Ned, as we came back to the crypt and began to light the ground for traces of the beast.

"I didn't want to take any chances… I didn't know what Earth would do to a Helium dweller."

"I'm sorry, Uncle John, but I don't think it was wise to bring such an animal here! What can it do?"

Those words hurt me, even though I knew Ned was right. I besieged him, "Why did you open the door? Didn't I tell you not to go inside, but to wait for me outside?"

"I heard some strange noises, and I thought something had happened…" Ned was dejected.

"Okay, we're both stupid in our own way. Let's get on with the search before Woola runs too far!"

The light of the lamps caught the characteristic footprints of his paws on the ground. Ned stared at them in horror.

"How many limbs does he have?"

"Six." I wrote about it in my diary.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I somehow lost my memory."

We galloped along the tracks, periodically peering into the distance. I remembered that there used to be a farm not far from my property. Seven or eight miles to the northwest. I told Ned about it, and he confirmed that the farm was still there.

"There's plenty of cattle there, and your Woola will have plenty to eat. Most likely, that's where he headed!"

"Hurry! Let's not waste time!" I urged.

We spurred our horses and rode off at full speed. But as fast as these excellent steeds were, Woola was there much sooner. As we approached the farm, we heard the many-voiced cocophony of poor animals — cows, pigs, sheep, goats, horses — some of which, scattered over the pasture for the night, had already fallen victim to the calot, while others were running away from it in different directions.

"Oh my God!" Ned could only exclaim when he saw the sight in full.

"Very soon, the farm workers and the owners themselves will be here, and then Woola may inadvertently attack them too! We need to get him out of here quickly!"

I called out to Woola, but he was so engrossed in his feast that he did not immediately pay attention to me. Still, on the fifth or sixth attempt, I managed to get his attention and get him, albeit reluctantly, to leave the corral and follow us. Fortunately, the calot was already quite full.

We escaped just in time to avoid being seen by those who rushed to hear the cries of the animals. We had to weave around for a while, so that our tracks would not lead so clearly to Ned's site. However, the owners of the farm hardly had the desire to chase after someone after what they saw.

"Yes, I wouldn't want to be in their shoes!" Ned remarked after a while. "You came, and half of your cattle were gone! I'll bet there's going to be rumors of werewolves or something like that tomorrow."

"Oh, yes," I said unhappily, looking at Woola.

Who wasn't sad, the calot looked pleased and looked at me with amusement. I consoled myself mentally with the fact that the possibility of a Martian being on Earth normally was well established. I heard Ned reasoning more with himself than with me.

"I think I'll lend them some money to buy new animals. I'll just come and tell them I heard about their misfortune and all that—"

"Ned, I'm sorry about that!" I said sincerely as we said goodbye, standing at the door of the crypt.

"All right, Uncle John, what's happened is what happened," my nephew reasoned philosophically. "Just don't bring him any more!" He glanced apprehensively at Calot.

"Oh, no, that was the first and last time. We'll meet in a week and then we'll talk.

Woola and I went inside the crypt and returned to Barsoom. In the confusion I didn't even ask Ned what he had done or found a suitable vessel. But never mind, we'll find out next time…

Chapter 5

Kantos Kan, myself and Tardos Mors gathered together in his office to discuss the results of my inspection of the Zodanga garrison. Despite the incident with Woola, I managed not to be far behind schedule, to complete my task in such a way that no one had any suspicions. In this way I might have been able to keep the secrecy any longer, right up to the very moment of the journey, but suddenly I was tempted to confide my plans on my father-in-law and my faithful comrade.

When we had finished talking about Zodanga and agreed on measures to improve the control of the city for the future, I wanted to tell Tardos Mors and Kantos Kan something else. After a little preparation, during which I told them that I had recently visited my nephew on Earth, I stated bluntly that I would like to give Dejah a little excursion to my home planet. The reaction of my interlocutors was about what I expected.

"With all due respect to you, John Carter, I think this is the most reckless decision I've ever heard!" Tardos Mors said bluntly.

"None of us have ever been to Jasoom! It can be deadly! Kantos Kan echoed him."

"I did an experiment on Woola…" I had to tell them how I had taken the calot back to Earth, without mentioning what had happened on a nearby farm.

"But calot is not a man!" Both of them immediately objected to me. Both Tardos Mors and Kantos Kan looked at me anxiously, clearly not sharing my optimism.

"Think of Dejah! After all, this can lead to irreversible consequences!" My father-in-law continued.

"But I don't want that myself! You know how much I love your daughter. That's why I decided to show her the Earth, to make her dream come true: she told me herself that she wanted to see ships sailing on the water! I assure you that there is no danger! Why should it be, if I was able to stay here in peace with you on Barsoom?"

Tardos Mors seemed to hesitate slightly. He tried to make new arguments against my plan.

"Even if it doesn't harm the princess's health in a physical sense, there may be other dangers waiting for her on Jasoom: some predatory beasts, robbers," Kantos Kan said. "In any case, you can't go there alone with her! I must go with you!"

Tardos Mors looked at him disapprovingly. The Jeddak of Helium clearly believed that his loyal Admiral of the Helium Air Fleet had defected to the "enemy camp" this time, and so quickly. Kantos averted his eyes and stared out the window.

"Why, that's an idea! Since you've suggested it, Kantos, we might as well do some reconnaissance with you beforehand, if you don't believe that Woola is alive and well enough in my favor."

"Are you ready to take part in this adventure?" The Jeddak of Helium said to Kantos.

"I am willing to risk my life if the Princess's safety requires it." He replied pathetically.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and then Dejah herself walked in. We immediately fell silent, and I began to wonder how much she might have heard.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you!" The princess stared at us in bewilderment. "Why did you fall silent so abruptly? And what are you going to risk your life for, Kantos?"

"I meant it theoretically, my princess…"

"We discussed the results of my trip to Zodanga," I hastened to explain.

"What did you want, Dejah?" Tardos Mors asked.

"I was going to tell you some news from our Academy of Sciences, and I've brought you a list of scientists I think should be awarded on behalf of Helium… But it looks like you have more important things to do here."

"No, we were just finishing!" The Jeddak of Helium looked at Kantos and me pointedly, as if to say, "Okay, we'll talk about this matter later."

He and I decided not to discuss the subject any more for the time being, and each went about our own business. In the evening, Tardos Mors invited us again to continue our conversation. This time he was less categorical — apparently he had time to think it over, and he looked less sternly.

"Well, Kantos, are you really willing to risk yourself and go with John Carter on a trip to Jasoom?"

"Yes, my Jeddak!"

Satisfied with the answer, the Jeddak of Helium nodded and looked back at me.

"When are you leaving?"

"I've arranged with my nephew Ned that we'll meet a week after my last visit, so it won't be until three days from now."

"All right, all right. By the way, be careful with Dejah. She clearly felt that something was being hidden from her, and my daughter doesn't like to be kept in the dark. Dejah, when we were talking, tried in various roundabout ways to find out from me what was going on, but I managed to withstand this interrogation!" He said the last sentence with visible pride in his voice.

Kantos Kan and I assured Tardos Mors that we would also keep our mouths shut for the time being. After that, we talked a little more about the current affairs of Barsoom, drank a glass of wine for the success of the planned enterprise, and went our separate ways again.

I mentally prepared myself that Dejah, having failed with my father, would now torture me, and I was even a little disappointed when that didn't happen. When we had dinner in the evening, she did not say a word on the subject, she told me about the Academy, various little things, joked and laughed. Of course, I also pretended that nothing had happened. And so it went on until the very end of the day.

It wasn't difficult. It turned out to be more difficult to come up with a new plausible excuse to explain our absence. We were going to spend at least four or five hours on Earth to see exactly how my companion would feel.

As a result, we also had to introduce Tars Tarkas and Sola to our plans. The legend was that Kantos and I were going to help the Tarks — now allies of Helium — fend off supposedly increasing attacks by white gorillas. When I told Dejah about this, a slight shadow crossed her face, but in the end, she only wished me and Kantos good luck. Still, I didn't like it very much, lest she dare to see if we were really visiting the Tarks!

I conveyed my fears to Tardos Mors, and he promised that he would do his utmost to detain my daughter in Helium, entrusting her with some affairs of state. Tars Tarkas and Sola also assured that they would not reveal the truth. That calmed me down.

At the appointed time, Kantos Kan and I took off in gliders in the direction of the Thark settlement. I could tell by the look on my friend's face that he was worried. No matter what, no one wants to die. However, I was sure that everything would work out.

We arrived safely at our destination and parked our gliders next to the Jeddak of Tharks' hut. Sola met us and promised that they would be looked after while we were away. We went to the hut of Tars Tarkas, where he himself was waiting. After exchanging greetings, Tars moved to a safe distance so as not to be carried with us, and I retrieved the medallion.

"Are you ready?" I looked at Kantos Kan.

"Always, John Carter," he tried to say as casually as he could, but I could see from Kantos's face that the excitement had only increased.

I took his hand, activated the medallion, and we went off, through space…

Chapter 6

Once inside my body, I heard my comrade flopped down on the floor next to me. As soon as I got the opportunity to speak, I immediately asked, "How are you, Kantos?"

"I think it's all right… Only my head is a little dizzy," came from somewhere in the twilight. "What is this place?"

"The Crypt. This is where my physical body lies."

I flexed my muscles and got up from the bed. Kantos appeared in the corner. He tried to get up, but so far he couldn't. I stretched out my hand and lifted my comrade to his feet. He was still moving unsteadily, looking around.

"Stay here for a while, come to your senses," I said, "and I'll go and see where Ned is." After that incident with Woola, we agreed that he would be on guard outside.

I walked to the door, pulled the handle, and looked out into the outside world. At first glance, everything was calm. I opened the door wider and stepped outside.

"Ned! Are you here?"

"Yes, I'm waiting!" My nephew immediately responded. He must have been standing or walking somewhere nearby, but I did not immediately see him behind the dense vegetation of the garden.

Ned emerged from the darkness and within seconds was beside me. I noticed a revolver in his hand.

"What's that for?"

"Well," Ned lowered his eyes, "after that incident I decided to play it safe—"

"Woola isn't with us this time," I grinned. "I've brought a man."

I could see in Ned's eyes that he was anxious to meet some of the Martians, to see in person those he had only read about in my diaries. He looked over my shoulder into the crypt, but couldn't see anything clearly in the semi-darkness.

"Did you send the servants away?" I asked before calling Kantos, and when Ned nodded affirmatively, I turned and spoke. "Kantos, it's all right. You can get out."

Footsteps were heard, and soon Kantos Kan, Admiral of the Helium Air Fleet, appeared on the threshold of the crypt. It was necessary to see that both of them, Kantos and Ned, stared at each other in silence, looking at each other with surprise and wariness. I was quite amused, but I hurried to break the silence and introduce them to each other.

Ned was the first to hold out his hand, and a good-natured smile had already appeared on his face. Kantos was also less wary, but my nephew's gesture was a dead end.

" I told you that on Jasoom, people greet each other by shaking outstretched hands," I explained to the Barsoomian.

"Yes, that's right, I forgot," he said, and still held out his hand in return.

"Glad to see you on Earth!" Ned said in awe.

"And I'm glad to be here and to have the honor of talking to a relative of the illustrious John Carter of Virginia!" Kantos replied in response.

Ned beamed even more, and I realized that they had no problem understanding each other. To be honest, I had somehow lost sight of this point, and now I was glad that everything had resolved itself. Apparently, the medallion, when transferred, somehow automatically transformed speech so that representatives of different races, even from other planets, would not experience difficulties with translation.

"Now allow me to greet you as we do on Barsoom," Kantos continued, releasing his hand from my nephew's hand and resting it on his shoulder. Ned hastened to do the same.

After the welcome formalities were observed, we followed Ned to the mansion. Kantos was expectedly amazed and turned his head left and right, looking at the unfamiliar world. We didn't rush him. I realized that to a man who had seen nothing but monotonous sandy Martian landscapes in his life, the garden surrounding the mansion seemed like something unreal, a dream that would probably never come true on his planet.

Finally, we entered the house. Here, too, the astonishment of the inhabitant of Helium knew no bounds. He stopped literally in front of every thing, asked Ned and me about wall materials, lamps, décor items, paintings… Ned was happy to answer, and I didn't interrupt him, though I couldn't wait to ask him what he'd done that week.

But suddenly Ned himself preceded me, saying the following, "You're hungry, aren't you?" Let's go to the dining room! And at dinner I'll tell you how I was looking for a suitable vessel…" He looked inquiringly at Kantos and me.

I exchanged glances with my companion and saw that he clearly liked the idea.

"Where does the food come from? You seem to have let everyone go," I asked.

"Well…" Ned hesitated. "Actually, I made some of it myself and set the table… There is nothing special there: so different cold appetizers, vegetables, meat… There is a bottle of wine—"

"I think, John Carter, for the purposes of our experiment it will be useful to test the effect of the Jasoom food on the Barsoomians."

Understanding Kantos's enthusiasm, I agreed. I must say that I thought about it myself.

We walked into the dining room. Memories of the days when I, as the host of the house, sat at this table and sometimes received guests, immediately popped up in my mind. I was fortunate enough to employ a beautiful Irish cook who sometimes seemed to be able to cook everything. And the rest of the servants were always on top, so there was no need to worry about setting the table.

Things were a little less tidy now, though it was evident that Ned was trying very hard. However, I did not dwell on the details, and on the contrary, I praised my nephew for his diligence.

"Thank you! By the way, people are already looking at me suspiciously after sending them all out of the house three times in the last two weeks," Ned lamented. "God knows what they must think of me! Could it be that I'm conducting some secret rituals or experiments here." He grinned unhappily.

Ned and I explained to Kantos what the food he saw on the table was like, and then drank a glass of wine to the success of the future venture. Then Ned began to talk business-like about the search for the yacht.

"I made inquiries in all the nearest shipyards and found out that now mainly military and merchant ships are being built, and single copies of yachts, if they are made, then for a specific owner. That is, all of them are sold out in advance. Accordingly, there can be no question of any lease.

Seeing my gloomy face, he hastened to add, "Then I decided to buy a boat—"

"But wait, it costs a lot of money! I don't want to make you spend that kind of money! Because of me, you've already suffered so much anxiety."

"It's okay, I'm ready to go to that expense," he replied calmly. "I've already talked to the trustees of the trust, and they're generally okay with buying a yacht, although they don't think it's the smartest thing to do. They would like me to invest in securities, to increase my capital. Besides, you yourself encouraged me to enjoy life a year ago! On a yacht, I will be able to travel, circumnavigate the entire United States or even go to the other side of the world!"

Ned's last words were full of such youthful enthusiasm that I stopped worrying.

"Have you chosen a ship yet?"

"No, I'm just looking at options. I made acquaintances in the local community of sailing enthusiasts. I've been sent some photographic cards," Ned took them from the inside pocket of his jacket and placed them on the table in front of me.

The quality of the pictures was not good, but in general it gave an idea of what kind of ships my nephew had in mind. Kantos Kan listened to our conversation with interest, and he was delighted with the photographs, as the inhabitants of Helium, for all their technological development, for some reason did not have such things. We digress to explain the principle of photography to Kantos in general terms.

"All these boats, too, have owners who are ready to sell them for a reasonable price for various reasons," Ned continued, returning to the main subject of the conversation. "I'm going to go and see them with my own eyes one of these days."

"Very well, and I'll come back to see you again in a week, and we'll all decide which one to choose!"

That was the end of the discussion, after which we raised our glasses once again. Kantos Kan clearly liked the earthly food and wine, as well as the atmosphere itself.

"And how did the story with the neighbor's cattle end?" I suddenly remembered.

"As I thought, it was a great blow to them," said Ned. "That's why my help came in handy. Naturally, I did not say a word that I knew the real cause of the death of the animals. Next week, I'm invited to dinner with the hosts—"

"Why, if I'm not mistaken, it's old Wilkes's farm, and he had, as far as I remember, a very pretty granddaughter… Emma, I think her name was…" I saw Ned look away in embarrassment.

Even Kantos Kan understood the meaning of my words, and we both began to make fun of my nephew, but without malice, of course, and in a minute we were all laughing together.

Suddenly, Ned's face took on a serious, even frightened expression, and he stared over my shoulder. Our giggles quickly died down, and I turned toward the door. It was ajar, and in the doorway I saw Thompson, the butler.

He was as frightened, if not more, than Ned, and looked at each of us in turn.

"Oh my God, I can't believe it! Mr. Carter!" Thompson said at last, his voice trembling.

I felt compelled to explain everything to my former servant. Trying to speak as calmly as possible, I said, "I know, Thompson, you're shocked, but I ask you to listen to me carefully. It's not that bad."

"Sir, but I saw with my own eyes how you… And now… And this man…" Thompson looked at Kantos Kan. "What's wrong with his skin?"

Following the butler, I also looked at my comrade from Barsoom, who in turn looked at me inquiringly. Then I looked at Ned, who was confused and clearly didn't know what to do next.

"Please, Thompson, sit down and I'll tell you everything."

He hesitated, still unable to fully believe what he was seeing in front of him. I had to call Thompson again and even get up and get close to him so that he would finally agree to sit down.

I began to tell. Not in all the details, but in enough detail, deciding that Thompson deserved it. As I spoke, the butler's face changed from disbelief to fear, then to disbelief again, and finally it seemed to me that for the first time there were signs in his eyes that he trusted me. I think I was able to convince Thompson that the whole thing about my trip to Mars was true. I must say that he never interrupted me.

"I've always thought you were a decent and delicate man, Thompson. I hope that in this case, too, you will show understanding and be able to keep what I have told you a secret!" I said, finishing my speech.

Thompson looked at all of us once more, lingering a little longer on Kantos Kan, and said, "You can count on me, sir! Although it is almost impossible to believe what you have said, I am still ready to do it!"

"Will you help us?" I asked, referring to the plans for a boat trip for Dejah.

"Yes, sir, I'll keep my mouth shut and help Mr. Burroughs keep the secrecy of your… enterprise."

"Thank you, Thompson!" I held out my hand, and after a moment's hesitation or two, he shook it.

Chapter 7

Kantos Kan clearly did not want to leave Earth and Ned's hospitable home. Who would have thought after he was apprehensively preparing to get there! Under various pretexts, my comrade tried to persuade me to stay a little longer, and a little longer, and another… We ended up spending half the night in the house, during which Ned and Thompson showed him what Kantos hadn't seen before dinner. He was extremely interested in our terrestrial horses, and even ventured to saddle one of them and ride a little in the garden.

However, no matter how much Kantos Kan delayed our departure, we still had to return to Barsoom. The second journey through space was less unsettling for him, and now that he was sure that nothing was in danger on Earth, Kantos was even joking. So, we found ourselves back in a Thark settlement. It was late, so we spent the night there, and in the morning we talked with Tars and Sola, had breakfast, and then left for Helium.

The first thing we did was to go to Tardos Mors, so that he could see for himself as soon as possible that our journey was successful. The sight of the Admiral of the Air Fleet alive and unharmed did it better than any words: the Jeddak of Helium beamed with a smile as soon as we entered.

We greeted each other, and he immediately pounced on us with questions about what was going on. Moreover, Tardos Mors wanted to hear this from the lips of the Barsoomian, to fully appreciate his impressions and emotions from visiting the neighboring planet. And this was not some dry formal interrogation by the commander of his subordinate — Tardos Mors listened with genuine interest and asked many questions.

At last I realized that my father-in-law would certainly not mind going on such a journey himself. Especially now that its safety has been confirmed. I chuckled to myself at the thought, but outwardly I remained serious.

"There are plants everywhere, lush and green, that surround John Carter's former home on all sides. And the house itself has three floors, built of stone. It is not as large and luxurious as your palace, my Jeddak, but it is quite impressive. I've been shown so many amazing contraptions…" Kantos began to describe.

Tardos Mors listened as if spellbound. However, when Kantos Kan got to the point where our plans were now known to Thompson, the butler, Helium's jeddak frowned and looked at me anxiously.

"Are you sure it's not dangerous?" He asked. "After all, this person can tell someone else."

"I assure you that Thompson is an exceptionally honest and decent servant, and he will keep his mouth shut, as he promised me. You can see for yourself!"

"What do you mean, John Carter?"

"Won't you take this opportunity and come to Jasoom with us?"

"Me? But it wasn't about me!" Tardos Mors tried to look astonished at my suggestion, but I could see that the old man was clearly pleased with it.

"If I were you, I wouldn't miss this chance!"

"Well…" He paused. "But I can't leave Helium! You never know what might happen here in my absence!"

"I think Helium will be all right," I said. "But I certainly don't dare force you."

"All right, I'll think about it," my father-in-law said vaguely, but I was sure he would agree.

He and Kantos continued to talk, and I, saying that I wanted to see Dejah, went away. Before that, however, Tardos Mors warned me, "As you expected, Dejah was going to follow you to see if you and Kantos had really gone to the Tharks, but I managed to detain her with some business. And at night, of course, she never left her chambers. This is known for sure — I was informed by the right people.

From what I understand, she was upset, to say the least, that I had disrupted her plans, and now she's going to be even more suspicious. So you need to be alert and as careful as possible when talking to her.

"All right, I'll take that into account!"

Indeed, Dejah greeted me with more restraint than usual. And even though she seemed welcoming and kissed me, I could feel her tension rising. I didn't know what exactly she suspected me of — it was unlikely that I was guilty of adultery, but I guessed that soon this tension would come to the surface and I would have a showdown. One more out-of-town for any pretext that Dejah finds unconvincing is enough.

Still, I hoped it wouldn't. It hurt me to see her tormenting herself with doubts, but trying to be calm in front of me. However, I still did not dare to reveal the secret ahead of time. We had to make sure everything was ready. Until Ned bought the yacht and I saw with my own eyes that she was on the move and ready to take us on board, I prepared to be silent. It must be explained that I was not worried about the crew for the vessel, as I knew something about shipping, and I was confident that I would be able to steer the yacht. In addition, I did not plan to sail far into the ocean.

Throughout the day, of course, Dejah asked me many questions about my expedition with Kantos, and to my shame I had to lie to satisfy my wife's curiosity. I tried to speak as convincingly as I could, according to a legend I had learned beforehand, and she didn't seem to suspect a trick. The main thing is that Kantos Kan, if she interrogates him, does not blurt out anything unnecessary.

The following week, however, passed remarkably peacefully and uneventfully. The storm seemed to have passed, and Dejah showed no signs of suspicion or tension. She didn't ask me any tricky questions, and I decided that she didn't suspect me of anything anymore. We spent a lot of time together, walking, attending various social events. Life seemed easy and full of joy. But I was all the more nervous when I knew that I would soon have to go to Ned again. How will Dejah react to another absence? For sure, the whole idyll of the last few days will be crossed out.

At some point, I must confess, I even became faint-hearted and thought of forgetting about the whole enterprise, about Ned, about the yacht, about the boat trip. But that was only a momentary weakness — no, I just couldn't do that now that I had so many people involved in my plans. Captain John Carter was always a man of honor and kept his word! How could I then look into the eyes of Kantos Kan and Tardos Mors?

By the way, they offered me various new options to explain my absence to Dejah, but this time I decided to leave without explaining anything to her. It seemed to me that it would be better than a new lie. When I announced to my wife that I had to leave her again, it led to the expected reaction. Dejah, as they say, "broke through".

"I demand that you explain to me at once what all these absences mean! Where do you run away from me at night? I'm sure it's not about inspecting the Zodangan garrison and hunting white gorillas! Last time I wanted to follow you and Kantos secretly, but my father detained me on false pretexts. Looks like he's with you!"

I silently let Dejah vent her emotions, trying not to look guilty, and then, in turn, made a kind of complaint against her.

"Did you want to secretly follow us? Don't you trust me?"

It worked: Dejah was a little embarrassed. She replied more calmly.

"Well, I just thought… I don't like it when someone hides something from me! And the three of you are clearly up to something. Tell me, John, please, something's happened, isn't it? Is there something wrong? Maybe I can help? You know I know how to fight! You and I have been through a lot!"

I stepped closer and put my hands on my wife's shoulders. She didn't shrink, but continued to look at me inquiringly.

"Dejah, my love, please believe me: nothing has happened," I said calmly, "I just have some urgent business to attend to. I really want to tell you everything, but… I can't yet. I promise you'll find out soon!" I smiled.

"I don't understand why you can't tell me now," Dejah said, and came close to me and hugged me. I realized she wasn't angry anymore.

"Understand, I'm worried about you, John! I love you!"

"I know, honey. I love you too! I hate to hide anything from you, but it's the right thing to do. Please, be patient just a little longer!"

"How long can I endure? A day, a week, a month?" Dejah stepped back and stared intently into my eyes.

"I think a day or two is the right time."

"Well, then, your poor wife will have to suffer a little more," Dejah said with a smile. My heart warmed.

We kissed.

"Come back quickly, John Carter!" She said to me at parting.

Chapter 8

I was back on Earth, in my crypt. Ned, as usual, met me outside. This time, for some reason, he looked guilty.

"What's the matter, my friend? Is there something wrong with the yacht?"

"No, we already have a yacht. I know you wanted to be a part of the choice, but I've already made it myself. Sorry! I just couldn't help but see her!"

"So that's the point?" I laughed. "Ned, after all, this is your acquisition, and I don't want to influence your choices. Let's go see the yacht!"

Realizing that I’m not angry, Ned relaxed and went on to tell the story of how he had become the owner of a boat called the Dolphin. It was a classic monohull cruising sailing yacht, built, according to Ned, in Sweden two years ago.

We went into the house, where I had a few words with Thompson and changed my clothes. Then Ned and I saddled our horses and rode to the Hudson, where a yacht was moored at one of the wharves. On the way, Ned continued to bombard me with stories about his new acquisition. He rejoiced like a child.

Once there, we went on board. Indeed, the vessel looked great both outside and inside. The yacht was about eighty-five feet long and eighteen wide. The dark hull contrasted spectacularly with the white triangular sails located on the two masts. The cabins are full of expensive materials and luxury, like in the rooms of a luxury hotel.

"Such a yacht is worthy of taking on board even the Princess of Mars," Ned announced, when we had finished our inspection.

"Yes, I agree with you. I'm sure Dejah will like it."

"Will you be alone with her?"

"Maybe two or three more people. I think we're definitely going to take Kantos Kan with us, you've seen him before."

"Yes, of course, how can I forget!"

"Well, let's try it out a bit! Have you already sailed on your beauty?"

"No, I was thinking of waiting for you… I can't… for now," Ned sneaked a little.

"Actually, you'll need a good team, but for now, I'll try to teach you the basics…"

Together Ned and I hoisted the sails and took a short test trip along the island of Manhattan and back. The yacht obeyed the rudder perfectly. I was pleased: Ned had made a great purchase.

"When can I expect you and the princess and the other Martians?" My nephew asked me on the way back to the manor.

"Let's not put it off for long," I replied after a moment's thought. "Why not tomorrow, on our anniversary? Unless, of course, you're busy!"

"No, I'll give up everything for the sake of such an occasion!" Ned exclaimed.

Back in the house, the three of us once again discussed all the details. Thompson offered to cook dinner, because the guests would probably want to visit the house first. However, I asked for more food to be brought on board the yacht: I wanted to take Dejah for a walk in the first place, so that I could show her the sunset from the water. I left the choice of the menu to Ned and Thompson. That's where we parted.

Dejah was expectedly asleep when I came back in the middle of the night and walked into our bedroom. And although I couldn't wait to finally tell her what gift awaited her, I decided not to wake my wife, but to wait until morning. Trying not to make any noise, I undressed and lay down beside her. Sleep quickly exhausted me, who was quite tired.

I must have slept for a long time, because when I opened my eyes, the sun was already shining, and Dejah was smiling and stroking me with her finger, apparently tired of waiting for me to wake up.

"Well, at last!" She exclaimed cheerfully.

"Good morning," I smiled back.

Dejah reached out to kiss me, and I took her in my arms. There was no point in waiting any longer, so I got straight to the point.

"Dejah, do you remember when you told me you'd like to see ships glide across the sea?"

"Yes… That was about three weeks ago or more," she said immediately.

"Do you still want that?"

"Oh, I'd be happy—"

"Tonight," I said.

Dejah pulled back a little and looked at me with a serious look, as if trying to see if I was joking.

"Are you serious? I mean, you're saying—"

"Yes, I invite you to Earth, my love! This is my wedding anniversary gift for you."

"John, I can't believe it." My wife's face was beaming with happiness. "Wait, is that the reason for your absences?"

I nodded.

"You just wanted to surprise me, and I don't know what I was imagining, stupid!" Dejah laughed and snuggled tightly against me again.

"I'm sorry I had to keep you in the dark, but there was a lot to do, and until I was sure I was ready, I didn't dare to announce my plans."

"And you'll forgive me for being suspicious! I'm so glad it's cleared up! I just can't wait…"

We lay in bed for another half hour and then went to breakfast.

All day long Dejah was in a state of joyful excitement, which surprised our servants and the other Heliumians. In general, she was always affable and cheerful, but on this day it was especially strong. At the same time, when we exchanged glances, we only laughed at the others who were not privy to our secret.

In the afternoon we went together to Tardos Mors and told him that we were going to Earth that very day. He was a little stunned, but seeing how happy his daughter was, Tardos Mors himself quickly succumbed to the same euphoria, but to my surprise, he still refused to go with us. My father-in-law reasoned that someone had to stay in Helium in case of emergencies. And the absence of all of us at the same time can cause unnecessary suspicion among officials and the military.

Kantos Kan was called, and together we decided that the three of us would go to Earth. Tardos Mors asked him to stay, so as not to leave the air fleet in the hands of his deputies again. However, Kantos, who liked it very much on the neighboring planet, like a child, began to beg us to let him go with us. Given that Dejah and I didn't mind, the Jeddak of Helium agreed.

Dejah could hardly force herself to do her usual things and visit the Academy of Sciences — she did not want to work in such a mood.

And now, finally, we are on Earth. Dejah's first impressions were similar to those of Kantos, and this time he behaved much more confidently and authoritatively explained things to her. I introduced Dejah to Ned and Thompson, whom she literally charmed with her charm and beauty.

We went to the stables, where we mounted the horses that had been prepared for us in advance. I wanted to sit Dejah in front of me, afraid that she might not be able to cope with the animal. However, my princess quickly got the hang of it, and in a few minutes the four of us (Thompson was left to look after the household) were galloping to the yacht's mooring.

When Dejah saw the Dolphin, she was really delighted.

"You were right, John, when you said that your Earth ships are beautiful! I don't have the words to describe how I feel!"

"Wait, we haven't come on board yet! Or it will be when we go out into the ocean on it!" I replied, pleased with the effect.

"What does that word mean?"

"Well, dolphins are marine animals, or rather mammals. Perhaps we will see them today."

Ned and I began to prepare the ship for sailing, bringing in Kantos Kan, who was ready to take on anything in a burst of enthusiasm. My wife's active nature also did not allow her to stay away, and she literally insisted, despite my arguments that she was here on vacation, that we also entrust her with something.

And so, we set sail. After passing through Upper Bay and Lower Bay, we finally found ourselves in the Atlantic Ocean and sailed towards the sunset. Dejah, as if fascinated, stood on the bow of the ship, admiring the views around us. I was at the helm while Ned and Kantos were in the cockpit having dinner. Everything was going according to plan, and that made me the happier the most.

After the meal, Ned asked to take the helm. Kantos Kan stood beside him, and they began to talk about something, while Dejah and I walked slowly up and down the deck with our arms around each other.

"John, this is the most beautiful gift I've ever received!" She whispered as we reached the bow of the yacht.

"Happy anniversary to you, dear!"

We hugged and kissed.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that our yacht was accompanied by a pod of dolphins. They swam very close, periodically jumping out of the water. I hurried to inform Dejah and the others.

"Look, there are very young children among them!" Dejah exclaimed, pointing her finger at the two tiny creatures, and then, turning to me, added in a lower voice. "John, I have to tell you something: I have a surprise for you too!"

"The best gift for me is to be by your side, Dejah."

"Still, you'll be even happier with this gift," my wife said, smiling softly. "We're going to have a baby!"

It took my breath away, and I could only say in response, "Dejah, I love you!"