The Argo Goes West

122, Apple of Discord, part 4

Mr Williams explained that they were 'staying', but should have said 'hospitalizing' because it was not a hotel room but a psychiatric hospital room, and 'incarcerating' because it was locked. 

A cold, heavy metal door opened with the sound of an unlock from outside.

"Hi, Hildy."

Cray Roberts entered the room and greeted Miss Craig.

"How are you? Oh my gosh! That was a stupid question. You're not feeling well," said Roberts. It was a smile like a carefree child who could not be thought of as a rebel.

"I know it's inconvenient, but please wait a little longer until we leave. After that, I've instructed you to move around town freely."

"There must be a statue of you there," said Miss Craig sarcastically. "As a hero who saved the town."

"I'm no hero," Roberts chuckled.

"How is Cassandra?"

"She's fine. She's happy that she saved the city."

"How true are her predictions?"

"The hit rate seems to be high, although I don't believe it."

"Do you know the Apple of Discord?"

"No. What is that?"

"There was a goddess of discord named Eris. When the wedding of Peleus and Thetis was held, she was the only one not invited. She was furious and decided to get revenge on everyone. She inscribed 'for the fairest' on a golden apple and threw it into the ceremony. The goddesses of beauty who were there, such as Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, thought it was theirs and began to fight. This is what caused the Trojan War. "

"Greek mythology. What is it?"

"I wonder if what Carter did was something like that."

Roberts shrugged. "I don't know. But it's not the Trojan War, because Sacramento was saved."

Sacramento's city gate opened.

It was midnight, and the whiteness of the steam coming out of the Argo's locomotive chimney was conspicuous. John Carter and the centaurs stood in line and watched as the Argo slowly revealed its full body.

John Carter took off his wide-brimmed hat and swung it at the Argo.

"Bon voyage!"

The Argo ran off toward the horizon. Tars Tarkas, the centaur warrior, asked John Carter.

"Do we withdraw too?"

"Yes," Carter nodded. "But before that, set the city on fire."

"Why? The princess was taken back."

Tars Tarkas seemed to blame him, but John Carter didn't care at all. Carter said with an icy expression.

"If we keep the townspeople alive, one day they will take revenge."

As a matter of fact, John Carter intended to exterminate the crew of the Argo if it hadn't had cannons. 'We're going west,' they said. So Carter missed them. The phrase 'go west' was the Synonym of die.

Leaving the rest to his men, John Carter returned to Dejah Thoris' tent.

Dejah Thoris was in chains. John Carter treated her more as a prisoner than as a wife. He didn't want to hold her. He feared he would become like Holofernes, who was killed by Judith in his sleep.

John Carter took off his coat and lay down on his bed. At his side was Cerberus. If there was an intruder, Cerberus would have bitten him and mutilated him. But Carter still felt uneasy and could only sleep with a gun in his hand.