Summary

Chapter 19, Battling in the Arena – When John tries to find the keys from the body of the jailer, he discovers the body is gone. After two days, a red human Martian is imprisoned alongside John. John greets the man, who reveals himself to be Kantos Kan, a padwar (lieutenant) in the navy. Kantos listens to John’s account of how he came to be in the jail, and assures him that Dejah and Solis entered the hills by a waterway and are probably safe. Kantos reveals himself to be a member of the expedition that was attacked by the Martians some days before, and that a great search-and-rescue effort has been unleashed to find Dejah.

Over the next few days, John and Kantos become friends. They and other prisoners are put into the great games of the arena against hordes of enemy troops, vicious...