Shadow of the giant

warlords to
do all the nasty tedious work like making decisions and giving commands."
    "How far does their control reach?" asked Alai.
    "It's impossible to know," said Ivan. "Here
in Damascus, your loyal servants have caught and eliminated several dozen
agents. But I would not let you board an aircraft in Damascus—military or
commercial."
    "So if I can't trust Muslims, drive me over the Golan
Heights into Israel, and let me fly on an Israeli jet."
    "The same group that refuses to obey you in India is
also saying that our accommodation with the Zionists was an offense against
God."
    "They want to start that nightmare all over
again?"
    "They long for the good old days."
    "Yes, when Muslim armies were humiliated left and
right, and the world feared Muslims because so many innocents were murdered in
the name of God."
    "You don't have to argue with me," said Ivan
pleasantly.
    "Well, Ivan," said Alai, "if I stay here,
then someday my enemies will finish in India—either they'll win or they'll
lose. Either way, they'll come here, made mad by victory or by defeat, it doesn't
matter which. Either way, I'll be dead, don't you think?"
    "Oh, definitely, sir. We do have to find a way to get
you out of here."
    "No plan?"
    "All kinds of plans," said Ivan. "But they
all involve saving your life. Not saving the Caliphate."
    "If I run away, then the Caliphate is lost."
    "And if you stay, then the Caliphate is yours until the
day you die."
    Alai laughed. "Well, Ivan, you've analyzed it well. So
I have no choice. I have to go to my enemies and destroy them."
    "I suggest you use a magic carpet," said Ivan,
"as the most reliable form of transportation."
    "You think only a genie could get me to India to face
General Rajam?"
    "Alive, yes."
    "Then I must contact my genie," said Alai.
    "Is this a good time?" asked Ivan. "With the
madwoman's latest vid all over the nets and the media, Rajam is going to be a
crazy man."
    "That's the best time," said Alai. "By the
way, Ivan, can you tell me why Rajam's nickname is 'Andariyy'?"
    "Would it help if I told you that he chose the nickname
'thick rope' himself?"
    "Ah. So it doesn't refer to his tenacity or
strength."
    "He would say it does. Or at least the tenacity of a
particular part of his body."
    "And yet... rope is limp."
    "Thick rope isn't."
    "Thick rope is as limp as any other," said Alai,
"unless it's very short."
    Ivan laughed. "I'll make sure to repeat this joke at
Rajam's funeral."
    "Just don't repeat it at mine."
    "I will not be at your funeral," said Ivan,
"unless it's a mass grave."
    Alai went to his computer and began to compose a few emails.
Within a half hour of sending them, he received a telephone call from Felix
Starman of Rwanda.
    "I'm sorry to tell you," said Felix, "that I
cannot allow Muslim teachers into Rwanda."
    "Fortunately," said Alai, "that isn't why I
called."
    "Excellent," said Felix.
    "I am calling in the interest of world peace. And I
understand you have already made your decision about who is the best hope of
humankind for achieving that goal—no, say no names."
    "Since I have no idea what you're talking about—"
    "Excellent," said Alai. "A good Muslim always
assumes that unbelievers have no idea." They both laughed. "All I ask
is that you let it be known that there is a man crossing the Rub' al Khali on
foot because his camel won't let him mount and ride."
    "And you wish someone to help this poor wanderer?"
    "God watches over all his creatures, but the Caliph
cannot always reach out a hand to do God's will."
    "I hope this poor unfortunate will be helped as soon as
possible," said Felix.
    "Let it be soon. I am ready at any time to hear good
news of him."
    They said their good-byes, and Alai got up and went in
search of Ivan.
    "Pack," he said.
    Ivan raised his eyebrows. "What will you need?"
    "Clean underwear. My most flamboyantly Caliph-like costume.
Three men who will kill at my command and will not turn their weapons on me.
And a loyal man with a video camera with a fully charged battery and plenty of
film."
    "Should the vidman be one of the loyal soldiers? Or a
separate person?"
    "Let all the loyal soldiers be part of the video
crew."
    "And shall I be one of these three?"
    "That is for you to decide," said Alai. "If I
fail, the men who are with me will surely die."
    "Better to die quickly before the face of God's servant
than slowly at the hands of God's enemies," said Ivan.
    "My favorite Russian," said Alai.
    "I'm a Kazakh Turk," Ivan reminded him.
    "God was