Shadow of the giant

as a heroic victim nation. Isn't there a chance that any kind of
action in Armenia will be seen as proof that Islam is expanding, just as Martel
charges? Then what happens to the Muslim minorities in Europe?"
    Virlomi leaned forward, looking each of the counselors
boldly in the face, as if she had authority at this table. Her stance was more
aggressive than Alai ever showed to his friends. But then, these were not her
friends. "You care about unity?"
    "It's always been a problem in the Muslim world,"
said Alamandar. Some of the men chuckled.
    "The 'Free People' can't invade us because we're more
powerful than they are at any point where they might attack," said
Virlomi. "Is our goal to unite the world under the leadership of Caliph
Alai? Then our great rival is not Peter Wiggin. It's Han Tzu. He came to me
with plots against Caliph Alai. He proposed marriage with me, so India and
China could unite against Islam."
    "When was this?" asked Musafi.
    Alai understood why he was asking. "It was before
Virlomi and I even considered marriage, Musafi. My wife has behaved with
perfect propriety."
    Musafi was satisfied; Virlomi showed no sign that she even
cared what the interruption had been about. "You don't fight wars to
enhance domestic unity—to do that, you pursue economic policies that make your
people fat and rich. Wars are fought to create safety, to expand borders, and
to eliminate future dangers. Han Tzu is such a danger."
    "Since he has taken office," said Thorn, "Han
Tzu has taken no aggressive action. He has been conciliatory with all his
neighbors. He even sent home the Indian prime minister, didn't he?"
    "That was no conciliatory gesture," said Virlomi.
    "The expansionist Snow Tiger is gone, his policies
failed. We have nothing to fear from China," said Thorn.
    He had gone too far, and everyone at the table knew it. It
was one thing to make suggestions, and quite another to flatly contradict
Virlomi.
    Pointedly, Virlomi sat back and looked at Alai, waiting for
him to take action against the offender.
    But Thorn had earned his nickname because he would say
uncomfortable truths. Nor did Alai intend to start banishing advisers from his
council just because Virlomi was annoyed with them. "Once again, our
friend Thorn proves that his name is well chosen. And once again, we forgive
him for his bluntness—or should I say, sharpness?"
    Laughter ... but they were still wary of Virlomi's wrath.
    "I see that this counsel prefers to send Muslims to die
in cosmetic wars, while the real enemy is allowed to gather strength
unmolested, solely because he has not attacked us yet." She turned
directly to Thorn. "My husband's good friend Thorn is like the man in a
leaky boat, surrounded by sharks. He has a rifle, and his fellow passenger
says, 'Why don't you shoot those sharks! Once the boat sinks and we're in the
water, you won't be able to use the rifle!'
    " 'You fool,' says the man. 'Why should I provoke the
sharks? None of them has bit me yet.' "
    Thorn seemed determined to press his luck. "The way I
heard the story, the boat was surrounded by dolphins, and the man shot at them
until he ran out of ammunition. 'Why did you do that?' his friend asked, and
the man said, 'because one of them was a shark in disguise.'
    " 'Which one?' said his companion.
    " 'You fool,' says the man. 'I told you he's in
disguise.' Then the blood in the water drew many sharks. But the man's gun was
empty."
    "Thank you all for your wise counsel," said Alai.
"I must now think about all that you have said."
    Virlomi smiled at Thorn. "I must remember your
alternate version of the story. It's hard to decide which one is funnier. Maybe
one is funny to Hindus, and the other to Muslims."
    Alai stood up and began shaking hands with the men around
the table, in effect dismissing each one in turn. It had already been rude for
Virlomi to continue the conversation. But still she would not let up.
    "Or perhaps," she said to the group as a whole,
"Thorn's story is funny only to the sharks. Because if his story is
believed, the sharks are safe."
    Virlomi had never gone this far before. If she were a Muslim
wife, he could take her by the arm and gently lead her from the room, then
explain to her why she could not say such things to men who were not free to
answer.
    But then, if she were a Muslim wife, she wouldn't have been
at the table in the first place.
    Alai shook hands with the rest of them, and they showed
their deference to him. But he also saw a growing