Warriors

outstanding leaders?'

'Yes, sir, we certainly have. Two in particular. Rajid Hamir and Ahnas Menaf. Both are bright, well-motivated young men with excellent attitudes. They're extremely anxious to learn but they show maturity and self-reliance among their classmates. 1 would say they're the natural leaders of this class.'

General Maila flashed a smile. 'I am most pleased to hear of it, Colonel Bennett. You probably do not know, but Rajid Hamir is a nephew of Safad Fatah. I've known the family most of my life. 1 agree, the boy has much potential.' He saluted crisply and walked away.

Lawrence looked at Bennett. 'Did you know the Hamir kid was related to Fatah? 1 sure didn't.'

'No. But it doesn't surprise me. Safad wouldn't want to give the impression to anyone that his nephew carried extra favor with us. It wouldn't have mattered if we'd known, of course, but I'm glad for Fatah's sake. He must be proud enough to pop his vest.'

The redhead finished his iced tea. ''That's Safad's normal condition, from what I've seen.'

'I wouldn't let the gentleman hear you say as much.'

Bennett pondered the two cadets, both near the top of the class academically, both with considerable potential, but each so different temperamentally. Rajid, at nineteen, was shy almost to the point of being introverted. Studious and serious, he went out of his way to help classmates with academics. That alone made him popular.

Ahnas Menaf was two years older, more confident in himself.

Unlike 99 percent of Arab men, he had no mustache, but with a demeanor approaching debonair, he was admired by the younger cadets for his image. Bennett knew from academic records that the lad had ability. Time would tell whether the image fit the man.

* * *

Bennett caught the courier flight to Riyadh that evening. He had made a dinner date with Claudia Meyers; he had allowed just enough time to be with her before his departure for Rome and on to the States.

When Bennett arrived at Claudia's door she was fully prepared to go. He admired that about her. Each time he had called upon her in the previous six months-twice at the embassy and once at her apartment-she had been prepared. No shuffling of schedules, no role-playing delays to make him wait and demonstrate his desire to meet her terms.

They took a taxi to a nearby restaurant but Bennett declined a full meal. 'I'm reading up on jet lag. It says you're not supposed to have much protein when traveling. Which is kind of tough on a confirmed steak-and-potatoes man.'

'Surely they'll feed you on the plane.'

'Yeah, I think so. By the way, I had to get an earlier flight to make connections for a nonstop from New York to San Diego. 1 leave ninety minutes earlier than planned.'

'Oh… 1 had hoped we'd have more time.' Her voice said as much about her disappointment as her words.

Bennett was pleased to know their rare visits meant as much to her as they did to him. A brief, awkward silence fell upon them as they studiously scanned their menus. Each felt that the other wanted to say more. Bennett had just screwed up his courage when the waiter approached to take their order. Claudia rattled off a long string of Arabic with obvious ease and the waiter bowed, then left.

Claudia smiled across the table. 'I ordered for both of us. 1 hope you don't mind.'

'Not a bit. Thanks. This is still new to me, you know. 1 don't get out very often-'

'Neither do I.' She glanced down, then returned her gaze to Bennett. 'It's awfully difficult for a single woman to develop a social life outside her profession here. I knew that when I came, but the reality of life in a Muslim country still can be a cultural shock to a Western career woman.'

Bennett wondered if she was as lonely as he, and decided she probably was. It was one more thing they had in common, aside from the growing physical attraction between them.

They discussed embassy gossip, regional politics, and Bennett's son. Claudia recalled a previous reference to Paul, and listened with interest as the aviator related his not entirely satisfactory story of the young man-a premature marriage and a child.

Claudia was relaxed enough to ask a personal question. 'How are they going to get along like that? I mean, marriage is hard enough at any age, let alone in college. But with a child as well…'

'I've arranged a trust for them, only to be used in emergencies.

They don't even know about it. My attorney will notify them should the need arise. I guess it's best for Paul and his wife to have to make it on their own. If they do succeed, their marriage will be stronger for it.' He paused, gathered his courage, and looked into her hazel eyes. 'Claudia, have you ever considered marriage?'

She blinked, hesitated an instant, then felt relieved. Now we're getting somewhere. 'I don't mind telling you I've had two proposals, John. I turned down both of them. The first was in college, the second a few years ago, from another foreign service officer. Neither would have worked. The first time, I was at UC Berkeley and got caught up in the excitement of the political activism, but we were too immature for marriage.'

'I have a hard time imagining you as immature.'

Claudia suppressed a smile. 'Well, all right. He was too immature, caught up in radical politics. If he knew I'd defected to the establishment he'd demand return of the Che Guevara poster he gave me.”

'And the second guy wanted you to join him on a hardship post in Sierra Leone, right?'

'Not quite. We were both in Washington at the time. But our careers were competitive. It just wouldn't have worked.' She shot Bennett a sly glance. 'How about you? Ever think of remarrying?'

'Not seriously. After Elizabeth was killed in the car wreck I had my hands full raising Paul. He was in high school at the time and a little wild. He needed all my attention.'

'That's about what I'd expect of you.' Her tone was both admiring and sympathetic. 'But surely there were plenty of eligible ladies in La Jolla.'

'Oh, sure. I was out of the Navy by then but I still knew lots of women. Cruise widows we call them, wives whose husbands are at sea. Actually it was a pretty tame arrangement. I'd help them with repairs around the house and they'd fix me dinner once in a while.'

Their meal arrived and Bennett cautiously tasted his entree. It was a rather bland mixture of vegetables with small portions of meat which he seasoned to his own taste.

She said, 'Go ahead, silly. It's safe. It's lamb stirred into a mixture of herbs and vegetables. I'd tell you the name but you'd never remember it. Just trust me that it's what a traveler needs.'

Half joking, half serious, Bennett said, 'I don't remember what the Koran says about mixing cuisine. Guess I'll have to read up on it during the flight home.'

Claudia leaned her chin in one hand, regarding Bennett with increased interest. 'I wouldn't have picked you as a student of religion. '

'Well, normally I'm not. But when I was asked to consider this job, I studied a synopsis of the Koran and have read most of it in translation. I'm just trying to see things from the Saudi viewpoint.'

'What do you make of the writings of the Prophet?' Claudia was on firm ground-she had read the Koran in Arabic twice. All one hundred and fourteen suras.

'Most of it's pretty heavy going. For me, anyway. The organization makes no sense, if I understand it right. You know-the short, easily read suras last, which I think were written first. And the imbalance between the Meccan and Median revelations. No wonder it took Muhammad twenty-one years to get all of the text. He must have hardly known which parts came in what order.'

Claudia smiled. 'Remember, he was beloved of God. When he was gone-'

'Yeah, 632 A.D.'

'When he died in June 632,' she went on, 'the suras were written from memory and organized by the caliph Uthman, who had scholars prepare a definitive version. Enough people knew the writings by heart that it could be done.'

They continued discussing the holy book until it was time to leave. Claudia realized Bennett's interest in regional politics had led him to an understanding of the rift in Muslim doctrine: the Shiites believing that only direct descendants of Muhammad, through his daughter Fatima, could lead Islam; the Sunnis adopting a case for