al-Salil. Koots had accepted Islam, for he knew full well that without Allah and His Prophet he could never be fully inducted into the Caliph's favour. He was now the supreme commander of the Caliph's army. All three men, Kadem, Koots and Sir Guy, had pressing political and personal reasons to be present at this war council.
Zayn al-Din made an impatient gesture, and Muri Kadem stirred Captain Laleh with his toe. 'Continue, in the name of the Caliph.'
'May Allah always smile upon him, and shower him with good fortune,' Laleh intoned, and sat up again. 'During the night I went ashore and hid myself in a secret place on the bluff above the bay. I sent my ship away so that it should not be seen by the followers of al-Salil. From this place I watched over the stronghold of the enemy, if it so please you, Your Majesty.'
'Continue!' This time Kadem did not wait for the Caliph to give the word, and kicked Laleh in the ribs.
He gasped, and went on hurriedly, 'I beheld three ships at anchor in the bay. One of these was the tall ship that was captured from the English effendi.' Laleh turned his head to indicate the consul, and Sir Guy frowned darkly to be reminded of his loss. 'The other vessels were those in which al-Salil fled after his defeat by the illustrious Caliph Zayn al-Din, beloved of the Prophet.' Laleh prostrated himself again, and this time Kadem caught him a full swing of his nailed sandals.
Laleh bounced upright and his voice was wheezy with the pain of his bruised ribcage. 'Towards evening I saw a small fishing-boat leave the bay and anchor on the reef outside the mouth. When darkness fell the
three men of the boat-crew began fishing by lantern-light. When I went back on board my dhow I sent my men to capture them. They killed one man when he fought against capture, but they took the two others prisoner. I towed the fishing-boat many leagues offshore before filling it with ballast stones and scuttling it. I did this so that al-Salil would believe it had been overwhelmed by the sea during the night and the men drowned.'
'Where are these prisoners?' Zayn demanded. 'Bring them before me.'
Muri Kadem clapped his hands and the two men were led in by the guards. They were dressed only in filthy loincloths and their emaciated bodies bore the marks of heavy beatings. One had lost an eye. The raw, black-scabbed pit was uncovered, except for the metallic blue flies that swarmed into it. Both shuffled along under the weight of the leg irons that were riveted to their ankles.
The guards threw them full length on the flags at the foot of the throne. 'Abase yourselves before the favourite of the Prophet, the ruler of Oman and all the islands of the Ocean of the Indies, Caliph Zayn al Din.' The prisoners writhed before him and whined their protestations of fealty and duty.
'Majesty, these are the men I captured,' Laleh said. 'Unfortunately the one-eyed rogue lost his wits but the other, who is named Omar, is made of stouter stuff and he will be able to answer any questions you may deign to ask him.' Laleh unhooked from his belt a long hippopotamus-hide whip and uncoiled it. As soon as he shook out the lash, the idiot prisoner began gibbering and drooling with terror.
'I have learned that both these men were sailors aboard the ship commanded by al-Salil. They have been in his service for many years and know much of that traitor's affairs.'
'Where is al-Salil?' Zayn al-Din demanded. Laleh cracked the whiplash, and the one-eyed idiot defecated down his own legs with terror. Zayn turned away his face with disgust and ordered the guards, Take him out and kill him.' They dragged him, shrieking, from the throne room and Zayn turned all his attention on Omar, and repeated the question: 'Where is al-Salil?'
'Majesty, when last I saw him, al-Salil was at Nativity Bay, in the fort that they call Auspice. He had with him his son, his elder brother and their women.'
'What are his intentions? How long will he remain in this place?'
Majesty, I am a humble seaman. Al-Salil did not discuss these matters with me.'
Were you with al-Salil when the ship called Arcturus was captured? LHd you see the gold chests that were part of her cargo?'
And as for the swine who has perverted her, I shall make him scream for the mercy of death.
His imaginings were so vivid that he was afraid the men around him must sense them as powerfully as he did. He could stomach no more.
'I have finished with this piece of excrement, Your Majesty.' He scrubbed his hands in the bowl of warm water scented with flower petals that stood beside him, as if cleansing himself from the repulsive contact.
Zayn al-Din looked at Pasha Koots. 'Is there aught you wish to know from the prisoner?'
'If Your Majesty graciously permits.' He bowed. At first the questions he had for Omar were those that would concern a soldier. He wanted to know how many sailors had been on board the three ships, and how many men were in the fort, how loyal they were, and how prepared to fight. He asked about the armaments, the placement of the cannon and the field guns that had been captured from the holds of the Arcturus. How much powder did al-Salil have in his magazine, how many muskets?
Then his questions changed. The one you call Klebe, the Hawk, and whose /erengi name is Tom, you say you know him?'
'Yes, I know him well,' Omar agreed.
'He has a son.'
'Him I know also. We call him Somoya, for he is like the storm wind,' Omar told him.
'Where is he?' Koots asked, with a stony face, although behind the mask his anger burned brightly.
'I have heard it said within the fort that he has gone on a journey into the interior of the country.'
'Has he gone to hunt ivory?' Koots asked.
'They say that Somoya is a mighty hunter. He has a great store of ivory in the fort.'
'Have you seen this store with your own eyes?'
'I have seen the five capacious storerooms of the fort packed to the rafters with its abundance.'
Koots nodded with satisfaction. 'That is all I wish to know at present, but there will be many more questions later.'
Kadem bowed to his uncle. 'Your Majesty, I request that this prisoner be given into my personal charge and custody.'
'Take him away. Make sure he does not die, not yet at least. Not until he has served his purpose.' The guards hauled Omar to his feet and dragged him out through the great bronze doors. Zayn al-Din looked at Laleh, who had crept away, trying to efface himself among the shadows at the rear of the throne room. 'You have done good work. Now go and
prepare your ship for sea. I will need your services as a scout when you lead the fleet to this Nativity Bay.'
Laleh retreated backwards, bowing and making obeisance with each few steps towards the doors.
When the guards and all lesser men had gone, a silence fell on the council. All three waited for Zayn's next pronouncement. He seemed sunk in a deep reverie, like that of the bhang smoker. But at last he roused himself, and looked to Kadem ibn Abubaker.
'You are bound by a blood oath to avenge the death of your father at the hands of al-Salil.'
Kadem bowed deeply. 'That oath is more dear to me than my life.'
'Your soul has been desecrated by al-Salil's brother, Tom Courtney. He wrapped you in the skin of a pig, and threatened to bury you alive in the same grave as the obscene animal.'
Kadem ground his teeth at the memory. He could not bring himself to admit how he had been defiled and humiliated, but he sank to his knees. 'I beg you, my Caliph and brother of my father, to allow me to seek satisfaction for these terrible wrongs that have been perpetrated against me by these two diabolical brothers.'
Zayn nodded thoughtfully, and turned to Sir Guy. 'Consul General, your daughter has been abducted by the son of al-Salil. Your magnificent ship has been pirated and your great store of wealth stolen from you.'
'All this is true, Majesty.'
Zayn turned at last to Pasha Herminius Koots. 'You have suffered humiliation and your honour has been besmirched at the hands of this same family.'
'I have suffered all these afflictions.'
'As for me, the list of my own grievances against al-Salil goes back to my childhood,' Zayn al-Din said. 'It is too long and painful for me to recite here. We have a common purpose, and that is the eradication of this nest of venomous reptiles and pork-eaters. We know that they have accumulated a considerable store of gold and ivory. Let that be only the pepper sauce that piques our appetite for retribution.' He paused again, and looked from one to the other of his generals.
'How long will you need to draw up a battle plan?' he asked them.
'Mighty Caliph, before whom all your enemies are turned into dust and ashes, Pasha Koots and I will not sleep or eat until we are able to lay the battle order before you for your approval,' Kadem promised.
Zayn smiled. 'I would have accepted nothing less from you. We will meet here again after tomorrow's evening prayers to hear your plan.'
'We will be ready for you at that hour,' Kadem assured him.
The war
