Madari sank into his chair at last, with a sigh of relief. He'd been on his feet since arriving at the barracks that morning. Jahni and the rest of the unit couldn't wait to show him they were still the best of the best. He'd indulged them, inspecting every part of the facility and its equipment. Some of that equipment was new, bought on Jahni's authority, and Madari looked forward to talking to him about what other innovations he'd made. Rahama had told him last night that he'd encouraged Jahni not to just tread water while waiting for Madari's return, but to take the unit forward.

The desk in front of him was neat, and the in-tray held only items from that morning. Anything belonging to Jahni was gone and even Madari's rather old fountain pen that he used here sat in its usual pot, along with a half-dozen new and sharp-pointed pencils and three black and three blue biros. Madari suspected his clerk of organising those, rather than Jahni.

"You haven't been using my pen, have you?" he asked Jahni, picking up the fountain pen.

"No, you told me not to."

Madari nodded, happy about that. "A fountain pen nib adapts itself to the writer," he said.

"Why didn't you take it to Africa with you?"

That was a good question. He'd left many such items back here at home. "I think I wanted a clean slate out there. But, I also wanted to miss these items, even everyday ones like this pen, so that coming home would feel even sweeter." He smiled. "That sounds foolish now I say it."

Jahni chuckled. "It sounds very like you. And is it? Coming home I mean. Is it sweet?"

"Very. Now, we have to go over your reports. You need to bring me up to speed on all the missions you had while I was gone."

"Yes, sir." He glanced at his notebook. "Oh, one thing, before I forget. Lieutenant Raian asked if you would allow his father to meet you. He says he's always talking about you when he goes home. I suppose his father is curious."

"Of course. Have him come in. We'll give him a tour."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. You know how proud I am of the unit. It will be nice to show you all off."

Jahni chuckled at that. "That's not what you say when journalists ask for a tour."

"You know my standing orders regarding journalists."

"Repel with lethal force if necessary?" Jahni said.

"I don't think I ever mentioned 'lethal' force."

Jahni smirked. "That was one of my innovations while you were gone."

~~~

"Thank you for the tour, Colonel," Mr Raian said, offering Madari his hand as they returned to Madari's office.

"It was a pleasure, sir," Madari said. "I'm always happy to meet the family of any of my officers. You have much to be proud of." He smiled at Raian, who looked down, modestly.

"Oh, yes, I'm very proud of my boy." He beamed at Raian and patted his arm. "I have to admit to being wrong, about him joining the Army."

"You didn't want him to?" That surprised Madari. Raian was confident, cool-headed and with good natural authority. A born officer.

"I wanted him to take over the family business. But his younger brother is shaping up well there, so it turned out all right in the end."

"He's better at that than me anyway," Raian said.

"May I take you out to lunch, Colonel?" Mr Raian said, glancing at the clock as its hands approached noon.

"Thank you, but that's not necessary."

"I insist."

So Madari let him insist, and the two men left the barracks together in Mr Raian's chauffeur driven Mercedes. They didn't bring the lieutenant with them, the exclusion surprising Madari. He'd have thought the man would want to spend time with his son. But Mr Raian had said that he and Madari needed to talk a little business, and dismissed his son with a wave. Madari didn't quite understand what he meant by 'business', but he looked forward to seeing what he could learn about one of his best officers.

Mr Raian took him to one of the finest restaurants in the city, where they sat at his 'usual' table, Mr Raian undoing the buttons of his suit jacket as he sat. According to the lieutenant, his father did a lot of international business, spent half the year abroad. He wore no headdress and could have been an American to look at him in his grey, tailored business suit.

As they waited for their lunches, Mr Raian leaned across the table. "I've been thinking that it's time my son had a promotion to Captain."

Madari smiled, thinking it was typical that a businessman should have such a direct approach. "I assure you he has excellent promotion prospects. In the future -"

"He should be a captain at his age. I checked the typical ages for promotions. Isn't he good enough?"

"He wouldn't be in my unit at all if he wasn't," Madari said with a frown. "Sir, I understand your ambitions for your son. But we're still a small unit with low turnover. There are no vacant captaincies at the moment."

"Then make one. Promote Captain Jahni to major."

Madari bristled at this civilian telling him how to run his command. Somehow he managed to stay polite, though there was a hard frost in his tone.

"I appreciate your advice, Mr Raian, but I won't be acting on it at this time."

Mr Raian leaned back in his chair. His face was still quite neutral, Madari's refusal and chilly manner not seeming to worry him. Does he think he's in a business negotiation? Madari wondered.

"If he was still in another part of the Royal Guard he would be a captain by now."

"That's probably true, but as I explained, we're a specialised unit." Madari rubbed his forehead, looking for a way to explain. "Mr Raian, as the Special Forces group expands, the prospects for promotions will increase. Until then, your son and all of the officers understand that promotions won't come as fast as they would in another company of the regiment. If their main concern was furthering their rank they wouldn't have volunteered for the unit."

Surely that was clear enough, even to a civilian. Mr Raian nodded. Perhaps he did understand.

"You drive a hard bargain, Colonel."

Madari frowned at him. "I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand what you mean."

"What's your usual arrangement?" Raian said, taking out a small notebook and a silver pen. "Is there a specific rate for a captaincy?" He waited, pen poised and Madari could only stare, until his mouth caught up with his brain.

"You're offering me a bribe?"

"An incentive. I'm sure that bringing my son on a few years sooner than you intended is a small -"

He didn't finish, as Madari stood up, bashing into the table in his haste, making water glasses wobble and splash. Mr Raian instinctively put his hand out to stop his glass from toppling over.

"That is not the way it works in my unit, or the Royal Guard." He hoped he was right about that last one. Bribery was still a problem in the Army as a whole, Madari knew that, despite efforts to stamp it out. But Rahama had effectively ended it in the Royal Guard as soon as he took charge. Any questionable promotions had indeed been questioned.

Madari had never been offered a bribe - hoped that meant he had a good reputation as an honest man - and he'd wondered sometimes how he'd react if he was in that position. Now he knew. With anger and disgust. How could any commander sell promotions and place an officer in charge of men's lives when he wasn't qualified or ready for it?

Mr Raian put away his small notebook, scowling. "My son said you were an intelligent man, Colonel. But I've now got less respect for his judgement."

Did Lieutenant Raian know about this? Madari would have to question him when he got back to barracks.

"For the sake of your son, I won't report this to the police." A waiter came over with their meals and the expensive food suddenly looked vile to Madari; as if it was infested with maggots or other filth. It turned his stomach. Without another word, he strode out of the restaurant, leaving Mr Raian and the baffled waiter behind.

He walked a couple of blocks, allowing the fresh air to cool his rage. As he calmed down, his stomach reminded him that he still needed to eat, so went to a coffee house, bought food and sat at the tables outside, still needing the fresh air to clear his head.

Corruption was an old problem, of course. It would take a long time to go away. The thought that his grandfather could have taken bribes struck him suddenly, making him wonder about the family money he'd inherited. And his father. A supply officer was in an excellent position to look for sweeteners and incentives from suppliers chasing contracts.

No, he couldn't believe that of either of them. His father least of all. Even as a child, Madari had been able to see how seriously he'd taken his work. He'd often said that soldiers placed their lives in his hands when they went into combat with the equipment he bought for them. A man taking bribes would be buying from the supplier that offered the biggest bribe, not the best quality. People wouldn't still call him the best supply officer the Royal Guard ever had if he'd conducted his business like that.

And Ahmed? He'd made the Royal Guard into one of the best regiments in the Army. Officers made a regiment. Choosing them on anything but ability wouldn't build strength into the regiment but rather weakness. What about nepotism, and favouritism? Could Ahmed have been guilty of those? Could Madari himself? Mr Raian had said to make Jahni a major, and Madari had actually been thinking about that lately. Though Jahni hadn't been ready for it before Madari went to Africa, in the fortnight since he returned Madari had seen a new maturity in him. The experience of command had given him that.

Still, he'd always been wary when it came to Jahni, trying to avoid anything that could be interpreted as showing favouritism. Jahni might indeed be ready for promotion to major. He certainly had the ability, but he would be on the young side for that rank. People might assume things. They already assumed things; no use encouraging them even further. Perhaps he should discuss it with Rahama, get a second opinion? But did he want Rahama to think that he didn't trust his own judgement? For that matter, did Madari trust his own judgement when it came to Jahni? That was a worrying thought.

His lunch finished, Madari wiped his hands on a napkin, and left the coffee house to find a taxi back to barracks.

~~~

Lieutenant Raian knocked on Madari's office door and Madari beckoned him inside. From the look on his face, Madari suspected he knew exactly why Madari had called him here. That made Madari curse silently. He knew. Damn.

"Close the door," he said.

Raian did and came to stand at attention in front of the desk.

"Sir," he said before Madari could speak. "My father called me, before you came back from lunch. I know what he did. I can only say that I'm sorry."

Madari frowned. "You didn't know beforehand?"

Raian stared, horrified. "No, sir. If I had, I'd have told him not to even think about it."

He appeared sincere. Madari sighed and waved a hand at the chair on that side of the desk. "Sit down, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, sir." He sat, but certainly didn't relax. "I really am sorry, sir. I told him just now on the phone that he insulted you. And that what he did was illegal." A nervous look crossed his face. "Are you planning on going to the police, sir?"

"No," Madari said. "Not this time. Please ensure he understands that I am not just... driving a hard bargain. That if he approaches me with such an offer again I will report him."

"Yes, sir, of course," Raian said, hastily. "I'll make sure he understands. I can only ask that you won't hold this against me in the future, Colonel."

"Of course not. You will be a Captain one day, Lieutenant, and who knows what after that? Nobody needs to pay me to see that you achieve your full potential."

"Thank you, sir. I know that promotions won't be as fast in the unit - you explained that when I came in. And I haven't regretted that for a second."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"Serving here, with you and Captain Jahni, helping you to create this new type of fighting force. It's such an exciting challenge that I'd rather serve in this unit as a private than as a major anywhere else."

Madari couldn't answer for a second, overwhelmed by the enthusiasm from Raian. So much pride in the unit and in himself that he'd made it to serve here.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," he said, when his voice came back. "That means a lot to me."

"It's hard to make my father understand that. He thinks being in the Army is only about getting promotions. As if that's the only way to measure success." He smiled wryly. "He's a businessman, not a soldier. He doesn't understand about things like duty, or service, or challenging yourself to be the best."

"Well, despite that, you clearly do. Go back to your post, Lieutenant. As far as I'm concerned this matter is closed."

"Thank you, sir." He rose and marched smartly out of the door, closing it behind him. Madari walked to the conference table and poured a glass of water. Today's paper, lying on the table, caught his eye while he sipped the water. The headline was once again about the upcoming Haridi case and the scandal still engulfing the mayor's office.

Madari looked over at the chair where Raian had sat and thought of the pride radiating from him. If Madari were ever to disgrace himself like Haridi... he'd lose all of that pride and love and loyalty from his men. He could never do that to them. He had to stay strong. For the unit. The phone rang and he drank the rest of the water and picked it up.

"Sir," his clerk said, "I have a woman on the line for you. She says her name is Lieutenant Bennett."

Karen? Well, this was a surprise.

"Put her through."

"Wotcha, Colonel," Karen said a moment later. He smiled at the traditional Australian greeting.

"Karen, it's good to hear from you. Where are you?"

"Port Said."

"What? You're in Egypt?"

"Just got off the ferry from Limmisol."

"Cyprus?"

"Can't catch you out on the geography, can I? I had some leave accumulated, and after listening to you talking about the Middle East for six months, I fancied seeing it firsthand. So I hitched on a military flight to Cyprus and here I am."

"Are you coming here? It will be very good to see you."

"Of course, I... hang on." Her voice grew more distant. "No, I don't want to buy any melons. Bugger off." She came back on. "Bloody hawkers."

"Karen, do you speak any Arabic at all?"

"I've got a phrase book. 'Bugger off' doesn't seem to need any translation though."

"Oh, yes, I can see this trip is going to turn out very well."

She giggled at his dry tone. "Look, I'm going to spend about a week in Egypt, checking out those pointy buildings everyone raves about."

"Pointy buildings..." He almost giggled himself. "Yes, they are worth a look. So, I'll see you in about a week."

"I'll call you when I'm on my way. Can't wait to see you again."

"I look forward to it."

He ended the call with his mood lifted considerably. Someone else to show the unit off to. Someone who wouldn't poison the good mood that came from doing that the way Mr Raian had. He went into the outer office and through into the private office Jahni had now.

"I have some good news, Kahil. You're going to be able to continue those very interesting discussions you had about feminism."

Jahni's 'did you get hit in the head?' expression brought Madari's mood all the way back to the good side of the ledger.

~~~

Madari and Jahni entered a briefing room a few days later to find the men waiting for them, but Madari frowned at the arrangement of the tables and chair, all in forward facing rows, like a classroom.

"No, no, this won't do," he said. "I want more of a round table discussion here. Arrange the desks seminar style, please." He sat at the desk at the front, taking papers from his briefcase, while Jahni turned to the men.

"Come on, let's get these desks moved."

The men started heaving the desks and chairs around. As they worked, Jahni glanced back at Madari, who worked on his papers with a smile on his face. He'd been in a good mood for a couple of days, clearly looking forward to Karen Bennett's visit. Jahni couldn't deny he was too. Though they'd argued almost every time either of them said something, back at the lodge, it had always been in good humour. By the time Jahni left, he'd seen how much she respected and liked Madari and that had made it less difficult to leave. He trusted Karen to watch Madari's back.

"I hear they're rearranging the furniture down at the mayor's office too," one man said.

Madari's smile vanished. Jahni thought he saw him wince at the mention of the mayor's office. That scandal story had really bothered him.

"Why's that?" another soldier asked.

"So all the men can sit with their backs to the wall," the first man said with a smirk. The rest of the men laughed and Jahni felt his fists clench involuntarily. This time he felt sure he saw a grimace twist Madari's face, even though he had his hand partly in front of it now.

"That's enough," Jahni snapped. The men settled down immediately.

"Sorry, sir," the first man said. "Just a little joke."

"Private, if I wanted to hear a comedian, I'd go to a nightclub. Meanwhile, this evolution does not require talking."

~~~

"That's how they'd talk about the unit," Madari said, as he packed away his papers after the briefing ended and the men had left.

"What?"

"That... joke. Things like that. If we ever... if we were caught, it's not only us who'd suffer. The unit would become the butt of jokes. And not only jokes. I hear more than that. Hatred. Contempt."

"Faris, that's not going to happen. We decided."

"We decided. But are we strong enough?"

"Yes," Jahni said. No defensiveness, or justification. They were strong enough. He knew it. Simple as that.

"You're right," Madari said, setting his jaw, his distracted and distressed expression clearing. "We are strong. We won't let the men down."