by Tony Lavely
In the house, Beckie took Ian along to check Ralf, sleeping in his crib. After a few words with Angel, she took Ian’s hand, leading him to their room, directing him to the small sofa on the far wall.
He sat and made himself comfortable; she waited before seating herself beside him. She turned so her knees were against his thighs and she could look at his face.
“We didn’t talk much last night, I guess,” she said with a tentative smile, which grew as he returned it.
“Indeed. I thought it perfectly… satisfactory is a poor description, outstanding would be better, or perhaps as you used to say, brilliant—”
“I thought you’d not noticed my slang, not enough to repeat it at least! Anyway…” She touched his lips. “… I need to talk… And now you’re alive again, and in my arms… close, at least…” She took his arm and pulled it into contact. “Ian… I…” Com’on, you thought about this enough, just say it. Easy for you! Easy for you, too; dammit. Just spit it out so we can get on with the… fun things. This arguing with myself is going way too far! “What’s our future? I mean,” she hurried to continue before he could attempt an answer to the question she hadn’t meant, “not you and me, we’re fine. I think. I hope…” She was reassured by the calm loving look in his expression and eyes. “Yeah, we’re fine.” She drew his hand over her chest and up so she could kiss it. “But… with the team? I learned two things for sure when you… ‘died:’ I’m not sure I could survive it again… I think Ralf growing in me was a major reason I fought through the… whatever…” She sighed before kissing his hand again. “And I’m not cut out for… for leading our team.” There! It’s out. “I’ve been fighting with that since Elena shocked me into thinking about it by leaving.”
“I cannot tell you how much I regret—”
“Don’t even! Nothing we uncovered led to the idea that you had anything to do with it… besides being absolutely fucking competent and… brilliant…” She smiled a big, tooth exposing smile at him. “… at your job!” He started a little. Her expression became more neutral. “So… that was part of my problem, too; that I died a little every time I asked… or told… one of us…”
Ian reached her, pulled her close, kissed her eyes and lips. “Shush. I… no, we, you and I and Ralf, will do whatever it takes to make us all happy. As happy as we can be.”
“But the team…”
“The team may dissolve should we… retire. That would not be our concern. Making sure each member lands where they are comfortable, that would be our concern.” He kissed along her jaw. “Would it make you more comfortable if we… retire?”
Hmm. Don’t get lost in his kissing just yet girl. This is important, and besides, you brought it up. Kissing is part of the ‘fun’ things, remember? I was thinking more of his little pause just before he said ‘retire.’ I don’t think he’s ready for that yet. She shifted to press her face against his neck and after a kiss, she said, “No. I wouldn’t be more comfortable then. But…” She kissed the side of his throat again, then leaned away to gaze at him. “… it has to be us, together. I can’t go it alone, and knowing how I feel about it, I want to be with you, be part of the… part of the problem solving, and be there with you when something goes… tango uniform, as Sam might say.”
“Tango uniform?”
“Tits up. SNAFU. You know, like—”
His lips blocked whatever she thought to finish with.
In a minute, or five, or a lifetime, he released her, enough that their lips were not pressed together. “I must tell you that every person you have worked with has complimented you. Samuel and Leonid were most persuasive.”
What? “I don’t understand. Persuasive how?”
“Assuring me that the ‘little girl’ I brought into this team has matured; as her mentor, they said, I should be proud. Of course, since I had little to do with it, I take that with a grain of salt.”
She’d gone limp, almost, bending forward to land on his thigh. “That can’t…” She straightened herself. Better act “mature.” If I knew how! “I can’t tell you how… I was gonna say wrong, but it’s more a difference of opinion, I guess. I don’t feel all that mature, believe me, especially when… when I broke down in front of Leonid.”
Ian smiled and pulled her close. “He has a different recollection, I believe. That you were relieving stress. As you pointed out to him.”
“But… but what about—”
“No. Later, we can discuss that, and the cable Boynton handed me.”
“Okay, I guess.” She frowned enough that her brows wrinkled. “What about that cable?”
He leaned away to look in here eyes, then grinned. “A princess requires assistance.”
“A princess, huh? No prince?”
“There was no word of a prince.”
“So, a needy princess? Disney, where are you!” She blew a raspberry on his shoulder. “I’m so not gonna listen. Tell me tomorrow. Or maybe next week.”
Epilog
THE NEXT MORNING, BECKIE spent an hour cuddling with Ralf after she fed him.
“Is your milk coming back okay, then?” Angel asked as she worked on Ethian’s bath.
“Yeah, at least so far. But I’m not planning on sending you away!” The girl smiled her thanks and toweled Ethian until he glowed. Ralf, cooing and giggling, tried rolling off Beckie’s chest; she enjoyed keeping him from falling, even though they were both on a deep pile rug.
Just before ten, she put Ralf in his lanai carrier and greeted Willie.
“We still doing ten o’clocks?”
“Sure. Until Ian’s back up to speed, so, for another week or so, I’d guess. They’ll be as much for him as us.” She glanced at Ian, sitting calmly, smiling.
“Good. This won’t be amiss, then.” He set the laptop computer he’d carried in on the table where both Beckie and Ian could see it. “It’s always nice when things work out.” He typed for a moment.
Beckie leaned forward, brushing against Ian’s shoulder. Feels so good! Back to work, Beck.
“Recorded a Skype conversation with Doctor Sher earlier today, while you two youngsters were sleeping,” he said with a chuckle. “He started by asking about Beth, and thanking her again.”
Beckie watched the Skype image, but only for a moment. Sher’s words and hands took her attention.
“Mr. Llorens, I hope you will pass along our deep appreciation for Mrs. Jamse’s efforts, and for Captain Danilin’s team and their work. I have just talked to Doctor Smythe, and he permits me to display this to you, under the usual constraints. No pub—”
“I’m okay with Doctor’s Smythe’s restrictions.” Willie’s voice came from the monitor. “Besides, who would I tell? I’ll pass the requirement along before telling anyone.”
“Thank you. In that event… Are you perhaps familiar with the ‘Dancing Girl?’ A statuette discovered in Mohenjo-daro, almost a hundred years ago, now?”
“I don’t think so,” Willie had replied.
“Well, when we are finished, I suppose you can Google it as easily as anything. And you can compare it with…” He unfolded what Beckie had thought was a plain white terry cloth towel.
On the stark fabric, a small rough statuette lay. Sher used a pair of tongs to move the figure closer to the camera. As Beckie thought, This is just out of the dirt. And what are those pieces sticking out? Sher said, “You see it as Smythe did, moments after our scientists discovered it in the rubble where the cave had collapsed, apparently before even the sprues were removed. It was close by a few similar but failed castings. While we hope to find more—”
“That would be greedy, wouldn’t it?” Willie said.
Sher guffawed. “It certainly would, Mr. Llorens! And while I admit that, it is still my hope and dream. But even if we do not, I think this…” He moved the figure slightly. “… will cement our site in history.”
“Forgive me,” Willie said on the recording as he reached to stop the playback. Live, he said, “I thin
k it makes sense to show you…” He moved the computer so he could type, and in a moment, slid it back around. “That’s the Dancing Girl he was speaking of.”
Beckie read the Wikipedia text, and after a glance at Ian, clicked through to the image. She found the video of Sher’s conversation, and examined the two statuettes. “Fair number of similarities, aren’t there?” she said quietly.
“I suspect there is one of overriding importance, should the new one date to approximately 2500 BCE. To my completely untrained eye, the design looks similar. It could almost be a practice piece. That should bring joy to the good doctors.”
“That’s much what Sher went on to say, before admitting that the next step was to do the date testing. He’s also planning a trip to The National Museum in Karachi to compare the figurines they have with this one. I just wanted you to have an idea before he went on.”
He touched the keyboard; the balance of the conversation held no surprises.
“This’ll be a success for Smythe and his team,” Willie said, “whether they find more pieces or not.”
“Indeed. Well done, Rebecca, well done. Thank you.”
Her protests were muffled by his lips.
End of
Discoveries
Beckie and Ian
Return in Mark My Dance Card
Read an except here.
Appendices
Glossary
AS INTENDED IN THE text
Arabic words and phrases
Allāhu Akbar
God is great
As-salām ‘alaykum
Hello (general greeting)1
haram
forbidden by Islamic law
kafir
a non-Muslim person, an unbeliever
keffiyeh
an Arabic male’s headdress
Masā’ al-khayr
good afternoon1
nāsih
mentor, advisor
Shukran jazīlan
Thank you very much2
thobe
ankle length male Arabic garment similar to a robe
French words and phrases
À la perfection
To a fare-thee-well; perfectly
expert en informatique
computer engineer
Je suis désolé
I am sorry
l’addition
the bill, the check
Le même, s’il vous plaît.
The same, please.
Les toilettes
bathroom
Les hommes nous ont donné aucune aide; mais nous les supplions presque … pour nous aider.
They gave us no help; but we almost… beg them to help us.
Merde
shit (as an expletive)
raffiné
couth, refined
Russian words
Da:yes
Urdu words and phrases (Transliterations)
Aap say milkar khushi hoee.
Pleased to meet you.3
Assalam-o-Aleykum
Hello4
dupatta
material worn by women over the chest and shoulders of a shalwar kameez
Mayen urdū naheen boultī.
I don’t speak Urdu.4
shalwar kameez
Pakistani two-piece garment consisting of kameez (a tunic) and shalwar (pants)
Sources
1: http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/arabic.php
2: http://www.fodors.com/language/arabic/basic-phrases/
3: http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/urdu.php
4: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/urdu/guide/phrases.shtml
The Nest
THE NEST IS A fictitious archipelago sited in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. It is described by the map in the front matter, as well as here.
Cartography based on “Eastern Caribbean.” 21.680164° N and 73.463645° W. Google Earth. Image date not given. Accessed April 7, 2013.
There are seven islands, listed in order of decreasing size.
Port Cay: 11050 feet by 4050 feet (largest dimensions in two orthogonal directions). Average elevation is 15 feet, and the maximum elevation is 50 feet, both above mean high water (mhw). Port Cay houses the team’s airfield (8000’ by 200’ asphalt runway, heading east-west, east end is 18’ elevation, dropping to 12’ at the west end.). The island was artificially extended to accommodate the runway. To support aircraft operations, the island also has a hangar. The Nest’s communication and radar facilities are adjacent to the hangar.
Bon Secours Cay: 7000’ x 2000’, avg. ele., 15’; max. ele., 40’ mhw. The name denotes the home of the team’s hospital. The camp’s administration and security offices are adjacent to the hospital. Homes occupy most of the other area.
Nord Cay: 4100’ x 1940’; avg. ele., 15’; max. ele., 25’ mhw. Northernmost island. Team member homes.
Sud Cay: 2000’ x 3000’; avg. ele., 18’; max. ele., 40’ mhw. Southernmost occupied island. Sud Cay has the only deep draft dock on its eastern shore. More homes and storage facilities.
Home Cay: 3200’ x 1580’; avg. ele., 13’; max. ele., 20’ mhw. First island settled; Ian Jamse and Kevin deVeel’s homes are there.
Cottage Cay: 2600’ x 1200’; avg. ele., 10’; max. ele., 30’ mhw. A community of cottages for single or unattached team members. The southwest shore has a protected lagoon; the team’s small boat anchorage is there.
Tiny Cay: 2000’ x 1000’; avg. ele., 8’; max. ele., 10’ mhw. Uninhabited with only brush, Tiny Cay lies about two miles south and slightly west of Sud Cay. It is used for training.
All islands except Tiny Cay have a dock with boats capable of navigating between islands. Bon Secours has three of them due to its relatively central location.
Cell phone and WiFi service are provided, with a connection to BTC. Security monitors all coastlines for intrusions as well as passing traffic.
The team’s aircraft are leased, including a Gulfstream G280, a Gulfstream G150, a B737-700C and a Piper Mirage. The team owns outright a Lockheed C130 retired from US Air Force service. The hangar is capable of protecting these as well as a Eurocopter EC-135.
Cast
IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Nureddin Al-Shazar
Daesh leader in both Syria and Pakistan
Kalil el-Asad
Daesh subordinate in Syria, Abdul-Nur’s son
Rebecca Jamse (Beckie)
Ian Jamse’s wife, team leader in Ian’s absence
Willie Llorens
One of Jamse’s team; Beckie’s trusted advisor
Maurice Boynton
Both Beckie and Ian’s factotum, team member
Tjaart Mulder
South African policeman, a friend of Beth’s
Bethany Stadd (Beth)
One of Jamse’s team, working with Leonid
Pieter Nijs
One of Jamse’s team; armorer, trainer
Leonid Danilin (Lyeka)
One of Jamse’s team; group leader
Fedor Starinov
One of Jamse’s team, working with Leonid
Dr. Kumar Sher (Brody)
Archeologist, works with Smythe
Anatoly
One of Jamse’s team, working with Leonid
Fabien
One of Jamse’s team, working with Leonid
Tarquin
One of Jamse’s team, working with Leonid
Juri Mulka
One of Jamse’s team, working with Leonid
Soufiane Boufel (unnamed)
Directs the Monaco Group, a weapons dealership
Abdul-Nur el-Asad
Daesh financier; Al-Shazar’s superior
Maryam
One of Boufel’s workers
Achmed
A terrorist in Monaco and France, working for Boufel
Ralf Eoin Jamse
Beckie and Ian’s son
Ian Jamse
Beckie’s husband, the team’s leader and her mentor
&
nbsp; Kevin deVeel
One of Jamse’s team, Ian’s partner, Shalin’s husband
Amy Rose Ardan
One of Jamse’s team, apprentice to Beckie, Dylan’s lover
Zhang Xia
One of Jamse’s team, translator
Go Shen
One of Jamse’s team, handles security for the Nest
Shalin deVeel
Kevin deVeel’s wife, Beckie’s friend
Doctor Moriko Claire
Beckie’s OB/GYN
Jan
One of Millie’s nurses
Millie Ardan
Jamse’s Chief Doctor, Amy’s mother
Jose Figuroa
One of Lisa’s classmates, wanna-be terrorist
Melina
Jose’s girlfriend
Cori D’Costa
One of Lisa’s classmates; her best friend
Jean Sverdupe
Beckie’s mother
Jean-Luc Fereré
Pilot, one of Jamse’s team
Lisa Grove (Lise)
