Chapter 6: Death And Change

The Emir, His Magnificence Mahmoud Abdullah, and Crown Prince Gamel were travelling together, which was unusual, in one of the Emir's private 747s on the way back from a trip to Monte Carlo. The chauffeur delegated to collect them at the Kobek International Airport was a little over-enthusiastic and raced along the runway after the aeroplane. Air Traffic Control spotted it and panicked. The military also panicked and ordered the pilot to take off again, fearing an assassination attempt. The pilot did his best, but was short of room and as the aeroplane tried to take off, it hit the lights at the end of the runway and cart-wheeled into an expensive shambles of broken and burning metal.

Some days later the new Emir, His Magnificence Mahmoud Abdullah (also known as David Ransome), may he live for ever, arrived in Kobekistan from Oxford, England where he had been studying advanced mathematics. None of the more important personages in Kobekistan knew him, since it had always been assumed that Crown Prince Gamel would succeed his father or, if necessary, some other son would be selected and trained for the throne. Now, because of the odd succession laws in force and the unfortunate accident of their dying almost together, the Emir was succeeded by his grandson. The boy was the son of the late Prince Abdullah and his English first wife. Soon after her husband died while playing polo, the mother had left Kobekistan taking her son with her back to England.

It was with much trepidation that the first few days of the new Emir's reign were anticipated. As soon as he was in the air heading for his newly acquired country, the great and the good prepared themselves for the public audience he would offer on arrival, that all might make obeisance to their new ruler. They gathered at the audience chamber of the great Golden Palace and waited with the infinite patience of men whose forebears had sat unmoving through desert sandstorms for days.

Finally the new Emir, may he live for ever, arrived and entered the audience chamber which gave the appearance of being carpeted entirely by crouching people as everyone pressed their foreheads on the floor. The new Emir, may he live for ever, walked slowly to the far end of the room where there was a dais with a small but unmistakable throne on it. The major-domo banged the end of his mace on the floor, and all might rise.

"We will eat now and discuss business later," the Emir, may he live for ever, ordered the general throng of people, simply because he was hungry.

Unbeknownst to him, this was a magnificent gesture which many of them mistakenly thought to be a master stroke designed to prove to them that this was a man who was not a fool. At a stroke he had put every other man in the room in his debt. Food was brought and all partook. There was even the incredible sight of a woman in the audience chamber. Of course she was covered from head to foot in an abaya, but rumour had it that this was the Princess Zubeydeh, mother to the Emir, may he live for ever, though Ramzy El-Najjar was far too far from the throne to be able to be certain even that it was a woman.

After the meal was over, the Emir, may he live for ever, resumed the throne, with the purdah clad woman sitting next to the dais, and the major-domo rapped on the floor again. The Emir, may he live for ever, stood and all present broke into tumultuous applause which showed no sign of dying down. Just as Ramzy El-Najjar thought he could no longer keep up the frantic welcome which protocol and prudence demanded, the Emir, may he live for ever, waved his hand and silence fell. The major-domo again rapped on the floor and the crowd filed out quietly. Ramzy El-Najjar tried to arrange an audience but could not even get an appointment to speak to the deputy assistant who scheduled appointments to ask for an audience.