Chapter 25: Excuses

"Your Magnificence..." she began.

"Quiet!" he said in an ominously calm voice, "Speak only to answer my questions."

"But I can..."

"Must I have you gagged?"

Sharon did not answer and the Emir continued, "I will tell you what they told me. You arrived at the auction and they would not let you in because you are a woman. You invoked my declaration that you are a man, and that means you were there in your official capacity as Ambassador. I did not decree that you personally are a man, but that the Ambassador of the USA is a man, Mr. Ambassador."

He paused for a moment.

"Then you bid for and bought an indentured servant and took her away. Took her away without paying for her, I may add. Then you took her to the Embassy, which is legally in the District of Columbia in the United States of America, without permission, where her indenture is contrary to U.S. laws and has no validity."

He looked at Sharon as though she were a very stupid child.

"What answer do you have to the charges of theft of an indentured servant, abduction of said servant, taking said servant out of Kobekistan without permission, all contrary to Kobekistani law, and can you think of any good reason why we should not attempt to have you extradited from U.S. territory to Kobekistan to face trial on those charges? Further, is this the policy of the USA now, to buy slaves here and move them to U.S. territory?"

"Your Magnificence, it was a spur of the moment thing. I was not thinking. She can be returned to..." Sharon's voice tailed off as she saw that the Emir was not placated in any way by this. Indeed she sounded foolish even to herself.

"Put simply, for you clearly are a simpleton, if the slave is returned to Kobekistan you cannot own her, nor can any of your staff, by your own laws, but you still owe the auctioneer the price you bid, plus commission plus interest, and she has no legal owner, and it may take a change in the laws of Kobekistan to straighten the situation out. If she stays in the U.S. Embassy, then I will have no choice but to play merry hell, up to and including breaking off diplomatic relations, because she has been abducted across a national boundary. Maria assures me that you personally will then be shipped back to the USA to face trial there as a slave trader. I do not know what would happen to the woman; Maria has not yet decided whether she would be returned to us or granted asylum."

The pause after he said that lengthened.

"Where is she now?"

"With the Deputy Head of Mission in the anteroom, Your Magnificence," said Sharon.

"Bind her and take her into our care," he ordered and a eunuch scurried off.

Turning back to Sharon he asked, "That relieves Maria of one problem. Do you intend to ask me to return her?"

"No, Your Magnificence, may you live for ever," said a thoroughly contrite Sharon.

"Do you intend to pay for her?"

"If that is what you order, Your Magnificence, may you live for ever."

"Will you voluntarily come to Kobekistan to face the charges against you?"

Seeing her glance round at the members of the Royal Guard in the room he added, "Oh, don't worry. The Vienna Convention means I cannot arrest you while you are here as Ambassador."

Raising his voice again, he ordered, "Bring in the other American."

The Deputy Head of Mission was ushered in to the Throne Room.

"I will now ask you formally, will you waive your rights as Ambassador and submit to being tried according to Kobekistani law on charges of theft, abduction, and assisting illegal emigration?"

The Deputy Head of Mission tried to protest, but Sharon waved him away.

"I waive my rights as Ambassador and will accept the verdict of Kobekistani justice," she said in a calm voice which belied her excitement.

"Go back to the Embassy now. Do not enter Kobekistani territory again until you are called for trial. Your Deputy Head of Mission can perform any formal duties in your place. If the other embassies are told that you are indisposed, no Kobekistani will tell them that you are to face trial."

"How soon will..." Sharon started to ask.

"As soon as I have calmed down and can find the time. Perhaps the day after tomorrow," replied the Emir.

He stood up and all, including the two Americans, fell to the floor in obeisance.