desk at Sikes Pasha, Captain Khadid, and Captain Komard. "The attack of last night was a superb victory!"
Sikes wasn't so sure about a "superb victory," but it obviously was a tactical success in that the enemy's defensive system was damaged by concentrating fire on known positions to destroy them. This was accomplished as planned. "When them reinforcements arrive, we'll give the Yanks a what-for they ain't soon to forget, yeah?"
Komard was interested in the new men. "How many are we receiving, Sikes Pasha?"
"Twenty," he replied. "It doubles me force, that's wot it does." He glanced over at the Brigadier. "Things are a lot better than when we was at Chehaar Garrison, hey, Brigadier?"
"Absolutely correct, Major Sikes," the brigadier said. He did not refer to Sikes by the title "Pasha," since he outranked the Brit. In fact, there were times when Khohollah was irritated by the arrogant manner in which Sikes conducted himself. It smacked of the old colonial attitudes of the British Empire. But the brigadier was convinced that the General Staff put great value on this deserter from the UK, and any undue complaints about him might prove most disadvantageous to the career of anyone who denigrated the man.
"Our situation improves daily," Captain Khadid said. He had never been at Chehaar Garrison during the situation with the armored cars. He had been in the Pashtun camp as a personal adviser to Yama Orakzai, the Pashtun rebel leader. This had been before and during the setbacks and humiliations that had been inflicted on Sikes by the Americans. The situation had infuriated the former British soldier.
"Yes," the brigadier said. "We are much better off." He was personally miffed as a general officer by the number of men he commanded. Even with the arrival of the Arab volunteers, he would have less than a hundred under his overall control. And no artillery. By proper military custom, Khohollah should have been leading two thousand to five thousand men into battle. However, in spite of the resentment, he showed enthusiasm and optimism for the sake of his subordinate officers and soldiers. He smiled at his loyal adjutant, Captain Jamshid Komard, whom he had given the command of the fire support unit. "Your men made superlative work of covering the withdrawal as well as knocking out the defensive positions."
"I shall pass on your compliments to the gunners, Excellency," Komard said. "They will be most happy about your approval." He hesitated, then asked, "Do you think there is a chance of us receiving mortars to replace the grenade launchers, Excellency?"
The brigadier shook his head. "Do not anticipate any such happening, dear Komard. To express the truth, I was greatly surprised by the reinforcements. I did not expect such a thing unless the Amerikayizan increased their strength in soldiers or weapons."
Captain Khadid lit a cigarette. "The political and diplomatic aspects of this operation truly test a soldier's patience, do they not?"
"You speak the absolute truth, Captain," Brigadier Khohollah agreed. "But we must keep in mind that the Iranian government is not run by the Army."
Sikes nodded. "I'm finding all that a bit too much to swallow meself. I'd just as soon give them Yanks a good whipping, then get the Pashtuns back in their place. Then we can get on with taking over Afghanistan."
"Be patient, Major Sikes," the brigadier advised him. He smiled, saying, "Could it be that you miss your little Pashtun wife?"
"I miss her, alright," Sikes admitted. "But we ain't married no more, since me and Cap'n Khadid was told to leave. That ended the marriage. It was a muta anyhow and supposed to be temporary by Islamic law." He paused hesitantly for a moment, then said, "I don't like to stick me nose in places where it ain't wanted, but I been wondering a bit if you have a wife or wives you miss."
"I only had one wife," the brigadier said. "She died five years ago. We were, alas, a childless couple; thus I have no descendants. Nor
Sikes wasn't so sure about a "superb victory," but it obviously was a tactical success in that the enemy's defensive system was damaged by concentrating fire on known positions to destroy them. This was accomplished as planned. "When them reinforcements arrive, we'll give the Yanks a what-for they ain't soon to forget, yeah?"
Komard was interested in the new men. "How many are we receiving, Sikes Pasha?"
"Twenty," he replied. "It doubles me force, that's wot it does." He glanced over at the Brigadier. "Things are a lot better than when we was at Chehaar Garrison, hey, Brigadier?"
"Absolutely correct, Major Sikes," the brigadier said. He did not refer to Sikes by the title "Pasha," since he outranked the Brit. In fact, there were times when Khohollah was irritated by the arrogant manner in which Sikes conducted himself. It smacked of the old colonial attitudes of the British Empire. But the brigadier was convinced that the General Staff put great value on this deserter from the UK, and any undue complaints about him might prove most disadvantageous to the career of anyone who denigrated the man.
"Our situation improves daily," Captain Khadid said. He had never been at Chehaar Garrison during the situation with the armored cars. He had been in the Pashtun camp as a personal adviser to Yama Orakzai, the Pashtun rebel leader. This had been before and during the setbacks and humiliations that had been inflicted on Sikes by the Americans. The situation had infuriated the former British soldier.
"Yes," the brigadier said. "We are much better off." He was personally miffed as a general officer by the number of men he commanded. Even with the arrival of the Arab volunteers, he would have less than a hundred under his overall control. And no artillery. By proper military custom, Khohollah should have been leading two thousand to five thousand men into battle. However, in spite of the resentment, he showed enthusiasm and optimism for the sake of his subordinate officers and soldiers. He smiled at his loyal adjutant, Captain Jamshid Komard, whom he had given the command of the fire support unit. "Your men made superlative work of covering the withdrawal as well as knocking out the defensive positions."
"I shall pass on your compliments to the gunners, Excellency," Komard said. "They will be most happy about your approval." He hesitated, then asked, "Do you think there is a chance of us receiving mortars to replace the grenade launchers, Excellency?"
The brigadier shook his head. "Do not anticipate any such happening, dear Komard. To express the truth, I was greatly surprised by the reinforcements. I did not expect such a thing unless the Amerikayizan increased their strength in soldiers or weapons."
Captain Khadid lit a cigarette. "The political and diplomatic aspects of this operation truly test a soldier's patience, do they not?"
"You speak the absolute truth, Captain," Brigadier Khohollah agreed. "But we must keep in mind that the Iranian government is not run by the Army."
Sikes nodded. "I'm finding all that a bit too much to swallow meself. I'd just as soon give them Yanks a good whipping, then get the Pashtuns back in their place. Then we can get on with taking over Afghanistan."
"Be patient, Major Sikes," the brigadier advised him. He smiled, saying, "Could it be that you miss your little Pashtun wife?"
"I miss her, alright," Sikes admitted. "But we ain't married no more, since me and Cap'n Khadid was told to leave. That ended the marriage. It was a muta anyhow and supposed to be temporary by Islamic law." He paused hesitantly for a moment, then said, "I don't like to stick me nose in places where it ain't wanted, but I been wondering a bit if you have a wife or wives you miss."
"I only had one wife," the brigadier said. "She died five years ago. We were, alas, a childless couple; thus I have no descendants. Nor
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