Jesus, with Gavallan’s Lengeh op closed down, isn’t the whole Siri field in jeopardy? How’ll de Plessey operate Siri without chopper support? Ambassador, huh? Interesting. How’s that gonna work? Who does what to whom? And how much do I pass on to old Aaron? The lot, that old bastard’ll figure where it all fits if anyone can.
He wandered through the lobby and out to his car and did not notice Kasigi in a phone booth to one side.
“.. .I quite agree, Ishii-san.” Kasigi was speaking deferentially in Japanese, sweat on his brow. “Please inform His Excellency we’ll get our equipment and crew, I’m sure of it - if you can arrange the rest.” He kept the nervousness out of his voice.
“Ah, is that so? Excellent,” Ishii from the embassy said. “I’ll inform His Excellency at once. Now, what about the Iranian ambassador? Have you heard from him?”
The bottom dropped out of Kasigi’s bottom. “He hasn’t accepted the invitation?”
“No, so sorry, not yet, and it’s almost three o’clock. Very distressing. Please join the meeting as we agreed. Thank you, Kasigi-san.” “Thank you, Ishii-san,” he said, wanting to scream. Gently he replaced the phone.
In the air-conditioned lobby he felt a little better and went to the reception desk. There he collected his messages - two from Hiro Toda to phone - and went upstairs to his room and locked the door. He crushed the messages into a ball, threw them into the toilet, and began to urinate on them. “Dear stupid cousin Hiro,” he said aloud in Japanese, “if I save your stupid neck which I have to do to save my own,” then added a stream of English obscenities as there were none in Japanese, “your family will be in debt to mine for eight generations for all the trouble you’re causing me.” He flushed the messages away, took off his clothes, showered, and lay naked on the bed in the cool breeze, wanting to gather energy and restore his tranquillity to prepare for the meeting.
The Japanese ambassador’s chance remark that had initiated his whole scheme had been made to Roger Newbury at a British embassy reception a couple of days ago. The ambassador had mentioned mat the new Iranian ambassador had been bewailing the closure of Iran-Toda mat would have given the new Islamic state a tremendous position of economic power throughout the whole Gulf region. “His name’s Abadani, university trained, majored in economics, of course fundamentalist but not rabidly so. He’s quite young and not too experienced but he’s a career officer, speaks good English, and was in the Kabul embassy…”
At the time the remarks had meant very little to Kasigi. Then Whirlwind happened. Tehran’s telexes had spread throughout the Gulf, and then rumors of Abadani’s demand for an inspection of Gavallan’s helicopters fixed for this evening - an inspection that would obviously prove they had been Iranian registered: “… and that, Kasigi-san, will create an international incident,” Ishii had told him late last night, “because now Kuwait, Saudi, Bahrain will be implicated - and that, I can assure you, one and all would prefer to avoid, most of all our Sheik.”
In the dawn he had gone to see Abadani and had explained about Zataki and starting construction again, adding in great secrecy that the Japanese government was rearranging Iran-Toda as a National Project - therefore covering all future financing - and that with Excellency Abadani’s cooperation he could also start work in Bandar Delam immediately. “National Project? God be thanked! If your government is behind it formally, that would solve all financing forever. God be thanked. What can I do? Anything!”
“To restart immediately I need helicopters and expatriate pilots and crew. The only way I can get them quickly is with the help of S-G Helicopters and Mr. Gavall - ” Abadani had exploded.
After listening politely and seemingly agreeably to a tirade about air piracy and enemies of Iran, Kasigi had obliquely returned to the attack. “You’re quite right, Excellency,” he had said, “but I had to choose between risking your displeasure by bringing it to your attention, or failing in my duty to your Great Country. Our choice is simple: If I don’t get helicopters I cannot restart. I’ve tried Guerney’s and others with no success and now I know I can only get them quickly through this dreadful man - of course only for a few months as a stopgap until I can make my own arrangements for Japanese personnel. If I don’t restart at once that will precipitate this man Zataki, I assure you he and his Abadan komiteh is a law unto itself, making good his threat. That will shock and embarrass my government and cause them to delay implementation of total National Project financing and then…” He had shrugged. “My government will order Iran-Toda abandoned, and start a new petrochemical plant in a safe area like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Iraq.” “Safe? Iraq? Those thieves? Saudi or Kuwait? By God, they’re decadent sheikdoms ripe for overthrow by the people. Dangerous to attempt a long-term business with the sheiks, very dangerous. They don’t obey God’s law. Iran does now. Iran is in balance now. The Imam, God’s peace on him, has rescued us. He has ordered oil to flow. There must be some other way of getting helicopters and crews! Gavallan and his mob of pirates have our property. I can’t assist pirates to escape. Do you want pirates to escape?” “Heaven forbid, I would never suggest that. Of course we don’t know they are pirates, Excellency. I heard that these are just foul rumors spread by more enemies who want Iran hurt even more. Even if it were true, would you equate nine used airplanes against $3.1 billion already spent and another $1.1 billion my government might be persuaded to commit?”
“Yes. Piracy is piracy, the law is the law, the Sheik has agreed to the inspection, the truth is the truth. Insha’Allah.”
“I totally agree, Excellency, but you know that truth is relative and a postponement until after sunset tomorrow would be in your national interests…” He had bitten back a curse and corrected his slip quickly, “in the interests of the Imam and your Islamic state.”
“God’s truth is not relative.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” Kasigi said, outwardly calm but inwardly gnashing his teeth. How can anyone deal with these lunatics who use their beliefs as a coverall and “God” whenever they wish to close a legitimate line of logic. They’re all mad, blinkered! They won’t understand as we Japanese do you’ve got to be tolerant about other people’s beliefs, and that life is “from nothing into nothing,” and heaven and hell and god merely opium smoke from an abberated brain - until proven otherwise!
“Of course you’re right, Excellency. But they won’t be his airplanes or crews - I just need his temporary connections.” Wearily he had waited and cajoled and listened, then played his penultimate card: “I’m sure the Sheik and the foreign minister would consider it an immense favor if you’d postpone the inspection until tomorrow so they could go to my ambassador’s special reception at eight this evening.”
“Reception, Mr. Kasigi?”
“Yes, it’s sudden but terribly important - I happen to know you’re invited as the most important guest.” Kasigi had dropped his voice even more. “I beg you not to mention where you got the knowledge but, again in private, I can tell you that my government is seeking long-term oil contracts that would prove astoundingly profitable to you if Iran can continue to supply us. It would be a perfect moment t - ”
“Long-term contracts? I agree the Shah-negotiated contracts are no good, one-sided and must go. But we value Japan as a customer. Japan’s never tried to exploit us. I’m sure your ambassador would not mind delaying his reception an hour until after the inspection. The Sheik, the foreign minister, Newbury, and I could go directly from the airport.” Kasigi was not sure how far he dared go. But, Mister Excuse for an Ambassador, he thought, if you don’t postpone your inspection, I will be revenged because you will have made me commit the only sin we acknowledge: failure. “It’s fortunate Iran’s so well represented here.” “I will certainly come to the reception, Mr. Kasigi, after the inspection.”