The Conspiracy

About midnight the daily session was over, except the chairman who kept sitting on his comfortable chair, the session hall was empty.

His secretary returned, after having accompanied the last committee members out. He walked over towards the chairman with a bowed head, humbly as he was accustomed to, demonstrating submission just as the chairman expected from everyone else in his entourage.

'He's still waiting ya sidi (sir)', his sercretary mumbled snd cleared his throat.

The chairman absorbed still in his thoughts, turned to his secretary an inquisitive gaze.

'The guest, the representative of the community in the teritories which are to be liberated.' The secretary reminded his superior, who was bothered with other matters and did not remember the appointment with that certain representative.

'Show him in,' the chairman said briskly, and with a disdainful movement of his hand sent his secretary to fetch the guest.

Once the guest entered accompanied by his loyal secretary, the chairman raised his right hand, and with an acrobatic swift movement sent his secretary a second time - to fetch refreshments and coffee, as accustomed in such intimate meetings.

As soon as the loyal secretary left and the door was shut behind his back, the chairman rose to his feet and moved round his mahogany desk to welcome his prominent guest. They knew each other as they have met already several times before. The chairman liked this certain person who was somewhat similar to him in his appearance; furthermore this person understood the chairman very well and supported his views.

A broad smile lit up on both their faces, while the guest was closing the short distance up to his host.

Having embraced his guest and kissed his cheeks three successive times, the chairman asked him politely to take his seat, and returned to his comfortable chair behind his desk.

Untill the return of his secretary accompanied by the colinary crew, the chairman exchanged with his guest the traditionally blessings, and conducted with him a preliminary chat as accustomed generally in such a conversation, dealing with his guest and his guest dear ones health and doings.

A short while later his secretary was back, accompanied by a young staff member carrying a loaded platter with a coffee pot, cups and refreshments. The desk was laid under the secretary watchful gaze, while the chairman took advantage of that short lapse of time to polish his spectacles' lenses.

As soon as this small ceremony was over, the secretary and the young crew man took their leave with a few polite words and blessings, letting the chairman and his guest the privacy they needed.

'Serve yourself please,' the chairman turned politely to his guest, 'and do report in detail what's new and what was achieved up till now.'

While drinking coffee the guest reported the various activities, of the differents sects of the community, which he represented. How he and the rest of the community leaders are doing to promote the mutual interest, and ended with a few words, about his travels and meetings with various political leaders in the neighboring countries.

The chairman listened patiently without interupting his guest's monologue, up to its very end.

A short lull ensued while the chairman watched his guest's face with a stern gaze, letting him understand that his report is unsatisfactory.

'Kalam fadi,' (empty words) the chairman expressed his disappointment. 'With words alone the goal can't be achieved!' He added decisively.

'But we do our best without being exposed, and our limitations are well known...'

'Much more can be done and with much more efficiency!' The chairman intterupted his guest apologies. 'The organization operates continuesly and with full cooperation with our bretherns' in the south, east and even in very remote regions; while the community which you and your coleagues represent, despite the many advantages at your disposal, are doing very little.'

'What do you expect us to do then?' His guest wondered with a sour face. 'We were supposed to act politically with your approval, and the organization's council approval, to undermine the foundations of those who stole our land by elusive ways and means.'

'Indeed,' replied the chairman. 'But this stage is already behind us, the enemy has weakened and quite considerably; and this state of affairs demands new assessments, and different activities. New blessed intiatives must be started, initiatives that would promote significantly our goals.' The chairman made a short pause, raised his small cup to his lips, and drank its contents with one quick gulp; laid the empty cup on the desk, and wiped his lips with a handkerchief pulled out of his breast pocket.

His guest sat meanwhile attentive and tensed, waiting with much patience to the resumption of his dignified host's lecture.

'We've a long account to square and many dettes, we've promised to surprise them and repayment is on our threshold...'

'You mean,' the excited guest openend up, seeing in his mind's eye the trails of hundreds of missiles covering the sky.

'I mean it's time to move to the next stage, sabotage activity.'

'Sabotage,'the guest repeated that term amazed, opening a pair of puzzled eyes.

The guest ingnorance surprised and disappointed the chairman, but as he was surrounded by narrow minded subordinantes, which he himself has chosen it did not bother him much; and he explained his guest in detail what this foreign term means. 'It's subversive activity,' the chairman added. 'Not with explosives or shooting arms, but with the most simple means.'

'More than local demonstrations in our towns and villages, which might end up with some street browls, there in nothing we can do. We're very limited after all.' Summed up the guest his stand point with a hint of apology, and raised the tiny coffee cup to lips, avoiding the chairman's piercing gaze.

'Demonstrations at this stage may be used as feeling the enemy's pulse, and when we'll find out that he has weakened enough; then a major uprising should be organized, an uprising that would be supported considerably by external forces - to the crushing end.'

'But our last attempt was subdued brutally...' The guest muttered, in a low voice.

'Nevertheless it promoted our mutual cause, the inquiry committee and the trial; the legislative authorities of the enemy and a part of its public supported you. Who would have believed it? It was a stunning event and you haven't exploited it!'

Seeing the saddened expression of his guest face, the chairman hastened to soften his words. 'Indeed we do know how efficient are their security organizations, for despite the certain sympathy gained, thanks to that violent demonstration, they depressed you our courageous and noble brothers. Thus that sympathy might have been just a cover, a false act of supposedly equal rights bestowed upon you, as a show towards the rest of the world's nations...

That's why we have to use rather simple activities, to sabotage their economical efforts; to turn to methodes similar to criminal activities, which would be carried out on a huge scale...' Here the chairman made a short pause, letting his guest to grasp his exceptional ideas. 'The results due to these methods would be prefarable to any open attacks of suicide bombers, or ambushes with fire arms and explosives.' Another short pause ensued, while the chairman scrutinized with satifaction the positive change in his guest's expression.

'This your honor we shall do without hesitation, and do forgive me my ignorance and my lack of understanding.'

'There is no need to apologize brother o mine, we're sorting out things to reach mutual understanding, aren't we?' The chairman smiled to his guest with much benevolence, and added right away: 'There is no need to get down to details, I leave the initiative in your and your brave friends of the people committee hands. I'm convinced that you'll find the right ways and methodes to implement it.'

He rose from his chair and cleared his throat, indicating to his guest that the interview was over.