Jamila 8

The co-pilot tells us to buckle, we're going in. Nilo and I are close together, out of earshot of the rest if we speak quietly.
"Honey," she says, "you keep an open mind. See, I went to an AAW school as a child. Know the real problem? Attendance. No bus fare. Too far to walk. Father won't let girls go. Household, farm or business duties. Endless reasons to keep the girls out of school. Place like this, none of those problems. No distractions."
"So this could be the most brilliant idea they've had in years?"
"Honey, I knew you'd understand. Just go with the flow, help those girls get into school."
I squeeze her hand, kiss her.
"You see, Parvana seems to have a lot of influence with foreign NGO's. Actually gets a good donation flow out of them. All this, it's expansion, not just right pocket to left pocket. Anytime someone can do that, it upsets the old guard, the stodgy set."
"Fair enough, sweety, you convinced me. Here on in, I give Parvana benefit of the doubt."
"Good. You know, you're a sensible person and a maniac in bed. You and I, we'll do great."
We unload the two jeeps, the drums of gasoline, spare parts, camping gear, food, kero for cooking and so forth.
As we watch the plane lift off, I ask Shauzia, "so where's the radio?"
"Ain't one."
"Are you telling me, we're at the end of the earth for 2 months and no contact?"
Sad smile, "my little friend, you just don't understand. HQ does not give a rat's ass about us. We either make rendez-vous or we don't."
"Oy vay!"
"Please, no Jewish talk, we hate em."
"Right, let's get the cargo organized."
The drums and most of the supplies, we'll simply leave in place. No people, no animals on the island to disturb them. Just tarp cover, to keep rain off.
Despite everything, I'm cheerful, optimistic as we roll out. Heavens to Betsy, seen lots worse than this. Been behind enemy lines over 4 dozen times, including thrice on the legendary Zeltar Five.
If you die, you die. Better to live real, authentic and die real, than to rot in those cancerous cities. And is the world gonna miss Jed/Lily/Jamila? I rather doubt it.
Since it doesn't matter beans anyway, just do your job. I win, the girls win. I fail, presumably they just send someone else.
Now if a leader comes across as quietly confident, competent, the troops just naturally follow. And so it is. Only trouble on the tour is jeeps, and Nilo proved herself worthy. Other than that, we have lotsa fun.
We travel through the evil moonscape, very carefully examine and compare sites.
During this time, we play the dice game a half-dozen times. During these, I'm fair game for whoever wins. Other than that, Nilo and I are an item.

We take up station of rendez-vous day. As the plane approaches, we fire the green flare, meaning ok to land.
I get the surprise of my life. The immense bulk of Parvana cheerfully disembarks, "so, made your selection?"
"Yes."
"So show me."
We drive her there. She's ecstatic. Good wind shelter, still in what little sun there is, good drainage, very close to purest of the pure glacier water, good access to sea and air transport, even enough space to accommodate expansion, if funds should permit in future.
"I knew you'd do it. Gotta be all of one decent campsite on this Hades hole and you found it. Send a Gorgon to do the job, it gets done."
"Thank you."
She withdraws a tiny package from her pocket. Pins a second bar on each shoulder. "Ok, whole operation is yours, you're baby Captain."
"Why thank you."
Parvana gathers my troops, "fabulous job. Two months bonus pay for y'all. And this little package."
Turns out it's dope, lotsa dope.
"I'll be da**ed," Shauzia says as Parvana walks away, "did I have the wrong end of the stick or what!"

With one arm, Nilo hugs me tight, with the other, wipes away a tear. "Honey, once things get settled, how bout a ring ceremony?"
"Yes sweety, love to."
Shauzia calls across, "Nilo, when people ask how you found her, you can honestly say you won her in a dice game."
Howls of laughter.
I consider myself lucky to be so won. Nilo is sweet and gentle. Shauzia, on the other hand, I can tell she'd be into physical abuse of girlfriend.
"Well Cap," Arezou grins, "this is gonna be almost as famous as the Berlin Airlift or the Murmansk Convoys."
Or maybe the Zeltar Five convoys, I think.
Bobogol asks, "for old time sake, Cap, how bout a dice game tonight?"
I glance at Nilo, she nods.
Bobogol wins, goofy grin, "so attack me, the way you do your GF."
Shauzia smiles, "well now Nilo, now that we know you have some energy after all ..."
"Whaddya want?"
"Death by heart attack."
As we sit together with reefers after, Shauzia sums up, "one pi**cutter of a tour, oh yes. You know Jamila, I was positive you'd never produce, too nuts, too westernized. Proved me wrong. Best officer I've seen in years."
"Thank you so much."
"Imagine us, running a school. Defies logic, don't it?"
Everyone laughs.