THE STORY OF BLUE MUMMY - DIANNA DIVERNO

When Captain Robertson walked into the office and closed the door behind him, Commander Loreman just wrote something in a thin black leather notebook. He looked up at him and showed him to sit on a comfortable, black leather armchair. He wrote for a few more minutes, then looked at the newcomer. ---- It was about time, was it not? - he said that as a reminder for himself, he threw a quick glance at the watch that stood on the cabinet next to the wall. He closed the notebook and put it quickly in the drawer. He looked at Captain Robertson and some trace of a smile showed up on his face. - I was wondering Captain Robertson, do you diligently learn Arabic these days?
-Surely. I'm already at the end of level A1 - he answered as if he boasted, although that was not his intention.
- That's good - said Commander Loreman, more to himself - in fact, that is excellent. When are you traveling to Libya?
- In four weeks - he replied quickly, and then he suddenly corrected himself-in fact, in thirty days.
Commander Loreman nodded.
-Yeah, it'll go by fast.
-Yes it will.
- Tell me, how much do you like it in the air force of C.A.C.? - the question was casual, but he showed interest in reply.
- Yes, it's good.
-You are here, if I'm not mistaken, for three months now?
- Something like that - said John indefinitely.
-You needed to get used to it by now. Do you know the team you are going to Libya with? First of all - watery-blue eyes were turned towards him - it is important to realize that the situation in Libya is very poor, actually terribly bad for the newcomers. After the assassination of Gaddafi, the violence, migration, and mass exodus of the native population increased. The situation in the field is also very poor. For example, Syria is still fighting. ISIS is expanding its state and I think that any kind of current residence in Libya is questionable. As well as your activities - he paused for a moment, as if he thought a bit about something - you are going under the wing of a secret military expedition?
It seemed that the conversation would be constructive and guided in the right direction. Captain Robertson liked it.
- Yes, within the expedition.
-Secret project. First and foremost, it's important that you know it's a secret, investigative project by the US and Canadian governments. We just - as if carefully choosing his words - want to uncover the big important facts.
-I understand you.
- First of all, it is important that you know one thing - as if he carefully emphasized every word – that there are probabilities and possibilities that you probably know, about 70 percent, that you will not return to Canada - and then noticing his strange expression, he added quickly - Never again!
Captain Robertson knew that from the very beginning, a common understanding before every military venture - the possibility that he would never return home again. Now he thought precisely about this, realizing that Jane was right the other day, when she said "I think that between you as a police investigator, and as a soldier in the Special Units, there's a pretty big difference." It was obvious he was not even aware of it until now.
-Approximately!
-It would be good - he continued - to say goodbye to your family in the meantime. You said that you did not live with them and that you have children?
-Yes. They are with Rachel, I mean with their mother. They are in USA.
- Say your goodbyes. It's important to look at this task in real light, although I think that's the right thing for you. I have a feeling - he carefully selected his words - that you will be of those who will safely return back home in time.
-I hope.
-I hope too. First of all, I do not know you enough, although I see now that the big failure for C.A.C. that we had not had such a willing man in our ranks before. Captain Robertson did not even know what to add to it.
- I'm trying to fit in.
- And that's, I admit, going very well.
They were served with coffee and mineral water. It was served by the blonde from the elevator, stiff and icy woman, as she was too careful. When she came out, it seemed that Commander Loreman felt somewhat more cheerful. He took the spoon and two cubes of sugar, and slowly, in some peace, stirred it for a few moments.
-Are you - Captain Robertson - after all, not attracted to Libya?
Commander Loreman pointed his watery-blue eyes toward him. He postponed the silver spoon on the side.
- With a military expedition?
-Yes.
He acted as though he would immediately answer something, but he did not say. He leaned backward for a few moments and looked at him.
- Well, no. I think that these adventures with military expeditions left me when I was 32 years old. I went out with a military expedition to Argentina, spent 13 long days and I said to myself that it was one and only time in my life to tumble through the white world within such a group. Extremely bored and uninteresting one - he took a cup of coffee into his hands - Since then, I have been focused on fighting guerrilla actions.
Captain Robertson smiled.
- You remind me of a person I cooperated with for a long time.
-Really? - Commander Loreman seemed surprised.
- He was called Redflick. He was a supreme soldier.
- You said “he was"?
- Yes - and Captain Robertson took a cup of coffee into his hands - He's been dead for a long time. He died a natural death as a retired military person.
Commander Loreman nodded.
-There, what is life, we spend the whole working life in the army, and later we have the opportunity to live in some stories of the soldiers with whom we cooperated. And in time they forget us.
For a moment, there was silence between them, whom Commander Loreman interrupted and smiled.
- Looks like there’s a lot of interesting stuff expecting you, in Libya.
- You mean about the investigation? Military expedition?
-Well - Commander Loreman paused for a moment, put his hands behind his head and relaxed. He acted as if he had lost his thought at those moments.
- First of all, all these excavations - he stopped - we always come to some discoveries. Human existence is a story for itself. All these things, first the pyramids, the remains of prehistoric people, the first human letters, ie hieroglyphics, drawings on the walls. I think that's something to love. I honestly could not have imagined myself being part of a military expedition on historical, ancient discoveries that are relevant to science.. Did you like history? Such an undertaking as this, however, requires a certain love for history.
- A little bit. Some parts of history, yes! - Captain Robertson confirmed.
- Surely you loved some parts of history. You have taken the job of going to Libyan excavations, right now, with the current immense migrations and peoples' migration from North Africa and the Middle East to Europe. That in some way involves a certain risk!
-There’s always a risk! - Captain Robertson confirmed - Today, the risk is even biking to the store, you never know when an idiot can drive by and pick you up!
- It's true!
-However, I think the subject of Libyan excavations is very interesting. Certainly there will be something new that I can learn. - Captain Robertson sipped a little of his coffee.
-That is for sure. One of my acquaintances was an expedition to the Antarctic. Amundsen's land was at stake, some archaeological research, and - he paused - he barely pulled out his head alive.


Prevod : Ana Ferluga