[ TT ] `` You do what 's right . I do what 's required . ''

A small ember glowed on the blue dunes. It was deep into the night on a cloudless sky, allowing the Saharan sands to catch the moonlight, becoming iridescent in nature. The seemingly insignificant ember was actually quite large once you got close enough to realize just how many people were squeezed around it. Nearly forty bodies crowded around meter tall flames, laughing and making quite an uproar. Those that were still awake accounted for little more than half of the company; many more had already retired to their tents that encircled the fire pit. 
 
 If one were to tell the whole truth, the company was comprised of two groups, the first being a jovial caravan, crossing the desert from Merzouga to Khartoum. The second of the two was a military unit, one of the last regimes to return from excursions further into the continent. Both had simply been passing through the area, on their way to some untold land beyond. Coincidence, or perhaps fate, had thrust the two together on the road, giving them no option but to camp together for the evening. 
 
 Neither of these groups were what they seemed to be at the surface, and although they sat around the fire now, joking and making merry, we resolved here to tell the whole truth. In reality, the caravan was on a smuggling run. The goods they carried were of enough monetary value to set each of them up in a villa far away from the harsh desert routes they had known for most of their life. 
 
 None of them were seasoned cons; their coordinator in pulling off this job also happened to be their guide through the desert, a man by the name of Red Camel. He was a mysterious type, but the man had a respectable reputation when it came to navigating the land. 
 
 Concerning the military unit, well, they were on the run. They ’ d been recalled to their homeland, to be tried for warcrimes that they had irrevocably committed on behalf of the crown. Unfortunately for them, the ruling party of their nationstate experienced a change of management in their absence. They had no intention of going home, and really, who could blame them? They sat now in the presence of those who had no knowledge of their past; rather, they sat in the company of individuals who respected them as men of valor. They told noble stories of combat and camaraderie, capturing the minds eye of the caravan that shared the camp with them, wrapping them in wonder. 
 
 Neither knew the true nature of the other, and it was better that way. 
 
 Closest to the fire sat Klein and Venatio, the Commander and Captain of the Regime, respectively. Venatio also happened to be the Regime ’ s chronicler, and was at the moment telling a particularly gruesome tale concerning a confrontation between himself, a jaguar and recently successful hunting party. 
 
 Red Camel stood near the back of the circle of people. He had been asked to share stories throughout the night; they all had heard rumors about the man. Each time he was asked, he respectfully declined, but the successive requests were becoming harder to turn down. 
 
 He eventually had to excuse himself. Now as he was standing here, he wanted to go back and join the men near the center. Just before he was convinced that he would do exactly that, a low whistle sounded from somewhere behind him. He turned, recognizing the noise. 
 
 A heavily robed figure stood in the shadows at the corner of an outlying tent. The figure turned and walked away into the night. 
 
 Red Camel looked back at the men around the fire, making sure no one saw him as he slipped away. Walking behind the tent, he saw the figure a ways off, standing in the gully between two dunes. He closed the distance between the two of them, raising a hand in greeting. The cloaked figure bowed in response. 
 
 “ I ’ m glad to see you well, ” Red Camel said. 
 
 “ I would express the same. I feared I wouldn ’ t be able to find in time. ” 
 
 “ What ’ s wrong? Are we in danger? ” 
 
 The scout paused for a moment. “ You may very well be. An insurgency has taken control of Khartoum. They aren ’ t very well established, but they ’ re rapidly gaining support. ” 
 
 “ Are you suggesting we avoid Khartoum altogether. ” 
 
 “ No, that isn ’ t the troubling news. ” 
 
 “ Please, continue. ” 
 
 “ They ’ ve been monitoring the area. They ’ re aware that you ’ re here, at this camp. They also know that you ’ ve joined company with the cursed legion… The Last Regime. ” 
 
 “ What… How do they know that? We ’ re a days ride out from Khartoum. ” 
 
 The scout shook his head slowly, raising his hand to point at something. Red Camel followed the man ’ s line of sight, barely making out yet another person standing around thirty meters away. 
 Red Camel lowered his voice until it was barely audible, not taking his eyes off of the shadowy figure. 
 
 “ Have you led me into a trap? ” 
 
 “ No, of course not. ” 
 
 “ Of course not? You came here under the pretense that I was in danger. ” 
 
 “ He just wants to talk. ” 
 
 “ Oh? ” Red Camel quickly glanced at the scout. “ We ’ ll see. ” 
 
 He slowly began to walk towards the figure, his hand on the knife that was strapped to his waist. 
 The figure had its hands raised, standing completely still. As soon as Red Camel was within earshot, the figure called out softly. 
 
 “ I simply want to negotiate. ” 
 
 “ Negotiate what, exactly? ” Red Camel was skeptical. 
 
 “ Your safe passage through this land, through Khartoum. ” 
 
 “ Is that a threat? ” His grip tightened on the knife. 
 
 “ No, it ’ s not, and you can stop walking right there. ” 
 
 Red Camel stopped around 5 meters away from the other man. “ What do you want? ” 
 
 “ I ’ m the Brigadier General of the local uprising. We want you to deliver the Last Regime to us. ” 
 
 “ You ’ re referring to the military unit that ’ s joined our company for the night? ” 
 
 “ Correct. They ’ re a defunct unit that ’ s gone awol. According to the local bounty, they ’ re running from some heinous acts down south. ” 
 
 “ And what, pray tell, does that have to do with me? ” 
 
 The Brigadier almost laughed. “ You ’ re camping with the bastards! What do you think? ” 
 
 “ *What* exactly are you suggesting *I* do? Come morning they ’ ll be on their way; if we ’ re lucky we ’ ll never see them again. ” 
 
 “ I want you to lead them into a trap. ” 
 
 “ A trap? ” Red Camel was once again a skeptic. 
 
 “ Look, I don ’ t know if you ’ ve heard about these men. They ’ re worth their mettle in war, by all accounts. I… *we*, would love to be able to turn the Last Regime in to whoever is looking for them, but we ’ d rather do it without a skirmish. You can help us do that. ” 
 
 Red Camel thought for a minute. “ And if I don ’ t? ” 
 
 “ Were you to assist us, we would ensure your safety to and from Khartoum. Deny us, and we can ’ t guarantee you ’ ll make it to the city. ” Mock concern laced the man ’ s voice. 
 
 “ So that *is* a threat. ” 
 
 “ It ’ s an offer. You would do well to accept it. ” 
 
 The men continued back and forth for several more minutes. Red Camel eventually walked back the way he came, the shadowy Brigadier disappearing once again into the desert. He marched directly past the scout, who had been waiting eagerly for news. Not a word was exchanged between the two. Once back within the camp, Red Camel walked over to the fireside. The crowd had thinned, more and more people retiring as the night grew old. Venatio still sat in the same place, listening now rather than entertaining. Seeing Red Camel, he got up from his seat, walking over to stand next to the man. 
 
 “ It ’ s getting late. I just might turn in for the night… This is nice though. ” The Captain gestured toward the fire. “ You ’ ve got a fine crew with you. ” 
 
 Red Camel smiled with his eyes. “ Indeed. ” 
 
 “ We appreciate the hospitality too, mate. ” 
 
 “ Of course. It ’ s only right for travelers to accommodate each other on the road. ” 
 
 “ Yeah… I suppose it ’ s only right. ” Venatio gazed thoughtfully into the night. “ What if we had been a malicious group, and all of this never was? ” 
 
 Red Camel shrugged. “ There ’ s good in the world yet. Like I said, it was only right. ” 
 
 “ You do what ’ s right. I do what ’ s required. ” Klein walked up to the men. “ However glad I am that all of this worked out, if it had been me in your place, I would have never trusted us. ” 
 Klein walked away, fading out of the light cast by the fire. 
 
 “ You ’ ll have to excuse Klein, ” Venatio seemed thrown off by the ominous statement. “ He ’ s been troubled lately. ” 
 
 “ It ’ s fine. ” Red Camel stared into the dark after the Commander. 
 
 “ I ’ m going to go after him, make sure he doesn ’ t do anything rash. Get some sleep mate; a day of traveling in the desert is no joke. ” Venatio ran off into the darkness. 
 
 Red Camel looked up at the sky, observing the stars far overhead. He couldn ’ t stop replaying the Commander ’ s line over and over in his head. 
 
 * ” You do what ’ s right. I do what ’ s required. ” *
