Code Nili

CODE NILI by Ronald Blake Synopsis This is a love story set in the turbulent times surrounding the First World War (1914-1918) that is based on a true story involving T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), Zionist rebels in Ottoman controlled Palestine and an unintentional romance between a beautiful Jewish spy and a Turkish General. Through the medium of flashbacks a journalist’s investigations carries the audience from one clue to another in order to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a diplomat on a peace mission years after the “Great War” had ended. Mark Ellis,a journalist for an American newspaper happens upon Lawrence at an airfield in Britain making a fuss over a package that did not arrive as expected. Following him to a pub in London, Mark gains the confidence of Lawrence and receives two keys to the mysterious disappearance of diplomat Aaron Aaronson: Lawrence’s book “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom” is dedicated “to S.A.” Sarah Aaronson, Aaron’s sister. Both brother and sister were spies for British Intelligence. Lawrence tells Mark his side of the story about how before the war he was an archeologist in the Middle East while secretly employed by British Intelligence to spy on the Turks. While supposedly digging up artifacts he came across Aaron Aaronson, the world famous botanist and through Aaron’s sister secretly employed Aaron to spy on the Turks, using the Hebrew word “NILI” as their code name agreeing in return to help create a homeland for the Jews. That agreement would later become the Balfour Agreement; foundation agreement for the creation in later times of the modern state of Israel. Sarah is employed by Lawrence to spy on Djemal Pasha the Turkish military governor of Palestine whereupon a romance is unexpectedly generated between Sarah and Djemal which later would prove painful to both. Through Rivka Aaronson, Sarah’s sister, Mark learns more of the story. Gifts were lavished on Sarah by Djemal; clothes, jewelry and a white Arabian stallion. The war has started, Lawrence is ensconced in Cairo creating his legendary military escapades, never to see Sarah again. All goes well until later in the war when things are going badly for the Turks Achmed Kuprilli, Djemal’s second-in-command decides it is time to catch the lovebird-spy he has suspected all along. Capturing a messenger pigeon sent from the Aaronson home Kuprilli sets up a ruse to trap Sarah and save his master’s honor. Djemal is sent on a wild goose chase while Kuprilli traps Sarah and tries to get her to commit suicide in order to prevent a trial which would dishonor Djemal Pasha and force Sarah into life imprisonment for treason. Abhoring prison and not wanting to bring shame onto her beloved Djemal she shoots herself in her bedroom and dies.. Her efforts help win the war for the British. Afterwards Aaron becomes a diplomat and dies trying to ensure Britain’s compliance with the Balfour Agreement; Djemal Pasha is assassinated by Armenian terrorists in Germany and Lawrence goes home to relative obscurity. The conclusion ties the mystery pieces together and closes the pages on an epic romance that tipped the scales in favor of the Allied war efforts and wrote the Aaronson name into history forever.