Leo and Ben enter a room where it looks like a reception is going on, and stay near the door. Leo quietly tells Ben that Qumar is ready to announce that Israel took down Shareef's plane. Ben says they knew it was coming. Leo says it's come, but that he has to put it off at least another week. Maybe Jordan's still dithering. Ben says that Israel has to deny the accusation immediately. Leo doesn't want it to come out at all; he wants it to wait another week. Ben: "And what are you asking Israel to give up, in order to get them to delay accusing us of something we didn't do?" Leo: "Ben." Ben: "I'm just saying, tell me." Leo says, "You're planning to attack two Qumari training bases..." Ben interrupts, "Yes, sir!" Leo: "Don't." Ben says it's out of the question. Leo says that if they hold off, Fitzwallace can get the Qumari Defence Minister to have the Sultan hold off a week. Ben: "Leo, look at what's happening. They're getting you to pull us back by continuing this preposterous lie. We're not the ones playing skeet shoot with their cabinet!" Leo: "No, no, Ben. I think we're in this one together." Ben hesitates, and then apologizes for his remark. Leo asks when he's flying back; Ben says right after lunch. Leo: "You can fly on the Sabbath?" Ben: "If I have to." Thank God for religious dispensation. Leo: "You'll take it to the Prime Minister?" Ben: "Leo, you know what you're doing? You're advising the President well?" Leo says that a number of people are advising the President. Ben says he's only asking because "right now, we're losing." Leo asks again if he'll take it to the Prime Minister. Ben will. They head for canapés.

Saturday. Josh is at Stackhouse's office for a meeting with a bunch of people, including Amy and Stackhouse himself. Stackhouse is telling Josh about his nephew in Phoenix who's got his pilot's license and whose big fear isn't crashing -- it's getting lost in the desert. Stackhouse says he bought five gallons of water, a super-powered flashlight, and a thing that makes pancakes. Josh: "And now he's on every survivalist's mailing list." He is? Where's the guy shopping? I mean, Frink and I have bought all that stuff and thus far we've managed to escape the notice of survivalists. Actually, Frink would probably seriously get into a lot of their gear and gadgets but wouldn't care too much for the politics of the typical survivalist. Josh says that the pipe-bomb suspects are well supplied but not endlessly supplied: "We can wait 'em out." Everyone sits down; there are about ten people at the meeting. Stackhouse is at the head of the table, with Josh on his right and Amy across from him on his left. Josh says he was told to take flying lessons because it would relax him, but he doesn't think that would work. Stackhouse: "No, Josh, I think you of all people shouldn't fly things." Amy smiles at this. For reasons best known to her, and leaving even God in the dark, she's seen fit to sweep her hair around her head into a ratty, asymmetrical ponytail behind her left ear. Because her hair is cut in kind of choppy layers to begin with, the tail part is just...well, I can't believe they let her go on set looking like this. I've seen neglected horses with nicer tails. I don't get it. I think Mary-Louise Parker is pretty, but it's like they go out of their way to make her unattractive on this show. ["Well, you know how those women's libbers hate to look pretty for men. They don't even wear brassieres, for Pete's sake!" -- Wing Chun] The hairstylist must be a Josh-and-Donna 'shipper. Amy's also wearing a pink jacket and a black top that shows a bit of cleavage. And probably some Bad Idea jeans, for all I know. Stackhouse says that Josh brought the big guns. Josh: "Senator, not having any guns of my own..." Josh introduces Congressman John Baxley, Senators Jackson and White, and Secretaries Weaver and Keaton. Stackhouse introduces Susan Thomas and "Amelia" Gardner. "Amelia," is it now? I wonder if she'll veer back and forth, between Amelia and, I don't know what, Amethyst? Like Amanda/Madeleine Hampton did. Actually, I'm not sure why her name isn't just Mandy 2: Electric Boogaloo. Josh gives Amy an uncomfortable look. Maybe he's bugged to find out at this late stage that her name is Amelia. Maybe he's just embarrassed to ever have been involved with someone who would publicly appear with that 'do.