SOAP 11

Salma never did assault Kadija physically. But she was loud, obnoxious, sarcastic, loved pushing Kadija to tears. When Kadija moved out, the tone changed rapidly. Salma went from enjoying the comradeship of 3 Kabul, to forced politeness.
Tired of it, she filled out the form to return to Canada. To her surprise, she didn't return on warp time, but on real time.
Her condo was gone, seized by the bank. She had legally abandoned her job, after sufficient AWOL. With her record, she wasn't rehired. Needless to say, Revenue's references for her were less than glowing.
She ended up in her mother's basement, on social assistance. Day after day, she brooded, I'll make that evil b**** pay.
Indira was departing work. In front of dozens of witnesses, Salma whipped out an 8" knife and charged. A look of pure joy washed over Indira's face. This was it - an honest death - end of her first lifetime.
It was not to be. A parttime militia man disarmed and pinned Salma with ridiculous ease.
Indira sobbed uncontrollably, cheated again.
As the police car pulled up, rationality returned to Salma. Say nothing, it's an assault charge, plea bargain and you're out in a bit. Shoot off your mouth and you end up in the mental health system. After all, according to orthodoxy of thinking here, reincarnation didn't exist. Claim it as a court defence and you may never get out.
It worked, 6 months later, Salma was out, but by now Indira had disappeared.
Indira received notice she wouldn't be needed as a witness.

A week later, Indira came home, a victim of one of the many flus floating around a building with insufficient ventilation. When she woke up, she was in 3 Kabul sick bay.
Orginally Charlie had gone into a rage, wanting to kill her on the spot. Sonali talked some sense into him, "come on baby, how far do you think she walked in those pyjamas. She'd have frozen to death. How far you think she walked barefoot? Not a mark on her feet. If she'd walked 100 meters here, her feet would be cut to ribbons. No, she was warped here, same as you."
Wry look, "yeah, back when you were my radioman, you talked sense into me more than once."
"Baby we're short one math teacher. This girl has spent 20 years in Revenue, surely she has good math."
He tilted his head, a sure sign he was wavering.
"You'd be doing her and 3 Kabul a favor. We get the math teacher. She gets a chance to atone, to do some good in the world."
"Something this serious, not fair I decide. Council of War, all who were in B54, everyone gets one equal vote, private or colonel."
Debate lasted an hour, then a unanimous decision. Take what is given and use it. Indira would be offered the job and acceptance into 3 Kabul. Up to her to accept or reject.

Indira's photographic memory picked up the faces she'd seen at the coast. Oy! Now she was in the soup, she'd be 10 terrible days dying. First they gave her robe and slippers to go to the mess. Sure, soften me up, then do it.
An hour later, Indira realized she was wrong, a sea change had happened. She got into a duel with Charlie - humorous one.
He gave all his crazy anecdotes about how screwed up the army was. She responded with hers on Revenue. For a whole day, the duel raged, to the hilarity of all in the mess. Eventually Indira was declared the winner, she had clearly proved Revenue to be MORE screwed up.
Lunch, supper, tea, Bollywood movie, set her up in a BOQ room. Next day, picnic.
As she returned from the picnic, she shyly told Charlie, "I like it here. Is there some way I can help you people?"
He asked in detail about her job, soon discovered she had far better math than Salma.
Approval from HQ came quickly, she was a WO.

She was destined to not find love here, that was expecting too much. The eyes still scared people. But she did her job well, was a welcome addition to picnics and mess bull sessions.
And for the first time in her life, she was happy.
One day, as Charlie and Sonali watched Indira talking in friendly fashion with other B54 people, Sonali hugged him, "glad you didn't kill her?"
Sheepish look, "yeah, thanks for pulling me back from the edge."

Savitri felt empty. That worthless husband of hers had vanished while working up north. Rumor had it he was shacked up with some hot squaw half his age. Her son - gay bathhouse regular - she hadn't had contact in over a year. Daughter - well we all know mother-daughter relationships can be stormy.
She was utterly worn out at work. Fifty years old - 32 of it in Revenue - and she'd seen endless stagnation for any decent, competent people and fast-track promotions for the inept behind-kissers. She could legally retire now, she could afford it, why not?
She walked, watched TV, often thought of Indira. She had no illusions, things would be terrible for Indira if that Col got his hands on her.
A letter materialized on her table. If she wanted to visit Indira for a week, just dot the Yes box and sign it.
A moment later, the dizziness passed. Indira looked good, put on a few healthy pounds. Obviously well-accepted by the group she was with.
Indira and Savitri hugged, cried. Indira introduced her around.
Savitri's reception by 3 Kabul was so warm, she just never wanted to go back. Given that her English was as good as any BBC announcer, Charlie hired her as an English teacher.
Didn't take long, month later Savitri and Indira were booking into a MQ unit.

There is a mechanism in human nature where friends become enemies or vice versa. Charlie and Indira had crossed swords in endless officer meetings in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and especially in the mayhem of Yugoslavia.
Everyone knows good and evil are merely two sides of the same coin, one can't exist without the other.
Take away the dimension of good and evil and they were both fine officers. Both decorated for bravery in difficult situations.
Lots else in common. High math skills, same method of arrival here, same first job.
Charlie had 21 years in a nightmare bureaucracy, Indira, 20.
Both had found first love here.
Both intelligent, wellread.