SOAP 12

Indira and Charlie liked the same sort of literature.
As they became best friends, Charlie realized he'd come within an inch of killing his own self. To kill Indira would be to kill his own mirror image. He liked her, she was the only equal to him around the place.
So when Indira and Savitri decided on a ring ceremony, it came as no surprise they asked Sonali and Charlie to be witnesses. He was flattered, honored, touched; both had laid the ghosts of the past to rest and moved on.

After the ceremony Charlie convened one more Council of War among ex-B54. HQ had been pushing him to recommend an interim successor to cover illness/absence.
After that preamble, he drew a deep breath, "on the basis of merit, I propose Indira. Now how do you people feel about that?"
A consensus soon emerged. She's one of us, fully integrated here, has the ability, do it.
Indira was shocked.
Savitri stroked her hair, "don't you see? He's laid the past to rest."
"But how would his former troops feel?"
"Indira honey, they had a Council of War, agreed, voted for you."
Indira raised an eyebrow.
Savitri smiled gently, "Charlie has walked through the four lifetimes, he knows how bad it is."
They hugged, cried for a long time.
Then it hit Indira like a 382 pound blitzing linebacker, "all that time in Europe, he was actually my friend. Trying to show me the right path, save me grief and I never listened. Just like my stupid brother didn't listen to me when I told him to use condoms."

By now Sonali and Charlie had three months of accumulated leave. They'd go back, get legally married, have a proper honeymoon. Indira was written out of the teaching schedule.
3 Kabul held its breath, then relaxed. Nothing of substance changed. Indira used Charlie's style, not Malali's. Every work day, she visited everyone. She did a few minor admin items which produced some savings, otherwise left it untouched.

Charlie returned, discovered he'd been one-upped by his protege. "Heavens," he laughed to Sonali, "she's a better administrator than me. Proud of her."
Not surprisingly, he declared a mess celebration. Facing 3 Kabul, "now listen up. Turns out Indira is a darn sight better administrator than me, saved us some money. Every rupee we saved will go into improvements around here. So I'm proud of her and proud of you for supporting her. 3 cheers for Indira."

It was 4:30 am. What woke Indira was the firetruck thundering by. Where is Savitri?
Oh, back in her apartment. Just a dream. Still she knew any dream that vivid must have meaning. Knowing shorthand, she soon had written every detail.
She heard the van stop outside her building, the man clanking the newspaper coin box. Good, now a chance to check the date. Just in case. So, no time distortion.
So-oo what would a good major do? The detail, the endless things to look up in the university library, that can wait. But today is Savitri's last day. She hadn't earned those decorations through memos, reports, endless agonizing in meetings. No they came from seizing the moment, trusting instinct. And instinct told her she could tell Savitri everything, even derogatory stuff.
So do it, only friend she has on the planet.

Indira walked straight into Savitri's work station, hugged her, "I had the really strangest dream. You and I. Took it all down in shorthand. So let me take you for breakfast tomorrow, we can talk all day Saturday if we like."
Savitri grinned, "you really looked cute in the uniform."
Indira gasped.
Savitri kissed her, "a ring ceremony even, you looked beautiful, happy, in love."
Indira started to cry.
"Indira honey, I'd love to, I only managed to jot down a few details. But before I left, did a fast news archive search. There really is a Sgt Charlie Thompson, and yes he was with Devon and Dorsets. 21 year vet, body never found after falling off the ferry. December 17, 1998 it was. Here look at the photo."
Indira gasped, it was none other than Charlie. "Good job he decided not to kill me."
"Yes as Kipling says you're going on living."

The MP nervously reported to Charlie. No sign of any struggle or foul play. They wouldn't have walked far barefoot and in pyjamas. All uniforms and footwear still there. Best surmise - warped back to Canada.
Gently Charlie said, "relax, you did the job right. That's how 3 Kabul is. People don't stay forever, finish their course and move on."

Charlie sighed to Sonali, "now I've got one heck of a problem. Where to get another 2-i-c? Heck of a friend too."

The same night Indira and Savitri returned, Salma received a note. Must decide now, within the hour, whether to return. By then, life was such a mess, she ticked "yes".
She materialized in front of the mess. Seeing Kadija, she sat down, just simply said, "had lotsa time to think. You were the best person I ever had and I treated you like dirt. Do you think you could be so kind as to give me a second chance?"
Kadija smiled, "well I am unattached, today's an off day, picnic?"
They came back, hand-in-hand, requested MQ unit.
Charlie grinned, "we are short one math teacher. Knew you'd be back, so I just carried you on the books as on unpaid leave."
Suddenly Salma hugged him, "thank goodness."

After supper, Salma learned in the bull session of Indira's tour-de-force. Grinned proudly, "we are the second toughest revenue department in the western world and don't you forget it."

After love, Kadija smiled, "like your new styly, gentle, tender, stay with it."

As time went by, Charlie watched Salma. Yeah she had had a rocky start. But now she was on track. He convened a Council of War.
Sonali summed it up best, "y'all remember, what a horrible start she had with B54. Guess it's the same each lifetime, takes a while to settle in.
They voted her as interim successor.
Salma was astounded, "well my girlfriend takes me back and my CO."
"Nobody stays here for life Salma. So what course would you like to try? Intel your cuppa tea?"
He arranged the aptitude test and she started the course.

Indira and Savitri, after a whole weekend of conversation, decided odds were about 99% their experience had been real, not a coincidental dream.
Within a month, they moved in together and never looked back.
Indira grinned, "oh I know he told everyone I was a better admin person. But you can take all those meetings and reports and such and forget them. Out there where it counts, he's better, turned 3 Kabul from devils brigade to elite group. I couldn't have. He earned the Order of Merit."

Saras woke from a bad dream, sweating profusely, events in Yugoslavia 1943. She slid out from under her mosquito netting, had a shower. Breakfast was a biscuit and tea made over a kero stove, her having no electricity in her tiny hut.
Then she headed for the minibus terminal, to sell one or two cigarettes to customers.
You could buy in Georgetown, but it cost a bit more. Better to buy from her. Now everyone in her village of 5,000 in Guyana knew she was mad. After all, look at those eyes. So as not to offend her customers, she wore sunglasses. Good protection against cataracts too.
A casual passerby might view her a real no-mind. She wasn't, had the standard 2 year teaching certificate. Her English was as good as any BBC announcer. The eyes stopped any School Board from hiring her.
She lived all alone, since the death of her parents in the bus accident. Now age 30, she was way past marriage age here. Yet she only looked 15. 4'11", always wore wide-brim hat, ankle-length 3/4 sleeve dress. Her skin was remarkable for someone working outside 50 hours a week.
She arrived home just before noon. Made pumpkin and shrimp. Ate half now, she'd eat the other half for supper.
Washed 2 dresses by hand, then sat to relax. It'd be awhile before traffic picked up again.
Her thoughts drifted back. It'd been Captain Strauss in those days, money, booze, chase after nice women. Been in Maj Hilz's battalion. In fact, knew who the Major was, had seen Indira home in Guyana on vacation. Too shy and ashamed to talk to her, and of course with sunglasses on, Indira wouldn't spot her.
What is life? No friends, no money, no family, this tiny hut. Wouldn't it be nice just to work as a teacher? She dried her eyes, went to meet the afternoon traffic.