SOAP 17

Lt Prewitt asked, pointing to the TV, "what's that thing?"
Charlie put a hand on his shoulder, "my friend, we gotta talk."
They talked of the raid, the time-warp, the fact he was stuck.
Then it hit him, "when the fighter was a few yards away, I prayed. Said if you spare me, I'll devote my life to doing good work. So is there a way I can help here?"
"Navigator, I'm guessing good math?"
"Got an engineering degree, math is tough there."
"Well friend, we'll set you up as a WO. Sorry about the demotion."
Grin, "better an alive WO than a dead Lt."
"We go by first names here."
"Ok, it's Bob."
"As in Robert E Lee?"
Grin, "what else?'

Bob needed a chaperone 3 days, then clicked bigtime with Zohra, tuck shop attendant. From the perpetual blissed-out looks of both, it was a happy relationship.
He liked his job, did it well. Unlike many engineers, he was well read in topics outside his field, thus a welcome addition to mess bull sessions.
He and Charlie were great friends. Charlie liked his open-minded, multi-dimensional thinking.

He didn't of course do his share of cleaning - a 1940's guy. Zohra didn't see it as a problem. Good catch, kind, gentle, loving, what's a few minutes cleaning in comparison to that?
In common with that generation of warriors, he believed you should not burden family with details of war. He was very open with Zohra on family, upbringing, education, pre-war job and hometown. But of USAF days, all he said were several funny bureaucratic bungles.
He'd told Charlie of the raid, only fitting, one doesn't distress the ladies.
Zohra's scream woke him. She was wild-eyed, sweating profusely. He wrapped his arms around her, held her tight, told her it was only a bad dream. Gradually his warmth dissolved the tension in her tiny body.
She started telling of the dream. She was an American pilot, Capt Beauregard, flying Everglade Erin and Bob was her navigator. Massive detail of the Schweinfurt raid, all accurate. Other stories, like sharing the rubber raft, mid-fuselage turret destroyed over Regensburg, 2 engines shot over Cologne, entire nose blown away over Frankfurt. A leave to London, named the restaurant, what they'd eaten. Stories on hometown, family, USAF career.
From discussion with Charlie, Bob was reasonably certain reincarnation did exist, it's just he'd never seen any evidence himself. By now, he was 99% certain Zohra was his past friend.
Then it hit him, the prayer, he hadn't specified what good work, just left that up to the Almighty. Why here? So he could be with his friend.
By sun-up both were postive.
Bob changed after that, started doing his share of cleaning. Only fitting.
Later Bob told Charlie of his experience, finding his long-lost pilot friend. After, the friendship deepened considerably. Charlie could now speak a lot more freely. As Bob heard of all the undercurrents floating around 3 Kabul, he was amused.

Tahmina, unit office clerk, had had a hard life prior to joining. Infertile, husband beat her frequently, then threw her out, took a younger wife. She wasn't actively looking for love, but certainly open to it.
Violet had come a long way. With a combination of warm friendships, Nooria's counselling and passage of time, she'd laid most of the grief to rest. When she arrived here, her view of lesbians was well, leather jacket, greasy torn jeans, pin through nose, orange hair and smoking dope. It wasn't the view of a bigoted person, simply someone who'd never knowingly met one before.
They clicked, ended up in MQ's together. As Charlie showed the happy couple in, he was thinking, good match, neither is too likely to leave here.

Soon Zohra and Bob had a ring ceremony, planned on getting legally married on their next leave. 3 Kabul was unsurprised to see them choose Sonali and Charlie as official witnesses.
As Charlie proudly stood there, he was thinking, imagine a 1940's guy who isn't afraid of cleaning. Bob must really love her.