Come Sunday and several girls who cleared the DST, including Cockroach, were given out passes. Although Shiny and Billi were eligible for the pass, they decided to stick around with Lucky and Nutty.
‘Don’t look so disheartened. We will celebrate in the cafeteria,’ Shiny thumped Nutty’s back. The girl had been cursing the lucky ones, who were dressed in smart muftis and were preparing to leave for a day’s outing.
‘Shall we have American chop suey?’ said the Jalna girl, who had taken a sudden fancy to the dish. The gang was aware that her choices were changing faster than Chennai’s weather. Lately, she had developed a taste for exotic dishes like manchow and lung fung soup. They were not sure if the girl’s choices were dictated by the need to keep up with the trends. Most of the time, though, none of Nutty’s preferred dishes were available at Papa Ferdy’s cafeteria.
The menu at the cafeteria boasted some exotic stuff, but they were nothing like authentic Thai or Chinese cuisine. They all tasted the same, since the café employed a Tamil cook, who was partial to tamarind, curry leaves and coconut. Even the lung fung soup was prepared with a generous dash of tamarind and curry leaves, with only the sprinkling of coconut missing. Thankfully, Nutty, who had never tasted the dishes before, knew no better.
‘Yes, my dear Peanut, we’ll have everything you want, and some more,’ Shiny assured her friend.
And so it was decided that the gang would meet Aaron and his pals at the cafeteria for lunch, after everyone had made the mandatory calls home. Since they were allowed to use their phones for a limited time on Sunday mornings, their families waited eagerly for an entire week to hear from the cadets.
The calls often elicited questions that required diplomatic replies. Lucky’s mother wanted to know if she had worn the lovely dresses she had packed for her. Shiny’s father was keen on knowing if Aaron and she had discussed wedding plans.
Nutty’s parents had found a suitable boy for her and wanted to know the date of her arrival, so the boy’s family could meet her. Billi’s father was keen on knowing how far she had progressed in securing the coveted Sword. Her mother, on the other hand, took great pains to inform her about the weddings of all the young girls in Alakhpura. ‘You are the only one left on the shelf,’ she sighed. ‘Banwari is still waiting for the green signal from you.’
None of the girls had positive replies to these queries, so they invented convincing excuses. We are not allowed to keep smartphones, Lucky told her mother. Shiny said she was in the process of finalizing the wedding plans. As for Nutty, who had no wish to tie the knot with a person of her parents’ choice, she told them that the cadets were not allowed to go home until the POP.
Not wanting to sadden their parents, they did not tell them about the tough life they led at the academy. Instead, they painted imaginary pictures of their lives. In those pictures, life was a ball. They were eating the best food, having a rollicking time and doing very well in the academy.
The calls over, everyone placed the phones in the cardboard carton that would later be placed in the CSM’s room. Minutes later, they were cycling towards the cafeteria.
Aaron and Kale had already grabbed a table and were enjoying soft drinks and French fries. The first few minutes were spent in dissecting the results. Like Shiny, Aaron had scored above everyone in the academics part of the examination, but Vedant Verma had beaten him in overall performance. As a result, Verma had been appointed the Corporal and Aaron was left with the rank of Lance Corporal.
‘I think the ustads as well as instructors are a partial lot,’ Nutty sympathized with Aaron. ‘I have seen them ignore major faults in their favourite cadets, but punish the rest of us for the tiniest slip-ups.’
‘I don’t agree with your remark,’ said Billi. ‘They are an impartial lot. Even the CSM has no favourites.’
Not interested in any of the appointments, the unambitious Kale pulled the fries closer and grabbed a handful. Content in passing through the academy without flying colours, he was keen on making the best of the situation.
Like most first-termers, the gang kept their interest confined to the Zojila Company and their platoon. They were not interested in the performance of the Phillora Company or the other Zojila Platoon.
‘That’s a very parochial way of looking things,’ said Aaron. ‘You will have to gird up for the competitions. Not only will you have to beat the other platoon, you will also have to beat the Phillora LCs for every honour and every prize.’
‘Thanks for adding to our worries, Aaron,’ exploded his girlfriend. ‘I guess the GCs have already girded up their loins to compete for the top honours.’
‘We certainly have done the spadework,’ Aaron said pompously. The couple had been having tiffs every time they met. The equation had shifted ever since he had begun displaying the macho side of his personality. The lovers were more in competition with each other than with the others in their respective companies. ‘You’ve got to think of the bigger picture,’ he said.
‘Oh! Really?’ Shiny’s voice dripped acid.
‘Yes, really,’ Aaron was quick to bite the bait. ‘It’s a competition. You can’t be thinking of your platoon only. You have to think of the entire company as well as the battalion, know their strengths and weaknesses, and prepare accordingly.’
He was right, but Shiny was in no mood for a sermon.
‘I am hungry,’ Nutty piped in, trying to defuse the tension. ‘Shall we talk of food instead of competitions?’
‘Yes, please, let’s order food,’ Kale supported Nutty’s decision. He had polished off the fries and was looking forward to satisfying the mice that were creating a din in his cavernous stomach.
‘I agree. Stress is not good for digestion. We can discuss the stressful stuff after we’ve eaten,’ said Lucky. No one wanted the discussion to escalate into a hostile situation between the lovers.
Papa Ferdy was summoned and the gang pored over the menu. ‘Do you have manchow or American chop suey?’ asked Nutty, who had been craving the dishes.
‘Alas! No, my lady!’ Ferdy pulled a long face and rolled his eyes dramatically. ‘However, I can offer you the best chicken noodles on this side of the continent. I will suggest sweet corn soup to go with it.’
‘What about rajma rice?’ Billi demanded. On their last visit to the cafeteria, Papa Ferdy had made the mistake of promising to prepare rajma and rice for her.
‘It was served last Sunday. Unfortunately, you didn’t come last week,’ said the man with a glib tongue. He was used to the ways of whimsical cadets. ‘You will love the mutton biryani the chef has prepared this morning.’ Ferdy insisted on referring to his cook as a chef. The word had an inspiring effect on the cook, he felt.
A round of discussion later, they ordered everything suggested by Ferdy, so there was chicken noodles and sweet corn soup, as well as mutton biryani. As a concession, the sly owner had agreed to send some fries on the house. He knew the cadets were a hungry lot and this particular gang regularly haunted his café.
‘Where’s Mathur?’ asked Lucky. She didn’t want her appetite to be spoilt by the guy’s presence. ‘Has he gone out on liberty?’
Kale’s crestfallen expression hadn’t escaped her attention.
‘No, he’s been punished by the CSM. That guy is forever looking for trouble. Guys like him will never improve,’ Aaron waved his fork dismissively.
Relieved, Lucky began pecking at her food.
‘I am missing him,’ said Kale, who had been looking forward to a feast like the last time. He had served himself a generous portion of the biryani and was intent upon finishing it as fast as possible, so he could enjoy the chicken noodles. ‘He is the most generous chap around.’
‘I am sure none of the girls are missing the chap,’ Aaron laughed. ‘He has a knack of turning them off.’
‘Alright, I will order a round of chicken tikkas for everyone,’ offered Lucky. ‘I think Kale will not miss Mathur if there is a platter of tikkas before him.’
Her eyes strayed towards the entrance, just as GC Verma entered the café. The guy made her heart beat faster, and butterflies crowded in her stomach. Just then Lucky’s eyes fell on the beauty queen, who was accompanying him, and she lost her appetite.
Verma led his companion towards a table, and the two of them were soon lost in hushed conversation.
‘Thank god Mathur is not here,’ commented Kale, his eyes settling on the couple. ‘He hates the guts of that cadet.’
‘I am sure most GCs hate Verma’s guts, not because of any other reason but his beautiful companion,’ said Shiny. She had not failed to notice Lucky’s reactions.
‘There’s nothing to hate him for. The girl is not available. It is as simple as that,’ Aaron expressed his opinion. ‘One should take it with good grace, rather than hating the guy who is successful at winning the heart of a girl.’
‘The world is not as simple as you make it sound,’ sighed Lucky, the green serpent of jealousy wrapped firmly around her little heart.
‘Why the long sigh?’ Billi laughed. ‘Don’t tell me you have taken a shine to the chap?’
The blush that flooded Lucky’s face was a giveaway, although she was quick to object. ‘Nothing of that sort. I will leave all the crushes for Nutty, since I have no time for romance.’
‘Thou doth protest too much,’ chanted Shiny, teasing the girl who was trying not to look at the GC.
‘Speaking of romances, did you know that one of your paltus, Major Swati, has recently been married to an instructor?’ Aaron informed the girls. ‘Obviously, a lot of romances have been going on in the campus.’
‘No wonder Major Swati has been missing for the past few weeks,’ said Nutty. ‘I am keen to meet the man who won her heart.’
‘It won’t be long before you are punished by him,’ Aaron laughed.
‘I am sure a honeymooning officer won’t be cruel,’ Nutty retorted.
‘Now that the midterm break is around the corner, have you guys done some planning?’ Kale began taking an interest in the conversation now that he had polished off everything on his plate. Just then the waiter brought the tikkas, and he pounced on them.
‘Thanks for reminding us,’ said Lucky. ‘We have been tossing around a few ideas, but nothing concrete so far.’
‘Kale is banking on Mathur’s generosity once again,’ Aaron slapped the GC on his back, making Kale choke on the last bit of tikka that he was chewing.
It was an enjoyable morning, with heaps of flirting, sprinkled with banter, airing of grievances and lots of food and laughter. But Nutty was far from satisfied. Her mind was brewing mischief.
Post dinner, just when the girls settled down in Billi’s room for a chat, Nutty took out a phone from her pocket and announced, ‘Girls, brace yourselves for a rollicking ride.’
‘Where did you get that phone from?’ screeched Billi, trying to snatch it from her hand.
‘Didn’t you once say “where there is a will, there is a way”?’ demanded the irrepressible girl as she swatted away Billi’s hand.
Horrified, the three friends watched Nutty as she extracted the sim card from the phone and replaced it with another one, before activating the phone.
‘What are you doing?’ hissed Lucky. ‘There’ll be hell to pay if the CSM learns that you have brought a phone to your room.’
‘She’ll not know,’ Nutty smiled complacently.
‘Did you know that she counts the number of phones in the carton before carrying it back to her room?’ asked Shiny. ‘If she finds one missing…’
‘No worries!’ Nutty chuckled in her typical way. ‘There won’t be a single phone missing from the carton.’
‘I don’t understand…’
‘Elementary, my dear Watson! My phone cover, with the name and number, is in the carton,’ Nutty reassured her friends.
‘In that case, where has this one come from? Have you been hiding it in your room, you crazy girl?’ Billi asked shrilly.
‘Shhh! Not so loud. We don’t want the CSM to come running,’ Nutty warned. ‘Let me explain. I have brought only the phone to the room. I inserted a used bar of soap into the phone cover lying in the carton. It’s a dummy.’
‘There’s soap in the carton?’ Lucky was aghast at the audacity of the girl.
‘Why are you looking so shocked? The CSM doesn’t have the time to check each and every phone cover to see if there is a phone in it. Besides, I have secured it with a rubber band.’
‘Alright, Madam Smarty, what do you intend doing with the phone?’ Shiny asked after a resigned sigh. The girl was a habitual rule-breaker and too high-spirited to be tamed. She managed to go from one shenanigan to another without any remorse. Punishments couldn’t dampen her spirit, nor could fear of relegation.
‘I am going to make an important call,’ announced Nutty.
‘Didn’t you speak to your parents in the morning?’ asked Lucky.
‘This is not a call to the parents. I am about to call Captain Kartik Iyer.’
‘NO!’ Lucky shrieked. ‘Please, don’t. Someone stop this girl. She’s gone crazy.’
‘Shhh! You will bring the overstudy here with all that screeching.’ Nutty clamped her hand on Lucky’s mouth. ‘Look, there’s nothing to be alarmed about. All I want is to make a call.’
Realizing that the girl was bent upon committing suicide and getting them killed too, the gang waited for her next step.
‘I will put the phone on speaker mode, so please keep quiet,’ said Nutty, punching in the doctor’s number on the phone.
There was silence as the girls waited for his response, their hearts beating erratically.
‘Hello! Iyer here,’ Captain Kartik’s pleasant voice covered the short distance between the Military Hospital and the academy.
‘Hi Doc,’ Nutty warbled. ‘How are you?’
‘Who’s speaking?’ the captain’s voice turned wary.
‘I am calling from the OTA,’ Nutty cooed. ‘Don’t you remember me? I was admitted to the hospital a few days ago.’
‘You are a cadet.’ It was a statement, not a question. ‘How did you get my number?’ The sternness was unmistakable.
‘You gave it to me, doc.’
‘I am not in the habit of sharing my number with all and sundry, especially my patients,’ said the doc.
‘Why are you getting annoyed?’ Nutty persisted. ‘I…’
Her words hung in the air as the captain disconnected the call.
‘So much for your efforts,’ taunted Billi. ‘The doctor is clearly not interested in you.’
‘He may have a girlfriend already,’ suggested Lucky.
‘All he has to do is to inform the CoCo that an LC had the cheek to procure his number and call him,’ said Shiny, her forehead creasing with worry. ‘And heaven will fall.’
True to her words, the entire lot of LCs belonging to both Zojila and Phillora Companies were ordered for a fall-in the very next morning. There was a flurry as 40 girls lined up before a grim-faced CoCo, four flinty-eyed paltus and two mean-looking CSMs. Thankfully, the Phillora CoCo was missing.
Something was seriously wrong. All the LCs could sense the brewing of a storm. It had to be something very serious for all of them to have been summoned.
Feeling like condemned captives facing a firing squad, they waited for execution.
‘Which of you had the cheek to call Captain Iyer last night?’ asked the CoCo, his sharp voice cutting the morning air like a sword. ‘I expect the guilty cadet to confess.’
There was a shocked silence as the LCs grappled with the question. No one, except the gang of four, was aware of the call.
He subjected them to a penetrating look. There was total silence. No one confessed. ‘Well! I don’t have the time, so I will leave the matter to your Platoon Commanders. But, I expect a confession within an hour.’
Throwing another scathing look at the girls, he left them at the mercy of their respective paltus.
‘Own up!’ roared Major Sherawat.
No one spoke.
‘I will give you a break of five minutes,’ said Major Preeti Singhal, who was the Phillora paltu. ‘The Phillora LCs can come and confess to me in private. Major Sherawat will be available for the Zojila cadets. Your time starts now.’
Confused and anxious, the LCs dispersed. Soon, clusters of girls could be seen discussing the matter in low voices.
‘You must own up,’ Billi told Nutty, as the gang of four gathered in her room. ‘Not owning up will lead to punishments for the entire lot of LCs.’
‘Are you crazy?’ Nutty exploded. ‘I can’t bloody confess. It’s better to be punished in a group than individually. Besides, what if they bloody relegate me?’
‘Shouldn’t you have thought about that before carrying out such an idiotic act?’ Shiny charged.
‘Not for a minute did I imagine that the bloody captain would call up the CoCo and tell him about the call. It’s not such a big deal. I am already out of love with such a stuck-up guy. Now I wonder why I fell for him in the first place.’
‘You are capable of falling in love with a chimpanzee,’ Billi remarked scornfully.
Five minutes passed, but no one owned up. So, a fall-in was announced.
‘Since no one has the courage to own up, all the first-termers will be punished for the guilty LC’s cowardice,’ declared Major Sherawat.
‘Let’s give them one last chance,’ suggested Major Singhal. ‘Remember, cowards don’t belong in the Indian Army. One of you has committed a blunder. She shouldn’t commit another blunder by being a coward. Now step forward and confess.’
There was silence.
‘Well! I gave you a chance. Major Sherawat, please take over.’
One hand went up hesitantly. It was Nutty. ‘Ma’am, why only the first-termers? Can’t it be a senior LC?’
A heavy silence greeted her question. It was blasphemy to involve the seniors.
Minutes later, the 40 girls were front rolling all around the ground. This was followed by 50 push-ups. Not just that, everyone got extra drill orders.
‘Welcome to Reichsführer Sherawat’s domain,’ grumbled Lucky.
‘What’s a Reichsführer?’ Nutty asked, bewildered.
‘Reichsführer was the highest rank in Hitler’s SS,’ Lucky said under her breath.
Reichsführer! That day, Shera was catapulted to a new rank. She was now at par with the likes of Herr Himmler.
Nutty was awarded 20 extra push-ups, and three extra drills for questioning the paltus. The wicked CSM added a few more push-ups to the list, after the paltus had left.
The upshot of the punishments was that the LCs spent all their free time stamping their feet on the parade ground. It was an act of releasing their frustration and anger, but it made the ground reverberate and brought great joy to the drill ustad. Pleased with their performance, Sappy was so moved that he said, ‘Shabaash, cadets.’ It was rather uncharacteristic for the nitpicking ustad to compliment the first-termers.
Hours of practice brought with them happy tidings. A few LCs, who had failed the DST in the first attempt, managed to clear it, but some still remained at the bottom of the list. Among the failures was Nutty, who had developed sore feet from all the stamping, and Lucky, who still couldn’t manage to stamp her feet hard enough.
Sappy declared that the LCs who had failed would be given one last chance if they wanted to proceed for the midterm break. Stamping began all over again, this time with additional zest. No one wanted to miss the midterm break, least of all Nutty and Lucky.
Hope prevailed.