60

With one kick she tried to break open but lost her balance with the speeding Tank.  She could hear firing from the other side and froze in horror.  Retaliation was only the option... She had to go to gunner's seat.  She turned and went upto rear drive shaft....

With a bang the Driver's chamber hatch opened.   She turned and dashed...."What the hell you think you are doing...!" she yelled trying to gain control on the speed.

"Say Yes... Dharini...!" Someone commanded and she looked up.
"You...?" she still was trying to take over the control panel. 

"Say Yes... else I am taking you to the other side of the fence...!" he roared over the roaring engine... the Barbed wires were visible and Dharini yelled....
"Yes... Yes... for god sake stop moving...!" she pushed him aside and took control.  His hands moved faster than hers and he maneuvered the Tank skillfully taking a U turn to move away from the border.....!!  The Firing had intencified and She wiped off her sweat...!

"What was that for?" she finally found that she had a voice and could speak some words in audible language. 

He didn't speak but the Tank moved smoothly.  She held the balance bar to steady herself and looked up at him.

Major Vinit had a pleasant smile on his face.  She looked aghast.  "Thank you!" he said and realization dawned upon her.  He had anticipated and had held her rifle tightly.... She had to fight her urge to fire machine gun round on him.  The Tank had stopped moving.  She dashed out through the rear corridor and came out to see Brigadier Randhawa and Maj. Vikram standing with few  other officers.  She froze.... !!

"In my chamber in fifteen minutes...!" he barked and she lost her composure. Maj. Vikram was gazing at her. 

"What do you think you were doing...?" he asked shocked.  She looked miserable.  "Testing the enemy power?" the other officer asked contemtuously... She looked at the silent Tank.  Maj. Vinit had not come out.  A guard came out with a tray and she looked ghostly.

"I have to do this...!" Maj. Vikram came forward gravely and she was stripped off her badge. 

****************

"Do you have any idea.... You created a war-like  situation out there?" Brigadier Randhawa asked gravely and she hung her head.  Maj. Vinit was not to be seen anywhere.  She had no justification.  The door behind her opened and Maj. Vinit walked in. 

"What the hell you think you were doing...?" Randhawa got up with a jerk and yelled, losing his composure.  She looked sideways at Vinit in his full uniform with his badge on.  She gaped.  "How could he?" She had no idea what was happening around her. 

Maj. Vinit stood in attention without a word.  "You will face a Court Marshal for this, Ms. Dharini.... And your Gallantry recommendation is withdran immediately...!" the verdict was passed to start with.  She opened her mouth to find that she had no tongue, no voice, no words.  She stood like a statue waiting for further outburst.  Maj. Vinit stood beside her with no expression.  He had done what he had to.  She was doomed....!

"Clean up the mess... right now!" Randhawa yelled at her and she rose into action.  "Yes Sir!" she said reflexively.  A centry came in with bucket, scrub and mop.  She had to go and clean the oil and dirt from the Tank, immediately.  She took the material and walked out...!!

She could see everyone staring at her.  Maj Vikram came forward seeing her coming out of the Chamber.  He looked at her questioningly.  She walked past him hanging her head.  She had never faced this in her life.  The humiliation, the insult.... the disgrace she had faced.... She walked into the Tank through rear corridor... Everything was a mess.  The oil spilt everywhere... the penals were stained.... the boards were hanging out... the screws and bolts scatterred... The gunner seat dangling... the Turret hatch missing....!! She looked around gauging the damage and keeping the bucket aside began to collect the scattered spare parts....!!

She started cleaning the floor, scrubbing it of the oil and grease. 

He walked in with another bucket and a sack.  She froze...! Turning her back she continued.  There was nothing left ... He had done the damage, he intended to.  She was stripped off her badge and was facing the full inquiry ... !!

He placed his hand on her shoulder.  She looked at him with burning eyes.  The Military life had taught her to be tough.  In any situation, she had never shed a single drop of tear.  She had to face this bravely. 

He  took the bucket from her hand and kept it aside.  Keeping his hands on her shoulder, brought her out of the Driver's Chamber and with one swift move lifted her gently to place her in the gunner seat...! She had lost her resistance.  She gaped.

He turned and opened the sack.  Spreading the sand all over he took the scrub to clean the splashed oil.  The sand soaked the oil... She looked on blankly.  Within an hour he had cleaned up everything.  He came to her and lifted her from the seat to bring her down at periscope.... She looked around.  The Tank was spotlessly clean... the floor, like new, shiny with a mirror finish polish... Every penal was neatly closed... the boards assumed their rightful places.. the screws, nut-bolts tightned perfectly... The Tank looked like the new one. 

"Come...!" he spoke for the first time.  She still was searching for her lost voice....!! He clasped her hand and walked with her out of the Tank with buckets and scrubs...!! She had no idea what she was doing... she walked with him blankly not taking in anything.  He brought her in.

"Sit...!" he made her sit on the chair and went away.  Within a few minutes he was back with coffee mugs... She looked away refusing...

"Dharini...!" Maj. Vikram dashed to her seeing her sitting on the chair.  She looked at him... She had lost everything... all her dreams... her ambition... her dignity... She just was the puppet ... There was no life left in her... She was slowly getting a grip of the situation... She was a victim of a bigger conspiracy... to malign image of women in Army... She was made a scape goat...!! 

She saw Brigadier Randhawa marching out with Brigadier Ranaut... Mechanically she stood to salute...

"You will be called soon for Enquiry..." He said gravely and she understood .. "Enquiry... means Court Marshal..."  A bitter smile appeared in that suation of distress on her face.  She started moving out aimlessly.  Maj. Vikram caught up with her. 

"Dharini...!" she raised her hand cutting him off.  She didn't want to talk to anyone....!! "Finished... Everything is over....!" the thought filled her mind with no place for anything.  Nothingness had filled her life.  She had brought disgrace to everyone... would be Court Marshalled....!! Stripped off her Badge...!! Recommendation withdrawn....! Soon to be sentenced to.... may be death...! She didn't know.

"Lt. Dharini....!" Brigadier Ranaut had called her.  She turned blankly.  She could see senior officers moving into the office.  The full panel enquiry would soon start.  She came and sat on the chair outside the hall.  Maj. Vikram came up hurriedly and looked at her sympathatically.  Maj. Vinit was not to be seen anywhere.  Bitterness filled in.  She looked up. 

"Water...!" Vikram was very considerate.  He had sent a glass of water for her.  She gaped.  She was called in.  She saw Maj. Vinit standing before the panel.  Her brain immediately counted the number.  Nine....Odd number... Could there be voting to mitigate her punishment? She didn't know, who could be on her side.  "No one!" she concluded. 

"What do you think you were doing...? Do you have any explanation, Lt. Dharni Dixit?" Ranaut opened the enquiry with the question.  She had to answer...
"I was on maintenance duty Sir!" she said glancing.  "She was testing the speed..." Vikram spoke defensively, from the other side of the table. Brigadier Randhawa looked into the papers... her worksheet, Maintenance manual, and job card were placed before the panel.