61

They were interrupted.  A Centry walked in.  Randhawa walked out hurriedly.  Dharini fixed her eyes on the floor.  There was a awkward silence.  Maj. Vinit shifted a bit.  Dharini stood in attention. 

"Lt. General A, K. Singh will be here tomorrow morning...!" Randhawa declared and she had a knot in her stomatch.  "Only this one was left...!" she thought bitterly. 

"Send her to the cell....!" Randhawa ordered and Maj. Vikram stood up.  After all she was his responsibility.  "Walk with me...!" he ordered and she turned and marched out.  Maj. Vinit waited for further orders.

"And you! You will be punished heavyly for this...!" Randhawa turned to Vinit.  Vinit looked up at him.  "Out... right now!" he yelled and Vinit marched out.  Ranaut shook his head hopelessly. 

Dharini sat on the bunk bed completely blank.  "Is this a cell? I will be executed tomorrow...!" she thought gravely.  "But I will fight it out.  I must defend... I will!" she clenched her fists.  Hatred filled her heart.  She had never hated anyone so strongly... not even that bad guy... the minister who tried to molest her Dhaa.

"Dhaa..." her heart twisted.  "I am sure she will understand... I am not guilty... Papa will understand.... No matter who thinks what about me.... Papa will know that I am not guilty....!" A single tear drop rolled down.  She hurriedly wiped it off, not wanting to show her vulnerability to anyone else.  She felt secure with the thought of her Dhaa.  "Dhaa....!" she blurted, pressing her hand on her heart.

"Dharini...!" she looked up at Vikram.  "I am sorry...!" he apologized.  She refrained from reacting.  She didn't want to talk to anyone in the Forces now.  She just wanted to think about her family... her mamma, papa... her Dhaa...
"Dharini...!" Vikram stood before her with two plates.  "No!" she refused to have anything.

"Come on... have something...!... there is a long day ahead ... tomorrow...!" he said placing her plate on the small table nearby.  She took it absentmindedly.  He chomped noisely.  She looked up disgusted.  "Humm... go ahead... have it...!" he gestured.  She shook her head refusing to have anything. 

"See...! Lt. Gen. Singh is coming... He will do something...!" he tried to give her hopes.  She looked up glaring.  She had not spoken a single word.  Smoldering within, she dug her nails in her palms.  She had learnt to control her emotions... learnt to endure... physically and mentally...!

"I need some time alone...!" she spoke in a steady voice.  Maj. Vikram stared at her stone face.  "You are indeed extra-ordinary...." he blurted looking aghast.  
"She didn't break down....!" he came out and she put off the light.  She felt better in the darkness.  There was no one to see her pathatic condition... she could cry her heart out.  She was alone....!

But her eyes were dried out, her tears evaporated, she gazed in the darkness...

*********

She had no wish to look at the panel.  Maj. Vinit was standing by her side.  Her ached looking at his badge and decorations.  She looked away bitterly... The murmured suddenly died out as Lt. Gen. shifted in his seat.

"Do you have any idea what you two were doing out in the field putting the national security at stake?" Lt. Gen. Singh's deep rough voice echoed in the room.  Dharini clenched her fists.  Maj. Vinit was unmoved.  She waited for the next question....! The silence was killing.  She waited with bated breath for someone to ask to her justify...!

"Why are you not in uniform?" asked Ranaut looking at her.  She looked at herself.  her mind shadowed with grief.  She was stripped off her dearest thing... her badge and cap.  Centry brought the tray in.

Maj. Vinit tucked the badge on her flaps.  She shiverred a bit.  She knew this was temporary... she would be snatched off her dignity forever...!!

"How do you find this new M90 Tank, the light weight Marvek, Ms Dixit?" Suddenly the direction of the questions changed.  She looked up confused.  The officers were waitng for her answer.  She was expected to answer. 

"This is the useful Tank for Combat, Sir... Technologically advanced... Smooth to maneuver, easily camouflaged, Stealth mode to avoid early detection, Sir! ..... Engineering Marvel..." she was precise enough.  Randhawa nodded running his finger on his mustach.   Ranaut looked on. 

"Why are they asking me this?" she thought confused.  "May be.. testing my Engineering capabilities.... !" she answered herself.  "But why?" she didn't know.

"And what do you think, young man... taking her hostage to propose?" bellowed Lt. Gen. Singh. 

"I took the Tank, hostage,... Sir!" she was shocked at his shamelessness.  Maj. Vinit had no shade of remorse in his voice.

"Is this the way to propose someone?" Randhawa asked sternly.
"She left me with no option,.... Sir! I was desperate....!" he again was very clear with no guilt at all.

"And she said yes?" Asked Maj. Vikram.
"Yes!" Vinit
"No!" first time Rini found her voice could be so strong and stern.
"She says no!" Vikram said triumphantly...

"I swear... I will take her to the othe side of the fence...!" Maj. Vinit said firmly.

"What? Are you out of your mind, boy?" asked Ranaut.  Maj. Vinit looked on refraining from answering.

"Do you know the outcome of this?" Lt. Gen. asked Dharini.  She for the first time looked up.  It was not her fault.  She was wrongly accused.  No words came out.  Lt. Gen. looked at her.  "I wanted you to be a role model for other military officers..." he said gravely and she swallowed hard. 

"The Tank maneuver has hit the headlines...! What are we going to answer...?" Ranaut shook his head hopelessly.

"Peacetime... exercise....War Drill....!" Vinit had the answer.  The panel looked up at once.  Smile appeared on the presiding officer Lt. Gen. A.K.Singh. 

"Boy....when will you stop taking extreme measures...?" he asked shaking his head. 

"I am a Hawk... Can't help!" Maj. Vinit's voice was grave. 

"Humm..." Lt. Gen. sighed.  "So he took you hostage...!" he looked at Dharini.
"Yes Sir!" first time she felt better, that the panel understood that he took her hostage.

"And she said yes?" he asked Vinit.

"Yes, Sir!" he said puffing his chest.  She looked at him shocked. 

"Ok. In that case... you may kiss the bride...!" Lt. Gen. declared like a father presiding over the wedding ceremony...!

"Yes...!" Vinit tried to grab her.
"No!" she yelled pushing him away with all her might.  The atmosphere suddenly became light....!!

She looked up unable to understand anything. 

"You two are left free with mere warning, only this time! No stunts..! ... And Ms. Dharini... you will be recommended for gallantry award for saving the Tank.... by accepting his proposal..." Lt. Gen. said with twinkling eyes.  She looked up at Vikram.  He hung his head....!!  She was surprised. 

"You May go!" she was ordered and she marched out before the panel changed its mind.  She sat on the chair flabbergasted. 

"Who is he? Why is he so favoured?" she had no answer.  Next moment she rose clenching her fists.  "What does he think of himself? He can't take me for granted..." she marched towards her cell.....She had almost lost her life because of him....The Hawk...!!
"I am not his pray...!" She banged open the cell door....