After Samrat threatens her with the word court martial, Tanvi abandons her silly, bossy behaviour. It is not as if she has enough time to butt heads with him always. All this while too, she passed small jabs whenever she could. Those have ended now. And thank god Samrat wasn't serious enough to report her.

Everyone alongside her, including Samrat, is busy as hell as they wrap the last phase of the Shakti aircraft trials. As the weekend approaches, she's filled with bittersweet feelings. Her transfer has been approved and this Monday, she can leave the airbase. From Rajasthan to Maharashtra. She is leaving behind Kota for Pune.

She will miss all her dear friends and Samrat but the positive side — the weather may not be too hot in Pune. Yep, you got to see the positive sides, Tanvi.

Tanvi encourages herself on her last day of work. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Well, the work is not over for the rest of the officers working on the Shakti project. Harjot ma'am will return and everyone has to summarise things for her once again. Also, maybe hold an official trial for her.

Tanvi is glad she did her part in the project. She just entered the latest results of various technical tests performed during the trials in Harjot's desktop, all by herself again. Samrat didn't ask her to do it alone, but she volunteered and he agreed.

The long hours she was at work inside Harjot's cabin, he was there with her, but unlike the last time, he gave her space, often stepping out. No words were exchanged between them except for official greetings or things needed to be said. Then they went to sector 53.

This is the end? This is how we are parting? Maybe once I leave, I can get on a video call with him and we can call it quits peacefully. Immersed in her thoughts, that night, Tanvi has trouble sleeping. The morning after will come, soon she has to depart.

***

Saturday night, at late hours, Wing Commander Abhimanyu Adhikari is still working. Normally, whoever enters his cabin knocks, but someone opens his cabin door with a rattle and barges inside.

"Samrat?"

Though surprised and overcome with the urge to teach Samrat the etiquette he already knows, Abhimanyu holds back. Samrat has a haunted look on his face. He is still dressed in his uniform. God knows why he is working at this hour. The Shakti aircraft project work has been wrapped up for the evening, didn't it? The airbase had been abuzz. The work is thoroughly wrapped up. The members on the project have nothing to do until Harjot returns.

Samrat looks at Abhi. Skipping any greetings, he screams,

"Abhimanyu!"

Then, remembering he has to shut the cabin door, he does it in a haste.

"Mera transfer accept kyun nahin hua, Abhimanyu? Tumne mujhe back kyu nahi kiya? Tum jante ho na yeh transfer kitni zaruri hai mere liye!"

Abhimanyu calmly looks at Samrat.

"Jaanta hoon main, Samrat. Lekin main tumhe sochne ke liye thoda sa waqt aur dena chahta tha."

"Sochne ke liye aur kya hai, Abhimanyu?"

Samrat shakes his head. Abhimanyu puts down the file he's reading and approaches Samrat.

"Kisi aur ki bhi transfer ho rahi thi, Samrat, toh..."

"Kya?" Samrat panics a little. "Kisi aur ki transfer accept hui? Iska matlab kuchh 4 mahine tak at least, mera transfer to bilkul accept nahin hoga. Ya Allah!"

Abhimanyu pats Samrat's shoulder. "Accept hoga na. I can pull my influence and also request Abhay sir to back me. But, Samrat, tum thoda waqt aur lena sochne ke liye. Kya yahan se jana sahi decision hai?"

"Sochne ke liye kuchh nahin hai, Abhimanyu."

Abhimanyu lets out a heavy sigh. "Main jaanta hoon, Samrat. Ab tak tumhari zindagi kaisi rahi. You regret the life you lived. Isliye tum apni zindagi ko kafara banaa chuke ho. Par ab tum jo bhi decision le rahe ho, kya tumhe pura yakin hai, ki aage jakar tumhe regret nahi hoga? Main tumhe sochne ke liye majbur nahi karna chahta. Lekin zindagi dobara jeene ke mauke bahut kam logon ko milte hain. Main nahi chahta ki tum yeh mauka gavao."

Samrat takes a moment to process what Abhimanyu said, but nothing is going into his skull. All he knows is that he can't stay here. He can't stay here and pretend indifference towards Tanvi. His situation with Tanvi will only be resolved with his transfer! How does he explain this to Abhi?

"Samrat... baitho zara. Fursat se baat karein?"

Samrat sighs heavily and plops into the chair. Abhimanyu points and clutches his head. He cannot go against Abhimanyu's words ever.

"Please, Abhi..." he murmurs sorrowfully. "Please, you have to back my transfer. This was my hope... You were my hope... Toh tumne aisa kyu kiya? Mujhse pucha bhi nahi ek bar?"

Abhimanyu feels a twinge of guilt, but knows he has done nothing wrong. He's been mulling over this for several weeks. Of course, with them being officers, they get little time to ruminate on personal matters often but, whenever he had a spare moment, he wanted to do something for Samrat's sake. And as Farhan has hinted this involves Tanvi, so he wanted to do something that would benefit both of them. Samrat's transfer is nothing but him running away. A fauji never runs away. A fauji like Samrat should never...

Abhimanyu organises his thoughts and pats Samrat's shoulder again.

"Samrat, main samajh sakta hoon tumhari halat. Lekin kya tum meri opinion sunoge?"

Samrat lifts his head and gazes at Abhi.

"Samrat, I can imagine tumhari zindagi kaisi rahi ab tak. I imagine tumhe tumhe apni zindagi jeene ka koi mauka nahi mila hoga. Apne liye toh nahi. That training with your mulk... You have been through something unimaginable. Since you redeemed, the burden of your sins and regrets is unimaginable. Tum apni gunahon ka prayshchit karna chahte ho, mujhe pata hai. Ek nek officer sabit karna chahte ho khud ko, yeh bhi pata hai. Acchi baat hain, Sam. Lekin iske saath-saath tum thoda ji bhi sakte ho yaar. Apne liye. Tumhe itne sakht hone ki jarurat nahi. Are you sure you want to let go of this chance?"

"What chance?" Samrat looks genuinely boggled. Abhimanyu chuckles.

"Samrat, you're smart. Tumhe pata hai what you are letting go. Yeh jawab main nahi de sakta hoon na."

Samrat frowns. Tanvi's face pops in his mind's eye. So do Farhan, Sameera, Isha and Abhimanyu's. Of course, he knows what he's letting go. He's letting go of the girl who encouraged him to start a new life as an officer, the very girl, his best friend he loves. He's leaving behind his other dear friends... Of course, this is what Abhimanyu is pointing to. But what option is there other than to let go?

Samrat, itne saal tum kisi aur ke liye jiye... Ab farz ke liye jiye zarur. Lekin apne liye bhi jiyo yaar. Khul ke jee lo. Kab tak apne aap ke liye yeh nafrat lekar baithoge? Kab tak isey tumhe apni zindagi jeene se rokoge? Beshak, tumne isko apne duties ke bich nahi aane diya lekin... Baki cheezon par iska asar ho raha hai na... I don't want that for you. I want you to find happiness as a person. That is what I want you as a friend. Lekin agar tum nahin chahte toh... agli bar zarur, I will back your transfer..."

Samrat sighs. Abhimanyu speaks again—

"Ek aur hafta le lo. Uske bad bhi agar tumhara decision yahi hai to I will do everything I can and arrange for your transfer."

Samrat swallows various emotions coursing through him and nods at Abhimanyu. He can understand Abhimanyu is only being considerate. "Thanks, Abhi."

With those words she leaves Abhimanyu's cabin. Alone again, Abhimanyu hopes that his words have gotten through Samrat. Many people must have tried their ways, everything seemed to fail, but he had to try one last time. Well, now it's time to shift his focus back to official duties. Here is hoping Samrat will take a wise decision.

***

🌟❤️TBC❤️🌟
Wc: 1.3k
An: I had to break this chapter because it was becoming so hard for me to write this week🫠

Hint: 😛 Happy ending in next!!! 😆🥹🤫🫣😶‍🌫️

🌟❤️✍️Up next: Tanvi is leaving. Samrat is surprised when she's not at sector 53... and then... Stay tuned for their union? Will they unite or will Tanvi go away? 

🌟V & C!🌟