Through Silent Skies

Chapter Eleven

I'm standing just outside the door to the crew compartment, facing a cabin tightly packed full of uneasily expectant passengers. The announcement I'm about to make will be be the most important of my career.

"Can you hear me?" I ask. I can hear my radio miked voice over the cabin's public address system along with a mumbled chorus of yesses.

"Good! OK... I need your undivided attention for a few minutes. You know that a major systems failure forced us to divert and land here for safety's sake. At the time we believed the problems were confined to this aircraft, and the congestion issues Eastern Federated States Air Traffic Control were suffering would soon be resolved. On arriving in Icelandic airspace we realised the difficulties were more widespread and far less temporary than we anticipated. When we arived here at Keflavik we hoped that the standby arrangements would cover us until we learned more about the situation or were able to organise alternative transportation. As you saw in the terminal, it is obvious no such arrangements are in place. On my own authority I arranged for you to be brought back on board the Albatross in order for you to be fed and rested in conditions far better than those the airport could offer you. I did so without the knowledge or permission of the airport management because I regard your welfare as my paramount concern and the authorities here, such as they are, as being utterly incompetent.

Now I regret to say events have taken a far more serious and sinister turn. The airport's Deputy Manager has just tried to arrest me under the State of Emergency he has declared for performing my duty in looking after you. Needless to say I regarded that decision as a ludicrous abuse of authority and refused to submit to it. To cut the story short it was necessary for us to stun the Deputy Director of Airport Services and his sky cop escort-" There are gasps of consternation at that news. "-when they tried, but didn't succeed to enforce my arrest; and I doubt they'll be causing any more trouble for a while!

But this means we have outstayed our welcome. I regard the situation here as being volatile and threatening to the point where - despite the damage to the virtual systems of our aircraft and the adverse wind conditions prevailing - taking off and flying to the nearest alternative safe landing location we are able to reach under manual control is the safest course of action.

I understand not everyone aboard may agree with me; and those of you travelling to the EFS may wish to remain here in the hope of travelling on by other means should that become possible in the near future. There may be others of you who may regard my actions in attempting to launch under these conditions as being risky in the extreme and would prefer not to fly with me. I respect your choices and would not force you to remain aboard. You are free to disembark at any time prior to the final preperations for take off. I shall not stop you, nor attempt to persuade you to stay. All I ask is that you make any member of the cabin crew aware of your decision before you go. One other thing I should make you aware of is that in order to lighten the aircraft enough for a rolling takeoff, the hold luggage will have to be unloaded and stored as securely as possible here. The ground crew will begin the process shortly. SkyBus will of course make arrangements for it to be returned for you when that becomes possible." I say, not even convincing myself.

"I must begin the preparations for departure at once. I estimate they will take no longer than ten to fifteen minutes, and all being well we should be airborne shortly after. Given the deteriorating situation here I'm convinced time is of the essence. Please give what I have said careful consideration and decide what you want to do to; remain abord or disembark. Thank you for listening."

I trot down the emergency stairs to finalise the arrangements. Behind me I leave an atmosphere of stunned silence for a moment, before a babble of astonished conversation begins.