AVIATRICE

After what happened yesterday, I don't know if I could work properly without being paranoid. It was said that there was a mass shooting near the location, and I was lucky enough to avoid the bullet. But the side of my brain is still suspicious, and I am sure there was more to it. 

"Cha?" I cleared my throat and faced Greece. 

"Hmm. . there seemed to be a subtle abnormal vibration from the engine," I commented after the engine ran up. Dumapo ang tingin ko kay Greece na pinapakinggan din nang maigi.

"I hear nothing, though," He scratched his forehead before glancing at his wristwatch. "We only have twenty-five minutes before boarding." Tumango naman ako. 

"Better be safe, right?" Greece took his phone from his pocket while fixing his curtain bangs while I checked the flight management systems/computer. 

"Yes, we detected a minor problem in the engine. We have twenty minutes before boarding. Are you around?" I continued scanning the instruments in the cockpit. He must be talking to Kato, the mechanic assigned to our aircraft. 

Maya maya ay hindi ko na siya narinig magsalita. He ended the call and dialed another one. It only lasted a few seconds before I heard Italian curses from his mouth. I faced him. He looks like he was in a deep shit or something. 

"What's wrong?" 

"Kato is on leave due to personal reasons. The spare mechanic's certification is for an Airbus, not Boeing. He is only assigned to narrowbody jets." I click my tongue. Now that's gonna be a problem. 

You see, we're flying a Boeing- 777. The mechanic for our aircraft must be certified for Boeing, not Airbus. Because clearly, there is a huge difference between them. 

"How long does it take to fix it?" Tanong ko sa kanya. 

"Taping the turbine casing of the aircraft would take forty minutes or so." Tumango-tango na lang ako. Yes, you heard it right, taping the engine. 

Sa ngalan na ite-tape baka naman iisipin niyo ducktape lang gagamitin. There's a specific tape used in a plane called a speed tape. It can withstand intense wind pressure and is also applicable for minimal repairs. It costs around 16,000- 22,000 per roll; that's enough to ensure it's safe. 

Yun nga lang, considering it'll take forty minutes or so, baka makita pa ng mga pasaherong nagbo-boarding na tini-tape yung engine. Kung ako sa kanila mag o-overthink na ako nang malala. Imagine yung eroplanong sasakyan mo tini-tape lang? 

"Cha?" I snapped my fingers when Greece called for my attention. 

"Oh, yes. Contact my brother if there is an available aircraft mechanic; if there is none, look for an aeronautical engineer." I turned off the engine and stood up from the seat. 

"I'll do the 360 check, tell Nat he's the pilot flying for this flight." Kamot ulo itong tumango habang nagtitipa ng number na tatawagan. 

I went on and grabbed a reflectorized vest. I tied my hair into a ponytail and put on my ear protection before taking a small flashlight with me to check the external condition of the aircraft. The pilot flying will be the First Officer, Nat. So, we might as well do the external check.

Paglabas ko ng aircraft ay una akong nagtungo sa front-left side fuselage malapit lang sa cockpit. After checking the angle of the attack indicator and seeing there was nothing wrong with it and its parts, I checked the aircraft's nose and landing gear. 

The wheels were in the proper position, and there seemed to be no hydraulic leakages. I turned on the flashlight to check on its vital parts, and so far, it's cleared. 

When I walked around to check on the right wing, I was greeted by the ground personnel preparing for the boarding gates. "Buona giornata a voi, capitano Coronia!" I gave them a firm smile. 

[Translation: Pleasant day to you, captain Coronia!]

While carefully inspecting the aircraft's tail, I saw Nat entering the plane, holding three cups of coffee. Ah, how sweet of him. He must've noticed I always visit a nearby coffee shop before going on a flight because ever since he became my First Officer, he made it a habit to always buy coffee. 

After a few more minutes of detailed checking, I can guarantee the plane is safe to fly. I gave a thumbs up to the nearby personnel, a cue that we were ready for boarding. Pagpasok ko naman sa loob ay muli akong binati ng mga FA. 

"Morning coffee, Sasha!" He handed me a cup, and I immediately took it. Nagkape naman na ako kanina, pero syempre magkakape ako ulit. Kape now, palpitate later. Paunahan na lang tumagos sa pader. 

"It always amazes me how your face could remain composed after drinking a cup of black coffee." Napangisi ako sa naging turan ni Greece. Ganito na siguro ako ka-bitter sa buhay para walang malasahang pait sa kapeng 'to. 

"I'm also amaze how you can guess my type of coffee, Nat." Aniya naman Nat na ngayon ay malawak na nakangiti sa kanya. 

"Why, of course! I tend to remember small details about you guys." He proudly raised his eyebrow and glanced at Greece. "I just noticed you love milk chocolates, so I guess a latte would be good for you." I closed the cockpit door and went to my seat. 

Nat and Greece were busy talking with each other while I watched the passengers from the boarding gate entering the telescopic tunnels connecting to the plane. This will be another long ass drive from Italy to the Philippines. Luckily, I can stay in Manila for three days after this flight. We need to arrive there safely first. 

"Greece, is the mechanic working on it?" He checked the time once again before answering me. "Yes, about ten minutes ago." He replied. 

I stretched my arms. Kumunot ang noo ko nang may mapansin ako. "It's already past the boarding time, why are they not retracting the passenger boarding passageway?" Bulong ko sa ere na mukhang narinig naman ni Nat na katabi ko lang. 

"Maybe a first-class passenger is late again." Sagot niya. Nagkibit-balikat na lang ako. That's fine. Kung may male-late. The mechanic is still fixing the engine turbine anyway. 

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Soul Airlines. Upon external check, the crew and mechanics agreed to delay departure for a further maintenance check to ensure the maximum safety of our flight." I announced shortly. 

But it's hilarious, though. Imagine sitting in the window by the wing and seeing a man taping the engine you're riding. A civilian will think their life is in grave danger, assuming a regular tape is used. 

Kung ako siguro ang mechanic at nakita kong may pasaherong nakatingin sa akin, magkukunwari akong concern sa kanila at magsa-sign of the cross pa ako bago umalis para mamatay sila kaka-overthink kung lalapag pa ba sila sa destinasyon nila. 

"Cha, the aircraft mechanic informed me we're good to go." Napaayos ako ng upo. I was about to instruct Nat to request a clearance when I noticed the passenger boarding passageway was still attached to the door. 

"Greece, ask the Purser if all passengers were aboard." Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto ay bumalik ito nang nakakunot ang noo. 

"So, what's going on? We're already delayed. We can't wait for more passengers, can we?" Nakalingon kong tanong sa kanya. 

"We are waiting for a person who paid 16 000 euros for an economy seat. The management said we must wait for the passenger no matter what happens." Napanganga ako. 

Sixteen-thousand euros?! That's a million pesos! And what? Economy seat? Bakit hindi na lang niya ginawang first class? That's absurd!

"Rich people surely have different problems." Iling-iling na ngisi ni Nat. 

ೃ⁀✈.ೃ⁀✈.ೃ⁀✈.

Napaayos ako ng upo nang makarinig ng kalabog sa paligid. I lazily tilted my head sideways due to neck pain. We were already cruising in a high altitude earlier when I decided to switch places with Greece para magpahinga. I was about to go back to sleep again when I heard Nat and Greece cursed in unison. Mariin at may tono ng pagkabigla ang boses nilang dalawa. 

"Mani in alto!" Nagising ang buong kaluluwa ko nang makarinig ng kasa ng baril. I haven't heard that noise for years, but I can't be mistaken. That's a gun. 

[Translation: Hands in the air!]

"Tu! Svegliate quella puttana!" Naramdaman ko na lang ang panginginig ng kamay na kung sino mang nagbabalak gumising sa akin. 

[Translation: You! Wake up that fucking bitch!" 

"S-Sasha, wake up!" Tinapik ako nito sa balikat gamit ang dalawang malamig niyang kamay. "Wake up. . ." I heard footsteps entering the cockpit. 

"Non importa, ammanettate questi bastardi!" If my senses were right, two more men were inside the cockpit. 

[Translation: Never mind, handcuff those bastards!]

"Apri gli occhi se non vuoi morire, figa!" Mabilis ko naimulat ang mga mata ko nang maramdaman ang lamig ng bakal na nakatutok sa noo ko. 

[Translation: Open your eyes if you don't want to die, cunt!]

Bumungad sa akin ang isang lalaking may katandaan na. His appearance is a full blooded bearded Italian holding a pistol pressed in my forehead. Bukod sa pistol na hawak niya ay may nakasabit pa na mahabang baril sa balikat niya. When our eyes met, I saw eyes of a person who kills for entertainment. Isang tanong kaagad ang pumasok sa isipan ko. 

Are they here for me?

Napailing ako. If they were here for me, they would have attacked me using a missile. They will not make such an effort to kill me. Binalik ko ang pansin ko sa lalaking kaharap ko. 

Sa likuran niya ay may dalawa pang lalaki, may nakasabit na baril sa magkabilang balikat nila. Those were assault rifles, some I could recognize were AKM and Armalite AR-15. "Cosa ci fate voi due qui? Pensate che non sia in grado di gestire questi tre?" Matalim niyang angil sa dalawa niyang kasama.

[Translation: What are the two of you doing here? Do you think I cannot handle these three?]

Umalis naman ang mga ito at naiwan kaming apat sa loob ng cockpit. Greece and Nat were handcuffed on the floor with their hands on front of their bodies. Nakatitig silang dalawa sa akin na para bang sila pa ang nininerbyos dahil may nakatutok na baril sa noo ko. 

"Muovetevi e manovrate l'aereo verso l'Italia!" Tumayo ako habang nakatitig pa rin sa kanya. Diniin niya ang baril sa noo ko. Itinaas ko ang magkabilang palad ko sa ere, signaling him that I will not do anything against him. 

Buong buhay ko, ilang beses na ba ako tinutukan ng baril sa noo? 

Tinulak niya ako patungo sa left seat, a gun was still pointed at me, just at the back of my head. My eyes landed on the waypoint indicator; we were cruising 37,000 ft above the ground with a speed of 540 knots in the Mongolian air space. We've already consumed half of the fuel. If we're heading back to Italy at this rate, I wonder if we can make it. 

What am I going to do? 

"Se non fate tornare indietro l'aereo, la bomba esploderà e posso garantire che nessuno di voi uscirà vivo da qui." I bit my bottom lip. Even if I turn the plane back, if the fuel ran out we'd still die. 

[Translation: If you do not turn back the plane, the bomb will explode, and I can guarantee none of you will leave here alive.]

But what the hell is going on? Why is there a bomb on the plane? Why are we heading back to Italy? Why is my flight being hijacked by these armed men? And more importantly, how did these weapons escape security?! 

Come on, Sachal, think. In this situation, what must an ex-air force member do? Are there any advantages you have? Yes, I've undergone training and know how to assemble and disassemble a gun. I know how to use it. I know how to fight. 

Are you outnumbered? No, he was confident enough to face a defenseless woman like me. Is he armed? Yes, he's holding a pistol on my head and an extra AKM on his shoulder. 

If I were to disarm him at this point, would I make it without getting shot?

I am the captain of this flight. I should ensure everyone's safety. My decision holds hundreds of lives and the happiness of the people waiting for them to arrive at their destination. 

I had no idea who these people were and what they needed. But I am sure there are many of them surrounding the plane. I could only imagine what was happening outside, but I must remain calm and clear-minded. I must be rational. 

A sharp ringing sound pierced my ears. I balled my hands into fists and closed my eyes, trying to ease the pain that was connecting in my head. I should decide. I cannot put everyone's life at risk. 

I faced the armed man, my hands were still in the air facing him. "Il carburante non è sufficiente per tornare indietro. Dobbiamo arrivare a destinazione per atterrare in sicurezza." Despite what I said, he seemed unbothered. 

[Translation: The fuel is not enough to go back. We need to arrive at our destination to land safely.]

He tilted his head and grabbed the collar of my uniform before pointing the tip of the gun on my chin. "Non prendermi per il culo, puttana. Ogni aereo ha con sé del carburante extra in caso di emergenza. " I cursed under my breath. I did not know he was knowledgeable! 

[Translation: Do not fuck with me, bitch. Every aircraft has extra fuel with them in case of emergencies. ]

"Sì, ma ci sarà ancora una carenza." I replied as calmly as I could. Paano ko nga ba nagagawang kumalma kahit na may nakatutok na baril sa baba ko? Isang pagkakamali lang pwede pumutok ang ngalangala ko. 

[Translation: Yes, but there will still be a shortage.]

"Calibrate questo cazzo di aereo per tornare qui in Italia, immediatamente! Un'altra parola da parte tua e non esiterò a premere il grilletto e ad ucciderti!" I heaved a deep breath. Saglit akong napatingin kay Greece at Nat na may nangingiusap na mata. It's like they're telling me just to do what I was told so I won't die. 

[Translation: Calibrate the fucking plane back to Italy this instant! One more word from you, and I won't hesitate to pull the trigger and kill you!]

Tinalikuran ko ang lalaking kaharap ko. I disengaged the autopilot mode and calibrated the flight controls. I held on to the yoke and controlled the throttle, shifting the ailerons to bank (liko) the aircraft. 

While I was adjusting the angle of the climb, I could still feel the gun being pointed in my direction. Napatingin ako sa flight computer kung saan nakikita ko ang mga waypoints. We were already in the middle of Mongolian airspace when I turned the plane back. 

My attention shifted to the terrain display. There was a vast land mass miles away. It could be a mountain. 

"Chi detiene la lista dei passeggeri?" Lumingon ako nang magtanong ito. 

[Translation: Who holds the list of passengers?]

"Il capo assistente di volo, il commissario di bordo." Sagot ko sa kanya. Itinuro niya ang pinto ng cockpit. 

[Translation: The head flight attendant, the purser.]

"Take me to her." Muntik na gumulong ang mata ko nang bigla itong mag-English. Takte, marunong naman pala mag English pinapahirapan pa ako mag italian. Tho, I almost couldn't understand him because of his accent. But still, sana nag English na lang siya! 

Mang ha-hijack na nga lang ng eroplano hindi pa alam kung saan nakaupo ang target nila? For them to commit such crime, the they're target is a high profile. Malamang nakaupo sa first-class yun. 

Saglit siyang tumalikod sa akin upang buksan ang pinto ng cockpit kaya naman kinuha ko ang pagkakataon na iyon para isagawa ang plano ko. I grabbed my scarf in the jump seat and tied it on his neck while I was behind him. I heard Nat and Greece gasping in floor. 

"Merda!" Hiyaw niya bago magpumiglas sa hawak ko. He moved his left hand to shoot, but I was quick enough to kick him on his balls. Nabitawan niya ang baril. 

"Pezzo de merda!" Mura pa nito. Sumampa ako sa likuran niya't mahigpit na nakayakap sa leeg niya habang sinasakal siya gamit ang scarf na hawak ko. 

[Translation: Piece of shit!]

Buong akala ko ay magtatagumpay na ako sa gagawin ko, pero nagulat na lang ako nang buong pwersa niya akong sikuhin sa tagiliran gamit ang maskulado niyang braso. Tumalsik ako palayo sa kanya habang nakasandal ang likod ko sa yoke ng aircraft. 

"Cha!" 

"Sasha!" 

"Putanna!" Sigaw niya bago ito humakbang papalapit sa akin. Nanlilisik matang dumapo ang magkabilang kamay niya sa leeg ko upang sakalin ako. The intent to murder me was very evident in his eyes. 

I opened my mouth as I tried to breathe air desperately. He applied more force, causing my body to push the yoke downwards. Awtomatikong nawalan ng balanse ang eroplano. Its nose pointed down and began to descend at a lower altitude.  

Napamura ako sa isipan ko. Pulling the yoke up would ascend the plane, and pushing it would cause the plane to go down. It's a matter of my life and my passenger's lives. 

"I-if you continue to push me, we will crash!" Habol hininga kong banta sa kanya. I tried to lift my body to avoid pushing back the yoke, but he was too strong—nginisihan niya ako. 

"Then we die together." Walang pag-aalinlangan niyang sabi. 

No, I can't just die here! No one dies on my plane! No one will die on the aircraft I captained! 

𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐀 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄
ᴮʸ ᴳᵒˡᵘᶜᵏʸᶜʰᵃʳᵐ

CHAPTER SHELF

Aeronautical Engineer- Their primary responsibilities include studying the aerodynamic properties of construction materials and aircraft, as well as designing aircraft and engine systems.

Airbus Aircraft- Uses fly-by-wire technology, in which the pilot's commands are interpreted and carried out by electronic systems.

Aircraft Mechanic- Inspect, perform, or supervise aircraft and aircraft system maintenance, preventive maintenance, repairs, and modifications.

Bank/Banking- A banking turn is a basic motion of an aircraft. The aircraft heading can be altered with this maneuver.

Boeing Aircraft- Have a direct connection between the controls and the aircraft surfaces, requiring more manual input from the pilots.

Purser- The cabin manager of chief flight attendant.