Leah Flew Again
Chapter 16 - Leah Flew Again
Leah’s first flight after reinstatement was not combat.
She piloted a medical evacuation exercise over the Chesapeake Bay. The weather was clear. Every route change required verbal confirmation from two crew members.
Her hands shook during engine start.
The instructor asked whether she wanted to stop.
Leah considered saying no from pride.
Then she requested five minutes.
The crew waited.
She breathed, reviewed the controls and continued when ready.
Returning to flight did not mean fear disappeared. It meant fear no longer made the decision alone.
Leah later commanded a rescue-training squadron. She insisted every crew member, regardless of rank, could challenge automated navigation.
A young airman once corrected her route calculation.
Leah thanked him over the open channel.
The moment became part of squadron culture.
No commander’s confidence outweighed verifiable coordinates.
She kept no replica of Connor’s medal case in her office.
Instead, she displayed a plain emergency recorder with the label:
CHECK THE LOCAL COPY.
May you like
The object was less dramatic.
That made the lesson easier to use.
