The Policy

60,000 feet above sea-level, a commercial 1147 soared through the yellow and green bruised skies somewhere over Missouri. The plane was filled to capacity, as was the anxiety level of all aboard. There were already several delays before takeoff, and the traffic into Dulles was nothing short of a bubbling nightmare. Captain Victor Finn adjusted the settings in his NAV computer and responded, "Her vitals are now online and currently being transmitted to Air Traffic Control."

"Captain, I don't think she's going to hold on for much longer," Camilla Demarkos said. The men behind the cockpit remained quiet, focused upon the various controls and screens. She tried again, "Captain, did you hear me?"

"I did. We're obtaining clearance for an emergency landing at the nearest available airport."

"And a medical response team waiting for us as well, Captain?"

"Of course. Go and make sure she's stabilized and come back in 10 minutes for an update."

Camilla nodded and smiled to the backs of their heads. "Thank you." She turned, walked out of the cockpit and the door closed behind her. They were only an hour and a half away from their original destination. But now. the non-stop flight from Dulles to LAX would be forced to divert to another airport. Her husband and children might have to wait for her to return home another day. Each time she kissed her husband goodbye she wondered if it were the last time. The thought of her plane screaming down towards the Earth in an inferno terrified her every time she boarded. She would let them know of the change as soon as they touch downed. Camilla smoothed her uniform and proceeded down the narrow ocean-blue carpeted walkway towards the woman in the rear of First Class. Camilla could already hear her heavy breathing over the hum of the plasma engines as she approached. She arrived to find the woman with a wet washcloth on her forehead and her face paler than remembered. Beads of sweat formed beneath the terrycloth.

"Ma'am, I spoke with the Captain and he is making arrangements for an emergency landing."

"No...I need to go... to Los Angeles," the woman said between her heavy gasps. She was holding on to her enlarged stomach as she winced in pain. "He has to... be born in Los... Angeles."

"I don't think the baby agrees," Camilla smiled. "We need to get you medical attention sooner than that."

The pregnant woman moaned. "Please... I can hold on." Another contraction shot through her abdomen as she grunted in response to the twisting pain.

"I'm going to make sure this is working, ok?" Camilla leaned over her passenger to inspect the matte-black discs attached to her temples. The blinking cobalt light indicated it was working properly. She opened the First Aid kit at her side and pulled out the diagnostic evaluation device. It snapped on and read her the vitals: rate of heartbeat, blood pressure, temperature, brainwave analysis, pain thresholds and several other readings that Camilla wasn't familiar with. The only reading that mattered was the diagnostic at the bottom: STABLE.

A long tone spouted from the speakers above the passengers, followed by an electronic crackle, "Ladies and gentlemen this is your Captain speaking. Please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts. We are descending to make emergency landing in Colorado. We ask for you to remain calm - there is no reason for panic. Thank you."

Several long groans and complaints weaved throughout the airliner. A large man with an old fashioned hat cursed loudly. Camilla looked to her palm, and marked his seat to level yellow.

"You see," Camilla said soothingly, "it's all set. We'll be down in no time and your baby can be delivered safely."

Her eyes opened wide and then clamped shut. "God...." She groaned while clamping the sides of her seat. Camilla looked back to the Medical Diagnostic. The unit measured her contractions without use of a catheter. The reading of the strength of the last one was in the upper reds. The diagnostic reading STABLE began to flicker.