Conflagration

Messages

Erin tried not to think about the fact that Nurse Andrew had "cleaned and changed" her while she was unconscious. She appreciated his discretion, however. Between him and Sister Judith, she was developing a profound respect for the nursing profession. He helped her to a chair beside her gurney. She'd apparently spent the last couple of days on her back. She didn't remember any of it, but it still felt good to sit up.

Erin had no idea what had happened to her phone. She hadn't seen it since that first day they'd landed on Sanctuary. Andrew was kind enough to loan her a data pad so that she could begin going through all her messages.

The first one was from Ursa Royal and it detailed the damage to 788NC. The list of necessary repairs was extensive and expensive. To say nothing of the fact that the plane (or what was left of it) would need to undergo a costly de-radiating process to be considered spaceworthy again. There were several pictures included in the message which showcased melted, buckled, or fatigued skin plating. Several pictures showed large areas of the plane's outer skin coated with what looked like metallic blisters where rounds from Ready Sophia's guns had hit them. The lead projectiles had melted before hitting them, but those sections of airplane skin would have to be replaced, nevertheless. Erin could tell from the extent of the damage that she would definitely be fired. She sighed. Well, guess I'm the plane burner for sure, now, she thought resignedly.

Her next message seemed to confirm her suspicions that she was going to be fired. It was from her boss back on Gonaways, Chief Pilot Evan Conrad. It was a video message of him scowling at the camera and all he said was "O'Connell, call me as soon as possible. We need to talk." And then he'd hung up.

Great. That's the end of my career. After being branded a plane burner, she knew she was lucky to have gotten a job moving containers around for Noémie. After this, no one would ever hire her as a pilot again. I just mess up everything I do. I should just go ahead and kill myself.

There were three messages from somebody called Inspector Braden McIver. This guy said he worked for the Gonaways police and it was imperative that he speak with her before anyone else. Erin would call him back last.

I'm not going to prison. Whatever they try to pin on me, I'm not going to prison.

The last message was from Haru Yamashita. It was only a text message that read: "I'm glad you and your mechanic made it back safely. Don't worry about the plane. Thank you for bringing Capt. Elof back and thank you for your discretion. Call me before you speak to anyone else. I have good news for you."

Of all these people, Erin knew that the most powerful one and the one she should call back first would be the head of one of the most powerful Guilds in the Darklands. But it was Capt. Yamashita's last sentence that really prompted Erin to call him first. She could really use some good news right about now.

He answered right away, but she was surprised to see him wearing casual clothing. He looked to be attending a kid's birthday party.

"Senior Airman O'Connell," he said, "it's good to see you alive and well."

"I'm sorry, sir, if this is a bad time⁠—" she started and then stopped. The significance of what he'd said hit her. He'd called her Senior Airman O'Connell, not Journeyman Airman. "Wait? Did you just call me..." She trailed off as he smirked into the camera.

"I did. Congratulations. You've made senior airman." He moved out of the main room where children were screaming and laughing and into a side room which looked like an office. He closed the door behind himself to block the sound. "The paperwork's already processed in the guild's computer system."

"But, why?"

"You don't know yet?"

"Don't know what, sir? I just woke up and checked my messages. You're the first one I've talked to."