The Final Flight

impatient to eat and get on with the card game.
He drained his glass, said his goodbyes, and approached the group at the bar. Red Brunson gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder as he arrived. Speedy Johnson exclaimed, “Ah, Milford. Come to talk to us about data?”
The group laughed.
“Well, someone has to look after the computers that are replacing you lot.”
This provoked some mock booing from the pilots.
On a whim, he turned to Kilton.
“Boss, can I have a word, please?”
Kilton nodded and they moved off to a corner near the mess piano.
“I was going to brief you tomorrow, and I will, but I thought I should let you know. Guiding Light failed today.”
Kilton’s expression didn’t change at first. Then he looked puzzled.
“What do you mean, ‘failed’?”
“It went blind, at three hundred feet and three hundred knots, in Wales.”
“Blind?”
“Suddenly we were descending. I happened to be looking at the panel at the time. The laser thought there was nine hundred below us. In reality we were still at three hundred.”
“So you cancelled?”
“It took a moment for us all to adjust to what was happening, but yes, Rob did a good job and intervened in time. Just.”
“Just? How close did you get?”
Millie paused and took a breath. “The tape wasn’t running, so I can’t be certain.”
“You don’t have any record of it?”
“I made some notes, but no, the tapes were used up at that point. It was the end of the run.”
Kilton stayed silent, studying Millie, making him shift on his feet.
“Anyway, we’ve no option, boss, but to ground Guiding Light until Blackton can identify the issue and see if they can rectify it. If they can rectify it, I’d suggest we start the trial from scratch.”
A flash of anger crossed Kilton’s face and Millie took half a step back.
“And you don’t think you’re making too much of this, Millie, as usual?”
“I’m sorry? With respect, boss, it nearly killed us.”
Kilton shook his head. “Put it all in writing and drop it on my desk tomorrow morning.” He made to leave, but then turned. “And no discussion with anyone.”
Millie nodded. “Of course, boss.”
He watched as Kilton joined Brian Hill and Jock MacLeish, rather than go back to the bar group.
Millie went back to the bar and tugged Rob on the shoulder.
“We’d best be getting back, young man. The wives will be waiting for their card game.”
“Oh no! Rob’s dad’s here to pick him up,” said Johnson. “Ooh, please, Rob’s dad. Can he stay for just one more drink?”
Rob looked at his newly presented pint.
“I might just have this first, Millie. I’ll see you at yours later.”
The rusting wheels of Millie’s ten-year-old Rover complained as he scraped the kerb outside his married quarter.
“And that’s why I’m not a pilot,” he reminded himself, clambering out and into the warm June evening.
The sound of laughing women drifted from the back garden as he made his way down the side passage.
Georgina and Mary sat in two tatty garden chairs. Summer dresses, floppy hats, and what looked like gin and tonics in hand. Georgina in her favoured red, Mary in yellow. Millie stood and watched for a moment.
“Darling!” Georgina shouted when she spotted him. “Whatever are you doing lurking in the shadows?”
Millie set down his flight case just inside the open French doors and picked up a third garden chair.
“Just admiring the local beauty.”
“Peeping Tom, more like.” Georgina lifted herself and kissed him hello. “Drink? scotch?”
“Do we have any ice?”
Georgina thought for a moment. “I don’t think so, but I’ll see if I can pull something off the inside of the freezer if you like.”
“Needs must.”
Millie’s relief at being home must have shown in his eyes, as Georgina loitered for a moment.
“Everything OK?”
He tried not to glance at Mary; this wasn’t the time to say anything about the incident. It was up to Rob and every member of aircrew what they shared with their wives.
“Yes, fine. Just tired.”
Georgina looked unconvinced, but then disappeared into the house.
“Well,” Millie said turning to Mary, “I thought you might be missing us, but apparently not.”
Mary laughed. “The heatwave is so gorgeous. It’s just nice to be in the sun.”
“No cards tonight?”
“Well, we need four for cards. Did Rob go home to change?”
“Actually, he was still in the bar when I left. I expect he’ll be along later.”
“Fine, well we can enjoy the evening sun, the three of us.” She leant back in her chair and closed her eyes, her shoulder-length brown hair gently shifting in the breeze. Millie smiled at her; so young and pretty and with an up and coming test pilot by her side.
He felt a twinge of jealousy as he recalled the time after the war when he was promoted, and he and Georgina were considered the young ones.
The three of them ate outdoors and remained there in the last of the warmth; it was unusual for it to last so long into the evening.
The Milfords’ grandfather clock tolled, its gentle clangs seeping out of the house through the open doors and windows. Ten bells. It was apparent Rob would not be appearing that evening. He was either still in the mess or had headed home, worse for wear.
Millie walked Mary back to their married quarter, two streets away in Trenchard Close.
The house was dark.
“Not here, either.” She turned to Millie. “Has my husband forgone us for some new drinking pals?”
“I fear so. We all need to let our hair down every now and again.”
She looked thoughtful for a moment. “Yes, of course. A bit rude as we had cards planned. Sorry, Millie.”
“Think nothing of it,” he said and they kissed their goodbyes on the cheek. “I’m sure he’ll be back presently.”
Millie sauntered home. Had he missed anything important in the bar of the officers’ mess?
It was nagging at him, the brief exchange with Kilton.
Making a bit much of this… Bloody silly thing to say.
He thought of Kilton going over to Brian Hill as he was leaving.
Were they discussing the Guiding Light situation without him?
He looked