After some circumstances that you’ve faced, you weren’t able to become a pilot like Caleb. Despite being in the same cohort as him and studying the same things, you became an aircraft marshal instead. Of course you would rather be in the air but this was as best as you could get to be as close to the jets.

Waving your lighted batons, you guide yet another jet that came back from a round of flying. Taxiing it into its parking spot in the hanger, you slowly brought your lighted batons to a cross to signal a complete stop.

The jet engines kill and the surrounding environment sounds echoed around. From mechanics to the occasional laughter of other pilots. Sometimes, you feel that there’s a little hierarchy— pilots being above the aircraft marshals, both literally and by rank.

It does sting to think about but Caleb didn’t care one bit about it. Sure he’s a pilot but he understands how at the end of the day, you’re both still human.