“Ms. Cross—”
“You remain responsible for the aircraft.”
She said.
“He identifies the item.”
“You supervise.”
“If he is wrong, we return to your plan.”
Richard looked at Lucas.
Then at the jet.
Finally:
“Fine.”
The sixty seconds became four minutes because aviation did not actually operate on dramatic countdowns.
Power configuration had to be confirmed.
The relevant panel opened safely.
The maintenance reference verified.
Richard remained beside Lucas.
Mason stood behind them.
Lucas crouched.
The sun burned through the back of his shirt.
He touched nothing initially.
He listened.
Asked the pilot to initiate the sequence only to the permitted diagnostic stage.
The system began.
The irregular vibration appeared again.
Lucas pointed.
“There.”
Richard heard nothing.
“What?”
“Again.”
They reset.
Second attempt.
Lucas placed two fingers lightly against the housing.
A tiny shudder.
Not enough to see.
Enough to feel.
“Stop.”
The sequence ended.
Lucas looked toward Richard.
“Check the relay connector under load.”
Richard crouched beside him.
They inspected it.
At first glance, it looked normal.
Latch engaged.
No obvious heat damage.
No loose wire.
Mason said:
“Told you.”
Lucas did not answer.
He pointed toward the locking tab.
“Pressure on the connector.”
Richard pressed.
There was movement.
Almost imperceptible.
His expression changed.
“That should not move.”
“No.”
They isolated the circuit according to procedure.
Richard released the connector.
One retaining feature had not fully seated.
It had been assembled tightly enough to pass inspection but not locked completely.
Vibration had gradually worked it loose.
Richard stared.
Mason stopped smiling.
Lucas said:
“Inspect the contacts before reseating.”
Richard nodded.
No burn marks.
No obvious arcing.
The connection was restored and secured properly.
Richard looked at Lucas.
“How certain are you?”
“That this was part of the problem?”
“Yes.”
“High.”
“That it was the only problem?”
Lucas shook his head.
“No mechanic should tell you that before a functional test.”
For the first time, Richard smiled.
Very slightly.
“Good answer.”
They closed the panel.
Returned the aircraft to test configuration.
The pilot initiated the APU start.
The familiar whine began.
Lucas listened.
Clean.
No hesitation.
RPM stabilized.
Electrical power came online.
The cockpit displays settled.
Richard watched the tablet.
“All parameters normal.”
Nobody said anything.
Captain Reeves’s voice came over the headset.
“APU stable.”
Richard keyed the microphone.
“Continue checks.”
Several systems came online.
Then engine one.
The turbine began to turn.
Engine two followed.
The G650 came alive beneath the sun.
The sound rolled across the ramp.
And the people standing around it went silent.
Lucas remained where he was.