Kyle looked uncomfortable.
KYLE: "I had several documents to process."
EVELYN: "And did you verify the work before approving it?"
Kyle did not respond.
EVELYN: "Sergeant?"
KYLE: "No, ma'am."
Thomas looked at him.
KYLE: "I relied on the information provided to me."
EVELYN: "Then your responsibility was to identify who provided it and whether it was accurate."
KYLE: "I understand."
EVELYN: "Do you?"
Kyle lowered his eyes.
EVELYN: "You had a technician telling you that a safety issue remained unresolved. Instead of investigating, you pressured him to complete the paperwork."
KYLE: "I was trying to meet the operational requirements."
EVELYN: "And when someone questioned your decisions, you used your position to silence them."
Kyle looked up.
KYLE: "I made a mistake."
EVELYN: "You made several decisions. We need to determine which were mistakes and which were deliberate."
KYLE: "I didn't want anyone getting hurt."
EVELYN: "Then you should have listened when people told you something was wrong."
For a moment, Kyle appeared unable to look at her.
Then he spoke quietly.
KYLE: "I was afraid of losing my position."
Evelyn watched him.
KYLE: "The readiness reports were important. If our numbers dropped, the command office would demand explanations. We were already behind schedule."
EVELYN: "So you decided to make the numbers look better."
KYLE: "I thought we could correct the remaining issues afterward."
EVELYN: "You cannot promise that an aircraft is safe and then hope someone fixes it later."
Kyle nodded.
KYLE: "I know."
EVELYN: "And what happened to the original work orders?"
Kyle hesitated.
KYLE: "Some were moved."
EVELYN: "Moved where?"
KYLE: "The administrative archive."
EVELYN: "By whom?"
Kyle looked toward Harris again.
KYLE: "I was instructed to send them to Lieutenant Parker."
The commander immediately put down his telephone.
COMMANDER HARRIS: "That's not accurate."
Kyle turned.
KYLE: "Sir, I received the instruction from your office."
COMMANDER HARRIS: "You are responsible for your own records."
KYLE: "I know, sir."
EVELYN: "Commander, please allow him to finish."
Harris said nothing.
Kyle continued.
KYLE: "Lieutenant Parker told me the original work orders were no longer required for the monthly readiness review. He said the digital summaries were sufficient."
EVELYN: "Did you question that instruction?"
KYLE: "No."
EVELYN: "Why?"
KYLE: "Because he said it came from senior command."
EVELYN: "Did you verify that?"
KYLE: "No, ma'am."
Evelyn slowly closed the folder.
She had now established something important.
The maintenance failures were not simply the result of one person making careless decisions.
There was a chain of approvals, administrative instructions, and questionable document handling.
And every person involved appeared to believe that someone above them would take responsibility.
That was exactly how serious failures became institutional problems.
EVELYN: "Master Sergeant Reed, I want Lieutenant Parker located."
THOMAS: "I'll find him."
EVELYN: "And Martin Cole."
THOMAS: "Yes, ma'am."
Commander Harris stepped forward.
COMMANDER HARRIS: "Chairwoman, I believe we should consider the operational consequences of this investigation."
EVELYN: "I am considering them."
COMMANDER HARRIS: "If we suspend all aircraft operations immediately, we could create significant scheduling problems."
EVELYN: "If an aircraft has an unresolved safety issue, scheduling is not our primary concern."
COMMANDER HARRIS: "We need to be reasonable."
EVELYN: "We need to be responsible."
Harris looked away.
Evelyn turned toward Daniel.
EVELYN: "How many aircraft are currently listed as operational despite these unresolved discrepancies?"
Daniel checked the database.
DANIEL: "Four, ma'am."
EVELYN: "Identify them."
Daniel read the aircraft numbers.
Evelyn wrote each one down.
EVELYN: "All four are to be removed from the operational schedule pending independent inspection."
COMMANDER HARRIS: "That will affect the entire readiness plan."
EVELYN: "Then the readiness plan will have to change."
COMMANDER HARRIS: "We cannot simply stop operations."
EVELYN: "We are not stopping every operation. We are suspending the use of aircraft whose safety status cannot be verified."
Harris stared at her.
COMMANDER HARRIS: "You understand what this will look like?"
EVELYN: "I am more concerned with what could happen if we ignore it."
Thomas nodded.
THOMAS: "I'll arrange the inspections."
Evelyn turned toward the second officer.
EVELYN: "Contact the appropriate aviation safety team. I want independent personnel, not members of this hangar's existing inspection chain."
SECOND OFFICER: "Yes, ma'am."
The officer left.
Outside, several technicians had gathered near the maintenance office.
News of the Chairwoman's presence had spread quickly.
Some were curious.
Others looked worried.
Daniel stepped toward Evelyn.
DANIEL: "Ma'am, can I ask you something?"
EVELYN: "Of course."
DANIEL: "Are we going to be punished for this?"
Evelyn looked at him.
EVELYN: "Were you involved in falsifying the reports?"
DANIEL: "No, ma'am."
EVELYN: "Did you knowingly approve unsafe equipment?"
DANIEL: "No."