NATALIE: "Lieutenant Colonel Hayes, when was the last time you personally saw the former deputy commander?"
HAYES: "Approximately three weeks ago, Colonel."
NATALIE: "Did you communicate with him after his transfer?"
HAYES: "Only through official correspondence."
NATALIE: "Did he retain access to this installation's systems?"
Hayes hesitated.
HAYES: "His account was supposed to remain active temporarily for the transfer of administrative responsibilities."
Natalie turned toward the executive officer.
NATALIE: "Was that extension approved?"
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "I'll verify it immediately."
NATALIE: "And I want the approval document. Not a verbal explanation."
Hayes looked down at the black document case.
HAYES: "Colonel, there is something I haven't told you."
NATALIE: "Then now would be a good time."
Hayes took a breath.
HAYES: "The former deputy commander contacted me last week. He asked whether the maintenance review had been completed."
NATALIE: "What did you tell him?"
HAYES: "I told him that the records were still being reconciled."
NATALIE: "Did he ask you to remove anything?"
Hayes shook his head.
HAYES: "Not directly. He said that the original approval file should remain in the administrative archive until the final readiness review was complete."
NATALIE: "Was that instruction given in writing?"
HAYES: "No, Colonel."
NATALIE: "Then why did you follow it?"
Hayes looked uncomfortable.
HAYES: "Because he was still a senior officer, and I believed he was coordinating the transfer."
Natalie remained silent for a moment.
She understood that military organizations depended on clear chains of command. Personnel were expected to respect authority, but that respect could not become an excuse for ignoring irregular instructions.
NATALIE: "You are responsible for explaining every decision you made. If you received an instruction that appeared improper, you were required to verify it through the proper channel."
HAYES: "I understand."
NATALIE: "Good. Now tell me what is inside the restricted folder."
Hayes glanced toward Whitmore.
The major avoided his eyes.
HAYES: "It contains the original approval sequence for the readiness evaluation. It also contains correspondence showing that the former deputy commander was aware of the outstanding maintenance discrepancies."
Natalie looked at the documents again.
NATALIE: "Does it show that he instructed anyone to change the reports?"
HAYES: "There are messages that could establish that."
NATALIE: "Then why wasn't this folder included in the original maintenance review?"
Hayes did not answer immediately.
HAYES: "Because I was told it belonged to a separate command review."
NATALIE: "By whom?"
HAYES: "The former deputy commander."
Natalie closed the folder.
She had expected the investigation to uncover a pattern of falsified maintenance reports. She had not expected a senior officer to have potentially used the command structure to keep the original evidence outside the normal review process.
Before she could ask another question, the executive officer returned.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "Colonel, the access extension was approved before the former deputy commander's transfer. It was scheduled to expire at the end of the month."
NATALIE: "Who approved it?"
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "The former installation commander."
NATALIE: "Was the extension limited to read-only access?"
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "The authorization says administrative access. It doesn't specify read-only."
Natalie looked at him.
NATALIE: "That is a problem."
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "Yes, ma'am."
NATALIE: "Suspend the credential through the proper security procedure. Preserve the account history first."
The executive officer immediately contacted the system administrator.
Meanwhile, the security team was approaching the restricted archive.
The corridor was narrow and brightly lit. Several doors led to storage rooms and administrative offices. At the far end stood the archive entrance, secured by an electronic access panel.
Two security personnel positioned themselves near the doorway.
Inside, a workstation remained active.
The screen displayed a list of archived maintenance files.
The system showed that the former deputy commander's account had opened several documents, including the original aircraft inspection reports and the readiness evaluation correspondence.
A security camera recorded a person entering the room shortly before the access session began.
The individual wore a dark jacket and carried a document case.
His face was partially obscured by the camera angle.
The security officer approached him.
SECURITY OFFICER: "Sir, please step away from the workstation."
The man turned.
He appeared surprised but not frightened.
MAN: "I'm authorized to be here."
SECURITY OFFICER: "Your authorization is being verified. Please step away from the computer."
MAN: "I have a meeting with the administrative office."
SECURITY OFFICER: "Then you can wait outside while we verify your access."
The man looked at the workstation.
A document remained open on the screen.
He slowly moved away.
The security officer asked for his identification.
The man handed it over.
His name was Captain Peter Lawson, an administrative liaison who had recently been assigned to assist with the former deputy commander's transition.
The security officer checked the access record.
The credential used by the workstation belonged to the former deputy commander, not Captain Lawson.
SECURITY OFFICER: "Why are you using another officer's account?"