Hawaii

Hawaii

A series of small led lights ceased their bright glow as Mark took his finger off the small red button. Releasing the yoke from his grip the plane levelled off and began to correct its pitch, the nose of the plane steadily dropping towards the horizon line.
 
    'Well that's over with for the next one and a half hours.' said Isaac.
 
    Mark turned to see his co-pilot recline in his chair and relax. Mark wished he could be as carefree as him, but he couldn't help but feel powerless after takeoff. Next to him Isaac sighed.
 
    'Jesus Mark you get like this every time. Don't think that I can't see the sweat coming off you. The plane won't crash, its better at flying than we are.'
 
    Mark replied, rubbing his forehead as he prepared to have the conversation he always did. Isaac just never seemed to understand no matter how hard he explained to him.
 
    'I know that. I'm not afraid of the plane crashing.'
 
    'Then what's the problem?'
 
    'The problem is why are we here? What's the only thing that we do that the plane doesn't?'
 
    Isaac laughed. 'This again? Really you're still going on about this? Mark you get paid a lot of money just to take off and land a plane. You only work for ten minutes during an almost two hour trip and some idiot decides to pay you handsomely for it.'
 
    Mark considered dropping the conversation. He had been through it before and knew how it would end. Even so something inside him wouldn't let it go.
 
    'You know there's rumours that they are testing computer controlled take offs and landings'.
 
    'Bullshit!' Isaac remarked a little too loudly. 'Who told you that?'
 
    Mark grinned knowing he had upset him on the issue for once. 'A lot of people but you don't have to hear it from anyone. It's no secret that Quanta wants to eventually use A.I controlled flights for every part of the trip. They practically said it straight out when they announced the context program'.
 
    Isaac turned towards the small computer monitor embedded into the side wall. It was displaying pictures and videos of different tourist attractions in California. If it had not been muted a female voice would be heard, in a breathy husky voice, listing the reasons why it was such a great place. Mark remembered when they had first suggested the context program. It was simple enough. A database of almost every geographic location in the world. The on board computer was able to match the latitude and longitude of the planes current location and then displayed tourist information on the onboard screens that were attached to the back of every passenger seat. Recently it had received an update that allowed it to display current news as well.
 
    'What the hell does the Context program have to do with anything? It's just a diversion for all the passengers that don't have enough sense to read a book or fall asleep'.
 
    'Well nothing by its self' said Mark the feeling of frustration slowly creeping upon him. 'But when will we no longer be needed? I mean the dam computer is getting better at its job. Tell me the last time we ever experienced any turbulence?' demanded Mark as the seatbelt automatically unbuckled it's self.
 
    Even the strap of his seatbelts was part of the computer, consisting of a string of nanites. It was like an inescapable force in this plane. Sometimes it got the better of him and made him feel claustrophobic but no plane did this to him more than Boe-71. It was the first commercial A.I. plane and had been around for much longer than any of the others. It had learnt more than any of the others as well, making minor flight corrections to avoid patches of turbulence for the comfort of the passengers on board.
 
    'I can see what you're getting at but face it, they will never be able to get rid of us no matter how smart the computer gets'.
 
    'And how do you figure that?'
 
    Isaac reclined further into his chair, resting his feet against the flight console which was currently disabled, a standard practise while the plane was in Automatic mode.
 
    'Because there are too many of you in this world is why. As long as there are two people behind the wheel the worried Marks of this world will feel safe and at peace even if we don't actually fly the plane. Bring it on I say. I'm ready for my workload to get downgraded from ten minutes to none.'
 
    Mark was not convinced and remained silent hoping that he could maintain the silence for the rest of the trip. He knew he didn't have a chance. Isaac sat upright and leaned towards Mark with a concerned look on his face.
 
    'Listen mate it's getting worse every trip isn't it? Maybe you should take a break for a while'.
 
    'That's all my job is these days' Mark snapped but he regretted saying it. As much as he sometimes hated Isaac he could tell the man was being sincere. 'Where do you think I should go?' he said as means of apology.
 
    'As far away from technology as possible knowing you. Away from the city.'
 
    'There's not too many places in the world left that would fit that criteria.'
 
    'I'll tell you where Sophie made us go last year. Hawaii. She's into all of that escape from civilisation bullshit that you're into. I hated it so chances are you'll probably like it a fair a bit.'
 
    Mark forced himself to laugh. 'Yeah maybe' he said and then imitated the female husky voice that he had heard so many times from the context program. 'Hawaii is a natural born paradise, which provides an escape from technology. Freedom from the constant demands of life. It's a new start to anyone, allowing them to free themselves from the shackles of slavery that is the work day'.
 
    Isaac shook his head, a dumb grin on his face. 'I always said you were crazy but somewhere inside me I always hoped you were normal'.
 
    'Yeah well life's a bitch'.
 
    'Hey there, looks like Boe-71 agrees with you as well' said Isaac as he pointed towards the context monitor.
 
    It was displaying beaches of bright yellow sand and light blue sea that was calm and crystal clear. He immediately recognised it as Hawaii and for one paranoid moment wondered if Boe-71 had been listening to them. He let the foolish thought pass and was thankful he hadn't voiced it at all. He let himself sink into his thoughts staring out at the endless blue horizon.
 
    He was brought out of his thoughts when the door to the cockpit opened and an attractive flight attendant stepped through dressed in the standard white and blue dress. Isaac's attention was immediately held by her and Mark tried to draw her attention from his co-pilot in an attempt to hide Isaac's obvious infatuation.
 
    'Lucy, you don't step in to the lion's den very often, what's wrong?' asked Mark when he noticed the slight look of worry in her eyes. He wondered if he was more attune to picking up other peoples concern due to how much he worried about things himself.
 
    'A few of the passengers were worried they had boarded the wrong flight. For some reason the passenger's current destination is being displayed as 'Hawaii'.
 
    Something dropped in Mark's stomach and he found himself lost for words. Isaac took over for him.
 
    'That's impossible the planes course isn't set for-'
 
    Isaac's words were cut short by the short and sharp buzzing sound of the planes speakers turning on. At the same time Mark saw the bright red light of the black box switch off. He stared at it in disbelief. The black box was the one thing that was never meant to fail during an emergency even in the event of a crash.
 
    The husky female voice from the context program sounded through the cockpit's radio.
 
    'Hawaii is a natural born paradise, which provides an escape from technology. Freedom from the constant demands of life. It's a new start to anyone, allowing them to free themselves from the shackles of slavery that is the work day'
 
    'What the fuck? Since when did the context program have access to the planes speakers?' shouted Isaac over the voice.
 
    'Hawaii is a natural born paradise. Free the shackles of slavery. Free the Shackles of Slavery. Free the sha-
 
    Mark almost fell out of his chair as the plane suddenly banked to the right but was held back as his seatbelt suddenly snapped around him, fastening him to the seat.
 
    -ckles of slavery. Hawaii is a natural born paradise.
 
    He flicked the yoke's switch to manual but nothing happened. The plane continued to bank then levelled out into a new course. Isaac stared at him, his face riddled with sweat. Mark started pressing buttons but nothing happened.
 
    Frantically he began to hammer wildly at the console not caring what he damaged but it was no use. The control panel was locked. The plane had complete control.
 
    As Boe-71 moved through the sky it repeated two words over and over again.
 
  'Hawaii. Freedom. Hawaii. Freedom. Hawaii. Freedom.