On board

She's got the captain's voice dialed in—honey over steel. The intercom crackles, and every ear in the cabin leans closer. Captain Sophie keeps it short, like the message doesn't need wallpaper. Seatbelts first. Trousers after. A single, unblinking pause. Then the fasten-seatbelt sign dings twice, and the cabin lights dip a shade, just enough to signal that the real departure is the one she just announced.