Christopher Says It's Perfectly Safe

Christopher Veyr is a genius.

I want to make that absolutely clear before I tell you anything else.

He's brilliant, inventive, resourceful, and capable of understanding machines that would make most engineers question their career choices.

He's also responsible for some of the most interesting conversations I've ever had.

Usually beginning with:

"Melanie, I've made a few improvements."

Now, as the pilot of The Between, I have a very personal interest in anything that affects the ship.

Particularly the parts responsible for keeping us in the air.

Christopher approaches engineering with a level of enthusiasm that I genuinely admire.

He sees a problem and immediately starts imagining a solution.

Sometimes several solutions.

Sometimes solutions to problems nobody knew existed.

And that's wonderful.

Until you're the person who has to test them.

I remember one afternoon when he asked me to help evaluate an adjustment to the navigation equipment.

Nothing dramatic.

Just a few measurements, a short test, and some observations.

Twenty minutes later, I was asking questions that I feel every responsible pilot should be allowed to ask.

Questions like:

"Is that supposed to make that noise?"

And:

"Why is that light blinking?"

And my personal favourite:

"Christopher, should I be worried?"

He wasn't worried.

Which was reassuring.

Mostly.

But here's the thing.

When we're somewhere unfamiliar, facing technology that shouldn't exist, or trying to understand why something has gone wrong, Christopher is exactly the person I want beside me.

He's patient, curious, and absolutely determined to find an answer.

I trust him with my ship.

That's not something I say lightly.

I just reserve the right to ask a few questions before we take off.

Especially when he says the words "perfectly safe."

Love, ♡