Before Julian could figure out what was happening with the screen, a loud, mechanical whirring sound resonated from beneath his seat. The luxury motorized lie-flat bed, which he had just carefully reclined into a relaxing lounge position, began to move on its own. With calm, robotic precision, the leather seat flattened itself out completely, paused for two seconds, and then steadily folded back upright into a stiff, ninety-degree taxi position.
Julian reached frantically for the physical armrest controls, pressing the recline button repeatedly, but the buttons were completely dead. Beatrice gasped as her own seat gave a harsh mechanical shudder and forced her into an uncomfortably rigid posture as well. “Julian, what is happening?” she asked, her calm demeanor cracking as she adjusted her shawl. “Why is the chair doing this?”