For the next three hours, Suite 1A became a quiet, grueling endurance test. Every twelve minutes, like clockwork, Leo would give a discreet, barely visible nod to Sarah from across the galley. Sarah would immediately tap the master panel screen, triggering another simulated system diagnostic reset for the suite. Inside the pod, the motorized seat cushions would whir loudly, attempt to recline for five short seconds, give up, and then firmly snap back into the rigid upright posture.
Meanwhile, the high-definition entertainment monitor continued its cheerful, unstoppable loop of the corporate safety and welcome video. The familiar, upbeat background music played over and over, casting a rhythmic, icy blue glow over the couple’s increasingly hollow, exhausted faces.