A burst of static crackled over the intercom before Jamie’s voice came through, tinged with a mix of relief and annoyance.
“Captain, you’re gonna love this. Something’s wedged in the rudder linkage. Not broken—just jammed.”

Noah’s grip on the yoke tightened. “Define something.”

“Looks like a chunk of that insulation mat we had replaced last week. Must’ve shaken loose and gotten pulled right into the gear housing.”

Noah’s eyes flicked to the altimeter, then the horizon. “Can you clear it?”

Jamie peered deeper into the cramped space, the smell of oil and warm metal thick in the air. “Not from in here. We’d have to cut power and open the external hatch. Which…” He let the pause hang. “…isn’t exactly midair-friendly.”