Chapter 6 - Systemic Reckoning
Maya gestured to the Chief Human Resources Officer, Marcus Vance (no relation to Brenda). Marcus stood up and distributed printed dossiers to every board member, as well as placing copies in front of Arrington and Brenda.
“What you both failed to realize,” Maya explained, “is that my appointment as CEO was not a random executive hiring. Prior to taking this role, I served for eight years as the Chief Operating Officer of a logistics giant, specializing in operational restructuring and workplace culture reform.”
She opened her own dossier.
“Over the last forty-eight hours, while preparing for my transition, I requested a deep-dive audit of Global Skyways’ internal complaint registry over the past five years,” Maya stated. “Do you know what I found?”
The boardroom was dead silent.
“I found over seven hundred documented complaints from passengers of color, disabled passengers, and elderly travelers detailing systemic microaggressions, unwarranted seat reassignments, and hostile treatment by cabin crew,” Maya revealed. “And more alarmingly, I found that over eighty percent of those complaints were summarily dismissed by middle management without a single formal investigation.”
She looked directly at Captain Arrington.
“Your behavior today, Captain, was not an isolated incident. It was the product of an internal corporate culture that has allowed arrogance, racial bias, and unchecked authority to flourish under the guise of 'flight safety.'”
Arrington’s jaw clenched. The humiliation was settling deep into his bones, but a flicker of his underlying resentment suddenly flared up.
“Ms. Washington,” Arrington said, his voice dropping into a tense, rigid tone. “With all due respect to your new position… flying a commercial airliner is not like running a logistics business. When I am in command of a jet at thirty thousand feet, my authority must be absolute to ensure the safety of hundreds of lives. If passengers feel they can debate crew orders, safety collapses. I made a judgment call based on crew report. Was it mistaken? Yes. But I acted in the interest of cabin security.”
Maya did not flinch. Instead, a sharp, terrifyingly brilliant smile appeared on her lips.
“I am glad you brought up safety and command authority, Captain,” Maya said smoothly. “Because as CEO, I have spent the last three hours reviewing your complete pilot file, flight logs, and safety records with the Federal Aviation Administration.”
May you like
Arrington’s eyes darted slightly to the right—a subtle, involuntary physical tell.
“Is there something in my file you wish to bring to the Board’s attention, Captain?” Maya asked quietly. “Or should I?”
