Captain's Log

Note from the author: This piece takes place in a universe where Pan American survived past its closure date, and well into the future. Global warming, and most other issues, have also been solved at this point, but are not important within the story's context. It should also be noted that this was originally a university assessment piece I submitted earlier this year, but has since been edited to create a slightly more believable story.

* SHOCKING! CRAZED PAN AM PILOT CAUSES CONFUSION IN MIAMI *

Earlier today, as a result of his increasingly strange behaviour, Rex Princeton, formerly a pilot for Pan American Airways and Miami local, resigned from his job. That in itself is not uncommon these days, what with the economic issues we are facing. What is interesting, however, is the fact that Princeton resigned by singing loudly as he departed his former job. He loudly announced to everyone in the vicinity that he was ‘no longer bound by mundane concerns’, and that ‘the world is about to change forever’, before he shocked his audience by stripping down and running away, managing to evade the police officers sent after him. A warrant, at the time of printing, is still out for his arrest, for indecent exposure and public disturbance. The clothes he shed — his uniform and pilot’s wings — appear to be covered in flower pollen, and indeed he was noted to have been wearing flowers in his hair. It is possible that this is the reasoning for his odd behaviour. The public has been urged to report any sightings of Princeton. The following information in this article, though, is printed to try and understand why he acted this way… and what he might do next.

**

Selected Information from Rex Princeton’s PAA file…

INFORMAL LOG REPORT— CAPTAIN REGINALD ‘REX’ ANDREW PRINCETON

AGE— 37

FLIGHT HOURS— 40,502

POSITION— CAPTAIN

SPECIALTY— ‘CLIPPER’ PILOT [NEW-AGE FLYING BOAT — CAPACITY: 370 PASSENGERS; USUAL FLIGHT CREW: 2]

TIME SERVING WITH PAN AM— 8 YEARS

**

A notice from Rex’s superior, to his own superior, left unnamed for legal reasons:

Captain Princeton has been recording some… odd entries, ever since we mandated informal logs for all members of the cockpit flight crew on all international flights. His usual First Officer, F.O. James Simmonds, has also reported to us that Rex has been acting rather strange, as if he wasn’t himself. Furthermore, many of the locations listed don't appear to exist in our flight records, however all passengers and crew recall visiting and indeed booking flights to said locations. As a result of the strange entries, I recommend that he be taken off active duty and put on psychiatric watch. I have included a few of his entries for evaluation. This could be assumed to be related to his military work, but he has not previously shown signs of ‘shell-shock’, so I leave the evaluation to you, sir. [Locations have been omitted. All flights began from Miami, Florida.]

Date of Entry: 20/4/2137 [2 days after informal logs are mandated]

Flight Route: [REDACTED], South America

Splendid flight today, if a little boring. Arrived ahead of time at 10:30 AM. [REDACTED] always welcomes us with beautiful waters, and I suggested to my first officer that we go swimming, since we have a few hours before we’re due back in Miami. He declined the offer. Always been a bit boring, Simmonds is.

Went swimming around 12:00 with a few of the locals. Saw a peculiar-looking human-like creature, a woman in fact, and one of the locals called her a flower spirit, with pretty flowers in her pink hair. They were a beautiful light pink in colour, enough that I was quite distracted from anything else! Found this quite entertaining, and the spirit made for excellent conversation. Sang like a bird to us. Had to say goodbye to her at 1:30 — I had a flight to fly, after all! I believe the ‘spirit' was more than likely just a beautiful girl in pretty clothes, so nothing to worry about, right? The locals seemed pretty convinced on it being a siren. Maybe it was one, maybe it wasn’t. Oh well.

Date of Entry: 23/4/2137

Flight Route: [REDACTED, SAME AS FIRST LOG]

Still not sure why I got a terrible look when I asked to go back to [REDACTED], but they let me go anyway. Heard one person say it was because the location didn't exist, but that can't be right, can it? Arrived late this time, 1:30 PM, due to a horrendous storm. Simmonds was not impressed with me, as it was a very dangerous landing! He and I had a light drink with some of the locals while we were waiting for the weather to clear, seeing as our next flight clearly wasn’t for some time. They offered to show us the person who was causing this storm. I happily agreed, because why not humour them? Simmonds tried to back out, but I dragged him with us. He needs to get out more, anyway.

We reached the person’s home not too long after twelve noon, and the person turned out to be a gorgeous woman. She called herself a storm-stirrer and offered me a turn of what apparently is the stirrer itself. Simmonds went white as a sheet as I stirred it quite violently. Good thing it was localized, otherwise I would’ve been out of a job! Finally managed to depart the island around 7:30 PM. Simmonds refused to talk to me after the stirrer incident.

Date of Entry: 27/4/2137

Flight Route: [NEW LOCATION], South America

Ah, I do love this particular island! It’s even more beautiful than [PREVIOUS], and the locals are twice as friendly, eh, eh? We arrived just after 0600. Simmonds has thankfully started talking to me again but decided to sit out on whatever activities I wanted to go on. Something about his physical health. We’re here for two days — fuel needs to be shipped over from [NEIGHBORING ISLAND] for whatever reason — so I went off not long after ten in the morning with two local girls to meet an octopus.

The octopus was quite big — one of the girls joked it was more like a giant squid — and was surprisingly one for fantastic conversation! He was quite mad that the war didn’t come his way, said that he wanted to crash a few boats. I admitted I didn’t particularly want more boats smashed than necessary. He found this entertaining, calling me a coward. Can’t say I agreed with that, and I tried to fight him. I lost, but it was all fun regardless. Simmonds facepalmed when I came back with bruises.

Date of Entry: 4/5/2137

Flight Route: [NEW LOCATION], South America

First Officer Simmonds gave me some rather interesting looks as we landed today, probably because I bounced a little as we hit the water! It might’ve been the flowers I’ve been putting in my hair as well, but I think they’ll catch on nicely. Call it a tropical look. I got them from the last place I visited… [UNKNOWN], I think? These ones haven’t died yet, too — the tropics must breed some long-living flowers! The passengers weren’t bothered by the bump, of course — I even overheard one of them saying that it was one of the best landings they’ve ever had! Oh, we also arrived shortly after sunrise, so maybe that had something to do with it. Even I was a little sleepy! [Fancy scribble, shaped like a flower vine]

I do love socializing with the locals whenever I fly south! A lot of them say that I’m one of the few white people who regularly talk to them. I take pride in that — I think people deserve niceties like this! One of them complimented me on the flowers in my hair. Simmonds tried to take them out. I slapped him away. Evidently, I did it harder than I thought, though, because he gave me a betrayed look and stormed away. Maybe I should have apologised, but he shouldn’t have touched my flowers. The locals agreed. I saw a few knowing looks — maybe they are like me and think hair flowers will catch on! [Similar fancy scribble to previous]

Date of Entry: 6/5/2137

Flight Route: [NEW LOCATION], South America

I’ve been noticing over the past few days that I’ve just been simply covered in flower pollen! I noticed especially today because there was a bee in one of my flowers! Imagine that — a bee hitching a ride to [REDACTED] because of the pollen on my clothes and the flowers in my hair! How wonderful! [Lots of simple flowers drawn around the entry; similar scribbles to previous present]

Date of Entry: [UNCLEAR, APPEARS TO BE UNINTELLIGIBLE]

Flight Route: [ALSO UNCLEAR, MULTIPLE DRAWINGS OF FLOWERS]

They’re talking of firing me! How peculiar is that? I do suppose I’ve been acting a little strange. Simmonds refused to let me in the cockpit today, after I apparently spooked him by trying to give him a flower! He said that I did it in a most disturbing manner, and that I ‘wasn’t fit to fly’. How rude! [Scribble]

Perhaps they have a point, though. [Scribble] I am acting awfully… strange. [Heart shape] I’m even beginning to forget how to fly! How quaint! [Heart shape and scribble] That settles it! I don’t need to stay here! I only need my flowers! [Lots of scribbles, hearts and flowers]

Shortly after this final log, Princeton resigned and caused the disturbance reported earlier. In addition, his former First Officer, James Simmonds, has disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Something to note about Princeton is that while his usual hair colour is a strawberry blonde, it seemed almost tainted by the flowers he wore during his resignation, turning a light pink. We remind you to keep vigilant, and report any sightings…

“They won’t find me. Not anytime soon,” Rex giggled, as he combed his lengthening pink hair. “And by then… it’ll be a little too late…” The flowers in his hair were glowing brightly as he combed, and vines began to spread down his torso. Whatever was happening had long since stopped bothering him. Soon, the world would know of the powers of the flower spirit too, and be liberated just like he’d been.

END