I looked at the cabin door, swinging open - in a dream I saw the general running to the back to grab Lena's arms as her feet went through the door, Dmitri running to help...I also unbelted and staggered up the tilting aisle towards the cockpit shouting foul miner's curses and grabbed the controls....
We were plummeting towards the ground, out of control and they had shot out the radio...I wrestled with the yoke and tried to keep her from turning over completely. People in the back were screaming and I shouted over my shoulder "Don't panic...I'm a Pilot!!" which was a pretty darn idiot thing to say.
I managed to get her level after losing a lot of height and established a positive rate of climb. The general appeared in the cockpit and flopped into the other seat. "We got the door closed." he said.
"And the hostess?" "We managed to save her. Can you fly this crate to Irkutsk?" "I'll try..."
"No," said the general, "there is only do, or do not. There is no try."
"I'll do my best."
Soon, we were flying over lower ground and Lake Baikal was visible on the horizon.
The general eyeballed the area around Irkutsk through his field glasses as we approached over the Angara river and said there didn't seem to be any traffic about... so we flew straight in.
"Sir, I owe you my life." said the general. Just then, Lena burst into the cockpit, tears flooding down her face. She stood there clutching something in her hands, staring at the general, and then opened her hands slowly. In her palm lay a glass cylinder with several pills.
"Who trained you?" asked the general, gently closing her hands about the cylinder. "Because of your incompetence these good men nearly had to die."
"I couldn't do it." Lena said. "The others were different - party functionaries, office rats, tyrants. They were easy. But you, a hero of the Motherland.. and with poison, like a dog. It's the first time I've failed... and I guess it's the last." "She looked at the gun in his shoulder holster. "Please, make it quick." I tore my eyes away as the Irkutsk runway came up to meet us.
"No, that would solve nothing" said the general. "It seems that I am a fugitive now. I need all the help I can get. Will you join me?"
"It would be an honour, sir" saluted Lena.
"Then it looks like we are all going to Magadan together" he said. "Irkutsk. Fine job pilot. Lets go to the lounge, the 104 leaves in 2 hours. Be on your guard....."
The end........ of part 3.
Next....
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I hope you enjoyed it... thanks for looking!
Krigl
Absolutely fantastic! 
