"What are you saying?" Adrian tilted his head to the side, surprised by the sudden request from Herrera.
"I am a soldier, and I swore an oath to protect this country—foreign and domestic. I just can't be cooped up in this place while everything is happening out there," Herrera continued firmly.
Adrian looked at him for a moment.
Then back at the aircraft.
"I'm not questioning your abilities," Adrian said. "You're a pilot. I know that."
Herrera didn't speak.
"You fly the FA-50," Adrian added, nodding slightly toward the line of aircraft behind them.
Herrera followed his gaze.
"Yeah."
Adrian looked back at the F-35.
"But this?" he said. "This is different."
Herrera stayed silent.
"This isn't just another jet," Adrian continued. "It's a completely different system. Avionics, flight control, sensor integration—it's not something you just hop into because you know how to fly."
Herrera let out a breath.
"I can learn."
