Chapter 14 - Return to the DesertTwenty-four hours later, a military Gulfstream transport touched down on the sun-baked, endless asphalt of the Nevada Test and Training Range—popularly known around the world as Area 51.
The desert heat hit Pauline like a physical wall as she stepped down the airstair door, her gray hair catching the bright, blinding glare of the Mojave sun. Standing at the bottom of the steps was a welcoming committee of senior aerospace engineers, young flight test officers, and Colonel Thomas, who grinned widely as he walked forward to shake her hand.
“Welcome back to the sandbox, Widow Six,” Thomas said, offering a crisp salute. “We’ve missed having someone around who actually knows how to fly without staring at a touchscreen.”
“Save the flattery for the budget committee, Thomas,” Pauline replied, slipping on her dark aviator sunglasses. “Show me the simulator bay. I want to see these telemetry spikes before lunch.”
Inside the high-security simulation dome, a multi-million-dollar mockup of a hypersonic experimental interceptor sat mounted on massive hydraulic gimbals. A team of twenty-something software and aerospace engineers stood nervously around the main monitoring console, whispering among themselves as the legendary test pilot walked into the room.
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Pauline didn't waste time with pleasantries. She climbed up the metal access ladder, settled herself firmly into the pilot’s seat, and pulled the carbon-fiber canopy closed over her head.
“All right, telemetry team,” Pauline’s voice crackled crisp and clear through the simulator intercom speakers. “Let’s see what kind of mess you’ve made of my old flight envelope.”
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