Chapter 20 - The Eternal WatchThe sun dipped entirely below the horizon, painting the Virginia sky in deep shades of indigo, purple, and gold.
Pauline sat back in her rocking chair on the porch, a warm mug of black coffee cradled in her hands. High above her house, a tiny, glowing white speck crossed the darkening firmament—a commercial airliner cruising smoothly through the upper troposphere on its red-eye route across the continent.
She didn't reach for a radio. She didn't need to give any commands.
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She simply watched the light fade into the vast, beautiful expanse of the night sky, knowing that somewhere up there, in the cold, thin air, the next generation was keeping the wings level and the perimeters secure.
Pauline smiled quietly into the dark, took a slow sip of her coffee, and watched the stars.
