As Ava approached, Zack was already stepping out of his advanced flight suit. The segmented armor unfolded smoothly, allowing him to step free. Unlike most systems, this one didn't simply power down when not in use. Instead, it activated its independent mode, following Zack like a silent sentinel. "Ava, I've seen what you can do behind the controls," Zack said with a faint smirk. "How about taking the helm of something a little… bigger?"
Ava blinked, caught off guard. "You mean this? This… giant thing?" she stammered. "Can it really fly?"
Zack rolled his eyes. "Why else would I build her? But fine, if you're not up for it, just find a seat and enjoy the show." Without waiting for her reply, Zack made his way to the main cockpit. As he sat down, the semi-enclosed pod adjusted itself automatically, locking him into position.
The controls came to life, projected in front of him in a seamless holographic display. "It's a pleasure to assist you," a soft, synthetic voice chimed in his ear. It was November, the ship's onboard assistant.
Zack chuckled. "November, your voice is a lot easier on the ears than my last system's."
"Thank you, sir," November replied evenly.
Another voice cut in—this one more familiar and laden with sarcasm. "Sir, You do realize I could hear it, right?" It was Ego, Zack's personal AI assistant, speaking directly into his mind.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Just don't ruin my fun," Zack teased, grinning. Ego, unlike November, was his long-time companion and had a knack for throwing in a witty comment or two.
Though November's voice was pleasant, Zack couldn't help but notice its robotic precision. Unlike Ego, it lacked any real emotion. Ego was capable of humor, banter, and even the occasional argument, while November was purely functional. "I could always switch to a female voice if that's what you're into," Ego quipped before going silent, leaving Zack shaking his head with a smirk.
"All right, November," Zack said, getting serious, "prepare for takeoff."
As he spoke, Aegis's massive engines roared to life. The dual reactors at the ship's core pulsed with energy, lighting up like twin suns. Power surged through the system as the wings—previously folded—slowly extended, casting enormous shadows over the launch platform. "Sir, please activate the underwing vertical turbines," November prompted.
Zack tapped the interface, and the four turbines mounted beneath the wings whirred to life. Their rotation sped up rapidly, generating a powerful upward thrust. Bit by bit, the massive aircraft—nearly 100 meters wide and weighing over 800 tons—lifted off the ground. The force of the turbines sent shockwaves through the air, ripping up grass and debris around the launch site. Slowly but surely, Aegis began its ascent, the steel colossus climbing higher and higher into the sky. "Currently off the ground and climbing steadily," November reported.
Aegis continued to rise, gaining speed rapidly. At the same time, the four directional thrusters located on the front of its fuselage ignited, releasing concentrated bursts of energy. The powerful thrust allowed the massive aircraft to hover steadily, rotate mid-air, and align itself toward its destination: Nunavut. "Sir, please switch—"
"I've got it. I know the drill," Zack cut off November's prompt, tapping the interface to shift the flight mode manually. With a deafening roar, the four propulsion engines at Aegis's tail came to life. Blazing streams of fire erupted from the jets—two positioned high and two lower—propelling the several-hundred-ton aircraft forward. The thrust was enormous, and the acceleration was immediate.
"Ah—!" Ava yelped as the sudden speed caught her off guard. She hadn't secured a seat and stumbled, barely managing to keep her footing. But the aircraft wasn't slowing down; if anything, it was picking up even more speed. In less than ten seconds, Aegis broke through the lower atmosphere, its velocity nearing Mach 1.
"Find a seat, Ava!" Zack called back, his tone calm but firm. "This beast is about to break the sound barrier." He pushed the throttle all the way forward. The massive aircraft surged ahead, a visible airburst forming around it. The sonic boom reverberated loudly as Aegis shattered the sound barrier, leaving a ring-shaped shockwave in its wake.
From the panoramic windows in the main control room, the view was breathtaking. Clouds streaked by at an incredible pace, dissolving into the endless blue sky above. Aegis's speed stabilized at Mach 2.8, cruising smoothly, though it was far from its limit. The ship could theoretically reach Mach 5, but prolonged operation at that speed would risk overheating and damaging the rear jets.
"Activate stealth mode," Zack ordered. Instantly, the surface of Aegis shimmered as its hexagonal mirror-like panels activated. An optical camouflage coating kicked in, bending light around the aircraft. The entire structure seemed to dissolve into the sky, vanishing from sight like a ghost slipping into another dimension.
"Switch to autopilot," Zack said, standing up and stretching. "November, she's all yours now." November's voice chimed in acknowledgment as Zack exited the cockpit, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. Flying Aegis was exhilarating, even for someone used to pushing boundaries.
"Sir, next time, let me handle the first flight," Ava muttered as she walked out of the crew cabin. Her face was pale, and she was clearly still recovering from the intense ride.
"You want to fly Aegis now?" Zack asked with a hint of teasing in his voice. "Too late. This ship's autopilot system can handle everything—from takeoff to landing. If it weren't for this being her maiden flight, I wouldn't have even bothered to do it myself."
With that, Zack turned and walked toward the information command room, leaving Ava standing there, stunned. "That's not what I meant…" she murmured under her breath, forcing a weak smile. For all her experience as a fighter pilot, Zack's reckless driving style had genuinely shaken her. Who pushes the throttle all the way forward without a second thought? Pilots are supposed to ease into it!
Zack stepped into the information command room, his eyes immediately drawn to a massive holographic projection of a blue planet suspended in mid-air. Scattered across the globe were glowing red markers, each representing a key location.
Walking closer, Zack reached out and tapped one of the markers. The projection zoomed in smoothly, shifting from a global view to a detailed satellite image of a continent. With another tap, the view zoomed further, revealing high-resolution details of the terrain—down to individual trees and buildings. "Let's check out our target," Zack said, pinching his fingers together on the projection. The view expanded outward, returning to the planetary level before he pinpointed a glowing red dot representing the Nunavut base. He tapped it, and the projection rapidly zoomed in again, offering broad view of the base from above.
Aegis was more than just a transport aircraft. It was also a mobile command center, equipped with advanced satellite systems, ground-scanning capabilities, and high-altitude communication arrays. It could serve as an early warning aircraft, a reconnaissance unit, or even a temporary communication satellite in areas without traditional radar coverage. This multifunctionality was why Aegis had taken so long to complete—but it was worth the wait.
The projection now displayed a detailed overview of the Nunavut base. Zack could see everything—the layout, personnel movements, even the tiniest details like individual vehicles parked near the perimeter. "Strange," Zack muttered, narrowing his eyes. "They're on high alert… Do they know we're coming?"