Epilogue

After the sun went down, ARGO got into Zephyrina and told her to drive past Giant Rock, off the road, where the dry lake would hide the dust. Experimental only. He logged weight, and the 93% charge.

He cycled the eagle solar wings fully extended. Then he opened the basement sliders: the ducted thrusters came out from under the coach and locked into place. He slowly increased vertical power to the thrusters, and watched the power usage push towards three megawatts as Zephyrina began to lift.

He held the hover for about twenty seconds and then slowly pushed her towards four megawatts of power and rotated the fans to a forty-five-degree angle as she accelerated across the desert gaining speed until he felt the lift of the solar wings bring her up into the desert sky until he reached over 200 mph and flew her for nearly an hour of testing. He then made one last wide circle over the desert and then brought her gently down where she had started. He folded the wings. He pulled the ducts back into the basement and locked them for the highway. Charge thirteen percent. Started at ninety-three. Most of the pack was gone for an hour in the air.

He thought about when he should tell Leo and Team Philotimo, but put it out of his mind as he passed Giant Rock again. She had passed the tests he had built for her. Zephyrina was ready.