High Grade Jay set Project Updraft beside the river, where a glass structure could catch the light and give him a clear view of the valley. The upper floor looks almost peaceful, though the odd little flying machines resting across the glass make it plain that this is no ordinary home.

Below the camp, Jay fitted a steel shelter with work benches, power lines, storage, and a row of experimental craft. Every room has the look of careful testing, from the marked equipment lockers to the conference table at the far end.

I cannot say whether those machines will ever fly the way Jay hopes, but the workmanship is hard to miss. He has taken the Brotherhood’s heavy steel and strict order and given it a little imagination. In a world full of broken things, there is honest value in learning how to build something that can rise again.