“Hang onto your brass, General,” Allan said with a wide grin.
In a puff of dust, Free Bird ascended into the air in a hover. Yawing to the left Allan aligned the ship with the heading he needed to match Quest's orbit. As soon as the landing gear had retracted, Free Bird slowly began to move across the ground. As soon as the ship was away from the buildings, the aft mounted fusion engines flared to life.
Free Bird went supersonic in less than two seconds as the arrowhead shaped craft punched nearly straight up and away from Groom Lake.
-- Quest - Chapter 11 by Briglad