One technology currently underestimated by Castle and Gianna—the highly efficient energy storage system designed for satellite use—was seen by Lockheed Martin as a game-changer, potentially suitable for its top-secret SR-91 "Aurora" hypersonic strategic reconnaissance aircraft. Rumored to reach Mach 8 and soar at a staggering altitude of 40,000 meters, this plane was so expensive and advanced that even the U.S. military reportedly dared to commission only one unit.
Speculated to use methane fuel and equipped with dual-cycle engines centered around pulse detonation technology, the SR-91 was one of Lockheed Martin's most closely guarded secrets. Although its existence had never been confirmed publicly, Jarvis' intelligence gathering confirmed that the aircraft was hidden in a classified hangar at the Skunk Works facility on the West Coast, which Castle had recently visited.
However, the trend toward unmanned technology had already begun to make piloted hypersonic reconnaissance aircraft obsolete. The rapid development of near-Earth reconnaissance satellites and high-altitude stealth drones had gradually phased out planes requiring astronaut-grade pilot helmets.
Lockheed Martin had also been exploring unmanned high-altitude stealth drone solutions, including the P-175 "Polecat" project, which had to be halted after a catastrophic prototype crash in 2006 due to an irreversible control system failure. Despite the setback, the company had impressively built and tested the first prototype within just 18 months of the project's inception in 2005.
Now, with Castle's technology in hand, Lockheed saw an opportunity to resurrect this defunct program. Alternatively, the energy storage system could be applied to their RQ-170 "Sentinel" drone or the RQ-180 competitor model Northrop Grumman was developing—equipped with a semi-autonomous control system thanks to Castle's earlier interventions.
For Lockheed, there was no time to waste. The company was determined to secure the energy storage technology to maintain an edge in reconnaissance aircraft innovation.
On July 21, 2011, the Atlantis space shuttle safely landed at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, marking the official end of NASA's 30-year space shuttle era. All remaining shuttles were retired from service that day.
This monumental shift in space technology dealt a severe blow to Boeing, which had managed the shuttle manufacturing and maintenance contracts. Now facing a vacuum of contracts, Boeing found itself vulnerable to opportunistic rivals like Lockheed Martin.
As Gianna and Beckett stared slack-jawed at Jarvis' detailed report on Castle's personality and work style analysis, Castle himself was off in a secluded section of the supercomputer lab, whispering conspiratorially with the "little fat kid."
"What? You want to use this opportunity to blackmail Lockheed Martin for a high-degree-of-freedom multi-axis flight simulator? And it has to be an F-35 simulator? Are you insane?" Castle gawked at the boy, incredulous. "What's gotten into your head? Did all those plane visits warp your brain or something?"
Grinning sheepishly, the boy explained, "Well, during our trip to Burbank, I overheard the Lockheed guys saying they'd already developed a simulator for the F-35. I know you love the F-14 Tomcat, but that plane's retired now. Plus, they never built a high-fidelity simulator for it since it's a two-seater. So, why not get an F-35 simulator to play around with?"
Castle burst out laughing at the audacity of the suggestion. "You do realize the F-35 is the only operational fifth-generation fighter, right? It's even more advanced than the F-22 Raptor. Why don't you ask Lockheed for an F-22 simulator instead?"
The boy countered with surprising confidence: "I did some research. The F-22 simulator isn't as advanced as the F-35's. Plus, the F-22's interface isn't as user-friendly. The F-35's digital fly-by-wire system has more automation and is easier to control, especially with its smaller wing area. I figured we could study the design and see if we can apply any improvements to our drones. Better tech means better protection for all of us, right?"
Castle found himself persuaded by the boy's reasoning. After all, the kid had always been responsible for piloting Castle's drone, and the drone's control console was already similar to a multi-axis flight simulator in principle.
Castle had always been different from typical wealthy elites. His values were shaped by an upbringing in China and further warped by his reincarnation experience. He lacked the strategic mindset of those born into power and wealth. Instead, he was deeply attached to his friends and family in New York. His loneliness from being unable to reconnect with his past life's family had left him emotionally dependent on his current circle of loved ones.
This fierce attachment drove Castle to do whatever was necessary to protect them. He had hired Russian bodyguards, fortified his estate with heavy weaponry, and prioritized family time above all else.
With the boy's suggestion aligned with his protective instincts, Castle decided to take the opportunity to squeeze Lockheed Martin for all it was worth. After all, the F-35 might have been mocked as the "Fat Lightning" in his previous life, but it was still a formidable machine.
Meanwhile, Beckett and Gianna were deep in discussion, analyzing data Jarvis had pulled from Lockheed Martin's internal communications. Every personality profile, negotiation strategy, and assessment of Castle's character had been extracted from both the company's central servers and the laptops of their negotiators in New York.
The two women were stunned by the breadth of Lockheed's intelligence. They knew that after Castle's trip to the West Coast and his signing of the technology transfer memorandum, the deal was essentially locked in. However, neither Castle nor Gianna had fully grasped the expansive potential applications of the transferred technology.
Now, with this new understanding of their leverage, Gianna wasn't about to let Lockheed Martin off easy. Beckett and Gianna resolved to shift their negotiation strategy and extract maximum concessions.
Meanwhile, the boy had finally convinced Castle to push for the F-35 simulator. They schemed to also demand several sets of flight suits as part of the deal. After all, if Lockheed wanted Castle's technology so badly, why not fleece them for everything they could get?
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