MiG
reactions in bold
movie in regular
"Let's get started," Pete swallowed heavily.
He closed his eyes and relaxed, machine whirring as it turned on, Pete twitched in discomfort but Anderson was right, it didn't hurt, in the next moment the large screen was crackling to life...movie beginning.
"Writing?" Pete rose a brow.
"The writing gives us an overview of what time of your life it'll be showing," Anderson said.
Everyone read the white writing on the black screen.
On March 3, 1969 the United States Navy established an elite school for the top one percent of its pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat and to ensure that the handful of pilots who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world.
They succeeded.
Today, the Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School. The flyers call it:
TOP GUN
The writing disappeared and the screen whirred, revealing various planes moving about the top of an aircraft carrier.
"This is kind of a slow start," Jake remarked.
"Probably because once things start they really start," Pete muttered.
As if on cue planes began to shoot along the aircraft carrier, launched into the air. The angle changed to reveal the whole aircraft carrier, a plane landing.
Indian Ocean. Present Day.
"Present day?" Bob repeated.
"Well it was present day then," Anderson shrugged.
The angle then changed to the command center.
"Morning, Scott," One of the workers stepped into the room, "Morning, Vince, morning Wells."
"Hi," Someone else greeted, hurrying past.
"Ghost Rider, this is Strike," One of the communications officers spoke into his comm.
A familiar person walked up behind him.
Pete couldn't help the way his lips twitched into a smile.
"You know him, sir?" Javy assumed, noting the smile.
"Stinger," Pete hummed, "My commander."
"We have unknown aircraft," The communications officer continued, "Inbound, Mustang. Your vector, 090 for bogey."
The angle changed to reveal a sleek beautiful-
"MiG..." Jake murmured, surprised.
"Who's up there?" The angle changed back to the room, Stinger stepping closer to the officer.
"Cougar and Merlin and Maverick and Goose," The man replied.
Bradley and Pete both tensed at the mention of Goose crap...how would they react to seeing him?
"Great," Stinger drawled sarcastically.
"Sir?" Mickey looked to Pete in surprise, "What's that about?"
"I'm a dickhead," Pete shrugged, "Always have been."
"Maverick and Goose," Stinger shook his head.
The angle changed to the inside of a cockpit...revealing a much younger Pete. A smile...relaxed and soft was on his face...a smile no one present had seen.
"Talk to me, Goose," Pete said.
Most people tensed having heard Pete say that on more than one occasion.
The angle changed to reveal a man the others had only seen in a photograph. Bradley's resemblance to his father was uncanny.
Bradley's breath caught in his throat, Pete's doing the same as they looked on at Nick with wide eyes.
"Roger, I got him. Contact, 20 left at 30 miles. Nine-hundred knots closure."
"Cougar, you hear that?" Pete grinned.
"Roger," Cougar called back, "Merlin, you got him?"
"Roger, I've got radar contact," Merlin replied.
"I'll get a visual ID. Cougar, you hook him."
"Roger, and I'll clean him and fry him," Goose laughed.
Pete recoiled sharply at the noise, mouth opening and closing, hands clenching and unclenching, he didn't know if he could do this.
The naval aviators both veered to the left together, flying in sync.
"Mustang, mustang, this is Ghost Rider, 203," Cougar called over the comms, "I've got him inbound, bogey heading 270. We're at ten miles, 900 knots closure."
"Ghost Rider, take Angels ten left, 30."
"Are we supposed to have visitors today?" The angle cut to Stinger.
"Negative, sir."
"Merlin, see if he's a single," Cougar instructed.
"Roger," He got to work.
The radar revealed just one dot.
"Goose, you see a trailer?" Merlin called out.
"Negative, Merlin," Goose was studying his own radar which too revealed a single dot, "Looks like he's a single."
"Cougar, I'm gonna go head-to-head with him," Mav called out.
i have decided to refer to the people in the movie by callsigns rather than their acc names
"Take it easy, Maverick," Cougar called back, "I don't like this shit. I'm gonna break high and right, see if he's really alone."
Cougar veered to the side and the angle changed to reveal the MiG, another MiG lowering into the shot.
"Not fun," Jake sucked in air sharply.
"Say, sir, is this when you get your three-"
"Nah," Pete shook his head, cutting off Reuben, "Not yet."
"We've got a thousand knots closure, Mav," Goose said, "He's coming right at us."
"Okay, buddy," Mav whispered to himself, "What's on your mind."
"You talk to yourself a lot," Bernie noted.
"Holy shit, there's two of them!" Mav gasped, planes shooting past them.
Bradley tensed, hand shooting out, instinctively gripping Pete's. Pete, so enraptured in the scene unfolding on the screen didn't consciously register his hand but gave a subconscious reasurring squeeze.
"MiG-28s!" Goose whirled around, looking over his shoulder, "No one's been this close before."
"What the hell are they doing here?" Stinger demanded, "What's the position?"
"Two hundred and fifty miles out, sir."
"Two hundred and fifty miles?" Stinger repeated, "Get them out of here."
"Cougar, you've got MiG one, I'm going after MiG two," Mav called out to his wingman.
"I lost him in the sun," Cougar squinted above him.
Jake was distantly reminded of the training excercise Pete's first day training them when he had lost the talented aviator in the sun.
"Shit, what's he doing?" Cougar squinted at the MiG above them, "You got him, Merlin?"
"He's coming around!" Merlin exclaimed, "He's coming around on our tail."
"God damn it," Cougar was shaken, "This bogey's all over me."
"What's their range now?" Stinger questioned.
"Two hundred miles, sir."
"If they break 150 miles, launch the Alert Five aircraft."
"Yes, sir."
"Air speed, 300," The angle changed from Stinger to Goose, "Go get him, Mav!"
"I'm going for missile lock," Mav sped after the MiG, "Let's see if we can scare this guy outta here. Come on, lock up, baby," He whispered to his plane.
Jake began humming careless whisper to himself.
"Lock up, baby," His targetting system was beeping loudly, "Lock up. I got him locked," Mav called out, loud single beep echoing in the plane, "Bingo!"
The angle revealed the MiG veering off, heading back the way they came.
"We got him, Mav!" Goose exclaimed, "He's bugging out and going home."
"Mustang, this is Maverick," Mav called over the comm, "MiG two is headed home."
"Alright, what's their position?" Stinger asked.
"A hundred and eighty miles at bearing 010, sir."
The angle changed to Merlin, beeping echoing in their plane.
"Cougar, he's got missile lock on us!" Merlin exclaimed, "Get away from this guy."
"What the hell is this shit?" Cougar looked over his shoulder, "He's engaging me. God damn it, Mustang, this is Ghost Rider, one, one, seven, this bogey's all over me."
"Stay calm," Callie chanted, "Stay calm."
"He's got missile lock on me, do I have permission to fire?"
"Do not fire until fired upon," Stinger ordered firmly.
"Goose, there they are," Mav peered out his window, "Right below us."
"The MiG's in perfect firing position," Goose noted, "He's right on Cougar's tail."
"No way, Goose," Mav said, "He'd have fired by now. He's just trying to piss us off."
"Maverick, get down here and get this asshole off me!" Cougar cried out.
"Easy Cougar," Mav said calmly, "Bring it back, hard right. Help me engage. I'm on my way."
"Never leave your wingman," Jake murmured softly.
Pete had a reaction they weren't expecting...he flinched.
Mav sped through the air, lining up behind the MiG.
"I can't shoot this guy," He remarked, "Let's see if we can have a little fun with him."
The angle changed to the outside of the planes displaying Maverick flip the plane, descending over the MiG.
"Is this your idea of fun, Mav?" Goose wondered dryly.
The MiG pilot looked up, angle changing to Maverick flipping him off.
Everyone let out startled laughs.
"I was not expecting that," Billy laughed.
"I was," Mickey laughed.
"Greetings," The aviator laughed.
"Watch the birdie," Goose sang, snapping a picture with a polaroid.
Bradley let out a startled sharp laugh.
"Jeez, I crack myself up," Mav laughed.
"This is a great shot, Mav," Goose inspected the polaroid, "I should be a photographer."
"Huh," Natasha snorted, "I was expecting Goose to be more...calm and cautious, like Rooster, I didn't think he'd share a braincell with Maverick."
Pete merely smiled softly.
"Cougar," Maverick called out, "Your tail is clear, MiG one's bugged out."
The angle changed to show Cougar, sweating profusely and gasping for air.
"Cougar," The angle changed back to Mav, "This is Maverick. We've had enough fun for one day, don't you think? I'm getting a little low on fuel, so we're heading home. We'll see you on deck," Mav veered away from Cougar.
"Cougar, we're running low on gas," Merlin called out, "We gotta get out of here. Cougar."
The aviator pulled his mask off, gasping for air.
"We're on vapor, Cougar. Let's do it. Cougar," Merlin called out louder, "Come on, Cougar."
The angle changed to what Cougar's gaze was locked on, it was a photo of his wife and his kid. He was breathing and sweating heavily.
Everyone watched anxiously, well, except Pete who knew what was going to happen.
The angle cut to the communications room where Stinger and a few officers were listening to Merlin.
"Let's take it back to the ship, man. Come on, Cougar."
"Get him on deck as soon as possible," Stinger commanded, "He's gotta be low on fuel."
Back in the sky Merlin was still trying to snap Cougar out of his fearful state.
"Cougar, we gotta land this thing. We are way low on gas. You understand me?"
The angle cut back to Stinger who was smoking.
Bernie's lip curled, nose wrinkling, he'd never liked the smell of cigarettes.
The angle still on Stinger, Merlin's voice rang out, "You alright man?"
"Obviously not," Callie groaned.
The angle changed to reveal Mav looking thoughtful before it changed to the exterior of his plane, moving to prepare to land.
"Maverick," The control tower rang out over comms, "You're at three-quarters of a mile, call the ball."
"Roger. Maverick has the ball."
Maverick descended toward the deck of the ship.
"Cougar!" Merlin's voice rang as the angle switched to an antsy looking Stinger, "It is time to land. Let's do it."
"Goose," The angle switched back to Mav, "Cougar's in trouble."
"Tell me you didn't," Beau pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Come on, Mav, we're getting low on gas. Let's land this sucker."
They were feet away from landing on the deck when Merlin crying out "Cougar!" Jerked Maverick slightly. They touched down for a moment before Maverick was speeding up, taking off down the runway, lifting into the air.
Beau merely groaned.
"God damn it, Maverick!" Stinger snarled.
And didn't that get a couple laughs from the audience.
"What're you doin' Mav?" Goose hissed, "We've got no fuel for this."
"We're going after Cougar," Was Mav's only response as they sped up.
The angle switched back to Stinger, looking very upset.
Pete winced but he had a grin set on his face.
"You tell him to land that plane," He grit out, "That's an order."
"Ghost Rider," The Control Tower rang out, angle on the plane flying through the air, "You are instructed to land. Land immediately."
Mav and Goose ignored them, their plane saddling up next to Cougar's.
"Any of you seen an aircraft carrier around here?" The angle switched to Maverick as he joked.
"Hardy har har," Jake rolled his eyes fondly.
"Mav," Merlin was trying not to sound as worried as he probably felt, "We've got a problem up here that MiG really screwed him up."
"Nice tact," Reuben joked.
"I don't think he can make it back."
The angle cut to Cougar who was jerkily and shakily breathing, drenched in sweat.
"You're okay, Cougar," Mav's voice was gentle as the angle cut back to him, "Just stay on my wing, I'll take you all the way in. Just stay with me."
The angle cut back to Cougar who squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again.
"Whoa, those lashes," Callie gawked.
"Right?" Neil agreed, astounded.
They weren't wrong, of course, Cougar had some nice lashes.
"That eye color too," Mickey whistled, "Damn."
The angle cut back to the photo he was peering at. The angle then changed to the two planes flying through the sky before returning to Maverick.
"Easy, Cougar," He said, "Just a walk in the park, buddy," The angle showed Cougar's plane dropping in height slightly, "You're a little low," Mav told his friend, "You're a little low, Coug."
The angle revealed Cougar looking like he was about to pass out.
"Yikes," Javy decided.
"Come on, buddy, pull up," Mav kept his gaze on his friend, "Pull up Cougar," The angle revealed him resituating his plane, "That's it," Mav praised, "Almost there."
"Cougar, you're well below glide path," Control Tower called, angle showing his teetering plane, "Three-quarters of a mile. Call the ball."
"Roger, ball," Cougar called out, blinking rapidly.
"We're too low, Cougar," Merlin called out as theu plane descended toward the carrier, "Pull up, Cougar!"
Everyone nervously looked on.
"Higher!" Merlin cried out, "Higher, damn it!"
...And then they landed rather abruptly.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they landed abruptly but safely.
The angle suddenly changed from the plane, with the sunset behind it, to a bright room, a hand knocking on a door.
Jake jumping at the jarring change of scenery.
"You okay?" Bradley laughed.
"'Course I am," He huffed.
"Come in," Stinger called out.
The angle changed to the interior of his office, Cougar stepping into the room, standing at attention.
Pete leaned forward, watching intently, Cougar had never told him the specifics of his resignation, maybe this would.
"Sir."
"Cougar, you should be in sickbay. What's on your mind?"
"My wife and kid, sir," Cougar declared, "I almost orphaned him today, and I've never even seen him."
Everyone winced.
"I don't know what happened up there, but I was so scared."
"Come on, we've seen this before," Stinger waved him off.
"No, sir. I'm holding on too tight."
Pete winced, 'You need to let go,' 'I don't know how,' his own voice echoed in his head.
"Mav?" Javy set a hand on Pete's shoulder.
"I'm fine," He reassured.
"I've lost the edge. I'm sorry, sir," He set his wings down on Stinger's desk.
"What?" Everyone, except Pete, gawked.
"I'm sorry," Cougar turned and exited the room.
The angle changed to the hallway. Goose and Maverick were waiting by the door.
"Whoa!" Javy gawked.
They hadn't seen Mav or Goose without their helmets yet, after all. Nobody said anything but they were all mentally commenting on how similar Rooster looked to his father.
Cougar spared them a glance before he was hurrying on down the hall.
"Cougar," Goose called after him.
The man turned back, looking hesitant and just a little bit ashamed.
"Thanks, Maverick."
Mav gave him a nod before Cougar was turning, walking off.
"Maverick, Goose," Stinger called out, "Come in here."
"What the hell's going on," Maverick pushed away from the wall, murmuring to his friend.
"I dunno," Goose pursed his lips.
"Shit," Mav hissed as he pushed open the door, he and Goose stepping into the room.
They stood side by side, tall and proud.
"Maverick, you just did an incredibly brave thing," Stinger spoke.
Everyone blinked in surprise.
"Wasn't expecting that," Solomon commented.
"What you should have done," Stinger's voice hardened, "Was land your plane. You don't own that plane, the taxpayers do!"
"Oh, there it is," Solomon remarked, Pete letting out a sharp bark of a laugh.
"Son, your ego is writing checks your body can't cash."
"What a hardcore thing to say," Jake looked impressed.
"You've been busted. You lost your qualifications as section leader three times."
Everyone looked to Pete, surprised, man merely shrugging.
"Put in hack twice by me. With a history of high-speed passes over five air-control towers-"
Jake and Bradley bristled, smiling to themselves as they remembered Pete doing that after their successful mission.
"-and one admiral's daughter."
"Penny Benjamin?" Goose immediately leaned over to Mav, man merely twitching in confirmation.
"Not the time," Bradley shook his head fondly at his dad.
"Wait, Penny, Penny?" Reuben wondered, "Same Penny?"
"Yeah," Pete hummed.
"You're still together?" Reuben looked astounded.
"What? No. We just would sleep together and go on joyrides back then and now we're just friends," He shrugged.
"And you, asshole," Stinger rose to his feet, moving around the table, standing behind the duo, adressing Goose, "You're lucky to be here."
Pete flinched.
"Thank you, sir," Goose responded, tone casual.
"And let's not bullshit, Maverick, you're family name," Maverick was already averting his gaze, jaw clenched, "Ain't the best in the Navy," He grit out.
Everyone glanced to Pete who was impassively silent as he looked on at the screen. There was...a hardness to his eyes though, a bitterness and a...kind of sorrow.
"...What does he mean by that?" Bob called out softly.
"..." Pete pursed his lips, "...I'm sure you'll fine out," He eventually said.
"You need to be doing it better and cleaner than the other guy. Now, what is it with you?" He moved so he was standing in front of Maverick.
"Just wanna serve my country and be the best fighter pilot in the Navy, sir!"
"Don't screw around with me, Maverick," Stinger sat at the edge of his desk, "You're a hell of an instinctive pilot. Maybe too good," He jabbed a finger at him, "I'd like to bust your butt, but I can't, I got another problem here. I gotta send somebody from this squadron to Miramar."
Goose and Mav shared a quick glance.
"I gotta do something here. I still-I still can't believe it," Stinger looked livid, "I gotta give you your dream shot."
"Wait, this is how you...?" Bradley trailed off, gawking at Pete.
"I'm gonna send you up against the best. You two characters...are going to Top Gun."
Everyone grinned at the screen with varying degrees of disbelief.
The duo couldn't quite maintain the grins that threatened to form on their faces.
"For five weeks, you're gonna fly against the best fighter pilots in the world. You were number two," Stinger jabbed a finger into Mav's chest, "Cougar was number one. Cougar lost it, turned in his wings. You guys are number one."
The angle cut to reveal the barely restrained shit eating grins on the duo's faces.
"But you remember one thing," Stinger stood tall, "You screw up just this much, you'll be flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong!"
"Yes, sir!"
"That is all," He dismissed them.
Mav and Goose relaxed slightly, grinning as they began to back up.
"You can tell me about the MiG some other time. Gentlemen," He called out, duo stopping and turning back at the door, "Good luck, gentlemen."
"Thank you, sir."
"Thank you," Goose chorused.
The duo shared a final grin before they disappeared out of the room, door closing behind them.
"I can't believe that's how you got into Top Gun," Jake shook his head, amused.