Chapter 1
If you had asked ten-year-old Rio Vidal where she thought she would be in 17 years, she would not have said the Navy. She probably would have said literally anything else : doctor, veterinarian, lawyer. But, then the frightened expanse of college applications and college tuitions fell on her desk.
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Her advisor, a sweet older woman named Lilia Calderu, gave her a long list of colleges. Ms. Calderu had also made a point to put only the best and most expensive colleges down. No, she hadn’t forgotten that Rio was in the foster system, and that her parent’s, or lack thereof, would not be willing to pay that much for college.
Ms. Calderu did know that Rio was smart. And that, if the girl put her mind to it,, she would get a lot of scholarships. Rio didn’t think it would be enough.
“I’m serious, Ms. Calderu..”
“I know Rio. It’s a lot but I think you can get in and get good merit scholarships. Even some normal financial aid.”
“I don’t want to be paying a debt to a random ass school for the rest of my life. Why isn’t there a way to go for free?”
“There’s always community college.”
“I wouldn’t make anything of myself.”
“What about a military academy?”
This was new. She hadn’t thought about that. If she got into a military academy, she would be set for life. Well, not life, but college at least.
“You might be onto something Ms. Calderu.”
“I know I am, Rio.” The teacher looked knowingly at Rio.
“Okay, let’s do it then. Where do I start?”
Starting, well, it took a lot. She didn’t realize she needed to send this many emails and letters to so many important people.
In the end, she had narrowed her focus on the Naval Academy. Partially because it seemed the least aggressive, but also because there was a possibility that she could fly a fighter jet.
That hadn’t really been on her mind before, but now that she knew it was a possibility, it was her only goal.
She received her admissions letter in early April, and from that moment she began her journey through the Navy.
Her years in college were mostly typical college, interrupted by forced PT and drills, but that never grinded Rio’s gears too badly. Besides, the extra structure in her life was good.
At the end of her senior year, she was already one of the best simulation pilots, and even had her hand flying a few of the jets.
After graduation, she was deployed for a year on a new Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, and continued flying (still one of the best), until one day… It happened.
“Lieutenant Vidal, I need to see you in my office” Her commander told her, one afternoon after finishing a deployment.
“Yes sir.” She dutifully followed the older man, her palms beginning to sweat. When they got to his office, she stood in front of his desk as he took a seat.
“Congratulations Lieutenant, you’ve been chosen.”
“Chosen for what sir?”
“You’ve been chosen to go to Top Gun.”
She almost jumped in joy, but remembered her decorum. “Thank you sir, this means so much.”
“Don’t thank me yet, Vidal, you have a long 13-weeks ahead of you.” He smiled at her, knowing that this was one of the highest accomplishments a young pilot could get.
So Rio was off to Top Gun, and it was intense to say the very least. It was like being in her first year at the academy all over again. She was getting yelled at left and right, being forced to do push-ups because of another cadet, she hated that.
The best part about it was the flying.
Since she had learned that flying planes was an option, it had been the only thing to make her feel alive, relaxed, safe. Super contradictory, but it worked for her.
She was a bit of a dare-devil , but once she was taught dog-fighting, she was deadly. Or at least, she would be if they were using actual missiles and guns.
Her reputation earned her a callsign: Lady Death.
Her flying was not the only thing that earned her the name; however, the other female pilots knew that. Rio was extraordinarily good at making women cum. That’s what the women said, and who was she to say otherwise. Lady Death of the Little Death, it had a bit of a ring to it.
She was never one to stick to one person, which is why most of the lesbian women in the San Diego area knew of her. Okay, maybe not all of them, but like twenty of them.
That’s not a lot, she knows. But, her main focus is really her career, so she can’t let desire and women, even extraordinarily pretty women, get in her way.
She was Lady Death now, Lt. Rio “Lady Death” Vidal. Painting that on the back of her helmet in green and black had been the most rewarding day of her career.
After graduating from Top Gun, top in her class, she was deployed again. Flying an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was her calling, and she even ended her second tour with a confirmed kill.
She was twenty-seven years old, and sitting on the couch in her normally empty apartment. She couldn’t help it if the only thing she ever wanted to do was fly. And besides, she had no one in San Diego to go back to.
She’s on her couch eating dinner when her phone goes off with an email. When she was in high-school she was terrible about checking her email, but now, with a job, she has to check it a lot.
It read:
Dear Lieutenant Vidal,
You are formally requested back to Top Gun for additional training.
Please be there promptly at 07:30 on June 4th.
Commander M. Pheles