Rooster and Sophia had made it out onto the tarmac and headed towards their jets to do their pre-flight checks.
"Rooster, Vegas" Maverick called out from behind them. Neither pilot acknowledged that they had heard him and carried on walking.
"Bradley, Sophia" Maverick called out once more, again both pilots completely ignoring him.
"Lieutenant Bradshaw, Lieutenant Mitchell!" With their ranks being called by a captain the pair had no choice but to stop and turn around. Both had on their aviators so their eyes couldn't be seen, Sophia didn't trust herself to be able to hide her emotions.
"Yes sir" Rooster muttered as they both came to a stop in front of their Captain.
"Come on guys, let's not do it like this" Maverick said as he looked between the pair.
Sophia let out a slight scoff, was he kidding "Do what exactly?" Sophia asked shifting her helmet under another arm.
"You gunna wash us out?" Bradley asked looking down at the man who he once saw as a father figure.
"That will be down to the two of you, not me" Maverick looked between the two before he looked at his daughter, Sophia wouldn't even look at the man stood in front of her, instead she kept her focus on Roosters arm, not daring to look anywhere else.
"Are we dismissed" Rooster asked trying his very best to swallow all the anger he wanted to hurl at the man in front of him.
Maverick simply nodded his head, there was so much more he needed to say to the pair, but he knew the tarmac was not the time or place for that to happen.
He watched as both pilots headed to their jets he watched as Rooster gave Sophia a quick kiss on the forehead before he left her to go over to his own jet. He made a mental note to find out what was happening there.
Sophia had finished her checks and was just about to climb her ladder when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she spun around to see Hangman.
"What's up Jake? Shouldn't you be in your plane?" Sophia asked as she put her helmet on her head.
"Yeah, just checking your, ok?" Hangman replied
Sophia slightly scoffed at him "Come on Hangman like you care" Sophia turned ready to climb up her ladder when Jake grabbed her shoulder turning her around, Sophia gasped slightly.
"Come on Soph, you know I care, we were friends at the Academy and the first round of Top Gun, what happened?" Hangman asked the woman in front of him. Truth be told he had fancied the female pilot from the first day he met her, but he knew she was in love with Rooster, they had a drunken heart to heart one night in Top Gun and Sophia had admitted her feelings towards her best friend. To say he was gutted was an understatement, but he knew he would always be second best to Rooster so he never tried to peruse a romantic relationship with her but that never stopped him from shamelessly flirting with her and antagonising Rooster every chance he got.
Sophia sighed as she looked back at Hangman, she had to admit she hated it when he would purposely wind Rooster up, she knew he was trying to get a rise out of him, she was also extremely embarrassed about the night they got drunk together and Sophia had blurted everything she felt for Rooster out to him, she had pretty much tried to avoid him since that night. Hearing his comments to Rooster at the Hard Deck the night before had pissed her off slightly, he had gotten even more cocky since their last training detachment, and she hated that about him.
Sophia was about to reply to him when Hondo shouted that they needed to get going. Sophia turned climbing up the ladder to her jet as Hangman walked away. She sat in the cockpit as she hooked herself up to the coms so she could hear the rest of the pilots.
"Ok Aviators, first up in the air is Rooster, Payback and Fanboy, the rest of you listen in ready for your turn" Maverick ordered, for this round all the pilots stayed in their planes, so they were ready to go. The pilots who were on the ground listed in as the three made their way up into the sky.
"Good morning aviators, this is your Captain speaking, welcome to basic fighter manoeuvres, as briefed today's exercise is dogfighting, guns only, no missiles, we do not go below the hard deck of 5000 ft. Working as a team you have to shoot me down or else?"
Rooster was in the air hovering slightly next to Payback and Fanboy; he shook his head slightly at the cockiness from their Captain.
"Or else what sir?" Payback asked
"Or else I shoot back, if I shoot either one of you down, you both lose" Maverick stated
"This guy needs an ego check" Hangman had mumbled into the coms that were for the ears on the ground only.
"We'll see to that" Two other pilots exclaimed as she saw a double with two men in high five each other from their seats.
Sophia shook her head, as much as she hated her father, she knew he was good at what he did, none of them had a chance in hell.
"So, what's say we put some skin in the game" Sophia had gone back to listening in again hearing Payback start a bet.
"What do you have in mind" an amused Maverick replied.
Payback smiled, "Whoever gets shot down first has to do 200 push ups"
"That's a lot of push ups" Maverick stated back to him.
""They don't call it exercise for nothing. Sir" Fanboy laughed.
"You've got yourself a deal gentleman, fights on, let's turn n burn" Maverick replied
Maverick shot his plane up as he saw the 2 jets just hovering above him.
"Fanboy you see him?" Rooster asked as he glanced around
"Nothing on the radar up ahead, he must be somewhere behind us" Fanboy replied looking out over Paybacks shoulder.
Maverick suddenly shot between the two planes causing them both to temporarily lose control.
"Easy Maverick let's try not to get fired on the first day" Mav spoke to himself as he came back down trying to line up a shot on Payback and Fanboy.
"Tally, Tally, Tally Mavericks coming in break left" Fanboy shouted as he frantically looked around trying to keep an eye on Maverick's plane.
"Breaking left" Payback shouted as he broke left trying to stay pout of Mavericks line.
"Payback? Where's your wingman" Maverick asked as he tried to line himself up with the plane in front of him.
A panicked Payback whizzed in and out trying to stop Maverick from getting a lock on him "Rooster where are you?"
"I got your back, I'm coming, hang in there" Rooster replied as he flew down putting himself between Maverick and Payback so he couldn't get a lock.
"Break right" Rooster yelled as he came between the two.
Payback broke right causing Maverick to lose his lock on them
"Rooster just saved your life fellas but it's gunna cost him"
"Not this time old man" Rooster could feel the anger rising as he flipped and dived straight down. Maverick following.
"Rooster your too low, you're hitting the hard deck" Rooster looked at his controls as he saw he was at 3804 ft and the automated voice rang through his cockpit "ALTITUDE, ALTITUDE" Rooster pulled up in a panic causing his plane to fly directly into Mavericks line of sight.
"That's a kill" Maverick stated. Rooster took oof his mask as a string of curse words flew from his mouth.
Sophia threw her head back in her seat out of frustration, she was pissed that Maverick had got a lock on Rooster but even more pissed that she could sense Rooster was letting Mav get to him.
Rooster landed his plane, taxied, and got out. Hondo walked over to him, and Rooster dropped to the floor starting his push ups, Sophia sighed as she watched him.
Two more groups took off going through the exercise and Maverick had shot all of them down, the tarmac was now littered with people doing push ups as Hondo counted painfully slow.
Sophia was next up with Hangman, Phoenix, and Bob. They all hovered waiting for any sign of Maverick.
"Say Phoenix, how's about we tell everybody that BOB stands for something other than Robert" Hangman laughed.
Sophia groaned as she clipped her mask into place, here we go she thought.
Bob was just about to answer when Phoenix interrupted him "Don't take the bait Bob, you wanna know why we call him Hangman"
Sophia smirked which must have been heard by Hangman "Come on Phoenix we all know it's a euphemism, Vegas over here can vouch for it"
Sophia scoffed disgustedly, she knew Rooster was listening and so did Hangman, he was once again trying to wind them all up.
"Ugghh you wish" Sophia snarled
"Come on baby you know you want me" Hangman taunted, he just wished he could see Roosters reaction down on the tarmac.
Rooster was sat in front of the radio in the break room as his turn was over, his jaw clenched tightly at what he was listening to Hangman say.
"Hey Bagman come on; you know why we call her Vegas right" Phoenix asked looking out her window to Sophia who was right next to her.
"Why don't you enlighten me dear Phoenix" Hangman asked as he looked out over to the two women.
"You've been to Vegas right Bagman? Sin City can be a menacing place and just like it I'll take you for everything you got" Sophia shot back causing Phoenix and Bob to laugh.
Hangman was just about to retort back when Maverick suddenly flew up between him and Sophia causing both of their planes to roll.
"SHIT" Hangman screamed as he clipped his mask into place.
"Greetings Aviators. Fights on" Maverick called as he flew back round.
"All right ladies let's take this guy out" Hangman called.
"Both of you break right" Phoenix and Vegas both listened breaking right, but Hangman decided to not break left and suddenly flew off in front of them.
"Where's he going?" Bob asked as he watched Hangman leave the three of them behind.
"That's why we call him Hangman, hell always hang you out to dry" Phoenix scoffed as she flew a little in front of Vegas.
"Leaving your wingmen, that's something I haven't seen in a while" Maverick stated watching the scene unfold.
"He called you men ladies, you gunna take that" Hangman called out.
"As long as he doesn't call you a man, talk to us Bob where's Maverick?" Vegas asked.
"Jesus his nose is already coming around" Bob was frantically looking around seeing Maverick already turning back to them.
"Get him off me Hangman" Phoenix shouted trying her best to keep Maverick from getting a lock on her.
Sophia swooped down doing the same manoeuvre as Rooster had done, giving Phoenix a few minuets to get away, Hangman seemed to have the same idea as he swooped down seconds after Sophia did narrowly missing clipping her wing, this caused Sophia to become distracted for a few seconds when suddenly she heard ringing coming from her cockpit
"That's a kill" She heard Maverick say.
Shit Hangman had got her killed, a minuet later he had done the same to Phoenix, just leaving Hangman and Maverick.
"Let's go Mav lets see what you got" Hangman called out cocky as ever.
"Come get me" Maverick taunted.
"Evil be gone Hangman's coming"
"Yep, your good I'll give you that" Maverick commented before pulling his plane straight up into the sun, knowing this would cause Hangman to be blind and not see him.
"Shit, Phoenix, Vegas I can't see him, how close am i? Phoenix?" Hangman asked the girls; he was currently completely blinded by the sun.
"We're dead dickhead" Phoenix taunted.
"See you in the afterlife Bagman" Bob shot after. This caused Sophia to burst out laughing.
Just seconds later Maverick had got the lock on Hangman. They all made their way back down to land. Sophia was pissed. She hated push ups. All four of them dropped to the floor after landing and Hondo started counting.
The next pair flying was Hangman and Rooster. Sophia knew this was not going to end well.
Rooster and Hangman were hovering waiting to see where Maverick would appear from.
"Say Rooster mind if I ask you a personal question? "Hangman asked the man flying next to him.
"Would it matter if I did" Rooster already had his com strapped onto his helmet and kept his moving eyes in every direction, looking out for Maverick.
"So, what's the story with you, Vegas and Maverick, seems like he's got you both a little rattled" Hangman was smiling the whole time he spoke, he knew just how to get under Roosters skin.
"That's none of your business, no where the hell is he?" Rooster carried on looking around.
Out of nowhere Maverick's voice came over the comms.
"Been here the whole time "Maverick turned sideways and floated up between Rooster and Hangman until he was inverted.
"Holy shit" Hangman couldn't believe his eyes.
"You see me now" Maverick gritted out. "Come on let's get this over with"
Roosters breathing was coming out hard, staring up at Maverick "Fights on"
And then the two of them were suddenly spiralling downwards in a Cobra Manoeuvre.
"What is with these two" Hangman yelled moving his jet to the right to get a better view.
"Alright Rooster, you put us here, how are you gunna get us out?" Maverick asked.
"You can bail out anytime" Rooster snapped back.
"How low do you wanna go?"
" I can go as low as you sir" Rooster spits out "And that's saying something"
"What's past is past…For ALL of us." Maverick stated.
"You'd like to believe that wouldn't you, that we would both just forgive you just like that" Rooster snapped.
"Reminder hard deck is 5000ft fellas, you're running out of room" Hangman screamed into his comms.
The system in their jets started to repeat "Altitude, Altitude, Altitude."
"Your strategy is going to run us into the ground, what's your move?" Mav asked.
The pair carried on spiralling down, the automated system screaming at them to pull up, they were now only 1000ft from hitting the ground.
Maverick knew Rooster was trying to prove a point, if he didn't pull up now, they would both be dead, he grabbed his throttle pulling himself out of the manoeuvre, Rooster quickly following behind.
"Come on you got it don't think just do" Maverick encouraged trying to get Rooster to take a shot at him.
"You have him, Rooster!" Hangman was above them. "Drop down and take the damn shot"
"It's too low" Rooster told him, pulling up.
"Too late, you had your chance" Maverick said as he moved his plane, so it flew over Roosters, he lined himself up and took the kill shot on Rooster.
"That's a kill, knock it off, bake to base both of you" Maverick breathed out.
"Damn it" Rooster smacked the side of his canopy as he removed his mask from his face.
"Same old Rooster "taunted Hangman.
All three men landed whilst Hangman and Rooster went to complete their push ups
Sophia had made her way out onto the tarmac, she was pissed, pissed with both her dad and Rooster.
Maverick could see his daughter walking out of the hanger towards were Rooster and Hangman were doing there push ups, he could see how angry she was.
As the pair got closer Maverick held his arms up ready for the onslaught, he knew he was going to get from his daughter.
"Soph loo…" Maverick started.
"Don't you dare Soph me" Sophia was now stood in front of Maverick who tried to reach out to place his hand on her shoulder. At this Sophia violently pushed Maverick away from her.
"And don't you dare touch me, what the hell was that?" Maverick took a step back hurt at his daughters' words.
"Sophia I'm sorry but.." Maverick tried again
"No, I don't want to hear it, you did that on purpose, trying to get under his skin, just leave both of us alone, teach us what you need to teach us but no more in air or ground for that matter "talks" "Sophia put air quotes around talks. She turned on her heel and stormed over to where Rooster was currently finishing his 200 push ups once again.
As you approach Hondo is walking away shaking his head, Rooster carries on doing a few more push ups before he collapses to the ground and rolls on to his back before sitting up and pulling his knees up to his chest.
"Hey" He looked up and saw Sophia stood in front of him.
"You come to give me a hard time too? Phoenix beat you to it so don't bother" Rooster kept his gaze down, not looking at her.
Sophia sighed slightly before she sat down next to Rooster and rested her head on his shoulders, his automatically resting on top of her head.
"You, ok?" Rooster asked breaking the silence.
"Me? You're the one who got into it with Maverick in the air" She shot back refusing to call Maverick dad.
Rooster chuckled slightly "Yeah I guess but still you had to witness it and I'm sorry" Sophia moved her head to look up at him.
"I shouldn't have let him get to me like that and I definitely should not have done that manoeuvre, I'm sorry if I scared you" Sophia smiled up at the man in front of her, even when he was the one hurting, he always made sure she was ok.
"No, you shouldn't have but we live and learn, no more stupid dangerous stunts, ok?" Rooster looked down at her before he stood up dusting off his flight suite.
"Ok" He smiled as he put a hand out to help Sophia up, she took it and they both walked back inside together, gathering their things and headed home.
