"Bradley, we need to talk." Ice said with a version of his admiral's voice. One Bradley was familiar with as a child for when he was going to get a stern talking to.
Also known as his 'Dad'miral voice
Maverick had stepped out at Ice's request to give the two a few minutes alone.
"Yes sir."
"I will preface this with the fact you have already been forgiven. However, consequences of your actions do you need to be discussed."
"Yes sir." Bradley nodded taking a second to decide if he wanted to ask the question, "Why were you at Top Gun the other day?"
"Well, that is part of the consequences we need to talk about. I assume you heard from base gossip I was there?" Bradley nodded. "What else did you hear?"
"Just that you were sprinting across base and everyone was doing double takes, no one was sure why you were there."
"Based off the fact you are asking me, you have a hunch don't you?"
"A small one, not sure of the full understanding of it, but I do have an idea."
"Bradley, Maverick may have forgiven you for those words that day, but that does not mean they did not effect him. I was there because after you walked out of the room he had a panic attack. A combination of the two incidents from the day and your words set it off. Your words were what pushed it over the edge. I tell you this not to make you feel guilty but to understand the consequences of your actions. I know you were angry, but that does not excuse your words. I know you know they were false, but that doesn't change the pain they can cause."
"Yes sir, I... I didn't mean to send him into a panic attack, I just, I wanted to hurt him and before I knew it the words were flowing out of my mouth. Once I calmed down I knew I had made a mistake."
"I know, and that's why I am not mad at you and you were forgiven, but I needed you to understand that those actions you had lashing out at Mav, they had consequences." Bradley nodded softly, staring down at the ground unwilling to see the look in Ice's eyes.
"Now come here," Ice said pulling him into a hug.
"I missed you guys."
'We missed you too Baby Goose."
"So, Roo, did you have that talk with Mav?" Phoenix asked her best friend, circling the pool table at the Hard Deck.
"Yea, it went well."
"That's good, now I think you owe me a game of pool."
"Yes ma'am." Rooster rolled his eyes as Phoenix grabbed her pool stick.
"And I expect a song tonight."
Rooster rolled his eyes as he watched Phoenix line up her shot.
"Alright boys-" Phoenix started only to be cut off by all of their phones going off at once.
"Did you guys just get the email too?" Coyote asked staring at the notification.
"Yea," Harvard said glancing at everyone else.
It was strange for all 12 of them to get an email at the same time, especially from the sender.
"Admiral Kazansky just emailed us." Payback's eyes were wide.
"Alright, if no one else is going to open it I will." Hangman said, ever the confident one, though they all could tell his bravado was much more of an act right now.
Bradley was just staring at his phone trying to figure out was his Pops was up to. Though he acknowledged he could figure it out a lot faster if he just opened the email.
"Guys! Open your email!" Hangman finally said his eyes wide.
That was the final thing that needed to be said to set off the reaction of the other 11 aviators opening their emails.
"We are being assigned to a new squadron. Like a brand new squadron..." Halo said.
"All 12 of us." Harvard mumbled.
"It's a new squadron for the elite of the elite. We will be stationed out of Top Gun." Yale added
"That must be why Admiral Kazansky has been around." Fanboy realized.
If Bradley weren't so shocked by the new squadron he would have face palmed. For the all the squadrons theories on who Maverick was married to they kept skipping over Ice, not even thinking of him as an option. He could not wait to see their faces when they found out.
'Pops'icle
Bradley
So, a new squadron?
'Pops'icle
I see you checked your email
Bradley
So did the rest of the squad.
'Pops'icle
Good, everyone seem happy about it?
Bradley
Definitely
'Pops'icle
Are you?
Bradley stopped for a minute staring at his phone, before he decided on his answer.
Bradley
Depends, who is our commander?
'Pops'icle
Read the rest of the email.
Rolling his eyes he switched applications to finish reading the email.
Under the command of Rear-Admiral Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell
Bradley
You convinced him to finally take a promotion?
'Pops'icle
Told him it was the only way he could be the commander, and it still keeps him in the air. Cyclone and Warlock will remain over Top Gun, but Dagger Squadron will be a separate entity within Top Gun, under my command.
Bradley
Limiting the amount of Admirals Dad can tick off?
'Pops'icle
An added perk most certainly. Also keeps him home and you close. Plus Mav has become attached to the whole squadron.
Bradley
I'm pretty sure they've become attached to him too.
"Come on Rooster get off your phone and finish this game, unless your too chicken and know you are going to lose?" Phoenix teased.
"Alright, but I'm definitely not chicken."
"I don't know, I think we can still change your call sign." Hangman teased.
"Then you would have to learn to spell another call sign Hangman." Rooster teased right back, knowing the actual story behind his name. Apparently having a few too many public spelling mistakes sticks with people.
"Shut up, Rooster."
"Glad to know I get to keep my call sign."
"Back to the mission at hand, we still haven't figured out who Mav is married to, but with us staying on as a squadron we now have more time to figure this out." Fanboy jumped in.
"I don't think we can get anywhere with that until we have more info. Right now we have very little to work with, but now that we are no longer prepping for the mission I have a feeling we will finally find out more." Payback argued.
Rooster internally laughed, if only they knew. He was still shocked Phoenix or one of the others hadn't out right asked him considering they already figured out he and Mav were close.
"I wonder what they will have us doing?" Harvard asks.
"Probably more training, become the Top Gun of Top Gun." Yale says.
"More specialized missions for sure." Hangman adds.
"Who knows boys, maybe we will get our own kills." Halo playfully pats Hangman's shoulder.
"In your dreams Halo." Hangman teases right back, only pausing for half a second.
No one notices his hesitance.
"Good morning, Daggers," Maverick greets standing in front of his newly formed squadron. "I know the specifics of this were a little tight lipped and vague. Mainly because this will be a project that will constantly be changing as we find its place."
"That being said, this is an official squadron now," Maverick continued. "We will be further training you all to become even better than before. To train you to already be prepared when the specialized missions come up. On top of this we will be assisting Top Gun training. You yourselves may occasionally be called in as guest instructors, though mainly you will be flying on hops with them helping to simulate the situations."
"Sir, so we are becoming the Top Gun's of Top Gun?" Yale asks.
"In a way yes, however we are not making another trophy." Maverick deadpans. He is not dealing with a points system and the issues of a trophy.
A collection of disappointed sighs were heard across the room.
While the trophy did push many to become even better, it also caused unnecessary tension amongst those in the air, pushing them to do things they normally wouldn't. See Hop 31 from the class of '86. Desperate pilots were reckless pilots.
That added tension especially did not need to be added to a team. They needed to trust each other and not worry about beating the other.
"So what other specialized training do you have up your sleeve for us sir?" Bob asked.
"I'm glad you asked Bob, I will continue to train you in dog fighting skills, but also more advanced maneuvers, strategizing, both in the air and on the ground, and just enhancing your skills over all. We will also occasionally have some special guests stop by, whether to give a quick lecture, debrief or even just evaluate your flying. Though some I imagine will fly with us for a few exercises."
"Sir, if we are the best of the best, who are you going to bring in?" Hangman challenges, a smirk on his face.
"Well Hangman, they called in the best of the best from recent Top Gun classes and from active duty. Not all of us are still on active duty, and many of them are my friends." Maverick said with a smirk even more devious than Hangman's.
Rooster just shook his head and looked down. He knew what was coming, and it was a whole bunch of his uncles.
"Got something you want to add Bradshaw?" Maverick teases.
"Not yet sir."
"Alright, everyone head to the locker rooms, change into your flight suits. We are going to do a few exercises. Let me test some things we couldn't get to before the mission. Dismissed."
Everyone filed out except Bradley who held back a bit.
"So how many of my uncles are about to show up?" Bradley asked once the others were out of ear shot.
"How many do you have?"
Bradley rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry they aren't joining us for a little while, and you will probably have a heads up since they will be at the house."
"I missed them over the years too."
"They missed you too kid, but hey, we still get to mess with the squad as they try to find out who I am married too."
"It's just sad at this point Mav, they don't even have the right answer on their radar."
"Which is making it all the more fun for us. How many major hints do you think we can drop before they figure it out?"
"Depends on if they are willing to believe you of all people are married to him."
"You are right, I am the better pilot."
"Don't ruin the moment Mav, plus all they need to do is actually pay attention to the giant photo in the hallway."
"You know for being the elite naval aviators you are, they don't seem to be the most observant bunch."
"They have their moments."
"So, any ideas on how to mess with them first kid?"
Bradley smirked.
"Come on Pops is that all you got?" Hangman antagonized as he evaded Maverick.
"Well Hangman, it seems to be enough, I got tone."
"How the- you were- and I was-" Hangman sputtered.
"I'll teach you sometime." Maverick waved as he flew off to catch the others.
"So, we keeping that pushup rule?" Payback asked.
"Not today, I need you all to still be able to hold your stick by the end of the week."
Maverick spent the next hour strategically taking each of them down. Each of them glad the push up bet was off the table for the day.
"Alright Daggers, return to base to debrief." Maverick ordered over coms.
"Alright Daggers, good debrief. I want to see those corrections being made and those weaknesses being strengthened. Also, tomorrow, meet me at the beach, I'll text you a time later. Same attire as last time."
"Another game of Dogfight Football sir?" Fritz asked.
Maverick nodded an affirmative.
The plan was set in motion.
The next morning the Daggers all met at the beach.
"Alright, small twist today, I already picked the teams," Maverick instructed separating the pilots and WSOs from one another and separating the wingmen until the teams were even, but no one was with their main counter part. "Alright, Hondo and I will each be joining a team, Penny has graciously agreed to referee today."
Maverick tossed the footballs in the middle of the two groups, Hondo and Maverick splitting off to their respective teams then nodding for Penny to start the game.
Maverick and Ice had filled Hondo and Penny in on the Daggers mission to figure out who Maverick was married to. They were more than happy to mess with the daggers.
They went head to head waiting on the play to start, staring each other down with a smirk.
Once again the score of the game was long forgotten, but still it was a successful game.
"So, does anyone want to take a guess as to why the teams were the way they were?"
"We need to learn to work with everyone sir?"
"Bob is correct. The way this squadron will function, there will be no set six that fly together. Each mission will call for different areas of expertise just as the last one did. You could have anyone as your wingman. For that matter, there could be missions where we have to separate WSOs and their pilots. While not a preferred method, sometimes that is required."
"But sir, they are our WSOs-"
"Harvard, I understand that. Trust me I do, a WSO and a pilots bond is different and takes time to build. However, even WSOs have specialties. Sometimes we will need a certain WSO and a certain pilot, but not their pilot. Occasionally during training we will switch them around just so you have practice with everyone. This is not us separating you. But if one of you is injured, we can't have both of you out. Not if the other is safe to fly." Maverick explained.
"Wingmen are the same, if one of you is out or needed for a different part of the mission, we need to be prepared for that. You are all a team, a squadron."
"And also you wanted to prove that dogfight football was still relevant?" Rooster challenged.
"It worked last time didn't it?"
The others couldn't disagree with that.
"Alright aviators, I am going to do some paper work up there, yall continue to bond." Maverick shuddered at the words paper work causing the team to laugh. "Penny darling, mind coming to help?"
"What ever Pete, I'm not doing it for you."
"No, but you can keep me company." Maverick smirked.
They both made their way up the beach and to the patio while Hondo excused himself as well.
"See, I told you, it's got to be Penny." Fanboy stated once the pair were out of ear shot.
"I don't know, he and Hondo had some tension going during the game." Omaha disputed.
"I'm tell you guys, it's not Hondo." Hangman stated firmly.
"Then who do you think it is?" Phoenix challenged.
"I don't know, but I just don't get that vibe from them. I still think we don't even have them on are radar yet."
"Fair point, no one has given me the vibe yet either." Phoenix conceded.
"Did Phoenix just agree with me?" Hangman faked shock.
"Don't get used to it Bagman."
"Back on topic, who else does Maverick interact with? Admiral Kazansky?" Fanboy rolled his eyes, "As if the Commander of the Pacific Fleet would put up with his antics."
"Or, maybe that's why Maverick gets away with so much, they were wingmen. Just look at their picture at Top Gun." Bob theorized softly, but no one heard the others too busy debating with one another.
"The only time we've seen them together was for the mission on the carrier, and that was just the admiral acting as well the admiral. It was a pretty big mission." Payback rebutted.
"Alright guys, we need this written out as to who believes who at this point." Phoenix stated pulling out her phone and typing out everyone's names. "I am going to pass this around, type your answer next to your name. This will be your final pick, so choose wisely. Haven't met them yet will be an acceptable answer."
"What does the winner get?" Payback asked.
"All the losers pay for a round at the Hard Deck?" Omaha suggested. No one argued so they went with it. At this point winning wasn't the big deal, it was solving this mystery.
Phoenix: Haven't met them yet.
Bob: Admiral Kazansky
Hangman: We haven't met them yet.
Rooster:
Yale: Warlock
Harvard: Warlock
Payback: Penny
Fanboy: Penny
Halo: Hondo
Coyote: Cyclone
Omaha: Hondo
Fritz: Hondo
"Bob, you are out of your mind with thinking it's Admiral Kazansky, but what ever." Payback said looking over the list of names.
"Hey, Bradshaw, where is your pick?" Hangman asked looking over the list.
"I am abstaining from this bet."
"AKA, you have no clue and don't want to lose." Hangman translated.
'More like a guaranteed win' Bradley thought to himself.
"According to Bradley's latest text the daggers have put in their final bets as to who I am married to." Maverick told Ice.
"Well, I wish I could have gotten in on the bet, I have a pretty good idea who it is."
"Is that so, who would that be Kazansky?"
"That's Mitchell-Kazansky to you, and coincidentally he has the same name."
"Really, anything else you know about him?"
"Not much about the partner, but I know plenty about Maverick."
"Well I know plenty about his husband, and how annoying he is."
"Well Maverick is pretty insane."
"Yeah, insanely in love with you."
"Don't forget, he is dangerous." Ice teased.
"That's right Iceman, I am dangerous."
"God, you two, next thing I know you are going to be arguing over who is the better pilot again. Did I ever really leave?" Bradley asked rolling his eyes from the door.
"Would you expect any different from us Baby Goose?" Maverick asked pulling him into a hug.
"No, it just makes home feel more like home. I would be more worried if you two weren't still up to your antics."
"I'm glad you decided to move back in." Ice said softly taking Bradley's duffel from his arm.
"Yeah, well. I never should have left in the first place."
"All that matters is that you found your way back home, now come on, your room is just as you left it." Maverick smiled pulling Bradley along.
Things weren't entirely back to normal, though they never would be too many years had passed, but they were making a new normal.
"So, Baby Goose, anyone figure it out yet?" Ice asked setting the bag down on the chair.
"Just one, the stealth pilot."
"I'm sorry, who is the stealth pilot?" Ice asked.
"Bob." Maverick and Bradley answered at the same time.
"That kid can blend in anywhere, it's crazy." Maverick elaborated, "However, don't let that fool you, he's got some bite. I'm not entirely surprised he is the only one to guess Ice."
"Yeah well, the others razzed him over it, which will make the reveal that much better."
"Should we bring Bob in on the plan earlier?" Ice asked.
"Could be fun." Maverick agreed.
"We do need to figure out how to do the reveal."
"I say, just invite them over to the house, call it a family dinner or something, officially introduce them to Pops."
"Yea, or, I have specified that we will have guest fliers. Ice you up for a hop?"
"Definitely could be fun, but I think we need to save that until after they find out."
"Fair point, so dinner?"
"I can grill some burgers out back." Ice offered.
"Yes! I missed your burgers, also that will make it even more fun for the reveal. You still have your aprons?"
"Of course we do, I am offended you would think otherwise." Maverick feigned offence.
"Then we have our plan."
WOW! The response to this story has been amazing! Thank you guys! If yall have any requests for things to occur or to be added please let me know! If it works I will try and add it.
I have been making a list of things I want to happen since May, and I am finally getting to write them. After the reveal I will probably break it down to smaller groups of the daggers at a time, writing this many characters at a time in a scene throws me off. Also I am still trying to get a feel for each of the characters. If yall have any ships yall want carried out let me know! I can't decide for some of them!
I have already been planting seeds for some future scenes, let me know if you caught the big one...
Well, I hope you guys enjoyed, please comment and let me know what you thought!
