𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖋𝖆𝖑𝖑 | top gun maverick

SEVEN

KRISTEN'S ADRENALINE KICKED IN THE SECOND SHE SAT IN HER JET. She wasn't nervous, but grateful to have gone through this first part earlier even if she was screwed over by Hangman. The task wasn't easy, and she was sure the second part that Maverick hadn't yet unveiled was already going to be tougher, so she couldn't mess up now. Fucking this up in front of Maverick was the same as throwing away her chances at getting on the mission.

Soon enough her flight path was loaded and she was up in the air. She had her heart set on the 2.5 the mission required, hoping that the knowledge of the crunching time could make her pull through. But I just need the 3, she kept thinking.

"Frosty to range control," Kristen spoke, psyching herself up for this task, "Setting time to target: 3 minutes."

Her takeoff was smooth, and Kristen was flying fast in no time. She remained calm, feeling the pressure within the jet only grow with tension as the simulated canyon grew tighter. Ice cold, no mistakes.

Keisten started to struggle in the crunch of the flight, passing the 2 and a half minute mark. Shit.

The thought of speeding up crossed her mind but she shut it down as she realised it would make her path much more difficult than it needed for now. She'd already passed the first mark, she just needed to make the second.

30 seconds... 20 seconds... 10 seconds...

——

"IT'S NOT THE 2.5 WE NEED BUT IT'S THE 3.... AND A BIT... YOU ASKED FOR TODAY," She panted as she made it back to the break room, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Her peers were crowded around the monitor, most with a jaw-dropped expression.

She'd sure as hell completed the flight path, barely scraping the 3 minute mark Maverick had boldly assigned to the group. Granted she was on her own, so it wasn't quite perfect; but it stuck it to Maverick and that's all she wanted in the moment.

He stood stunned, "Well someone help the girl!"

Rooster ran straight to her side, wrapping her arm around his shoulders to hold her up, "God, you're insane."

"Insanely out of breath," She stuttered, "God, being in the Navy you'd think I was fit."

"You are pretty fit under all that," Bradley whispered back but Kristen darted her ear away from his mouth, "Careful Bradshaw."

Kristen let out an out-of-breath laugh as she glanced back at Maverick, "Hopefully you're getting the idea now Mav, two of your students have now made it to target."

"A minute late," Maverick replied, "But not too bad Frosty. Not too bad at all."

"I know," She self-assuredly said, "Pretty sure you've got your two picks standing here lookin' right at you."

"Harsh Frosty," Phoenix giggled, "That could've been us."

"You can duel over me, I'm cool with it," Kristen joined in laughter, with a snort from Rooster. He joked, "I dunno Phoenix, can you keep up?"

"I wouldn't be talking such a big game Rooster," Hangman chimed in, clearly with a small annoyance. Maverick coughed, trying to bring it into a professional late, "Rooster, in your run, you gave enemy time to attack. You were practically dead."

"You don't know that," Rooster asserted.

Hangman let out a dramatic sigh as he turned to face the two, "You're just not flying fast enough, man. And as for you Frosty, you didn't have a wingman holding you back."

"Having a wingman doesn't hold you back," Kristen argued, finally catching her breath, "You're instead held back by your pea-sized brain and ego the size of the Tarmac, that's why you didn't make it to the target."

"It's funny you act like I wasn't topping you throughout Top Gun," Jake crossed his arms as Kristen glared at him, "And who still came out rank 1 Sersein? Me. Who saved your ass back at Vigilantes? Me. But who failed their wingman today? Ding! Ding! Ding! It was you!"

"Mhm."

Rooster replied in conjunction, "I, for one, didn't let my wingman die, Bagman."

"And yet, you were a minute late on the easy version Rooster," Hangman reiterated with his focus pointed on Bradley seeing as he had a losing argument with Kristen. Maverick took over in an instant, "That minute flawed you Rooster, it's too much time for the enemy to intercept and attack you and your wingman."

Maverick and Rooster were in some sort of standoff at this point, with Hangman standby as Rooster continued, "Then it's a dogfight."

"A dogfight against 5th generation fighters?" Maverick's voice grew louder with his fists clenched. Rooster nodded without hesitation, "We'd still have a chance."

"In an F-18?"

Rooster and Kristen looked at each other before he spoke again, although she'd shaken her head, "It's not the plane sir, it's the pilot."

"Exactly!" Maverick yelled with a much firmer stance this time, creating a harsh silence in the room. Nobody knew where to look, except Rooster who seemed ready for the argument, "There's more than one way to fly this mission,."

"You really don't get it," Hagman whistled, "A man flies like Maverick or doesn't come back. No offence."

"And yet, somehow you always manage," Kristen chimed in. Hangman sat up from his chair, "I don't mean to criticise your friend, Frostbite. I get it, he's conservative. But we're going into a combat no pilots ever seen, not even Maverick.... It's no time to be thinking about the past."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rooster tried to charge forward, but was pulled by Kristen. She whispered, "Ignore him Roost."

"I can't be the only one who knows about Maverick and his dad, and that Maverick was flying when his old man died-" Hangman didn't even get to finish his sentence before Rooster had lunged to shove him.  Both parties trying to be held back between the yells, "Son of a bitch!"

Rooster had him by the collar, only narrowly being ripped apart when Hangman appeared to be retreating, "I'm cool! I'm cool! Was just laying the past to rest."

"Someone needs to put this kid in his place," Kristen too tried to charge but Maverick had his arm barricading her. Hangman wiped his mouth, "He's not cut out for this... you all know I'm right."

"You're all dismissed," Maverick yelled, Rooster and Kristen staying behind. As the rest trailed out, Hangman took one final poke, "Hey Frostbite, the Kazansky name doesn't deserve to be tarnished because-"

"Bite me you ceramic bitch!" Kristen cursed as she flipped the boy off. Maverick yelled again, "I said, you're all dismissed!"

And where Hangman should've just backed off, he didn't. With another wink, he smirked, "Just tell me where, Kit."

That's when Maverick let go of the girl, and she sent Hangman down with a careful punch to the face.

Bradley whistled, wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulders afterwards, "I warned you Sersein, she always goes for the face!"

— cloudydior
was gonna have bradley punch hangman again but kristen's too much of a baddie 💅🏼

also vigilantes is the strike squadron hangman was attached to prior to the special mission!

i didn't mention this but kristen was part of black aces with natasha, however she spent time with the vigilantes hence her comment :)