Stars - Iceman (Top Gun)

Five

Tom and Sarah smiled at each other until a captain walked along the aisle to the front of the podium. Everyone sat at attention, and Sarah elbowed Nick to stop talking to Pete. She watched the captain curiously as he began to speak.

"You'll be evaluated by a few civilian specialists. The civilians are here because they are the very best source of information on enemy aircraft." Makes sense.

"The most qualified is our tag rep, callsign Charlie. She has a  PHD in Astrophysics, and she's also a civilian contractor so you do not salute her. But you better listen to her because the Pentagon listens to her about your proficiency. It's all yours, Charlie."

As he said this, a woman with high heeled shoes and a modest outfit walked up the aisle. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar, but Sarah could not put a finger on it.

"Thank you, sir." Charlie turned around and Sarah's eyes widened a little. It was her, the one who Pete had a go with yesterday.

Nick took his sunglasses off to get a better look at her. He probably didn't want her to recognize him from the bar last night. Sarah glanced at Tom, wondering if he recognized her from last night. His face remained neutral.

"Hello, we will be dealing with F-5's and A-4's as our MiG simulators," Charlie began to speak.

Pete had a look of "oh crap" on his face as he leaned in to talk to Nick. He put his aviators on, likely as a reverse reason to what Nick did.

"Now, as most of you know, the F-5 doesn't have the same thrust to weight ratio that the MiG-28 has..." Pete looked embarrassed. "...and it doesn't lead energy toward 300 knots like the MiG-28. However, the MiG-28 does have a problem with its inverted flight tanks. It won't do a negative-G pushover." If only she knew. Sarah smiled to herself.

"Are you gonna tell her?" Nick asked Pete.

"The latest intelligence tells us that the most it will do is one negative..." She paused. "Excuse me, Lieutenant? Is there something wrong?" Busted.

"Yes ma'am, the data on the MiG is inaccurate." Pete said confidently. The other pilots looked at him. Sarah caught Tom's eye.

"How's that, lieutenant?" Charlie asked him.

Pete took off his sunglasses. "Well, I just happened to see a MiG-28 do-"

"We!" Nick cut in.

"Sorry, Goose. We happened to see a MiG-28 do a 4-G negative dive." Nick grinned like a boy in a candy store when he was acknowledged.

"Where did you see this?" Charlie asked.

"That's classified."

"That's WHAT?" The other pilots looked at Pete again with disbelief.

"That's classified. I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." The pilots smiled, as they knew he couldn't get out of this one.

"Lieutenant, I happen to have top secret clearance. The Pentagon sees to it that I know more than you."

"Well ma'am, it doesn't seem so in this case, does it?" Pete said confidently.

"So, Lieutenant, where exactly were you?"

Sarah couldn't just cut in; she didn't experience it herself and didn't want to make Charlie suspicious of her.

"Well, we-" Pete started.

"Thank you." Nick said.

"-started off on his 6 when he pulled through the clouds and then I moved in above him."

"Well, if you were directly above him, how could you see him?" Charlie questioned him.

"Because I was inverted," Pete did a hand motion showing it.

"Bullshit," Tom coughed, causing a few pilots to laugh. Sarah shot him a cold glance then focused her gaze on Charlie.

"No, he was man, it was a really great move," Nick cut in.

"You were in a 4-G inverted dive with a MiG-28?" Charlie looked surprised.

"Yes ma'am," Pete said.

"At what rate?"

Pete turned to Nick. "Oh, about two meters."

"Nah, it's actually about one and a half," Nick said. "I've got a great polaroid of it. And he's right there."

"It's a nice picture," Pete agreed.

"Uh, Lieutenant." Charlie got their attention. They fell silent. "What were you doing there?"

"Communicating," Nick said.

"Communicating," Pete repeated.  "Keeping up with foreign relations. Ya know, giving him the bird."

"You know, the finger!" Goose held up his middle finger. Sarah couldn't help but snicker a little.

"Yes, I know the finger, Goose." Charlie said.

"I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that. I'm sorry. Excuse me." Nick said sheepishly as he put the finger down. The other pilots laughed. Sarah put an arm around him to comfort him. Tom shot her a glance, but she ignored it.

"So, you're the one." Charlie smirked.

"Yes ma'am." Pete smiled.

"Alright gentlemen - and lady - we have a hop to take. The hard deck on this mission will be 10,000 feet. Move it!" The captain said. Pete stood up and put his aviators back on, smiling at Charlie.

Sarah walked to the changing room and took out her clothes from her locker. She turned around to see Tom behind her. She ignored him and made her way to the shower stall to change, as she didn't want the men to see her naked. Tom grabbed her arm and she yanked hard to make him let go. He was prepared for this, so he gave her a tighter grip than usual.

"I have to change, Tom. I'm one of the first ones to do the hop. I suggest you do the same." Sarah said, not looking at him. "We can talk after."

She gave one last mighty pull and Tom released his grip on her. He looked sad that she didn't give him eye contact. He watched her go into the stall and waited patiently beside it.

In the stall, Sarah made sure that the curtain was closed and no one could peek in. She changed into her flight suit and opened the curtain. Tom was standing beside the stall as if he was waiting for her. "You should change because the hop is about to start. Come on, Tom, I'm not in the mood for your games right now."

He nodded and walked away. He made it so she could not see the heartbreak in his eyes. All he wanted to do was be close to her, but she was making it really hard. Maybe it was because they were about to do their first training mission, and he was a distraction. He promised himself for the rest of the time that he would not get in her way so she could perform at her best.

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