Hope | R. Floyd

2

Good Morning Aviators 

Dove opened her eyes, saw the clock read four thirty am. She yawn and sat up, today was the first day of training she was excited. As she got ready for the day, she smiled as she thought about last night.

...........

Dove sat outside and looked at the shore. "Are you alright Dove?" Someone asked her, she looked up to see it was Bob. "Well look who decided to come out of their shell." She said with a smile at him. He looked ahead, "You know I don't bite Floyd." She said as she point the empty seat next to her. He sat down right next to her. "You and Rooster?" Bob asked. "He's my best friend, we been friends since we were children, both of our fathers knew each other." Dove explained. "I see." Bob said. 

"I meant what I said in there, we should hangout sometime and that you are really awesome." Dove said which caused Bob to smile at her. "We should." He agreed with her which caused her to smile back at him.

............

Dove sat next to Rooster. "You seem content." Rooster says to her, she looked over at him "I am back doing the thing I love." Dove said with a smile. "Attention on deck!" Someone shouted as everyone rose from their seats, standing at attention for their superiors.

Admiral Bates approached the podium. "Good Morning, Welcome to your special training detachment. Sit down." following orders, everyone took their seats. " I am Admiral Bates,  call sigh Warlock. You are all Top Gun Graduates, the best of the best, but that was yesterday. The enemy's  new fifth-generation fighter jet levels the playing field. We no longer possess the technological advantage. Success depends on the man or woman in the box. Half of you will make the cut and only one of you will be named mission leader. The rest will attend to any reserve roles necessary." Rooster and Dove looked at each other as many others looked at each other.

"Your instructor is one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced. His exploits are legendary. What he has to teach you may very well mean the difference between life and death." Warlock remarked as Dove raised her brow. "I give you Captain Pete Mitchell, call sign Maverick." Warlock concluded and stepped away as Maverick took his place. Rooster clenched his jaw while Dove bit the inside of her cheek as she shook her head.

"Good morning." Maverick said then he held up the F/A-18 manual, "This book contains everything they expect you to know about your aircraft. I assume you all know it well?" He questioned, as he earned him few verbal responses but mostly nods. 

He tossed it into the trash bin beside him, "So does your enemy but what the enemy doesn't know is your limits. I intent to find those limits and push beyond them. So today, we will start with what you think you know." He said and Dismiss everyone to grab their gear and head to their respective planes.

"You ok?" Dove looked over to see Bob. "Not really." She tells him. "It's Maverick isn't it?" He questioned her and she nodded. "Rooster and I have a past with him, you'll learn soon enough, you have fun out there, good luck." Dove said to him. "Good luck to you too." He said as they grabbed their gear. Dove later informed that she will be flying alongside Hangman, Phoenix and Bob.

............ 

Dove, Phoenix, Bob and Hangman were up in the air. Hangman decided to start his bull crap on Bob. "Hows about we tell everybody Bob stands for something other then Robert." Hangman said. Bob was about to say something but Dove jumped the gun. "Don't take the bait Bob, wanna know why we call him Hangman?" Dove said. "No No I got it... Baby on Board." Hangman said as he looked at over then started giggling. Then Maverick came out of nowhere. "Oh shit!" Hangman shouted as they all got control of their plane.

"Greetings Aviators, fight's on." Maverick said. "Alright Dove and Phoenix, lets take this guy out." Hangman said on the radio as Rooster when over to the radio, "Watch your back Dove and Phoe." He said.

"Break right you two." Hangman said. "Breaking right." Both Dove and Phoenix called out. Then they saw Hangman leaving them. "Where's he going?" Bob questioned both Dove and Phoenix. "That's why we call him Hangman, he'll always leave you hang out to dry." Phoenix said.

...................

At that point, He manage to get Phoenix and Hangman. Dove was giving him a challenge, "She is something." Maverick muttered. "Everyone was listening as they were trying to get each other. Maverick manage to lock on her. "Your out Dove." He called out and she hit the side of her plane. "But nice flying." Maverick said as she made her way to base. 

......................

She finished the last of her pushup when Bob approached her. "I have to say, you are nice pilot." Bob tells her as she sits up. "Thank you, you handled today pretty well." Dove said with a smile. He held out his hand, she took it and he helped her up. Her legs felt like jello. "Why did Payback have to do that." Dove muttered as she grabbed her helmet.

"I was wondering, tomorrow if you like to come over for dinner. It's my dad and I, he would love to meet you." Dove said and Bob smiled. "I would love too." He said to her. "But there's something you need to know Bob." Dove said and he looked at her. "He's my adoptive dad."  Dove said and he looks at her. "My birth parents died in a car accident when I was younger, not many people know about that, only Rooster and Phoenix knows along with Admirals and Hondo." She explained. "You told me because." He said. "Because I trust you and plus you have the right to know, eventually people will find out, but for now, it's always been a secret. I don't treat him any different, he's my dad, end of story."  Dove explained.

Bob smiled. "Takes a kind person to take a responsible like that, your dad seems like he's a good person, I can't wait to meet him tomorrow." Bob said which caused Dove to smile at him.