Salvatore [Top Gun: Maverick]

16

  She should've flown back. Just as Cyclone instructed. She would've been on the safe deck, embracing Hangman and Hooda while they bit their nails and waited for the other six to fly home.

"They're everywhere!" Phoenix cried over the radio.

As Stella pulled up from the rumble of a runway and glanced to her right she caught a glimpse of the four jets maneuvering through the air in attempts to avoid the missiles chasing after them. She was no more than a couple hundred feet away from the chaos. If Stella flew over there perhaps she'd save one of their lives. Or maybe they didn't need her help. They seemed to handling their own fine and her presence might throw them off.

Her hand gripped the controls as she faced this dilemma. She turned her aircraft in the direction of the water until she heard another cry over the radio.

  "Shit I'm out of flares," Rooster cursed, the pilot looked over to see the missiles still after him.

  He closed his eyes bracing for the impact until there was an explosion that came from behind and not from his own aircraft. Stella's aircraft emerged from the smoke as she zipped through the air helping her teammates destroy the remaining missiles.

  "Jigsaw?!" Payback said in disbelief as she leveled with their jet.

  "It looked like you guys needed some help," she said sheepishly, praying Cyclone hadn't heard the calls of the radio. And if he did he'd turned his head the other way.

  They all laughed as Phoenix took out the last missile marking the end of their mission. As they all turned their aircraft to head home something caught Stella's eye.

  It was a black jet that the other female pilot was unaware was on her tail. Stella couldn't call on the radio fast enough as a missile was launched at Phoenix's and Bob's aircraft. Instead her body reacted faster without a second spared to think about her actions. Her hands pulled the jet up and behind Phoenix's jet to take the missile intended for Dagger 2.

  Stella was already making a fast descent into the snowy canyon before she could hear the screams from her teammates above.

It was a stupid way to go. Taking someone else's missile. But it was a heroic way nonetheless. That had to count for something.

However as Stella's vision took in the canyon coming in closer and closer she realized she didn't want to die. She made a promise to fly home. Something she'd never done before.

  So with the last of her strength she reached down for the handles under her seat and pulled.

—

  Stella realized how much she hated the cold as she clumsily landed into the white snow. Goosebumps immediately spread across her body under the heavy layers of the flight suit. Though the waves of heat from the fires of the destroyed aircraft brought temporary warmth to her face.

  She looked around to only see snow and trees surrounding for the next few miles. Releasing herself from the parachute, Stella walked over to the edge of the cliff and took a deep breath.

  "You just may be the stupidest person in the world," she said in herself, closing her eyes.

  There was no one in the air coming down to save her. So she would either be captured by the enemy or freeze to death. Whatever came first. When she ejected from her jet she was only delaying her death not saving herself.

  She buried her head into her gloved hands and tried to cry out her frustration but it made her feel even more pathetic. Stella had never been religious but with no other options she closed her eyes and prayed to whoever may be listening.