STARS // PETE "MAVERICK" MITCHELL

Chapter 5: Viper's Office

I started walking down the hallways with a huge smile plastered on my face. I was so happy that things were finally beginning to look up again that I forgot to change out of my flight gear. Now that I realized that was most likely why people looked at me weirdly in the halls. I quickly ran to the girl's locker room; thank the Lord that they split the guys and girls apart. I don't know what I would've done if I had to share with the guys.

Whenever I am in the locker room, I wonder what the guys talk about. I bet they tease each other, compare each other's wins, and exchange stories. I laugh at the thought of Maverick and Iceman arguing about maneuvers. I heard a knock at the door as I was finishing up changing. I throw a shirt on and open the door, only to find a pissed Jester standing outside the locker room.

"G-Force, get your butt up to Viper's office now; your RIO is waiting for you." So says Jester in a commanding tone.

Jester walks away before I can respond. I try to think about what I did wrong and what got me into this situation. At first, I couldn't think of anything until the flyby I had done without permission suddenly dawned on me. After that, I brushed it off; I couldn't get into too much trouble with that. I speed-walked to Viper's office.

When I got to Viper's office, I saw Jinx, Maverick, and Goose standing outside the office. I look at them with confused expressions. I understood that Jinx would be here because of me, but Maverick and Goose? What did they do wrong? Honestly, I shouldn't be surprised with a callsign like "maverick." As soon as I was going to ask them what they were doing here, a man in Viper's office started yelling at Viper.

"Four of your snot-nosed jockeys did a flyby on my tower at over 400 knots! I want somebody's butt. I want it now. I've had it!" The man screams into Viper's face. He slams open the door and runs into a guy carrying coffee on a tray.

"Oh! Darn it! That's twice. I want some butts!" He shouts before storming away.

Maverick, Goose, Jinx, and I quickly glance at each other until Viper and Jester walk out of the door.

"Well, that'll just about cover the flybys. Follow me." Viper says in an authoritative tone.

Well, all anxiously follow him into the office. If I weren't getting lectured, I would've cracked a joke or two about the office's aesthetic. It could use a new style.

"Gentlemen.." Viper starts saying, and then looks at me and adds. "And lady. You had a heck of a first day. Maverick and Goose, the hard deck for this hop, was 10,000 feet. You knew it; you broke it. You followed Commander Heatherly below after he lost sight of you and called no joy. Why?" He asks Maverick and Goose.

I guess that answered my question about why they were here with us.

"Sir! I had Commander Heatherly in my sights. He saw me move in for the kill. He then proceeded below the hard deck. We weren't below 10,000 for more than a few seconds. I had the shot, there was no danger, so I took it." He states honestly and boldly at the same time.

I wasn't surprised because I would've done the same thing he did because why take a loss when you know you can still win?

"You took it and broke a major rule of engagement. Then you all broke another one

with the circus-stunt flybys." Viper shouts at all of us.

Maverick and I quickly made eye contact, both in slight shock that we both were he for the same thing.

"Lieutenant Mitchell and Lieutenant D'Arpino. Top Gun rules of engagement exist for your safety and for that of your team. They are not flexible, nor am I. Either obey them, or you're history. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" Maverick and I say simultaneously.

"Dismissed."

We all quickly walked out of Viper's office. None of us wanted to stay there any longer. Goose was the first one to break the ominous silence.

"I really enjoyed that, Mav; thanks a lot. Holy crap." Goose says, then sighs.

"Maybe I could learn how to be a truck driver. Mav, you have the number of that truck-driving school we saw on TV? Truck Master, I think it is. I might need that." With that, Goose walks off.

"G-Force, what were you even thinking? I told you it was a bad idea, and you still did it. Next time you listen to me! I don't want to go through that again!" Jinx storms off in the same direction as Goose, leaving just Maverick and me alone.

We both look at each other in complete and utter silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, but a peaceful silence.

"Maverick.." I start to say, but he cuts me off.

"I know what you are going to say, G-Force." He says in a frustrated and irritated voice.

"How do you know?" I ask him honestly. I want to talk to him, I know he has lots of pressure on him right now, but I understand. I want to tell him that I am here for him, even though we met a few days ago.

"I just do!" He frustratedly shouts in my face.

"No, Maverick! You don't know what I was going to say! I was going to ask if you are okay and if you need anything; I am here for you! I know you don't want to lose Goose, but sometimes you do risky maneuvers. I used to do the same. I lost my RIO Maverick, and she was my best friend! We were just as close as you and Goose, if not even closer. On top of that, my dad was one of the best pilots in the Navy; he won the Top Gun trophy, then passed away, and so did my mom and my sister died in a car crash three years ago! So don't think you're the only one with no family or has a tough past." I yell into his face, irritated that he wouldn't shut up and listen.

He looks down towards the floor, ashamed at his actions.

'I'm sorry, I didn't know you had to go through all that alone." He softly whispers to me.

I look dead into his eyes.

"I wasn't alone, Maverick. I had people who always supported me and pushed me to continue. I mean, that's why I'm here. Without Hurricane's family's support, I wouldn't have had the courage to continue to be a pilot and go to Top Gun." I say honestly.

"Well, I'm glad you came; otherwise, we would have never met." He says, smiling at me.

"Me too, Maverick," I say, grinning.

"Well, I got to talk to Goose and apologize for getting him into trouble. Thank you for the pep talk; I needed it." He says honestly.

"Anytime, Mav, I meant every word," I say truthfully.

With that, he walks away to find Goose, leaving me by myself in thought. I'm so glad I met Maverick, Goose, and even Jinx. It is funny how small your world is until it expands.