𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓 ✩ 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒘

𝐬𝐢𝐱

SHOOT TO THRILL
- AC/DC -

✈︎✈︎✈︎ ✰ ✈︎✈︎✈︎

Shoot to thrill, play to kill
Too many women with too many pills
Shoot to thrill, play to kill
I got my gun at the ready, gonna fire at will

✈︎✈︎✈︎ ✰ ✈︎✈︎✈︎

✈︎✈︎✈︎ ✰ ✈︎✈︎✈︎

"DURING KOREA, THE NAVY kill ratio was 12-to-1.We shot down 12 of their jets for every one of ours. During Vietnam, that ratio fell to 3-to-1. Our pilots became dependent upon missiles. They had lost some of their dogfighting skills. Top Gun was created to teach A.C.M., Air Combat Manoeuvring Dogfighting", Commander John 'Hawk' Williams explained. He was a tall man with greyish hair and blue eyes.

The three were sitting in the middle with all the other lieutenants in a class on their first day at Top Gun. They still didn't formally know everyone else, though.

"By the end of Vietnam, that ratio was back up to 12-to-1. I'll be your instructor throughout these five weeks. Gentleman, and ladies", he began looking at all of them and when he said that last part he looked at the three women in the room. One was Emily and the others were two other girls. One was brunette and the other had darker hair, almost black. The three women looked at each other with a knowing look before looking back at the Commander.

"You are the top one percent of all naval aviators . The elite. The best of the best. And we'll make you even better. You'll fly at least two combat missions a day, attend classes in between, and evaluations of your performance. On each combat sequence, you're going to meet a different challenge. Every encounter is going to be much more difficult. We're gonna teach you to fly the F-18 right to the edge of the envelope, faster than you've ever flown before and more dangerous", the Commander went on.

As he spoke Bradley felt eyes on him and turned around to find a blond guy with a cocky smile looking at him. He already knew he was going to be a pain in the ass.

"We don't make policy here. Elected officials, civilians do that. We are the instruments of that policy. And although we're not at war, we must always act as though we are at war", Hawk continued as he walked through the room and to a wall where there was a plaque.

Meanwhile Emily who was sitting beside Bradley and Logan had noticed the brunette looking at someone and followed his gaze meeting the one of the cocky blonde. When the blonde in question locked eyes with her he winked at her and she simply rolled her eyes and turned around while Bradley clenched his jaw.

"In case you're wondering who's the best, they're up here on this plaque on the wall", Hawk said and they all turned to look at it. "The best driver and their WSO and all the best pilots from each class has their name on it. And they have the option to come back here to be Top Gun instructors", he said as he walked back to the front of the room.

As he kept talking Logan found himself looking at the brunette girl two rows in front of them and when she turned around they locked eyes. He couldn't even ignore the way his heart began to beat faster, so he quickly looked somewhere else.

"You think your name's gonna be on that plaque?", he asked them. All the lieutenants looked at each other as silence filled the room. Even the cockiest ones didn't dare to speak up.

"I guess we'll see. Just remember, when it's over out there, we're all on the same team. Gentlemen, ladies, this school is about combat. There are no points for second place. Dismissed", Hawk finally finished and soon they all stood up and began to walk out of the room.

As they were about to head to their dorms Logan stopped Bradley and Emily.

"Hey, I heard the others are going to this bar called the Hard Deck later tonight. We're going, too?", he asked them.

"Yeah, sure", Emily shrugged and Bradley nodded agreeing, too. "I'll see you guys later."

And like that Emily left and went to the female dorms. She was used to sharing the dorms with only a few people. There weren't always many women in the navy unfortunately and it didn't shock her that they were only three here. When she got there she found the two other women already there.

"Hey", Emily greeted them as she began to get changed and they nodded her way. The first one to actually speak, though, was the brunette one.

"I'm Natasha 'Phoenix' Trace by the way", she said offering them a smile.

"Callie 'Halo' Bassett", the girl with black hair said.

"Emily 'Star' Mitchell", Emily told them with a smile.

"How do you guys feel about this whole thing?", Callie asked them with a gentle smile.

"Excited, nervous, still can't believe it's real. But I got a good feeling", Emily said with a confident smile as she changed in her white uniform.

"Oh yeah? You think you're gonna be on that plaque?", Natasha asked her with a chuckle.

"Hell yeah", Emily answered with no hesitation and the two laughed with her.

"I like you already", Callie told her still laughing.

Meanwhile in the male dorms there wasn't a very friendly conversation going on. Bradley and Logan were changing in their white uniforms when the blonde guy and a brunette guy with dark skin walked in.

"You know, I think this thing is kind of a waste of time since we all know who's going to be on that plaque", they suddenly heard the cocky blonde guy say.

"Yeah, and who's that?", Bradley asked him already irritated.

"Me, obviously", he replied confidently.

"What's your callsign?", Logan asked him, knowing that if he didn't interrupt them Bradley would have done something that he would have regretted.

"Hangman", he said keeping his cocky smirk.

"Oh, I wonder why", Bradley said wiping the smirk off his face. Before they could realise what was happening Hangman immediately walked to him and stood before him, venom in his eyes. Immediately everyone else got behind the two ready to break them apart if a fight was to happen.

"What's your callsign?", Hangman slowly asked him.

"Rooster", Bradley replied keeping his head high.

"I'll see you in the sky, Rooster", Hangman simply told him, his cocky smirk reappearing on his face before walking away.