Below The Hard Deck | A Top Gun Fanfiction

CHAPTER XIX

There is something special about aircraft carriers that one doesn't appreciate until they're on one. Through some truly amazing feats of engineering, several thousand tons of metal become what is practically a city on the sea. To make it even cooler, that expensive, big hunk of metal is also carrying several other smaller, yet still expensive, hunks of metal that can be slingshotted into the air with relative ease. Tell people a hundred years ago that such a thing would exist and you would most certainly be labeled as crazy.

The downside, however, is that despite their large size, there is not a whole lot of room. If you are going on a carrier, you better be prepared to get up close and personal with other people. It is this annoying aspect of Navy life that is the reason I'm currently shoved in a small, makeshift briefing area along side roughly thirty incredibly sweaty pilots in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

"Gentlemen," the CAG of the ship begins with a stern voice, "the communication ship SS Layton has become disabled and has wandered into foreign territory. Rescue operation is to begin within the hour. Your mission is to give air support to that mission."

"Won't that just cause them to think we're initiating an attack?" Specs whispers in my ear.

"Maybe they've already been acting aggressively towards the ship," I reply.

"There are MiGs in the area," the man continues, seemingly answering Specs' question. "Tensions are high. If you witness a hostile act, you will return fire." This causes everyone to tense up. This mission isn't just the U.S. using the situation to flex its muscles and intimate any foreign enemies. How this interaction goes could be the difference between entering a new war and living to see another day of relative peace. I look over to Maverick, who seems to also be taking in just how serious this is. He must sense my gaze because he soon turns to me, his expression failing to mask the worry in his eyes.

"Those MiGs carry the Exocet anti-ship missile. They can fire that missile from a hundred miles away." He takes a moment to let his words sink in. "Gentlemen, this is the real thing. This is what you've been trained for. You are America's best.  Make us proud. Ice."

"Yes, sir."

"Hollywood."

"Yes sir."

"Lucky."

I take a breath. "Yes sir."

"Sector two. Maverick, you'll be backing them up with Merlin on Ready Five."

Maverick gives him a curt nod. "Yes sir."

As we're dismissed, Iceman makes a beeline to me. "You think he's ready?"

I swallow, trying to put my personal feelings aside and think logically about the situation. I look over at the man in question. "I've learned my lesson about asking myself that. Viper seems to think he is. Besides, I don't think he would've showed if he wasn't."

The blond doesn't look nearly as convinced, but doesn't push the matter any further. He forces a smile onto his face and gives me a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Let's give 'em hell out there, alright?"

"Show them why you were ranked first in our class." He gives me a nod. Before he can get too far, however, I call out his name, causing him to look back at me. "Come back, alright?"

A small grin spreads across his face. "You too."

The phrase "hurry up and wait" is frequently used to describe life in any military branch. You'll get told that you only have a certain amount of time to get all your gear together only to find yourself standing off to the side of an already snug hanger area as the crew finishes their final preparations. Usually, I don't mind the waiting portion of my job, often taking the time to get my mind focused on the task at hand. Today, however, my mind is all over the place.