FLYBY (b. bradshaw)

𝙎𝙄𝙓

"Time, is your greatest enemy." Maverick said, causing all of the chatter in the ready room to stop. "Phase one of the mission will be a low level ingress attacking in two plane teams. You'll fly along this narrow canyon to your target. Radar guided surface-to-air missiles defend the area. These SAMS are lethal. But they were designed to protect the skies above, not the canyon below."

"That's because the enemy knows no one is insane enough to try and fly below them." Bradley spoke, challenging Maverick. 

Maverick turned around, smiling. "That's exactly what I'm going to train you to do. On the day, your altitude will be 100 feet, maximum." Every glanced around at each other. "You exceed this altitude, radar will spot you and you're dead." 

Up on the screen it showed a hologram of what would happen. 

"Your air speed will be 660 knots, minimum. Time to target, two and a half minutes." Maverick pointed at the screen, "That's because 5th generation fighter jets wait at an air base nearby and in a head to head with these planes it your F-18's, you're dead." 

The mood in the room had shifted completely. Maverick turned to face them. "That's why you need to get in, hit your target, and be gone before these planes even have a chance catching you. This makes time your greatest adversary." 

"You'll fly a route in your nav system that simulates the canyon. The faster you natigate this canyon, the hard it will be to say under the radar of these enemy SAMS. The tighter the turns, the more intensely the force of gravity on your body multiplies, compressing your lungs, forcing the blood from you brain, impairing your judgement and reaction time." 

Lilah leaned forward and cleared her throat. Everyone turned to look at her as she spoke, "So pretty much you're telling us that to get to our target, you're going to almost have to knock ourselves out and ruin our jets all in one go?" 

Maverick didn't respond, just gave her a wicked smile. "For today's lesson, we're going to take it easy on you. Max ceiling, 300 feet, time to target three minutes. Good luck." 

★★★

Phoenix, Bob, and Coyote when first. 

Their mission was a fail, Coyote slammed on the brakes and Phoenix had to pull up to avoid from hitting him, causing her to go above the SAMS and therefore her plane was hit. 

"Why are they dead?" 

Phoenix glanced up at him, stunned. "We broke the 300 foot ceiling and the SAM took us out." 

"No." Maverick moved his eyes to Coyote. "Why are they dead?"

"I slowed down and didn't give a warning. It's my fault." 

"Is there a reason you didn't communicate with your team?" Maverick asked, his tone sharp. 

"I was focusing-" Coyote started but Maverick cut him off. 

"Is that what their family will except at the funeral?" 

Lilah closed her eyes, sucking in a breath as she realized the point that Maverick was making by putting their mistakes on display. 

"No sir." Coyote slunk deep into his chair. 

Mav turned back to Phoenix. She was ready for him this time, sitting up higher in her seat. Lilah could tell that in the time talking to Coyote, she'd gone back over every detail of what had happened. 

"Why didn't you anticipate the turn? You were briefed on the terrain." He didn't wait for her response. "Don't tell me, tell his family." 

Next up was Hangman, Payback and Fanboy.