Jaguar's P.O.V
Once we were finished with the football game i went over to talk to Phoenix. "Hey." She turned and looked at me. "You did good out there." "Thanks." "Do you mind me asking where you got those scars?" She asked pointing to three large gashes in my back. "I decided to take an F-13 for a joyride and it was an old one. Turned out to be broken. I got... caught in a situation. It was very... familiar. I freaked and sort of stopped doing anything. We had to eject. The engine was going to blow. So we ejected. The canopy went off and once i ejected my back smashed into it. It ripped my parachute and i ended up scraping my back on the wing." "Oh..." "Yeah. It was a weird day." "So i was wondering... when this is all over maybe you and I could hang out?" I asked. She looked up at me. "Like a date?" She asked "Well... sort of?" I said rubbing the back of my neck. "Sure. When we get back from the mission you owe me a date." She said before walking away. I grinned. Rookie tapped me on the shoulder. I jumped in shock. "Jesus!" I yelled at him. "So you got her?" "Nah..." I replied. Rookie looked sympathetic. "Oh. Sorry dude better luc-" I cut him off. "More like she got me." He laughed and we headed back to the hanger.
"Morning... The uranium enrichment plant that is your target will be operational earlier than expected.Raw uranium will be delivered to the plant in ten days time." Warlock addresses the class. Maverick is off to one side. "Your mission has been moved up one week to avoid contaminating the target valley with radiation." I was shocked. 'Even if i get picked. It's impossible.' I told myself. "Sir, no one here has successfully flown the low level course." Coyote implied. "Nevertheless, you have been ordered to move on. Captain." As the class absorbs this, Warlock nods to Maverick. "We have one week left to focus on phase two - the most difficult stage of the mission: a pop-up strike with a steep dive requiring nothing less than two consecutive miracles.
"Two pairs of F-18s will fly in a welded wing formation. Teamwork - the precise coordination of these aircraft - is essential to both the mission's success, and your survival." The main screen, a simulation of the mission plays out in slow, deliberate motion as Maverick speaks."As you know, the plant rests between two mountains. To maintain the lowest possible altitude,you'll invert directly into a steep dive. Your target is an impact point less than three meters wide." The aircraft in the simulation climbs a mountain and rolls onto their backs at the peak before diving, upside down. They roll upright and dive steeply. "The two-seat aircraft will paint the target with a laser bullseye. The lead single seat will breach the reactor by dropping a laser guided bomb through an exposed ventilation shaft on the surface. That's miracle number one." In the simulation, the first team's bomb hits and the planes pull out. Maverick continues "Second team delivers the kill shot." The second teams' bomb hits and the target is destroyed. "Miracle number two." On the screen, the animated planes arc upward an out of the deep valley as Maverick continues to explain. "Egress is a steep, high G climb out. And this is where you'll be at your most vulnerable" In the simulation behind Maverick, an animated pair of aircraft fly into the valley and fail to make the climb. They fly smack into the side of a mountain. "This... is coffin corner. The class share looks." 'This is bad'. "Should you manage to avoid this mountain, you'll climb straight up,into enemy radar, losing all your airspeed. Within seconds, you'll be fired upon by enemy S.A.M's.Animated planes climb into a hailstorm of SAMs. They take evasive action and dive immediately. "How fast you can dive back down into the canyon, will mean the difference between life and death." Hangman stops Maverick mid-brief. "A climb like that, at that speed, we'll be pulling at least eight Gs." "Nine. Minimum." He replied. "The stress limit of the F18s air-frame is 7.5 Gs." I said. I stare at Maverick. Neither man blinks. "That's the accepted limit. To survive this mission you'll have to pull beyond that, even if it means bending your air frame." He points to the animation of lethal looking S.A.M's firing on climbing F-18s on the screen. "Climbing out of that canyon, you'll be a sitting duck, with S.A.M's coming at you from all directions. You'll weigh close to two thousand pounds, fighting with everything you have just to keep from blacking out, your lungs imploding like an elephant is sitting on your chest -your skull crushing your spine." I felt like i couldn't breathe for a second. 'What if i get called on the mission. 'What if i don't come home...' It suddenly hit me. 'He wouldn't choose me. I'm not good enough. Hangman or Rooster maybe. I hope...'. Maverick points to the canyon map on the screen. "Your only chance of survival will be to get what's left of your aircraft below radar again. Then follow this canyon back to the carrier. Kinda like your ass depended on it. That's if you strike the target on time. If you don't, you may have an even bigger problem to contend with." Maverick clicks a remote. On the screen, the enemy's vaunted fifth generation fighter appears. "You'll be flying in a damaged F18 against one of the most lethal fighter planes ever produced." After an ugly silence. "Sir... is this even achievable?" Phoenix asked. In the end, the answer to your question will come down to the pilot in the box. And Maverick looks to me, which in turn takes us to.
In the distance, two F18's speed towards the target. Jaguar and Rookie in the lead, backed by Phoenix and Bob. "We're twelve seconds late on target. We gotta move, we gotta move." Bob says trying to encourage me. "I'm going as fast as I can." I reply agitated. "Blue team, you are spotted." Maverick says. Radar beeps. "Bandit, Bandit. Radar contact. 20 miles left, ten o'clock. He's coming fast. 700 knots closure." Rookie informs me. "Shit, it's Maverick." "Stay focused." Phoenix says. Maverick approaches from 10 o'clock. " He's swinging around to the north." Bob warns me. "Go on old man. Try me." I curse under my breath. "Jaguar. Stay calm." Rookie tells me from behind. "Continue. We're close. Stay on target. Be ready on that laser,Bob." Phoenix says. "On it...". "Popping in 3-2-1." I say through the radio. "Popping in 3-2-1." Phoenix replies. Our planes pop up, arcing into the sky and then roll over to make their 45 degree dive. Maverick is approaching... "Talk to me, Rookie. Where is Maverick?" "I'm a little busy right now." He replies. "We've got this Jaguar." Phoenix says boosting my confidence by 60%. Bob paints it with his laser. Bob announces "Captured! Jaguar got it! Bombs away." But as he hits his payload trigger a WARNING LIGHT flashes. "MALFUNCTION." He tries again. And again. "Rookie! Fire!" I yell. Rookie locks bombs and fires. "Thanks Rookie." I hear Bob say. "No problem." He replies. Phoenix and Bob close behind, straining under the intense Gs. Suddenly, an ALARM BLARES in Phoenix's cockpit. "Mavericks got missile lock on us." Bob says. "Shit, we're dead." Phoenix says. She peels away and flies back to the hanger. I pull hard on the stick facing the steep climb ahead My plane crosses the imaginary line. "That's a fail. Return to base." Maverick says to me. But I'm determined. I pull, harder and harder still. "Jaguar, do you copy?" He asks. i'm blacking out. "Jaguar!" Rookie yells to me. My plane starts to roll. "Jaguar!" Rookie yells. "Cougar!" Maverick yells by accident. Maverick dives after me targeting my plane. "Come on, kid. Don't be your father." He says quietly but Phoenix manages to hear this. A WARNING ALARM SCREAMS in my cockpit, rousing me back from the brink. The ground was coming up fast. I yank back on the stick and regain control. I started breathing heavily. "I'm okay, I'm okay. I'm good..." Phoenix sighs in relief. 'That was close'. I thought to myself. Birds smacked against the canopy. "Bird strike. Bird strike!" Maverick yelled.
"We're on fire, we're on fire." Bob yells. "Throttling back. Shutting off fuel.Extinguishing fire." She says pulling back on throttle and activating the fire extinguisher switch. "We're losing the right engine." Bob says worried. "It's still spinning. I'm gonna try to restart it." Phoenix says fliping the APU switch and pushes the right throttle forward. "APU on.Throttle up." She says. Nothing happens. "Shit. Trying again." I hear her curse. She tries the APU and throttle again. But suddenly, with a BANG, the right engine now catches fire. "I've got every warning light lit up back here." Bob says. "We lost hydraulics. I can't control it." Their jet starts to roll off right. "EJECT! Eject!" He yells to Phoenix. "Eject!" She yells to Bob. The canopy blows. She and Bob are ejected one after the other seconds before their jet collides with the desert floor and explodes.
A lone light on. I sit alone...I stare at a photo of my young self with Cougar, Maverick, Goose, and Merlin next to and old F-14. Maverick enter the room and walks closer to me. "They'll keep Phoenix and Bob in the hospital overnight for observation.But they're going to be okay." "I have never lost a wing-man. In combat, off a carrier, never." "You've been lucky. Fly long enough,it'll happen. There will be others." "Easy for you to say. No kids, no family. No one to mourn you when you burn in." "Go home. Get some sleep." He turns to leave, stopping when i ask. "WHY DID YOU PULL MY PAPERS AT THE ACADEMY? WHY DID YOU STAND IN MY WAY?" The words sting them both. Maverick wants to tell the truth, but can't. After a long pause. "You weren't ready." "Ready for what? Ready to fly like you?" "No, ready to forget the book. Trust your instincts. Don't think. Just do. You think up there, you're dead. Believe me." I smile at the irony. "I believed in you. But you left. Abandoned me. I'm not gonna make the same mistake twice." Before Maverick can respond Warlock enter the room. WARLOCK (O.S.)Maverick. Maverick turns, seeing something in Warlock's eyes. And in that moment I know.
Before heading to the funeral I pass by the Hospital to check on Phoenix and Bob. I saw her standing up while Bob was asleep in the bed. "Are you okay?" She asked me before i could ask her the same thing. "Yeah. I'm more worried about you." A small smile emerges from he lips. "Now why would Jaguar be worried about Phoenix? Isn't that odd." She says sarcastically. We get a little closer to each other. "Because I've changed. I'd change again for you." I blurted out. She raised and eyebrow. "Really?" "Well... I mean... yes." I said not denying it. "Mav called you Cougar earlier. And said not to be your Father. Why?" I looked away not wanting to start the subject. She put a hand on my chest. I turned and looked at her straight in the eyes. I lowered my gaze to her hand. I begin to blush and so does she. She takes her hand away. I take it gently. "No. It's okay. I like it there." I place it back on my chest. I can see that she's blushing rapidly. We stare into each other's eyes for a moment before she says. "You never answered my question." "You just ruined the moment." "There never was one." She replies. 'Shit. I made her uncomfortable. Why is it that every time i try affection it always makes her squirm?' I decided to answer. "My Father's call sign was Cougar hence mine being Jaguar. The day my father quit before rejoining about 6 years later he was in an encounter with a MiG. The MiG got a missile lock on him. Although the MiG didn't fire he went into shock soon realizing he almost orphaned me and he had never even seen me. He quit. Mav was meaning by putting myself into shock or losing control of my jet." I explained. She nodded. "What if we can't succeed? What if you and I are picked for the mission? What if we don't come back? What if we fail?" "We can't." I replied "Huh?" She says confused. "I promised you a date and a date you shall get." I saw her smile. She opened her arms for a hug and I hugged her. "We'll be fine. Won't be surprised if you get picked. If i do though..." I trailed off. She pulled away and looked into my eyes. I stared right back. This lasted for about a minute before i edged closer slowly leaning in. She looked at me. Blinked and looked away. I pulled back acting as if nothing happened. "Jaguar!" I heard someone yell. "I got to go. Talk later." I said and ran off. 'Dammit so close!' I cursed myself.
A picture of Admiral Kazansky is placed on an easel next to his coffin. Some pilots fold up a flag and Cyclone passes it to Sarah. Maverick takes out a set of wings and places it on Iceman's coffin. He slams his fist down on it.