Thistle ~ Bradley Rooster Bradshaw

Seventeen

Lucille had practically avoided Maverick and that entire subject all morning, she couldn't ignore all the stares, she was used to being gawked at, used to people staring, she'd stopped feeling uncomfortable by it years ago.

"Listen up" cyclone stood in front of all the aviators grasping their attention before allowing maverick to continue, "the mission has been moved forward" Lucille sat forward slightly, Bradley watching cyclone but turning his head to see if she was okay, "instead of going ahead in two weeks time, you now have one week to pull this off successfully and fly the mission"

There was whispers all around the room, a week? They'd hardly even trained? No dog fight manoeuvres, no practice run of the steep drop and climb, the G's they had to pull, nothing.

If they were going to pull this off Lucille knew she had to push everything with Pete to the very back of her mind, as though it had never even happened. She started to think about everything, about how she could loose her life for this mission, she could never speak to Pete again, but perhaps that would be for the best should the worst happen.

Every mission came with its risks, but still every mission she'd ever flown she'd been confident she'd pull it off with ease and she always had. This time? This time she wasn't so sure. She came here to lead, and should she be given the opportunity to do so, she'd lead the way a leader should.

They way her dad would.

"So, training will be bumped up a level today" cyclone stepped to the side allowing maverick to take over.

"Today we will be practicing our dive and rise from the uranium enrichment plant" Pete turned to the screen with his remote to show everyone sat before him how today was going to go, "you will go out in pairs again, invert to go down the mountain toward the ventilation system" he took a brief glance over his shoulder to ensure everyone was listening, "when exiting you will have to reach G's that you've never done before, your body will feel as if it's being crushed, as if you can't breath, you'll need to fight to stay conscious"

"The maximum gravitational pull for an F/A 18 is 7.5" Rooster leaned forward, making a point.

"Yes, but to pull this mission off you'll be hitting 9 G's, minimum" Lucille rubbed her fingers over her temples, 9 G's would take any good pilot out, this would need to be a damn miracle.

Lucille had gone round with payback and fanboy, they'd done well but didn't get out as quickly as they should've. Maverick had pulled them up, fairly harshly.

Now all aviators were listening in and watching on as coyote flew with Phoenix and Bob behind, they were currently pulling them self up and out of the dip, something everyone could hear maverick commentating on, he'd decided to fly out along side them after the first attempts.

"Dammit we missed" Phoenix cursed as they eventually reached the top, catching their breaths.
"Thats a fail, turn back" maverick spoke clearly and not as breathlessly, "coyote turn back" no response. Lucille stood up from her chair, Bradley was already stood fairly close by her. "he's gone into G-LOC" Lucille's heart sank, that could happen to anyone.

She'd had to try harder than ever before just to keep her eyes open, coyote hadn't succeed at this and was now free falling toward the ground.

"Shit"

"I'm going after him" Mav yelled and could be seen hurdling toward him from the screen in front of the pilots, "come on coyote pull up!" Maverick continued to yell, "pull up!". Then there was silence for seconds that felt like hours, coyotes plane could be seen pulling upward.

"Jesus Christ" thistle mumbled pushing down on the head rest of the seat in front of her.

"Well that was dangerous" phoenix's voice could be heard while her plane pulled up to Mav's.