Chicago • Bradly Bradshaw

1

"C'mon CiCi, we gotta get it going. I can't miss Mach 9!" Maverick yelled for his daughter.

Katherine came out from under her dads fighter plane. They had been working on it for a couple of weeks, fixing its imperfections.

"Yup, just getting my jacket!" Katherine yawned while grabbing the first jacket she could find.

Katherine quickly washed her hands and face while Maverick started up their bikes. Katherine grabbed her dads favourite sunnies and handed them to him while sitting on her bike.

"Ready to go CiCi?" Maverick asked looking to the girl. She replied, "I'll race ya!"

They both sped out of the navy wearhouse to where mavericks team was based. When they arrived Katherine noticed a solemn look on the teams face, but her father was too hyped up to notice.

"What is it?" Katherine asked getting off her bike, so did maverick. "What?"

"We've been ordered to stand down. They're scraping the program." Hondo said. "They say we fell short. The contract threshold is Mach 10."

Katherine sighed loudly with her hands in her hair.

Her dad stayed calm, "Mach 10 is supposed to be in 2 months. Todays test point is Mach 9."

"Well, that's not good enough." Hondo intervened. "Says who?" Katherine argued.

"Admiral Cain." A man to the right said. Maverick put his head down, thinking.

"The drone ranger." Hondo sounded frustrated, "he wants our budget for as our man program."

"He's on his way to kill the test and shot us down personally."

Everyone in the room looked at each other, Katherine could see a hint of mischief in her fathers eyes. Oh what was he up to now..

Katherine thought, "well he isn't here yet."

Maverick smiled marvelously at his daughter, everyone else was still catching up.

"They want Mach 10, lets give them Mach 10." Maverick said.

Everyone got to action, people pulled the SR-72 Darkstar hypersonic aircraft out of its holding area, Maverick prepared for high altitude and severe relations.

Katherine watched as her father ran on a treadmill with an oxygen mask, although she always believed in her father, she had a panging doubt in her mind.

She felt as if something was going to go very wrong, but she could be wrong. Her father is the best fighter pilot the navy has seen in a while.

Maverick was all geared up and ready to roll, he was feeling confident.

"Now remember, the contract threshold is Mach 10. Not 10.1, not 10.2" hondo specifically stated, "Mach 10."

"Dad, nothing higher, nothing lower." Katherine nudged her dad, knowing he always loves to show off.

Maverick had a worried but stern look on his face, " I dont like that look Mav," Hondo worried.

Katherine knew what he was going to say, and he did.
"Is the only one I got" Her dad smiled at her.

Katherine showed off her perfect smile and giggled along the way.

"Good luck dad. Come back safe." Katherine said hugging Maverick before he went in the aircraft.

"I always do." He winked and loaded up into the plane.

Katherine went with Hondo to the control room to prepare for takeoff.

._________.

They heard Maverick on the radio, "control this is darkstar, how do you read?"

Hondo stated clearly, "darkstar control loud and clear. How's me?"

"Loud and clear, takeoff prechecks complete." Katherine could hear the giddiness in her fathers voice, "ready for APU start."

Maverick turned on the left and right engines, "fellas for taxi" Hondo requested.

A few people in the room gave a thumbs up, Katherine didn't know who many of these people were but she did know a hell of a lot about flying.

She's supposed to be leaving for California in 2 days, Top Gun awaits her. And boy was she thrilled.

"We are ready for taxi." Hondo smiled.

"Tower this is darkstar. We are taxiing with information alpha." Maverick prepared for takeoff.

"Darkstar your clear to taxi," someone replied. "Runway 2-1, winds 2-1-0-10"

"Fuel temps are looking good." Mavericks nerves were getting lower by the second. "Battery is holding at 95%, cabin pressure looks good."

"Tower this is darkstar, ready for takeoff." Maverick shook his nerves off. "Requesting an unrestricted climb to 600 and above?"

"Darkstar, the runway and skies are yours." Another operator clarified.

Everyone went silent as Hondo said, "Cain just pulled up to the gate.... It's not to late to stop buddy."

Katherine knew the stakes that these people took to get her father here and she knew that he wouldn't let them down.

"You know what happens to you if you go through with this," Hondo was being considerate.

Katherine shook her head and leaned against the railing. She could tell what her father was thinking.

"I know what happens to everyone else if I dont." Mav said calmly.

Katherine knew it, her father was a selfless man who cared about others and she admired him for it.

Maverick sighed through the intercoms, "Darkstar is ready for takeoff, love you Kath."

"Love you too," Katherine said quietly to herself.

Hondo looked down, scared of what admiral Cain would say if he were here right now. "Everyone, go for takeoff. Start with engine."

"Engine go"

"Thermals go"

"Fuel go"

"Electrics go"

"Control surfaces go"

"Darkstar, control. You're clear for takeoff."

Katherine looked out the window and saw the aircraft speed past and up into the sky. She was so proud of her father.

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