"What Am I To You?"

Under the Radar

Phoenix raced through the clouds.

"Hickam Base. Going into stealth. Turning off all lights, coms and radar. Requesting permission." She said as she took a deep breath.

"Permission granted. Be safe Lieutenant." The ATC said.

"I will." She switched everything off and flew further into the clouds. Rain hit the cockpit as she lowered herself slightly below the clouds.

She saw the ships there were still six of them. Nothing changed. She watched them as she flew silently through the clouds.

She was undetected by the radar, and was invisible. She took note of what she saw and kept circling.

She suddenly saw something go under the water. She frowned. "Submarines..." she went above the clouds and took a breather. She went back down and saw another ship come in behind them. It was another destroyer.

She frowned. "They're going to blow up the island." She went above the cloud and went full power back towards the island.

She wait till she was about 10 miles away from the enemy fleet and turned on her communications. "Hickam Base, this is Lieutenant Trace. Do you copy?" She said.

"Yes Lieutenant. We got you loud and clear." ATC said.

"Give a message to the Admiral. The enemy now has seven destroyers and a nuclear submarine heading your way. Find status update on Atlantic support and if we need submarines." She said as sensed something to her left.

She dove down and dodged an enemy plane. "Hickam Base! I am being pursued by enemy aircraft!" She said as she shot at the plane in the rain.

Thunder echoed around her and lighting shone all around her. She lost the enemy fighter. She couldn't see anything and was fighting blind.

She scanned and waited for the lighting to flash. It flashed and revealed the silhouette of the enemy fighter. She shot it through the clouds and saw it dive towards the ocean.

She looked at the direction the plane came from. She turned and raced that way. She frowned as she came into view of an aircraft with only four jets on it.

"Hickam... I have found an aircraft carrier with four jets. We need more aerial back up." She turned back and raced back to Hawaii. "They won't be up until the weather clears. We need to hurry." As she said that, two jets appeared behind her.

She noticed and frowned as she lowered her visor. "Hickam Base... put Lieutenant Bradshaw - Seresin on..." she said calmly.

Faster than she anticipated, Rooster was there. "Phoenix!?" He said worried.

"Can you see the radar..." she said as she prepped her plane.

"You got two enemy planes on you. Sixth gens..." he said as he adjusted his headset.
She looked at the planes on either side.

"I want you here if something happens... I'm going to engage." She said as she thought of Maverick believing in her.

"Natasha... don't engage..." he says starting to get panicked.

"Follow me on radar..." she turned off coms and went vertical with two jets after her. She raced above the rain and kept tally. No matter what, she needed to keep them in her sights.

Rooster watched in the radar. She was still flying and was doing just fine. "Come on Natasha..."

Phoenix raced down into the clouds and avoided their guns. She swung around and flew right through the two jets. She was taunting them.

She dove down towards the ocean and leveled at few hundred feet above the water. She wanted them close to the water.

They raced behind her, a good distance behind her. She slammed the breaks and fired a gun at one. The plane landed in the ocean and the pilot didn't have a chance to eject.

She shot up making the other follow her in suit. She felt herself falling into a g-loc. she looked at her dash and saw a picture of Bob and his class.

She started to get a grip and went inverted under the plane. She raced back towards the island. She was now visible to those in tower.

Everyone watched as she pulled a Maverick. She slammed the brakes again and shot the plane down right by the island. She shot the crashed plane causing it to explode.

Phoenix was finally able to relax in her seat. She turned coms back on. "Hickam Traffic... Phoenix requesting permission to land..." she says tiredly.

Rooster sighed in relief and handed the ATC the head set.  "You have permission to land."

Rooster raced down to the runway. He panted as he got there. She landed and was now taxiing towards him. She parked in front of him and opened the canopy. She tossed her bag out and climbed down.

Rooster ran over and hugged her tight. She hugged him tightly in relief. "Our ace..." he said.

She teared up and just leaned against him. "I'm back."

Ice was standing in his office. He was holding ranks in his hands. Commander ranks in his hands.

He was promoting her two ranks up. He felt she deserved it. She was the future of Top Gun, and the navy. She was the next Maverick in his opinion.

He heard a quiet knock. "Sir?" Phoenix said as she stepped in.

He looked at her. "I'm impressed." He said as he looked at her.

"I'm only doing what my training taught me." She said tiredly. He walked over to her and hugged her. She hugged him back and sighed in relief.

"Thank you, for everything you've done, Commander." He said. She pulled from the hug and looked at him confused. "Sir... I'm a Lieutenant. And that isn't even the next rank for me."

"Natasha Trace, effectively immediately, you are Commander Natasha Trace. Your actions over the past few months have proven that you deserve this rank. Congratulations." He took off her old ranks and pinned new ones on her.

She looked at him. A drive in her eyes as she saluted him.

"I won't let you down sir."