Maverick's Prodigy (completed)

Beach Day

-Classroom-

[Cyclone walks in to find the room empty. Curious.]

-Ready Room-

[Cyclone peeks in. Also empty.]

-Gun Hangar-

[ Cyclone studies loitering F-18s flanking a deserted hangar. He spots a pink sticky note on the side of the plane closest to him. He grabs it and notices it's in Breaker's handwriting]

We're at the beach just outside the base for a team building exercise. We'll be back at 20:00 (8pm).

-Beach-

[Hands come down into frame a football, grip it, ready to snap it left to right. The pilots are divided into two teams, squaring off in a game of football with one unusual feature: There are two balls. Both quarterbacks snap at the same time. Both teams scramble. In an instant, it is chaos. Maverick is a quarterback on one team, Rooster on the other. Rooster manages to make a pass. Maverick is sacked. In fact, the opposition seems to care more about sacking the teacher than they do about scoring. Yet, in the midst of the hard-hits, we see something we haven't seen before: camaraderie. Hondo makes an epic attempt at a touchdown despite half the class clinging to him. Hangman looks down at a prone Maverick, relishing a kill. Rooster, walks past, stops, grudgingly helps him up. It is the first remotely friendly moment they have shared. Maverick, a little sore, tenderly heads off field, waving Bob in as his replacement.]

-Hard Deck Bar-

[Maverick sits in one of two low lawn chairs, watching the chaos, mildly amused. He helps himself to a beer from a cooler as he eyes Hangman helping Rooster off the ground. Another truce of sorts. Both balls snap and the entire class clashes. Anarchy. Mav smiles.]

[And a shadow falls over Maverick. Maverick looks up at someone]

Mav: Sir.

[Cyclone is standing just beside Maverick, sunglasses hiding his eyes. He stares at the game, perplexed.]

Cyclone: What is this?

Mav: Dog fight football. Offense and defense at the same time.

Cyclone: And who's winning?

Mav: Oh, they stopped keeping score a long time ago.

Cyclone: This detachment has training to do, Captain. Every available minute counts.

Mav: Yes, sir.

Cyclone: Then why am I looking at this clown show?

Mav: You asked me to build a team, sir. There's your team.

A/N: Cyclone wants to confirm it isn't a lie or an excuse just to go off base right before a mission they're still prepping for. And, I know I haven't mentioned Breaker in a while, she's still there, but no one except specific actions are noted, so just assume she's there. I don't want her taking too much of the spotlight off character development.

[Cyclone looks again. The cadets are split into two huddles, strategizing, working together. They break for the next play.]

Cyclone: The mission has been moved up one week. Last phase of training starts tomorrow.

[And he walks away, taking with him any sense of accomplishment the day has produced. Maverick looks back at the class, Rooster's team rallying around him.]

[Maverick walks up the beach behind the pilots, keeping the news to himself.]

Penny: You okay?

[He turns, sees Penny standing by the back door of the Hard Deck.]