Work Text:
The good thing about their top secret and top important mission being moved up a week is not only that they had a week of unofficial leave, but there was a week of pre-scheduled daily practice jumps that no one (Cyclon) took the time to cancel, it seems that the bastard can actually be funny, just sometimes, who would say.
There for, even with the adrenaline in their veins from barely getting off the aircraft carrier after their mission, with several more near-deaths than was good for the heart, even for someone who thinks it's a wonderful idea to basically live in the backseat of a cockpit piloted by a woman who well earned her call sign as a fucking fireball fanatic for high-speed diving.
A dozen pilots and their small Captain took every second they could to get airborne, not caring that anyone else would want to take the opportunity to oversleep, it's not like that can be done much with the uncomfortable cots in their assigned quarters, Phoenix had commented as they checked, though those cots were much better than many cardboard boxes he has had to sleep in, was the only thing Bob could think of to answer, receiving a laugh in return.
There they were, enjoying the third day of what Mav called their pilots Disneyland, playing some sort of dogfight/tag/hide and seek game, mostly two on two and everyone against Maverick (give them a chance, they need at least 3 of them to see where the small pilot is). They were standing still while Mav chased after Coyote and he was running as if the devil himself was after him when Payback yelled "shit!" on the open line of the communicator.
"Plane in the air, unidentified craft" Fanboy said urgently followed by a chorus of "WHAT?" and "WHERE?" plus an "On the way" from Maverick´s.
"Does anyone see it?"
"Negative"
"Negative"
"Negative"
"Did you identify the model?"
"F18"
"One of ours?"
"Must be"
"But who?"
"I don't have anything on the radar" said Hangman "No vision either, it's like the bastard has disappeared" They were regrouping in pairs and trying to look around the canopy when a ship zoomed right between them and Rooster making them turn.
In the same second the movement registered a litany of "shit, oh fuck, shit, oh no, no, shit, no shit, Jesus, so fucking dead" from Rooster filled the comm just as static sounded and then..
"Wow Mav, your pilots are pretty blind. I thought you had trained them better."
"ICE you bastard, you said you'd be here tomorrow"
"And here I am thinking that you would be happy to see me."
Mav's laugh filled the channel "Of course I'm happy to see you, or to hear the beautiful voice of my Wingman"
"Oh fuck me, no, run, shit"
"Hello to you too Rooster"
"HA, how about we give them a reason to cry?"
"A quick hunt?"
"And then you invite lunch for not letting me know you were coming"
Wait a second, Ice? Maverick's Wingman? Iceman? Iceman the legend Kazansky?? Iceman: cold as ice, no mistakes?? Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, Commander of the Pacific Fleet??!!
"Shit, no please, run shit"
Yes, he has to agree to that.
"You're on it" and suddenly he was gone.
"SHIT, everybody gets your fucking asses out of here, run, fuck fuck run, we're going to die" Rooster seemed to be the only one who could moderately react so it took everyone a couple of seconds to shoot in all directions in such a chaotic way that only practice kept them from crashing into each other.
"Should we go to the private channel?" Asked the fucking Iceman.
"Na, let them hear the greatness"
"You don't have much to say about greatness, do you Mav?"
"Shut up, it's not my fault you're all fucking mountains"
"Whatever you say, let's start playing"
"This is going to be a fucking massacre" Rooster whimpered.
And it was, an absolute slaughter, in less than 10 minutes, maybe even 5, the veteran couple marked each and every one of the young pilots cornering them between the two, separately and taking some enemies off the tail of each other a couple of times. All while doing incredible and crazy maneuvers and stunts, perfectly coordinated with each other that was downright beautiful if you could appreciate it, and if you could appreciate the relaxed way they exchanged comments and jokes while slaughtering the supposedly best of the best without breaking a sweat even a little bit.
When all was said and done everyone landed on autopilot, still out of breath and shocked because, yes, they had gotten used to being kicked around by a Top Gun star, but two?? and even more so one like Iceman. Hell, everyone was going to see the photo in the hall under new light. It was the only thing Bob could think of when he saw Maverick running from his plane to stand next to his partner's plane to hold out his hand to his Wingman.