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Eventually, it was time to land, and head for supper, and bed. Aquila and Jaws swooped in and made smooth landings, then taxied to the mess hall for their supper. When they arrived there, they found LT Camping glaring at them, disapprovingly. “Uh oh!” Aquila muttered to Jaws under her breath, “It looks like LT Camping isn’t too happy about us learning how to hairpin!”

"What was that horsing around in the sky?" Camping asked, glaring at the Tomcats. "And I saw you, Jaws, chasing your tail like a puppy on the ramp earlier. What was that about? I am going to make you scrub those tire marks you left off the ramp."

"Aquila left tire marks too, when she did that weird turning around too," volunteered Stevens.

"After supper the both of you will scrub those tire marks off the ramp!" snapped Camping. "Hairpins, Lindbergh's ghost! You both have rocks under those bubbles of yours. You are going to end up swimming in the ocean skylarking like that. And, Jaws, you need to wipe that silly grin off your face when you fly. It's unprofessional".

"I second that," said Master Chief Dewey. "You've had that stupid grin since you have been here. You need to lose it. I don't want to see your teeth flashing at me every time I look at you. It making me think you are missing something under that bubble of yours".

Jaws started to eat her supper quietly. "I wonder if that Boomer is still here?" she whispered to her sister. "I didn't see her take off".

"Button it, Tomcat!" snapped Dewey. "A Hawkeye has ears. I can tell when you are yapping. Don't count on Boomer to rescue your rudders. She can't see through walls. She's only a Commander anyways."

As Camping and Dewey were barking at Jaws and Aquila, Aquila felt anger at the injustice rising inside her; she and Jaws had not been skylarking, or horsing around in the sky! She and Jaws had a rare gift, the ability to hairpin, and all that they’d been doing was practicing using that gift! “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Boomer is still here,” Aquila whispered to Jaws, “But whether she is or she isn’t, I’m not going to let these two push us around.”

Aquila then faced Camping and Dewey, her unblinking, determined golden eyes showing just a hint of the steely glare of the tough as nails, no-nonsense Captain she would one day become. In her bearing, too, there was that hint of the tough Captain who would one day fiercely stare down, and chew the rudders of, the unruliest of Hornets.

“With all due respect,” Aquila said, to both Camping and Dewey, her voice polite, yet firm, “I see no reason why my sister should not grin as much as she wants to, as she is not being in any way rude with her grin, and particularly as grinning does not affect one’s dogfighting ability. Also, my sister and I were not ‘skylarking’, or ‘horsing around in the sky’, when we were practicing the hairpin. That hairpin that we were practicing is a legitimate dogfighting move, one that will only add to our dogfighting ability. To prove this, I would like to respectfully suggest that, tomorrow morning, Jaws and I each face Lieutenant Camping in a dogfight, one versus one.”

"Yes, I respectfully request we prove to you that the hairpin is a legitimate dog fighting technique," Jaws said looking at Camping with her blue eyes, trying to look as respectful as she could. She held her wings back at 68 degree sweep and stood proudly.

Camping glared and was puckering to spit rudely when the doors of the galley opened. In trundled Boomer with her golden eyes blazing. Camping frowned. "Well glory be, here comes the swing winged one Cat cavalry. Now what's got your rudders in a twist?"

Boomer stared Camping down. "You! You should not be treating those two that way. They were practicing a legitimate move after I instructed them. I am going to give you two choices. You can dogfight Aquila and Jaws tomorrow morning, or you can give me twenty on the arresting wires starting now!" As Boomer shouted and glared she backed Camping into a corner.

Camping finally glared back. "Who do you think you are?!"

"I am a Commander in the United States Navy and you are a Lieutenant--Lieutenant! I have been sent here to make sure the Tomcats don't get mistreated. So now which is it going to be, the dog fight or the Red Hook?"

Camping's voice sounded small. "We'll go with the dog fight".

"A little louder". Hardwick said loudly.

Camping cleared her throat. "The Dogfight." Boomer turned to go.

Jaws suppressed a snicker.

Camping was scooting from her corner. Boomer wheeled around again making the Hornet flinch. "If you mistreat those two again, you'll be giving me twenty in front of the whole command!"

Aquila exchanged a brief glance with Jaws when Boomer threatened Camping with the Red Hook; it was further indication of how unpleasant the Red Hook was that Camping had opted to go with the dogfight. I certainly hope Jaws and I never get the Red Hook! Aquila thought, It really must be nasty, if Camping agreed to dogfight us instead of doing twenty traps! “Thanks for helping Jaws and I, Ma’am,” Aquila then said to Boomer, nodding respectfully, “We’ll be sure to give Lieutenant Camping something to think about in tomorrow’s dogfight.”

After supper was finished, everyone headed to their hangars, to go to bed, and Aquila took her place on the ramp, to stand her watch. “Jaws,” Aquila whispered to her sister, before Jaws headed over to the hangar, “I actually almost hope we do get to see Lieutenant Camping doing twenty traps some day; we’d certainly better make sure we seriously nail the Lieutenant in tomorrow’s dogfight.”

In the morning, Aquila and Jaws both ate large breakfasts, and drank plenty of coffee, anticipating the upcoming dogfight. As soon as they’d finished their breakfasts, the two young Tomcats headed out to the ramp, to wait for Camping.

When Camping arrived on the ramp, Aquila nodded respectfully to her. “I’d like to face you first, Ma’am,” Aquila said, “I hope that’s all right.”

Aquila then raced down the runway with her engines roaring, and shot into the air, after a short takeoff. She then circled round, waiting for Camping to take off, and come after her.

Camping looked up at Aquila taking off into the cloud dappled sky and clicked her tongue. "Hot shot Maverick. What is this Navy coming to?" Jaws was watching and noticed Boomer in front of the galley watching too. Camping finally rolled down ramp and took off. Jaws wondering if Camping noticed Boomer there in sun watching.

"Okay Maverick, if I nail you, you stand watches the rest of bootcamp, got that?" Said Camping as she circled around looking for Aquila. Camping's rudders are toast. Jaws said to herself.

Camping made whistling noises over the air. "Big fraidy cat where are you? C'mere kitty kitty kitty. Where are you?".

Boomer frowned at Camping's mocking tone. Then she heard the sharp screeching of the Tomcat engines.

Camping's ears started to buzz. Camping rolled. Her ears still buzzed. She couldn't get out of that radar beam...

As Aquila prepared to dogfight Camping, she growled a little in annoyance; she was no fraidy cat! Camping isn’t just mocking me, she’s mocking all Tomcats! Aquila thought, angrily, I am seriously going to nail that Bug’s rudders to the wall for that!

Aquila shot upwards, then dived at Camping at high speed, with the Sun blazing directly behind her. “I don’t think I’ll be standing any more watches, Ma’am,” Aquila said, as Camping tried to roll away from her radar beam, “Because I’m not going to get nailed, and neither is my sister!”

Relentlessly, Aquila pursued Camping, staying with her through multiple loops, rolls, climbs and dives, and keeping her powerful radar locked onto the Hornet’s rudders. Finally, Aquila allowed Camping to get onto her six, much to Camping’s delight; Camping thought she would be able to nail the young Tomcat now, and put her in her place. Aquila was hiding an evil smile though, as she prepared to make her first ever use of the hairpin in a dogfight. Aquila lit her burners, looking as if she was running from Camping, then suddenly, Aquila’s starboard burner cut out!

One moment, Camping was trying to lock her radar on Aquila’s six, the next moment, Aquila snapped round in a high-speed, hairpin turn! Although the hairpin was still a little awkward and “novice-y”, it was nevertheless much smoother and much more controlled than Aquila’s first hairpin had been. “Ma’am, you can consider your rudders well and truly nailed!” Aquila said, giving a toothy grin as she lit up Camping with her powerful radar for several seconds, more than enough time to have fired a missile, or her gun, “Perhaps you’d like to take your chances against my sister now.”

Camping resisted the urge to let out a few choice words as the buzz turned into a tone telling her she had been nailed. Jaws was already shooting up into the air in full burner. "Let hope Jaws is not as much of a cheap shot as you!" Camping snapped as she turned. That is when she saw Boomer sitting in front of the galley looking up at her with her platinum eyes. The frosty brows looked bushy. The Tomcat was already angry. Camping swallowed as she moseyed slowly in the air staring. She was concentrating on Boomer so much, she neglected to notice Jaws dropping behind her and grinning. Her ears started to buzz. "Launch or get off the catapult as they say". Jaws radioed as she was right behind Camping.

Jaws’ line made Boomer laugh. Camping rolled hard to get out of the Tomcat's radar. Jaws gave chase still grinning. Camping could almost feel that grin but a few feet from her tail. Camping made twists and turns but Jaws was still right behind her. But then Jaws shot past her letting Camping get right behind her. Camping started to line her pipper up on Jaws. Suddenly one of Jaws burners cut out and she snapped around facing Camping and grinning. Her teeth flashed in the sun. Camping felt a sinking sensation as the buzz in her ears now turned into a tone. "Bang Bang, Camping you are done!" Jaws shot past then nosed upward twirling in the sky.

"You two Tomcats, I have something for you," said Boomer. "Excellent flying."

Camping was growling as she followed Jaws down to the airstrip. Aquila was already there in front of the mess hall with Boomer.

Jaws taxied to the front of the mess hall with Camping grumbling behind her. Boomer shot her a glare. "I don't want to see you mistreating these girls again".

Then Boomer turned her gaze toward Jaws and Aquila. "The Base theater is showing a film that you two would enjoy. TOPGUN. I have already spoken for you. The Forklift, Petty Officer Robbins will let you two in. You earned it."

"Don't you think that film will corrupt those two?" asked Camping.

"I don't think so. That main character does get in hot water for being too proud and for engaging in horseplay".

Aquila, too, laughed at Jaws’ line about the catapult, then she settled down to watch as her sister handed Camping her rudders, giving Camping yet more proof that the hairpin was a legitimate dogfighting move. “Thanks for compliment on our flying, Ma’am,” Aquila then said to Boomer, “And thanks for teaching us to hairpin; I don’t think Lieutenant Camping was expecting to get nailed quite so quickly!”

“Jaws, let’s hope Lieutenant Camping treats us with more respect now that we’ve both nailed her tails,” Aquila said as Jaws joined her. When Boomer mentioned the movie, “Top Gun”, Aquila’s eyes lit up. “Thanks, Ma’am!” she said to Boomer, “I’ll definitely enjoy ‘Top Gun’, and I’m sure Jaws will, too!”

After nodding politely to Boomer, Aquila and Jaws headed off to the Base theatre, to watch “Top Gun”. At the entrance to the theatre, they were met by Petty Officer Robins. “I’m guessing that you two are here to watch ‘Top Gun’,” said Robins. “We certainly are, Sir,” replied Aquila, “Commander Boomer said it would be fine.” “She did indeed,” said Robins, “Come right in!” Aquila and Jaws nodded respectfully, and entered the theatre. They quickly took their places, and settled down to watch the movie.

The two settled on their spots. The theatre was largely packed with forklifts and boom trucks. Another Tomcat trundled in, an Ensign from across the base. A forklift deposited a bucket of the popcorn in front of her, Jaws and Aquila as the opening credits started showing a catapult shuttle with a Tomcat's launch bar in it. The music started softly with that soft rhythmic tapping sound as the camera cut to the fighter's face. She had platinum eyes, but the eye brows were sleek and black. Jaws still thought she looked a lot like Boomer. The credits read 'Boomer as 'Maverick Latham' and 'Christine as Scooter Charley'. The scene cut to the Tomcat on the other catapult. They two launched one after the other to join a diamond of the Tomcats. Maverick was painted with black tails. She had distinctive yellow lightning bolts on her tails and on her face. All the other Tomcats wore the unit insignia which was an Eagle.

"Maverick, you stick out like a sore thumb!" said Scooter right after the anthem and theme song stopped playing.

"You need to visit the paint booth". said Keeter, the division lead, which comprised the group of four Tomcats.

"Pipe down," said the voice of Commander Marquart, the E-2 Hawkeye. "I am picking up bogies in your 8 O'clock position. I got three, no four. Dangit six bogies!"

Onto the screen flew F-5 Tigers starring as the Migs. They wore red stars on their tails and were painted dark green. "They send women to fight," said one of them derisively. "This will be like taking candy from a baby." Then he dropped behind Keeter's wingman, Carp and started shooting. The bullets hit Carp in her left stab and rudder. "I'm hit, I'm hit!" Carp spun out of control and hit the water. A salvage ship started to head her way. That is when Keeter lost it. She could not engage. She started to 'bug out'. That left Maverick and Scooter to start peppering the 'Migs' and sending them diving into the water.

Jaws watched transfixed as the the tree remaining Tomcats returned to the ship. It took several tries to get Keeter to land. When she did, she resigned, leaving her TOPGUN slot for Maverick. The other slot belonged to Carp who had just been shot down. So Commander Marquart had no choice but to send the two 'losers' Maverick and Scooter to TOPGUN. That was when Maverick made her infamous tower flyby that made the Forklift commander in it spill his coffee. Jaws whispered to Aquila. "That look almost like you". she said with a snicker. "I think you even did that to the Forklift in the tower."

“You’re right, Jaws,” Aquila replied, also in a whisper, “I did make the Forklift in the tower spill his coffee; I cracked a couple of the tower windows as well.”

Aquila, too was watching transfixed as Maverick showed her dogfighting skill by creaming the TOPGUN instructors. Finally though, Maverick’s recklessness almost caused Scooter to crash, when Maverick cut in front of Scooter to take a simulated shot at one of the instructors. Scooter was severely bounced around in Maverick’s jet wash, and suffered a dual engine flame-out, and a flat spin.

Scooter dropped hundreds of feet in altitude before she was able to re-light her engines; thankfully, she was able to re-light them in time to get out of the spin and narrowly avoid a crash. Maverick was severely shaken by her friend’s near-miss, and found herself unable to engage in the subsequent dogfights. Maverick had enough points from her previous dogfights to graduate from TOPGUN, though, and she and Scooter were immediately sent on deployment, and given a mission to fly cover for a destroyer whose engines had broken down in hostile waters.

When MiGs appeared, carrying black-market Exocet anti-ship missiles, as well as their air-to-air armament, Maverick was at first unable to engage them, due to how shaken she still was. Seeing Scooter taking on the MiGs, and taking a bullet wound to an engine, yet still refusing to quit, Maverick remembered how Scooter had kept her cool during that flat spin at TOPGUN, despite the danger.

Maverick felt her own courage returning, and she tore into the MiGs, shooting down several, and causing the rest to bug out. Maverick and Scooter triumphantly trapped aboard their carrier, the USS Enterprise, and were greeted with cheers by their squadron mates and the deck crew. Maverick and Scooter were then given the choice of any assignment they wished, and they chose to return to TOPGUN, as instructors. The movie ended with Maverick and Scooter soaring over Miramar, into a flaming sunset.

“That was a great movie!” Aquila said, “I really enjoyed it, and I seriously hope Jaws and I get to go to TOPGUN someday!” Aquila then turned to Jaws, and, grinning, dropped a bombshell. “Jaws,” she said, “How do you think I would look with yellow lightning bolts painted on my face and tails?”

"I think you would look great, but the Master Chief Dewey might want to fry your tails," said Jaws. "I could paint myself to look like Scooter. I already have red tails and ventral fins like her. I could put on that gold stripe around the black over my nose like her. We could be Maverick and Scooter! Let's wait until we go through officer school before we try that."
“Thanks, Jaws!,” replied Aquila, grinning, “And I think you would look great as Scooter! You’re right though; we should wait until we go through Officer School before we try something like that. I’m definitely planning on getting lightning bolts then, though.”

Jaws was humming the anthem as she followed her sister out of the theatre. She was still singing it when she reached the hangar. Camping glowered. "Knock it off. We won't be having you play Maverick and Scooter in this bootcamp. This is the real Navy. Maverick and Scooter would have gotten the Red Hook five times over".

Master Chief Dewey pulled Camping aside and spoke softly. "I wonder about those two. I think they were washout pilots".

Camping raised a brow. "Huh?"

'Yes they bombed as pilots because of their personalities. So they made them our problem now".

"You are imagining things, Dewey. They are brand new Tomcats--stupid Tomcats with Swiss cheese for brains."

A big shape came trundling up. It was Boomer, glowering. "They are here because they are top notch fighter jets. I see a bright future for them. Now knock off tearing them down. They'll still be flying when Captain Hardwick is retired".

Jaws scooted into the hangar still humming the anthem. Camping frowned. "So I have to put up with 6 more weeks of this?"
Aquila, too, kept humming TOPGUN Anthem, as she headed to the hangar alongside Jaws. She also kept humming the tune of Danger Zone, another song which had been in the movie, and which Aquila really enjoyed. When Camping told the two Tomcats to knock off humming TOPGUN Anthem, Aquila faced Camping’s glower with a calm, unintimidated gaze of her own. “Ma’am,” she said, “With respect, while Maverick and Scooter, and especially Maverick, didn’t always obey the rules, they were nevertheless brilliant dogfighters, who did learn from their mistakes. My sister and I have nailed you in a dogfight, and we gave Captain Hardwick a really hard time as well. It is my hope that Jaws and I will one day be as good at dogfighting as Maverick and Scooter.”

Nodding to Camping and Dewey, Aquila then scooted into the hangar after Jaws. Aquila, with her keen hearing, then overheard Camping’s and Dewey’s discussion about herself and Jaws. “GRRRRR!! Those two have no respect for Tomcats!” Aquila growled to Jaws, under her breath, “I’d love to see both of them getting the Red Hook!” Hearing Boomer admonishing Camping and Dewey, Aquila then came forward to talk to her.

“Thank you for letting my sister and I watch Top Gun, Ma’am,” Aquila said, politely, “And I really hope we’ll be as good at dogfighting as you and Christine. If I may ask, do you think Jaws and I will ever be good enough fliers, and good enough dogfighters, to go to TOPGUN someday?”

Boomer gave a soft smile. "I would not be surprised at all if the both of you made it to TOPGUN." Then she gave a little smirk. "Jaws, you already look a little bit like Scooter, except you are blue inside the bubble instead of red. Christine came out of the factory only a few weeks before I did. I think putting a gold pin stripe on you would be a tasteful touch".

"Aquila is talking about yellow lightning bolts," said Jaws.

"Wait until you make officer before you do that," Boomer said with a wink. "Fans would really like seeing a real life Maverick and Scooter, though. Maybe, just maybe they might make a TOPGUN II."

Description
Eventually, it was time to land, and head for supper, and bed. Aquila and Jaws swooped in and made smooth landings, then taxied to the mess hall for their supper. When they arrived there, they found LT Camping glaring at them, disapprovingly. “Uh oh!” Aquila muttered to Jaws under her breath, “It looks like LT Camping isn’t too happy about us learning how to hairpin!”

"What was that horsing around in the sky?" Camping asked, glaring at the Tomcats. "And I saw you, Jaws, chasing your tail like a puppy on the ramp earlier. What was that about? I am going to make you scrub those tire marks you left off the ramp."

"Aquila left tire marks too, when she did that weird turning around too," volunteered Stevens.

"After supper the both of you will scrub those tire marks off the ramp!" snapped Camping. "Hairpins, Lindbergh's ghost! You both have rocks under those bubbles of yours. You are going to end up swimming in the ocean skylarking like that. And, Jaws, you need to wipe that silly grin off your face when you fly. It's unprofessional".

"I second that," said Master Chief Dewey. "You've had that stupid grin since you have been here. You need to lose it. I don't want to see your teeth flashing at me every time I look at you. It making me think you are missing something under that bubble of yours".

Jaws started to eat her supper quietly. "I wonder if that Boomer is still here?" she whispered to her sister. "I didn't see her take off".

"Button it, Tomcat!" snapped Dewey. "A Hawkeye has ears. I can tell when you are yapping. Don't count on Boomer to rescue your rudders. She can't see through walls. She's only a Commander anyways."

As Camping and Dewey were barking at Jaws and Aquila, Aquila felt anger at the injustice rising inside her; she and Jaws had not been skylarking, or horsing around in the sky! She and Jaws had a rare gift, the ability to hairpin, and all that they’d been doing was practicing using that gift! “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Boomer is still here,” Aquila whispered to Jaws, “But whether she is or she isn’t, I’m not going to let these two push us around.”

Aquila then faced Camping and Dewey, her unblinking, determined golden eyes showing just a hint of the steely glare of the tough as nails, no-nonsense Captain she would one day become. In her bearing, too, there was that hint of the tough Captain who would one day fiercely stare down, and chew the rudders of, the unruliest of Hornets.

“With all due respect,” Aquila said, to both Camping and Dewey, her voice polite, yet firm, “I see no reason why my sister should not grin as much as she wants to, as she is not being in any way rude with her grin, and particularly as grinning does not affect one’s dogfighting ability. Also, my sister and I were not ‘skylarking’, or ‘horsing around in the sky’, when we were practicing the hairpin. That hairpin that we were practicing is a legitimate dogfighting move, one that will only add to our dogfighting ability. To prove this, I would like to respectfully suggest that, tomorrow morning, Jaws and I each face Lieutenant Camping in a dogfight, one versus one.”

"Yes, I respectfully request we prove to you that the hairpin is a legitimate dog fighting technique," Jaws said looking at Camping with her blue eyes, trying to look as respectful as she could. She held her wings back at 68 degree sweep and stood proudly.

Camping glared and was puckering to spit rudely when the doors of the galley opened. In trundled Boomer with her golden eyes blazing. Camping frowned. "Well glory be, here comes the swing winged one Cat cavalry. Now what's got your rudders in a twist?"

Boomer stared Camping down. "You! You should not be treating those two that way. They were practicing a legitimate move after I instructed them. I am going to give you two choices. You can dogfight Aquila and Jaws tomorrow morning, or you can give me twenty on the arresting wires starting now!" As Boomer shouted and glared she backed Camping into a corner.

Camping finally glared back. "Who do you think you are?!"

"I am a Commander in the United States Navy and you are a Lieutenant--Lieutenant! I have been sent here to make sure the Tomcats don't get mistreated. So now which is it going to be, the dog fight or the Red Hook?"

Camping's voice sounded small. "We'll go with the dog fight".

"A little louder". Hardwick said loudly.

Camping cleared her throat. "The Dogfight." Boomer turned to go.

Jaws suppressed a snicker.

Camping was scooting from her corner. Boomer wheeled around again making the Hornet flinch. "If you mistreat those two again, you'll be giving me twenty in front of the whole command!"

Aquila exchanged a brief glance with Jaws when Boomer threatened Camping with the Red Hook; it was further indication of how unpleasant the Red Hook was that Camping had opted to go with the dogfight. I certainly hope Jaws and I never get the Red Hook! Aquila thought, It really must be nasty, if Camping agreed to dogfight us instead of doing twenty traps! “Thanks for helping Jaws and I, Ma’am,” Aquila then said to Boomer, nodding respectfully, “We’ll be sure to give Lieutenant Camping something to think about in tomorrow’s dogfight.”

After supper was finished, everyone headed to their hangars, to go to bed, and Aquila took her place on the ramp, to stand her watch. “Jaws,” Aquila whispered to her sister, before Jaws headed over to the hangar, “I actually almost hope we do get to see Lieutenant Camping doing twenty traps some day; we’d certainly better make sure we seriously nail the Lieutenant in tomorrow’s dogfight.”

In the morning, Aquila and Jaws both ate large breakfasts, and drank plenty of coffee, anticipating the upcoming dogfight. As soon as they’d finished their breakfasts, the two young Tomcats headed out to the ramp, to wait for Camping.

When Camping arrived on the ramp, Aquila nodded respectfully to her. “I’d like to face you first, Ma’am,” Aquila said, “I hope that’s all right.”

Aquila then raced down the runway with her engines roaring, and shot into the air, after a short takeoff. She then circled round, waiting for Camping to take off, and come after her.

Camping looked up at Aquila taking off into the cloud dappled sky and clicked her tongue. "Hot shot Maverick. What is this Navy coming to?" Jaws was watching and noticed Boomer in front of the galley watching too. Camping finally rolled down ramp and took off. Jaws wondering if Camping noticed Boomer there in sun watching.

"Okay Maverick, if I nail you, you stand watches the rest of bootcamp, got that?" Said Camping as she circled around looking for Aquila. Camping's rudders are toast. Jaws said to herself.

Camping made whistling noises over the air. "Big fraidy cat where are you? C'mere kitty kitty kitty. Where are you?".

Boomer frowned at Camping's mocking tone. Then she heard the sharp screeching of the Tomcat engines.

Camping's ears started to buzz. Camping rolled. Her ears still buzzed. She couldn't get out of that radar beam...

As Aquila prepared to dogfight Camping, she growled a little in annoyance; she was no fraidy cat! Camping isn’t just mocking me, she’s mocking all Tomcats! Aquila thought, angrily, I am seriously going to nail that Bug’s rudders to the wall for that!

Aquila shot upwards, then dived at Camping at high speed, with the Sun blazing directly behind her. “I don’t think I’ll be standing any more watches, Ma’am,” Aquila said, as Camping tried to roll away from her radar beam, “Because I’m not going to get nailed, and neither is my sister!”

Relentlessly, Aquila pursued Camping, staying with her through multiple loops, rolls, climbs and dives, and keeping her powerful radar locked onto the Hornet’s rudders. Finally, Aquila allowed Camping to get onto her six, much to Camping’s delight; Camping thought she would be able to nail the young Tomcat now, and put her in her place. Aquila was hiding an evil smile though, as she prepared to make her first ever use of the hairpin in a dogfight. Aquila lit her burners, looking as if she was running from Camping, then suddenly, Aquila’s starboard burner cut out!

One moment, Camping was trying to lock her radar on Aquila’s six, the next moment, Aquila snapped round in a high-speed, hairpin turn! Although the hairpin was still a little awkward and “novice-y”, it was nevertheless much smoother and much more controlled than Aquila’s first hairpin had been. “Ma’am, you can consider your rudders well and truly nailed!” Aquila said, giving a toothy grin as she lit up Camping with her powerful radar for several seconds, more than enough time to have fired a missile, or her gun, “Perhaps you’d like to take your chances against my sister now.”

Camping resisted the urge to let out a few choice words as the buzz turned into a tone telling her she had been nailed. Jaws was already shooting up into the air in full burner. "Let hope Jaws is not as much of a cheap shot as you!" Camping snapped as she turned. That is when she saw Boomer sitting in front of the galley looking up at her with her platinum eyes. The frosty brows looked bushy. The Tomcat was already angry. Camping swallowed as she moseyed slowly in the air staring. She was concentrating on Boomer so much, she neglected to notice Jaws dropping behind her and grinning. Her ears started to buzz. "Launch or get off the catapult as they say". Jaws radioed as she was right behind Camping.

Jaws’ line made Boomer laugh. Camping rolled hard to get out of the Tomcat's radar. Jaws gave chase still grinning. Camping could almost feel that grin but a few feet from her tail. Camping made twists and turns but Jaws was still right behind her. But then Jaws shot past her letting Camping get right behind her. Camping started to line her pipper up on Jaws. Suddenly one of Jaws burners cut out and she snapped around facing Camping and grinning. Her teeth flashed in the sun. Camping felt a sinking sensation as the buzz in her ears now turned into a tone. "Bang Bang, Camping you are done!" Jaws shot past then nosed upward twirling in the sky.

"You two Tomcats, I have something for you," said Boomer. "Excellent flying."

Camping was growling as she followed Jaws down to the airstrip. Aquila was already there in front of the mess hall with Boomer.

Jaws taxied to the front of the mess hall with Camping grumbling behind her. Boomer shot her a glare. "I don't want to see you mistreating these girls again".

Then Boomer turned her gaze toward Jaws and Aquila. "The Base theater is showing a film that you two would enjoy. TOPGUN. I have already spoken for you. The Forklift, Petty Officer Robbins will let you two in. You earned it."

"Don't you think that film will corrupt those two?" asked Camping.

"I don't think so. That main character does get in hot water for being too proud and for engaging in horseplay".

Aquila, too, laughed at Jaws’ line about the catapult, then she settled down to watch as her sister handed Camping her rudders, giving Camping yet more proof that the hairpin was a legitimate dogfighting move. “Thanks for compliment on our flying, Ma’am,” Aquila then said to Boomer, “And thanks for teaching us to hairpin; I don’t think Lieutenant Camping was expecting to get nailed quite so quickly!”

“Jaws, let’s hope Lieutenant Camping treats us with more respect now that we’ve both nailed her tails,” Aquila said as Jaws joined her. When Boomer mentioned the movie, “Top Gun”, Aquila’s eyes lit up. “Thanks, Ma’am!” she said to Boomer, “I’ll definitely enjoy ‘Top Gun’, and I’m sure Jaws will, too!”

After nodding politely to Boomer, Aquila and Jaws headed off to the Base theatre, to watch “Top Gun”. At the entrance to the theatre, they were met by Petty Officer Robins. “I’m guessing that you two are here to watch ‘Top Gun’,” said Robins. “We certainly are, Sir,” replied Aquila, “Commander Boomer said it would be fine.” “She did indeed,” said Robins, “Come right in!” Aquila and Jaws nodded respectfully, and entered the theatre. They quickly took their places, and settled down to watch the movie.

The two settled on their spots. The theatre was largely packed with forklifts and boom trucks. Another Tomcat trundled in, an Ensign from across the base. A forklift deposited a bucket of the popcorn in front of her, Jaws and Aquila as the opening credits started showing a catapult shuttle with a Tomcat's launch bar in it. The music started softly with that soft rhythmic tapping sound as the camera cut to the fighter's face. She had platinum eyes, but the eye brows were sleek and black. Jaws still thought she looked a lot like Boomer. The credits read 'Boomer as 'Maverick Latham' and 'Christine as Scooter Charley'. The scene cut to the Tomcat on the other catapult. They two launched one after the other to join a diamond of the Tomcats. Maverick was painted with black tails. She had distinctive yellow lightning bolts on her tails and on her face. All the other Tomcats wore the unit insignia which was an Eagle.

"Maverick, you stick out like a sore thumb!" said Scooter right after the anthem and theme song stopped playing.

"You need to visit the paint booth". said Keeter, the division lead, which comprised the group of four Tomcats.

"Pipe down," said the voice of Commander Marquart, the E-2 Hawkeye. "I am picking up bogies in your 8 O'clock position. I got three, no four. Dangit six bogies!"

Onto the screen flew F-5 Tigers starring as the Migs. They wore red stars on their tails and were painted dark green. "They send women to fight," said one of them derisively. "This will be like taking candy from a baby." Then he dropped behind Keeter's wingman, Carp and started shooting. The bullets hit Carp in her left stab and rudder. "I'm hit, I'm hit!" Carp spun out of control and hit the water. A salvage ship started to head her way. That is when Keeter lost it. She could not engage. She started to 'bug out'. That left Maverick and Scooter to start peppering the 'Migs' and sending them diving into the water.

Jaws watched transfixed as the the tree remaining Tomcats returned to the ship. It took several tries to get Keeter to land. When she did, she resigned, leaving her TOPGUN slot for Maverick. The other slot belonged to Carp who had just been shot down. So Commander Marquart had no choice but to send the two 'losers' Maverick and Scooter to TOPGUN. That was when Maverick made her infamous tower flyby that made the Forklift commander in it spill his coffee. Jaws whispered to Aquila. "That look almost like you". she said with a snicker. "I think you even did that to the Forklift in the tower."

“You’re right, Jaws,” Aquila replied, also in a whisper, “I did make the Forklift in the tower spill his coffee; I cracked a couple of the tower windows as well.”

Aquila, too was watching transfixed as Maverick showed her dogfighting skill by creaming the TOPGUN instructors. Finally though, Maverick’s recklessness almost caused Scooter to crash, when Maverick cut in front of Scooter to take a simulated shot at one of the instructors. Scooter was severely bounced around in Maverick’s jet wash, and suffered a dual engine flame-out, and a flat spin.

Scooter dropped hundreds of feet in altitude before she was able to re-light her engines; thankfully, she was able to re-light them in time to get out of the spin and narrowly avoid a crash. Maverick was severely shaken by her friend’s near-miss, and found herself unable to engage in the subsequent dogfights. Maverick had enough points from her previous dogfights to graduate from TOPGUN, though, and she and Scooter were immediately sent on deployment, and given a mission to fly cover for a destroyer whose engines had broken down in hostile waters.

When MiGs appeared, carrying black-market Exocet anti-ship missiles, as well as their air-to-air armament, Maverick was at first unable to engage them, due to how shaken she still was. Seeing Scooter taking on the MiGs, and taking a bullet wound to an engine, yet still refusing to quit, Maverick remembered how Scooter had kept her cool during that flat spin at TOPGUN, despite the danger.

Maverick felt her own courage returning, and she tore into the MiGs, shooting down several, and causing the rest to bug out. Maverick and Scooter triumphantly trapped aboard their carrier, the USS Enterprise, and were greeted with cheers by their squadron mates and the deck crew. Maverick and Scooter were then given the choice of any assignment they wished, and they chose to return to TOPGUN, as instructors. The movie ended with Maverick and Scooter soaring over Miramar, into a flaming sunset.

“That was a great movie!” Aquila said, “I really enjoyed it, and I seriously hope Jaws and I get to go to TOPGUN someday!” Aquila then turned to Jaws, and, grinning, dropped a bombshell. “Jaws,” she said, “How do you think I would look with yellow lightning bolts painted on my face and tails?”

"I think you would look great, but the Master Chief Dewey might want to fry your tails," said Jaws. "I could paint myself to look like Scooter. I already have red tails and ventral fins like her. I could put on that gold stripe around the black over my nose like her. We could be Maverick and Scooter! Let's wait until we go through officer school before we try that."
“Thanks, Jaws!,” replied Aquila, grinning, “And I think you would look great as Scooter! You’re right though; we should wait until we go through Officer School before we try something like that. I’m definitely planning on getting lightning bolts then, though.”

Jaws was humming the anthem as she followed her sister out of the theatre. She was still singing it when she reached the hangar. Camping glowered. "Knock it off. We won't be having you play Maverick and Scooter in this bootcamp. This is the real Navy. Maverick and Scooter would have gotten the Red Hook five times over".

Master Chief Dewey pulled Camping aside and spoke softly. "I wonder about those two. I think they were washout pilots".

Camping raised a brow. "Huh?"

'Yes they bombed as pilots because of their personalities. So they made them our problem now".

"You are imagining things, Dewey. They are brand new Tomcats--stupid Tomcats with Swiss cheese for brains."

A big shape came trundling up. It was Boomer, glowering. "They are here because they are top notch fighter jets. I see a bright future for them. Now knock off tearing them down. They'll still be flying when Captain Hardwick is retired".

Jaws scooted into the hangar still humming the anthem. Camping frowned. "So I have to put up with 6 more weeks of this?"
Aquila, too, kept humming TOPGUN Anthem, as she headed to the hangar alongside Jaws. She also kept humming the tune of Danger Zone, another song which had been in the movie, and which Aquila really enjoyed. When Camping told the two Tomcats to knock off humming TOPGUN Anthem, Aquila faced Camping’s glower with a calm, unintimidated gaze of her own. “Ma’am,” she said, “With respect, while Maverick and Scooter, and especially Maverick, didn’t always obey the rules, they were nevertheless brilliant dogfighters, who did learn from their mistakes. My sister and I have nailed you in a dogfight, and we gave Captain Hardwick a really hard time as well. It is my hope that Jaws and I will one day be as good at dogfighting as Maverick and Scooter.”

Nodding to Camping and Dewey, Aquila then scooted into the hangar after Jaws. Aquila, with her keen hearing, then overheard Camping’s and Dewey’s discussion about herself and Jaws. “GRRRRR!! Those two have no respect for Tomcats!” Aquila growled to Jaws, under her breath, “I’d love to see both of them getting the Red Hook!” Hearing Boomer admonishing Camping and Dewey, Aquila then came forward to talk to her.

“Thank you for letting my sister and I watch Top Gun, Ma’am,” Aquila said, politely, “And I really hope we’ll be as good at dogfighting as you and Christine. If I may ask, do you think Jaws and I will ever be good enough fliers, and good enough dogfighters, to go to TOPGUN someday?”

Boomer gave a soft smile. "I would not be surprised at all if the both of you made it to TOPGUN." Then she gave a little smirk. "Jaws, you already look a little bit like Scooter, except you are blue inside the bubble instead of red. Christine came out of the factory only a few weeks before I did. I think putting a gold pin stripe on you would be a tasteful touch".

"Aquila is talking about yellow lightning bolts," said Jaws.

"Wait until you make officer before you do that," Boomer said with a wink. "Fans would really like seeing a real life Maverick and Scooter, though. Maybe, just maybe they might make a TOPGUN II."