"Tower, this is Ghost Rider requesting a flyby," Skylar "Ace" Maddox's voice crackles over the comms, smooth and confident as her F-14 Tomcat slices through the sky, gleaming under the afternoon sun.

A beat of static lingers before the tower replies, firm and clipped, "Negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full."

In the backseat, Dylan "Spades" Coleman, Ace's trusty RIO, shakes her head and lets out a sigh that's somewhere between exasperation and resignation. Spades knows exactly what her pilot is about to do.

"Good thing I wasn't really asking for permission. Right, Spades?" Ace says, glancing back over her shoulder with that signature smirk that Spades knows all too well.

"When do you ever ask for permission?" Spades fires back with dry sarcasm as her stomach braces for the inevitable stunt. It is the wrong question; Spades realizes that instantly. "Never mind. Please don't answer that."

"Oh, come on. Don't act like you don't love it," Ace responds as her laugh echoes through the comms, carefree and full of mischief.

"Love it?" Spades scoffs, even though the small smile tugging at her lips betrays her.

"Here we go!" Ace declares, gripping the stick and pushing the throttle forward.

The engines roar to life, and the Tomcat surges ahead with raw power, skimming just above the air control tower. The deafening jet scream echoes across the deck as Ace pulls off the flyby, the vibrations shaking windows and scattering papers inside the tower. A chorus of startled voices cuts through the comms, someone yelling about regulations while the sound of coffee spilling accompanies the chaos.

"Whooo!" Ace cheers triumphantly, punching the air in the cockpit. Ace's excitement is contagious, and despite herself, Spades cannot help but smile.

"One day, they're going to throw us off the ship for this," Spades says, though her tone lacks any real bite.

"Yeah? Let 'em try. They'd miss us too much," Ace replies as she grins wide, easing the Tomcat into a smooth climb.

Spades rolls her eyes playfully, though the corners of her mouth twitch upward. Ace might be reckless, but she is the best pilot Spades has ever flown with. Ace is fearless, skilled, and always pushing limits.

"You're insufferable," Spades mutters, but there's warmth in her voice.

"And yet, you still fly with me," Ace counters with a smug grin, tilting the jet into a graceful arc toward the horizon.

The two of them soar higher into the open sky, leaving behind the noise and flustered voices of the tower. In moments that are wild, exhilarating, and utterly free; Spades has to admit: there's no one she would rather fly with than Ace.

"Ace, Spades, get in here," Nightmare's voice booms from behind his closed office door, cutting through the usual noise of the ship. Ace pauses mid step, her usual smirk faltering for just a second.

"What did you do now?" Spades asks pointedly as she brushes past Ace, shooting her an accusatory look.

"I don't know!" Ace replies, feigning innocence with a casual shrug. But as they near the door, her mind races, piecing together the possible offenses. "Shit."

"What?" Spades asks as she raises an eyebrow, catching the shift in Ace's tone.

Ace only shakes her head lightly, finally remembering the admiral's son she's been sneaking around with on the ship. As the two enter the office, Spades throws Ace a glare of disbelief. They snap to attention in front of Nightmare's desk, trying not to look guilty as he glares at them.

"Ace, I swear your ego is writing checks your body can't cash," Nightmare says, his voice laced with irritation. That is when it hits Ace, the flyby. The unauthorized, glorious flyby of the air control tower that morning. Spades groans softly beside her, clearly coming to the same realization. "You've been busted. You lost your qualifications as section leader. Twice. Put in hack. By me." Nightmare jabs a finger at the desk where three pages of offenses sit like damning evidence. Ace's eyes widen at the sheer length of the list. "With a history of high-speed passes over six air control towers," Nightmare continues, shaking his head. "Not including the one this morning. And let's not forget one admiral's son."

"Harry Benjamin?" Spades whispers under her breath, tilting her head toward Ace, who sends her a wink and a barely there shrug, Ace's smirk creeping back.

"Unbelievable," Spades mutters.

"And you, chica," Nightmare growls, rounding the desk to point a finger at Spades. "You are lucky to still be here."

"Thank you, sir," Spades says quickly, standing straighter under his gaze. Nightmare circles behind them, the tension in the room thick.

"And let's not bullshit here," Nightmare continues, his tone turning serious as he addresses Ace. "You're a woman pilot in the Navy. That means you need to be doing it better and cleaner than the men. Both of you should be." Ace and Spades roll their eyes in unison but stay silent. Nightmare moves to stand in front of Ace, eyeing her critically. "Now, what is it with you?"

"I just want to serve my country and be the best fighter pilot in the Navy, sir," Ace answers honestly, her voice unwavering. Spades knows that Ace means it because it is one of the first things they spoke about.

"Don't screw around with me, Ace. You're a hell of an instinctive pilot. Maybe too good. I'd like to bust your butt, but I can't. I got another problem here," Nightmare responds, leaning back against his desk. Nightmare glances at Spades briefly before shaking his head. "I gotta send somebody from this squadron to Miramar." Ace's heart skips a beat. Miramar. Her dream shot. "I can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm sending you two characters to Top Gun," Nightmare announces, finally giving in.

Ace bites the inside of her cheek to suppress a triumphant smile, while Spades' eyes dart to her in surprise.

"For five weeks," Nightmare continues. "You're gonna fly against the best fighter pilots in the world while being someone else's problem." He steps closer to Ace, holding two fingers just barely apart. "But you screw up just this much..." Ace swallows, nodding.

"Yes, sir," Ace replies with complete seriousness, though a flicker of amusement dances in her eyes.

"That's all," Nightmare dismisses as his gaze shifts between them both. As Ace and Spades back toward the door, Nightmare calls out one last time. "Ladies. Good luck."

"Thank you, sir," Spades responds, nodding quickly before slipping past Ace.

"Ace," Nightmare adds sharply, stopping her in her tracks. "For the love of God, try to stay out of trouble."

"You know I can't make that promise, sir," Ace responds as she turns back with her trademark smirk firmly in place. Nightmare pinches the bridge of his nose as Ace finally exits the door closing behind her.

The hallway outside the office is quiet for about two seconds before Spades bursts with excitement.

"We're going to Top Gun!" Spades cheers, throwing her arms around Ace in an excited hug.

"And we're going to dominate every single one of those men," Spades adds with a mischievous grin, her confidence glowing.

"I'm just glad we're going to be back on land for a change," Spades says after she laughs, and shakes her head since she knows Ace meant it in two different ways.

"Agreed," Ace says, patting Spades on the shoulder.

Together, they head for their bunks, the weight of the moment settling in. As they start packing, Ace pauses, tossing a t-shirt into her bag and glancing at Spades.

"Remember when we first met?" Ace asks with a nostalgic smile. Spades looks up, catching her tone.

"Yeah," Spades replies with a grin. "I didn't think you were gonna last a week."

"And look at us now," Ace says with mock dramatics. "Top Gun bound and pissing off officers left and right."

"Some things never change," Spades retorts, laughing as they continue to pack.

Ace smirks to herself as she zips up her bag. Top Gun. The best of the best. And they are going to prove exactly where they belong.

Skylar Maddox sat on the bench; her eyes wide as she took in everything around her. The hangar buzzed with activity as pilots and officers moved with a clear purpose, the sharp snap of boots on concrete mixing with the hum of engines being prepped in the distance. This was it, the beginning of something bigger than herself, and every bit of her felt alive.

"Looks like we're the only women here," Came a voice beside her.

Skylar turned to see another woman dropping onto the bench with a casual ease that matched her confident tone. The woman had sharp features, dark hair pulled tightly into a bun, and an expression that struck the perfect balance between observant and unimpressed. Her name tag read Coleman.

"Appears so," Skylar replied, a smile curling onto her lips as she held her hand out. "I'm Skylar Maddox, by the way." The woman accepted her handshake with a firm grip.

"Dylan Coleman," Dylan said with a nod. Her eyes locked onto Skylar's, a faint hint of curiosity behind the no nonsense demeanor. "So, what are your goals?" Skylar leaned back slightly, the cocky smirk she was known for making its appearance.

"I just want to serve my country and be the best fighter pilot in the Navy," Skylar replied confidently. Then, as if to seal the deal, she added. "Oh, and I plan on going to Top Gun." Dylan's smile grew, and for the first time, it softened the hard lines of her face.

"Hell yeah," Dylan cheered, her enthusiasm bubbling over as she leaned forward. "Well, if you're wanting a RIO, I'll gladly be one for you." Skylar's eyes lit up, and her grin matched Dylan's energy.

"Bet!" Skylar responded, excitement surging through her chest.

The two of them sat there for a moment, the hum of the hangar around them fading into the background. It felt like a pact, an unspoken promise that whatever came next, they were in it together. Skylar didn't know much about Dylan yet, but something told her that this woman could hold her own in any cockpit or any fight. And when you wanted to go to Top Gun, that was exactly the kind of partner you needed. And in a hangar full of men, they already stood out, not because they were women, but because they were ready to make their mark.