Top Gun Page #18

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VIPER:

Why would I lie?

He turns, walks away. Maverick stands there for a moment,

thinking, then catches up to him, stops him...struggles with

the thought...as Viper breaks in...

VIPER:

You start on a wrong heading... the

more you stick to it, the further

you get from your target. A good

pilot always questions himself,

always questions his judgments,

stays alert for drift and makes the

corrections...You may find a little

discipline helps with the fear. You

don't have to be alone up there.

A pause...quiet intensity.

MAVERICK:

How can I go on? I feel so...

responsible.

VIPER:

Kid, the plain fact is...you are.

I'm not gonna stand here and blow

sunshine up your ass. Technically,

they absolved you. You and I know

what really happened. You pushed

it. You are responsible and you'll

always carry that. You know what,

I'll carry it too. I should have

taken you out of that cockpit.

I guess I'm a hopeless romantic...

I always try to find something

worthwhile in someone's death. It's

no trade-off. It's not one for one.

What you learned isn't worth his

death. It couldn't be. But maybe

there is some value in it. I know

it's the first thing I've ever seen

that's really gotten to you. Now

the question is, what will you do

with it. If it gets you out of

flight status...so you don't kill

yourself or anybody else...that's

good. That's one good thing. You

were an accident waiting to

happen.

MAVERICK:

You think I shouldn't fly.

VIPER:

I didn't say that. That's up to

you. I think that if you do, if you

choose to come back, you'll be a

better pilot... a better man.

MAVERICK:

Would you take me back? Would they?

VIPER:

I'll have to think about it. I

don't know about them. I do know

one thing, We've got a lot invested

in you. We'd hate to lose it. Even

more than those other guys, Naval

Aviation needs a very few, very

good men.

107 through 114. OMITTED

115. INT. TOP GUN OFFICE

LOUD ROCK AND ROLL. The graduation ceremonies are in full

swing...They consist of informal ribbing, laughing, and a lot

of talking with the hands. every now and then, the name Goose

comes up and a shadow passes across a face. For the most

part, they press on, having a good time. Fungus shrugs at

someone's question and looks around.

FUNGUS:

I don't know where he is...

PORK:

What are his plans?

FUNGUS:

I don't know.

Ice stands proudly holding the Top Gun plaque as others

congratulate him...Hollywood looks up as the door opens,

Maverick is there. He looks uncomfortable, unsure. He sees

Ice with the plaque. Fungus moves over to him, brings him in.

FUNGUS:

I'm glad.

WOLFMAN:

Good to see you, man.

One by one, they come over, shake his hand. Viper stands

there, looking pleased but gruff. Maverick walks over, shakes

his hand. The party starts to pick up. A real celebration,

now.

Jester enters, a sheaf of messages in his hand. He takes

Viper aside for a word. Viper nods at him. The group's

attention gradually swings onto them. They quiet down

instinctively. Viper finally turns to them.

VIPER:

Gentlemen, you know how I hate to

break up this party before it has a

chance to get really out of hand...

(more serious)

...but there's a major flap on.

HOLLYWOOD:

We're being called back?

VIPER:

You're on your way. Don't bother

going to BOQ. Your bags are packed.

He hands them orders. Someone turns the music back up... as

they shake hands all around, the music grows, becomes purer

as the background voices drop out.

115A. TIGHT ON MAVERICK'S

EYES:

WIDEN OUT -

To include his helmet. Stereo headphones from his walkman

carry the same music from the party as he sits in the cockpit

and stares at the grey water rushing under. He sits in his

Tomcat on Ready 5 Alert. In the back, Fungus plays a hand

computer game - Jet Attack.

116. EXT. USS KITTY HAWK - SOMEWHERE AT SEA

Maverick's Tomcat sits waiting for a launch order on the

forward catapult.

116A. ANGLE - MAVERICK

He goes over the briefing in his mind...Stinger's voice

breaks through the music.:

STINGER (V.O.)

...Navy oceanographic ship...

international waters... fired

upon... unknown forces...

117. INT. READY ROOM - USS KITTYHAWK - MOMENTS BEFORE

In full flight gear, sixteen teams of fighter pilots and

RIO's pay close attention to the Squadron CO, Stinger.

STINGER:

...by unknown forces...by Migs. We

don't know who they are. All I

know is that it's our ship, and our

orders are to escort it out of the

area.

Stinger circles an area on the map.

117A. TOMCAT ON THE DECK - MAVERICK

He studies his copy of the same map, headings and vectors

pencilled in.

STINGER (V.O.)

This is "Bullseye". A rescue

operation is to begin within the

hour. Your mission is to give air

support to that rescue. There are

MiGs in the area, and tensions are

high. If you witness a hostile act

you will return fire. We will be

covering 360 degrees of the compass

by section. Be prepared for

anything.

117B. INT. READY ROOM

Stinger is speaking to individual pilots.

SLIDER:

Ice and Hollywood, sector two.

He turns to Maverick who stands nearby.

SLIDER:

And Maverick. You'll back them up,

on Ready Five.

117C. CLOSE ON HIS FACE

A moment's disappointment passes so fleetingly, you hardly

see it.

MAVERICK:

Yessir.

As the aircrews file out, tense but excited.

118. ICE AND HOLLYWOOD FLY TOGETHER AT TEN THOUSAND FEET

Their eyes search the horizon, while Slider and Wolfman

watch their instruments.

ICE:

MUSTANG, THIS IS VOODOO ONE,

WE ARE ON STATION.

The two jets streak across the sky.

118A. INT. COCKPIT

Suddenly, there are BLIPS on the radar scope.

HOLLYWOOD:

CONTACT. TWO BOGEYS 20 RIGHT. AT 12

MILES, CLOSING.

118B. INT. COCKPIT - THEIR POV

Two MiGs flying low to the deck.

HOLLYWOOD:

TALLY HO. TWO MIGS AT TWO

O'CLOCK LOW.

118C. THE MIGS SUDDENLY PULL VERTICAL, STREAK STRAIGHT UP.

118D. ICE AND HOLLYWOOD WATCH CAREFULLY.

HOLLYWOOD:

WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS,

BOYS?

ICE:

THEY'RE JUST HASSELING. LET'S WORK

THEM OUT OF THE AREA.

WOLFMAN:

I'VE GOT TWO MORE BOGEYS COMING IN

AT FOUR O'CLOCK HIGH.

HOLLYWOOD:

GOT 'EM.

118E. THE FOUR MIGS

Join together in a box formation, begin to circle the area.

HOLLYWOOD:

TWO MORE -- TWO MORE CONTACTS.

2-7-0 at 10 MILES. WE NEED SOME

HELP HERE, MUSTANG.

ICE:

MUSTANG, WE HAVE FOUR MIGS IN THE

AREA OF BULLSEYE. REQUEST YOU

LAUNCH THE ALERT 5 FOR SUPPORT.

119. DECK - KITTY HAWK

Maverick sits in his Tomcat on the Catapult on ready alert,

listening to the message traffic. He gets a launch order,

turns to the LSO. The LSO salutes, Maverick salutes and flips

him the bird. The LSO drops to the deck. Maverick is slammed

back as the F-14 is fired off the deck and rockets into the

sky.

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