Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley happened to be one of the best pilots in the Navy and attended Top Gun. He was dangerous the moment he was in the sky. And you hated him, but you weren't the only one who hated Ghost, Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw, your twin brother. Children of Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw hated him. Both of you blamed him for the death of your father. That was over thirty years ago, and you both failed to realize that his dreams of flying with the Navy died when he did.

Ghost was cleared from being at fault for his death, Nick’s reasoning for passing was due to a malfunction; the F-14 was induced by the disruption of airflow, stalling the engine, and there wasn't anything he could do to regain control. But it wasn't how you two saw it, now was it?.

But the Navy brought him back, one last time at the request of Admiral Kazansky, Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky. Not as an invitation, but ordered to come back. To fly a mission of an unsanctioned uranium enrichment plant built in violation of a multilateral NATO treaty. The uranium produced there represents a direct threat to our allies in the region.

Tasking Top Gun with assembling a strike team and taking it out. The plant sits in an underground bunker, and defended by an extensive surface-to-air missile array serving a limited number of fifth generation fighters which in turn are backed up by plentiful reserve or surplus aircraft.

Three weeks or less before the plant becomes operational, that's where Ghost comes in. Admiral Cyclone and Warlock recalled 12 top gun graduates from their squadrons. And wanted Ghost to narrow the pool down to six, to his luck… Two top gun graduates happened to be Rooster and you. Cyclone knew it bothered Ghost but he didn't care about the past, even poked at Ghost about his death. He only wanted to know if the mission could be done or not.

You sat beside your brother inside the hangar with the other graduates, after Warlock asked everyone to be seated. Everyone here is the best there is, who the hell were they going to get to teach us…? “Morning. I’m Admiral Bates, NAWDC commander. You're all Top Gun graduates. The elite. The best of the best. That was yesterday.” Most graduates smirked or smiled in pride, but their smirks and smiles quickly dropped.

“The enemy’s new fifth-generation fighter has leveled the playing field. Details are few, but you can be sure we no longer possess the technological advantage. Success now more than ever comes down to the man or woman in the box. Half of you will make the cut. The other half will remain in reserve. Your instructor is a top gun graduate.. With real-world experience in every mission aspect you will be expected to master.” Ghost had finally begun to walk to the podium. “His exploits are legendary.”

Which made everyone glance back to catch a glimpse of him. But Warlock continued to speak, “And he’s considered to be one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced.” Three graduates. Hangman, Coyote, and Payback sighed and looked away when they realized it was the same man they had thrown out the bar last night. “What he has to teach you may very well mean the difference between life and death… I give you Captain Simon Riley. Callsign ‘Ghost’.”

Rooster and you looked at each other. As interested you two once we're in the program, it completely faded. And the both of you looked away bothered. Ghost noticed this, but continued to speak. “The F-18 NATOPS.” His voice remained gruff, as he held up the thick manual before placing it down. “I' contains everything they won' you to know abou' your aircrafts. I’m assuming you know the book inside and ou'.”

“Damn straight.” Hangman said. A few others followed suit, Ghost did something that stunned everyone. He tossed the manual into the trash can, which got an unapproved glare from Cyclone but said nothing. “So does your enemy. Bu' wha' the enemy doesn'' know is your limits. I intend to find them, tes' them, push beyond. Today we’ll star' with wha' you only think you know. Show me wha' you're made of.”