	

	
	                        TOP GUN
		                   
	                          by
	                     
	                      Chip Proser
	
	REVISED
	
	April 4, 1985
	
	Registered, WGAw.
	
		     NOTE: Aerial dialogue in CAPS is UHF radio; 
		      plane to plane, plane to carrier.
	
		      Aerial dialogue in small case is ICS;
		      an inter-cockpit system; a live mike,
		      heard by pilot and RIO only. 
	   .
	
	
	1.  EXT. NIGHT. - THE PACIFIC IS ANYTHING BUT
	
	WINDS HOWL. Rain drives horizontal. The sea surges up, 
	nearly to the flight deck of the Aircraft Carrier USS Kitty 
	Hawk. The carrier plunges, driving its bow into a wall of 
	grey water. The deck pitches forward and back, rolls left to 
	right, and yaws in a corkscrew motion. The entire 93,000 ton 
	behemoth rises and falls in the TYPHOON-DRIVEN SWELL. 
	
	
	2.  SOMETHING DROPS DOWN OUT OF THE NIGHT
	
	A ROAR. Silver wings flash by, a cockpit, fiery jet 
	exhausts. A forty ton monster drops at 120 knots into an area 
	the size of a tennis court in a CONTROLLED CRASH. 
	
	2A.  A SHOWER OF SPARKS, A SCREECH OF RUBBER AND METAL as 
	the gear hits the deck. The hook catches the 3 wire and the 
	F-14 TOMCAT is slammed to a halt. It's the scariest thing 
	you've ever seen, the most dangerous maneuver in aviation and 
	just another day at the office for a Naval Aviator.
	
	TITLES OVER 
	
	HARD DRIVING ROCK AND ROLL - THE CARS - RIDE ME HIGH
	
	
	3.  FLIGHT DECK - THE LANDING SIGNAL OFFICER - (LSO)
	
	Leans almost horizontal into the winds. He holds the pickle, 
	controlling the landing lights and speaks into a mike. His 
	calm, professional commands belie the extreme conditions.
	
			LSO
	POWER, POWER...DON'T CLIMB...
	OKAY, HOLD WHAT YOU GOT.
	
	
	4.  ANOTHER TOMCAT FLIES OVER THE RAMP
	
	It slams in. The pilot hits full power, catches the wire, slams 
	to a stop, cuts his engines.
	
	5.  OMITTED
	
	6.  AIR OPS - BELOW DECK 
	
	Lots of scopes and electronic gear. The CARRIER CONTROL APPROACH 
	OFFICER (CCA) watches a blip on radar, reaches for his mike key.
	
	
	
	7.  EXT. THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING - (AERIAL)
	
	We float like gods, above the storm, above the cloud cover, 
	looking down. From overhead, a probe slides into frame, then 
	a graceful nose. The cockpit sides by, Pilot, then Radar 
	Intercept Officer (RIO) barely illuminated by the orange glow 
	of their instruments. The fuselage gracefully swells to two 
	enormous air intakes, then variable angle wings, swept back 
	for high speed flight. Twin tailbooms cant outward, 
	horizontal stabilizers make constant adjustments. Enormous 
	twin jet exhaust ports glow red in the moonlight.
	
	
	8.  INT. COCKPIT - (AERIAL)
	
	We become aware of WIND WHISTLE, JET ENGINE SOUNDS, RADIO 
	STATIC. The pilot, COUGAR, is calm, steady. The Radar 
	Intercept Officer in the backseat, GOOSE, is a wildman, 
	always an edge of humor in his voice. A UHF transmission 
	breaks in..
	
			STRIKE (V.O. filtered)
	GHOST RIDER, THIS IS STRIKE... WE 
	HAVE UNKNOWN CONTACT INBOUND, 
	MUSTANG. YOUR VECTOR ZERO NINE ZERO 
	FOR BOGEY.
	
	Almost immediately the RIO picks up a target and responds.
	
			GOOSE
	CONTACT 20 LEFT AT 25, 900 KNOTS 
	CLOSURE.
	
	
	8A.  ANGLE - SECOND F-14 - 115 - COUGAR'S WINGMAN 
	
	Come in on the cockpit with stenciled name and call signs: LT. 
	EVAN MITCHELL is the pilot, MAVERICK. In flight suit and oxygen 
	mask, we can only see his eyes. they are confident. In his 
	mid-twenties, he is lean, hard, athletic...the archetype fighter 
	pilot. His rear-seater is LTJG. WALTER MERLIN; WIZARD.
	
			MAVERICK
	I'LL I.D. HIM, YOU HOOK 'EM.
	
	Maverick peels off to right, to high cover position; 5 o'clock.
	
	
	9.  INT. GHOST RIDER 117 - COUGAR'S POV
	
	HEADS UP DISPLAY (HUD) glows dimly on the windscreen. Directly 
	in front of the stick, two CRT screens display data. The bottom 
	screen shows a radar sweep. Wedged between the instruments is a 
	snapshot of a pretty young woman with a 2 month-old baby.
	
	
			GOOSE
	Closing fast. MUSTANG, THIS IS 
	GHOST RIDER ONE ONE SEVEN. CONTACT 
	ONE BOGEY, 090 AT 15 MILES, 900 
	KNOTS OF CLOSURE.
			COUGAR
	Look for the trailer.
	
			GOOSE
	I don't see anything.  MAVERICK, 
	YOU HAVE A TRAILER?
	
	
	10.  MAVERICK'S F-14 
	
	Flying in combat spread, 1 mile abeam, higher. 
	
			GOOSE
	NEGATIVE, COUGAR. LOOKS LIKE HE'S 
	SINGLE.
	
	
	11.  INT. 117 - COUGAR'S COCKPIT
	
			COUGAR
	HANG BACK AND WATCH FOR HIM. HERE 
	COMES...MIG ONE.
	
	
	12.  EXT. SKY 
	
	Closing at 900 knots, The MiG is a speck, then a flash and a 
	ROAR, a knife-edge pass at 300 feet. It rockets past his left 
	wing tip and disappears. Cougar kicks rudder, whips the stick, 
	screams into a tight turning roll and dives after him. He slams 
	the throttle forward to ZONE 5 AFTERBURNER.  
	
	
	13.  EXT. - MAVERICK'S F-14
	
	Maverick sees a SECOND MiG drop from above onto Cougar's tail.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	BOGEY ON YOUR SIX. I'M ON HIS.
	
	Maverick swings after him, lights it. 
	
	
	13A.  ALL FOUR JETS SCREAM DOWN IN A POWER DIVE. 
	
	They punch through cloud cover into the soup.
	
	
	
	14.  EXT. COUGAR'S F-14 
	
	He is closing on the first MiG when a shocking BLIPBLIPBLIPBLIP 
	tone breaks into their headsets.
	
			GOOSE
	I've got a six strobe.  I think 
	he's locked on us.
	
			COUGAR
	It's a MiG 21. They don't have 
	radar missiles!
	
			GOOSE
	Let's hope you're right!
	
			COUGAR
	What is he doing?
	
			GOOSE
	He's pissing me off!
	
	Cougar swings mad gyrations, cutting back and forth across the 
	front MiG's tailpipe, trying to break the lock-on. The TONE grows 
	more insistant.
	
			COUGAR
	Can't shake him.
	
			MAVERICK (V.O.) 
	WHAT'S MIG ONE DOING?
	
			COUGAR
	Maintaining course. Straight for 
	Mustang.
	
			GOOSE
	Stay with him.
	
	The tone grows steady, BLIPBLIPBLIPBLIP.
	
			GOOSE
	   (alarmed)
	That's missile lock! 
	
			COUGAR
	He better be kidding!
	
			GOOSE
	Lordy!  Eyeball to Asshole.
	Hope nobody burps!
	
	
	
	14A.  INT. MAVERICK'S F-14
	
			MAVERICK
	I'LL LOCK ON THEM, COUGAR. (to himself)  
	Gotcha covered, don't nobody move.
	
			COUGAR
	I'M UP HERE TOO, MAVERICK.
	
			MAVERICK
	ROGER, COUGAR. (to himself and his RIO) 
	Okay boys, pull out with your hands up 
	and nobody'll get hurt.
	
	
	14B.  INT. COUGAR'S F-14
	
	Up front, Cougar checks his gunsight...He gets I.R. lock...
	
			COUGAR
	We're locked on MiG ONE. Why 
	doesn't he disengage?
	
			GOOSE
	These guys are getting on my 
	nerves.
	
	
	14C.   FINALLY, MIG ONE TURNS AWAY.
	
			GOOSE
	GHOST RIDER TO MUSTANG. BANDITS  
	TURNING AWAY.
	
	But Cougar presses forward, and MiG TWO stays on his tail.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	COUGAR, BREAK LEFT. TRY A HIGH G 
	ROLL UNDERNEATH. BREAK OUT THE 
	BOTTOM.
	
	Anger gives way to discipline. Cougar's Tomcat breaks left, 
	dives into dense cloud. MiG TWO still follows.
	
			MAVERICK
	HE'S STILL ON YOU, COUGAR.
	
	
	15.  EXT. COUGAR - IN THE CLOUDS
	
	Still hears the tone, BLIPBLIPBLIP...
	
			COUGAR
	
	I KNOW. I KNOW.
	
	He rolls over into wild evasive maneuvers, finally breaks lock. 
	
	
	16.  INT. MIG
	
	Breaks out of cloud, looks around, startled.  There is nothing, 
	no F-14. He scans the sky frantically, while rolling the 
	aircraft. ...Suddenly, he feels a presence. He looks straight up 
	and behind him. A few feet away, a TOMCAT slides into position 
	canopy to canopy, an incredible feat of flying. Maverick and 
	Wizard stare at him. Maverick slides even closer, canopies nearly 
	touching. The MiG pilot acknowledges them with a weak wave.  
	Maverick stares for a moment, then flips him the bird. 
	
	The MiG pushes negative G, hard down and away. He heads for the 
	deck.
	
			WIZARD
	He's running for it.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	Ah, the thrill of victory and the 
	agony of defeat.
	
			WIZARD
	Speaking of feet, fuel's down to 
	4.0.  We're gonna get them wet 
	unless we find a Sonoco station.
	
			MAVERICK
	COUGAR, THIS IS MAVERICK.  I'M 
	GETTING HUNGRY, LET'S HEAD FOR THE 
	BARN. ...COUGAR, WHERE ARE YOU?
	
	
	17.  EXT. KITTY HAWK FLIGHT DECK - THE LSO 
	
	Stands the on plunging deck, peering into the roaring night.
	
			CCA (Filtered)
	GHOST RIDER ONE-ONE-FIVE, THIS IS 
	MUSTANG.  WX THREE HUNDRED.  ONE 
	MILE VISIBILITY WITH HEAVY RAIN.  
	FINAL INBOUND BEARING THREE-FOUR- 
	ZERO.  DECK IS MOVING.
	
	
	18.  INT. COCKPIT 117 - COUGAR
	
			COUGAR
	
	This is crazy. How the hell we 
	supposed to land on something we 
	can't even see!
	
			GOOSE
	Hey, if it was easy, everybody 
	would want to come up here and do 
	it..... Instead of just us.
	
			COUGAR
	   (corrects him)
	You.
	
			MUSTANG (V.O. filtered) 
	MUSTANG TO GHOST RIDER 115...110 
	SPIN, 42 LOCK.  AT 5 MILES READ 
	YOUR NEEDLES.
	
	
	19.  INT. COCKPIT 115 - MAVERICK
	
			MAVERICK
	NEEDLES READ DOWN AND LEFT.
	
			CCA (V.O. filtered)
	CONCUR, FLY YOUR NEEDLES.
	
			MAVERICK
	NEEDLES CENTER.
	
			CCA (V.O. filtered)
	ROGER. CALL THE BALL.
	
			MAVERICK
	Call the ball?  I don't see the 
	ship!
	
	
	20.  INT. COCKPIT 117 - COUGAR'S POV
	
	
	BLASTS slam the airframe. Rain tattoos the canopy. A gust rolls 
	the Tomcat, he straightens it, A gust flips it again.
	
	
	20A.  MAVERICK'S POV 
	
	The Carrier lights appear and disappear through the storm.
	
	
	21.  INT. COCKPIT 117 - COUGAR
	
	 	 	GOOSE
	   (To Himself)
	
	A walk in the park, Mustang. You 
	with me, cat man?...Cougar...you 
	with me?
	
	Goose is thrown about as the wing dips, straightens, dips.
	
			COUGAR
	Help me with this one, I'm really 
	screwed up.
	
			GOOSE
	Bring it left. Bring it left, 
	You're high.
	
			COUGAR
	This is crazy!
	
			GOOSE
	What is?
	
			COUGAR
	Wait! Hell!..Something's wrong!
	
			GOOSE
	What?  What is it?
	
			COUGAR
	Were upside down!
	
			GOOSE
	You're crazy. We're level.
	
			COUGAR
	Can't you feel it? I'm hanging in 
	my straps!
	
			GOOSE
	You're not. We're level. Look at 
	the instruments, we're okay!
	
			COUGAR
	They must be broken. I'm hanging in 
	my straps! We're inverted!
	
			GOOSE
	We're not! Trust me! We're okay.
	
	
	22.  FLIGHT DECK - LSO CONTROLLING 115 - MAVERICK
	
			LSO
	A LITTLE POWER...FLY THE BALL.    
	LOOKING GOOD...HOLD WHAT YOU GOT.
	
	
	
	23.  MAVERICK'S F-14 - ON FINAL APPROACH.
	
	
	24.  INT. COCKPIT - MAVERICK
	
	He hears Cougar's chatter over the air.
	
			COUGAR (V.O. filtered)
	WE'RE UPSIDE DOWN! WE CAN'T LAND!
	
			GOOSE (V.O. filtered)
	WELL, WE CAN'T STAY UP HERE EITHER.
	
	
	25.  FLIGHT DECK 
	
	Maverick's plane settles in over the ramp, suddenly, BLASTS FROM 
	IT'S AFTERBURNERS...it ROARS over the deck without touching and 
	off into the night. The LSO is shocked into comment.
	
	
			LSO
	WHERE THE HELL YOU GOING?
	
	
	26.  MAVERICK'S COCKPIT  - (AERIAL)
	
			MAVERICK
	I...FORGOT SOMETHING.
	
			WIZARD
	What the hell you doing?
	
			MAVERICK
	Helping him in.
	
			WIZARD
	What makes you think we can get 
	back in?  We don't have the fuel 
	for this.
			MAVERICK
	Just get me to him.
	
			WIZARD
	He's nine o'clock high. We're two 
	thousand pounds low!
	
	
	27.  DARK TURBULENT CLOUDS
	
	Maverick's plane pulls up behind Cougar's. Cougar's plane 
	suddenly flips over, flying inverted.
	
	
			COUGAR
	I'm pulling up.
	
			GOOSE
	No! Now we're inverted!
	
	
	Maverick pulls up off the wing of the inverted aircraft. His 
	voice is calmness itself.
	
			MAVERICK
	HEY, ANY OF YOU GUYS SEEN AN
	AIRCRAFT CARRIER AROUND HERE?
	
	Cougar looks over, surprised.
	
			COUGAR
	WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
	
			MAVERICK
	EVERYBODY'S GOT TO BE SOMEWHERE.
	..NOW WE'RE RIGHT WITH YOU.
	YOU ARE INVERTED.  ROLL IT, COUGAR.
	
	Nothing happens.
	
			MAVERICK
	COUGAR, THIS IS MAVERICK. HALF ROLL 
	IT. NOW!
	
	
	Cougar's plane completes the roll, is now upright.
	
			GOOSE
	We're on vapor, Cougar, you got to 
	put it down.
	
			COUGAR
	It's crazy, man. Instruments are 
	crazy. We're gonna have to eject.
	
			GOOSE
	TELL HIM, WILL YOU TELL HIM? OUR 
	INSTRUMENTS ARE OKAY.
	
			MAVERICK
	YOU'RE STRAIGHT AND LEVEL, COUGAR.
			COUGAR
	I'M HANGING IN MY STRAPS. I TURN IT 
	OVER AND I'M STILL HANGING IN MY 
	STRAPS. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON 
	UP HERE?
	
			MAVERICK
	YOU'RE NOT IN THE STRAPS.  IT'S 
	VERTIGO, THAT'S ALL IT IS. STAY ON 
	MY WING. I'LL DROP YOU OFF.
	
	Maverick pulls up wing tip to wing tip, inches apart.
	
			COUGAR
	MAVERICK.
	
			MAVERICK
	YEAH, COUGAR?
	
	
			COUGAR
	YOU BETTER NOT BE RAGGING ME...
	IF YOU'RE FLYING UPSIDE DOWN...
	
			MAVERICK
	NO JOKE, COUGAR. ON THE LEVEL.
		EVEN I WOULDN'T DO THAT TO YOU.
	
			COUGAR
	I'M UPSIDE DOWN. I KNOW IT. I'M 
	GONNA EJECT.
	
			GOOSE
	Look at the weather! They'll never 
	find us! We're near out of fuel. 
	Put it down.
	
			MAVERICK
	COUGAR, YOU'RE ON THE BALL.
	
			COUGAR
	OKAY... OKAY. BUT IF I LAND THIS 
	THING UPSIDE DOWN. AND I LIVE. I'LL 
	HAVE YOUR BUTT!
	
			GOOSE
	You'll have mine, Cougar. It'll be 
	where your head used to be.
	
	
	28.  EXT. FLIGHT DECK 
	
	All eyes are on what they can see of the approach of the two 
	planes. Maverick drops him off at the pattern and circles. The 
	LSO watches the approach. The Tomcat drops a wing, straightens, 
	drops the wing, straightens ... the approach of a pilot 
	experiencing vertigo as Cougar tries to satisfy his inner ear.
	
			LSO
	LEVEL...YOUR WINGS... EASY... 
	YOU'RE SETTLING....FLY THE BALL.
	
	A wind shear just off the ramp drives the plane suddenly down.
	
			LSO
	POWER...POWER!..POWER!...WAVE OFF!  
	WAVE OFF  WAVE OFF!
	
	
	AFTERBURNERS BLAST, but the Tomcat horrifyingly settles tail-low 
	toward the deck. The deck crew watches in terror as the plane 
	wallows in toward them. The LSO'S turn, take a few steps and 
	throw themselves off the flight deck.
	
	They sail into the night toward the surging seas a hundred feet 
	below, then are caught in safety nets hung off the side.
	
	
	28A.  THE PLANE
	
	Settles, settles, standing on it's engines, trying to arrest 
	it's downward momentum. The hook raises sparks as it skids across 
	the deck... The plane stops falling and hangs for a moment, about 
	to blast back up, when the hook catches the last wire.. The wire 
	snags it, plucking 45,000 pounds of fuel, metal and men out of 
	the air and slamming it all to the deck. WHAMMMM! Right wheel 
	flies up the deck and over the side...the gear collapses. The 
	plane SCREECHES sideways. The crew watches helplessly as it skids 
	slams into it and comes to rest in cloud of fuel vapor and steam.
	
	The LSO runs up, shouting into the mike. 
	
			LSO
	COUGAR, GOOSE...COME IN COUGAR! 
	SHUT YOUR ENGINES DOWN, YOU'VE 
	ARRIVED.
	
			AIR BOSS
	GHOST RIDER! ACKNOWLEDGE!
	GHOST RIDER! ACKNOWLEDGE!
	
	Crash crew leaps into action. The fire crew is there. The man in 
	the Silver Suit jumps up on the wing and crawls to the cockpit. 
	The figures inside are not moving. He hits the canopy release. 
	The canopy pops open. Silver suit grabs at the rear seat harness 
	release. He screams through his suit's aluminized cloth...
	
			SILVER SUIT
	Goose, can you hear me?  Goose!
	
	Nothing for a moment. He's dead! Then the RIO'S helmet 
	moves...His head turns. He tears the mask away from his face, 
	looks up at Silver Suit. His head clears.
	
			GOOSE
	Oh, Hello... Valet parking?
	
	Silver suit is stunned for a moment. He straightens up, his head 
	inclines quizzically. Then it hits him.
	
			SILVER SUIT
	Son of a bitch!
	
			GOOSE
	You will put it up front,
	with the Porsches?
	
	He grabs him under the armpits, drags him out of the plane. 
	
			GOOSE
	Hey...easy...Take it easy...
	I'm a veteran!
	
	
	Goose grabs a passing crewman by the arm.
	
			GOOSE
	Can you check under the hood. I 
	thought I heard a funny noise.
	
	Other crewmembers help Cougar out. He seems stunned, but Goose 
	reacts to his fear with frantic one-liners. He grabs a crew 
	member's radio, as Silver Suit helps him away and looks to the 
	figures of the Admiral and the Air Boss far up on the bridge... 
	He waves to them, does his best impression...Desi Arnaz.
	
			GOOSE
	Lucy...Ricky...I'n Home!
	
	
	28B.  BRIDGE FLIGHT DECK
	
	A moment of disbelief... Then hysterical, tension relieving 
	laughter.
	
	
	28C.  FLIGHT DECK
	
	Goose spots Cougar being helped out. He pulls away, reaches back 
	into the cockpit and grabs Cougar's snapshot of wife and kid. 
	They lead Goose away as firemen blast the aircraft with foam.
	
			GOOSE
	Is it extra for the hot wax?
	
	28D.  BRIDGE  - FLIGHT DECK - AIR BOSS
	
			AIR BOSS
	Clear the flight deck.
	
	
	
	29.  FLIGHT DECK
	
	A TILLIE, a four wheel mobile crane, slams up to the plane and 
	slings its lifting harness. Goose turns to Silver Suit.
	
			GOOSE
	Well...there goes your tip.
	
	30.  INT. MAVERICK'S PLANE
	
	They have monitored the chatter. 
	
			WIZARD
	It's Goose. He's alright. Bring it 
	left...You're settling.  IS THE 
	DECK CLEAR?
	
			LSO (V.O. filtered)
	   (softly)
	ROGER, BALL, LITTLE POWER...DON'T 
	CLIMB...OKAY, HOLD WHAT YOU GOT! 
	
	Wizard does a quick sign of the cross, reaches down, grabs his 
	balls...as...
	
	
	30A.  FLIGHT DECK 
	
	The TOMCAT slams onto the deck, clearing the wreckage by inches.
	
	
	31.  INT. CARRIER HATCHWAY - FLIGHT SURGEON, OTHERS 
	
	Watch as they bring a shaken Cougar past. Goose, eyes wild, 
	waves at Maverick and Wizard, rolling up. They flame out - 
	VVOOOMMMMM! They sit there, immobile, waiting for a tow, looking 
	numb.  Goose does his "stewardess".
	
			GOOSE
	On behalf of your Captain and your 
	crew, I want to thank you for 
	flying VF101. And next time your 
	plans include the middle of the 
	goddamn ocean in the dead of 
	frigging night, I hope you'll think 
	of Naval Aviation.
	
	The surgeon looks into Goose's eyes.
	
			SURGEON
	Stress reaction...
	
			XO
	
	Check his head.
	
			GOOSE
	   (wobbling off)
	Never mind my head, check my 
	shorts!
	
	
	32.  SICK BAY - LATER
	
	Cougar lies alone in the dimness, staring at the overhead.
	
	33. 03 LEVEL - BELOW DECKS - OFFICER'S COUNTRY
	
	The usual CLANGS, WHISTLES, ENGINES of Navy life sound FORLORN 
	ECHOING through the dim, deserted passage. From the distance, a 
	single figure passes in and out of the glow of the overhead 
	lights. Cougar comes closer, hobbling unsteadily.
	
	He reaches a door, pulls himself erect and knocks on the sign:
	
	Commander Tom Otawoczek
	CO VF 101
	STINGER
	
	
	34.  STINGER'S CABIN
	
	The skipper works at his desk, responds without looking up.
	
			STINGER
	Come in.
	
	He looks up. Cougar stands in the doorway, a strange, dazed look 
	on his face.
	
			STINGER
	Cougar, what is it? You should be 
	in sick bay. What are you doing?
	
	He walks over to the skipper's desk. His eyes are glazed, but 
	his jaw is firm.
	
			COUGAR
	Thinking of my wife and kid.
	
	A determined movement. Hand to chest.
	
	
	34A. OMITTED
	
	Something metal hits it, skids across the polished surface and 
	clangs up against the coffee mug: gold wings.
	
	
	
	35.  PASSAGEWAY
	
	Cougar comes out of Stinger's room, bumps into Goose, and 
	Maverick. He turns the other way.
	
			GOOSE
	Cougar!
	
	He stops, turns to them. There is nothing to say. Goose hands 
	him his snapshot. Cougar looks at his wife and kid for a moment, 
	then looks up at them. He turns away.
	
			MAVERICK
	Cougar?		STINGER (O.S.)
	Maverick, Goose...Come in here.
	
	
	36.  STINGER'S OFFICE - DOORWAY
	
	Maverick appears, followed by Goose. They stand at 
	attention.
	
			MAVERICK
	Sir?
	
	The Skipper says nothing. Maverick sees the wings on the 
	desk. He enters, walks over, stares down at them. He picks 
	them up. 
	
			GOOSE
	Don't worry. I'll talk to him.
	
			STINGER
	Don't.
	
			MAVERICK
	He's a good pilot.
	
			STINGER
	I talked a man back once. Three 
	months later, we lost him. It's his 
	decision. Only he knows.
	
			GOOSE
	He's the best you have. He's going 
	Top Gun!
	
			STINGER
	Was.
	
			MAVERICK
	What?
	
	
			STINGER
	Was going. (Turns to Maverick.) Now 
	you are.
	
			MAVERICK
	Me?
	
	Maverick stares at the wings, lost in conflicting emotions.
	
			STINGER
	Well, he's going (indicating Goose) 
	and he needs someone to fly the 
	plane.
	
			GOOSE
	Skipper, you can't do this!
	
			STINGER
	I didn't do it, he did it himself. 
	Something about a wife and kid. The 
	fact is, he's lost it. He knows it. 
	I know it. You were up there, you 
	know it, too.
			GOOSE
	Give him a break, Skipper. It was 
	raining snakes up there. He'll be 
	alright, soon as all the gorillas go 
	home...
	
	The Skipper stares at Goose, non-plussed for a moment.
	
			STINGER
	I know some RIOS are a little 
	wiggy...but you abuse the 
	priviledge! I don't believe I'm 
	going to have to put the two of you 
	in the same cockpit...but there it 
	is! It may be good for the Navy. It 
	might be good for you, but most of 
	all, it's good for me. It'll get 
	you out of my sight.
	
	
			GOOSE
	But, Skipper, Cougar's been picked 
	for Top Gun...He's the best of the 
	best!
	
			STINGER
	Well, you'll just have to make do 
	with him (indicates Maverick).
	
	Goose and Maverick exchange looks.
	
	
			GOOSE
	Mav's a great flyer but....
	
			STINGER
	He's a hell of a flyer. In fact, 
	he's so damn good he might have 
	been picked for Top Gun himself. 
	Except for one thing. (SCREAMS) He 
	just can't seem to follow orders!
	
	
	Stinger moves slightly, to stand now, directly in front of 
	Maverick and speak eye to eye at four inches.
	
			STINGER
	You just did an incredibly brave thing! 
	What you should have done was land your 
	plane. You don't own that plane, the 
	taxpayers do. I should ream you out for 
	it. But it just doesn't work with you. 
	You're a hell of a flyer. You are maybe 
	...too good. You never really stepped in 
	it yet. So this is your chance. I'm 
	gonna send you up against the best. They 
	are better than you. Maybe they'll knock 
	that shine off your eagle and you'll 
	see, finally, where discipline and 
	teamwork fit it. 
	Maverick hasn't really heard anything but TOPGUN. He snaps out 
	of it.
	
			MAVERICK
	Sir?
	
			STINGER
	That is all. Tell me about the MiG 
	some other time...
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir!
	
	He snaps off a salute and does an about face.
	
			STINGER
	Maverick..
	
	He turns back.
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir..
	
			STINGER
	The wings..
	
	
	He looks down at the wings in his hands, slowing walks over 
	places them gently on the Skipper's desk.
	
			STINGER
	Gentlemen!
	
			MAVERICK/GOOSE
	Sir?
	
	
	His facade cracks just slightly.
	
			STINGER
	Good luck.
	
	
	37.  INT. PASSAGEWAY
	
	Maverick and Goose push through a gauntlet of aircrews. They 
	have become notorious. Guys grab at them...questions...the 
	MiGs?..What happened up there? How close did they get? What did 
	the MiGs do? One word is heard over and over..."TopGun". Goose is 
	left behind in the crowd. Maverick pushes through. He walks 
	fast...faster. Up ladders, around turns, down ladders, through 
	passageways. Faster. He breaks into a trot, then a canter, 
	squeezing past enlisted men, parts lockers, then he breaks into a 
	run...
	
	38.  EXT - CARRIER - NIGHT AND STORM
	
	A hatch slams open on the side of the Carrier. He's out on a 
	catwalk, instantly soaked, running on rain slicked stairs 
	cantilevered high over the breaking seas. He plunges forward to 
	the bow of the ship, stands on the very peak. He is yelling 
	something. He stands there as the bow plunges terrifyingly into 
	the trough. The water rises like a green mountain, up, up to 
	break just a few feet below him, showering him with spray. The 
	noise is incredible. 
	
	Come around on his face. It is maddened. He raises his fist and 
	punches the night.
	
	
	The foaming slope of the wave rushes up, changing color as it 
	DISSOLVES TO:
	
	Desert Sand whipping by...
	
	39.  MOJAVE DESERT - 1 WEEK LATER
	
	A big bike, a real big bike, a turbo...rockets across the 
	desert. Fast. Real fast. Aviator shades low above the handlebars 
	--Maverick. Goose hangs on in back. It cranks faster, pulls 
	closer...ENGINE SCREAMING. It cranks up a notch, it's going to 
	
	explode. It can't go faster, but it does. It SCREAMS HIGHER. It 
	ROARS under, by and away, leaving dust...
	
	
	39A.  THE BIKE - STILL
	
	Silence. Just the HISS AND POP OF METAL COOLING. Maverick sits 
	on it, staring out past us. Goose looks over Maverick's shoulder.
	
	We see why. Feet come into the frame. Then the uniform: 
	California Highway Patrol.
	
	
	40.  COUNTRY ROAD - NEAR SAN DIEGO
	
	40A.  ANGLE ON MAVERICK. CHP enters the frame, the usual 
	hypercivil arrogance tinged with awed disbelief. The usual 
	questions are spaced for effect as if he might be talking to some 
	other form of life. Maverick is off the bike, standing at 
	attention. Goose follows more slowly.
	
			CHP
	Son. Do you know why
	I stopped you?
	
	Maverick has some good idea how to deal with authority.
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir. I do sir
	
	The CHP adjusts his own aviator shades.
			CHP
	Well... What   is   it?
	
			MAVERICK
	   (more than sincere)
	Sir. You are going to give me a 
	warning, Sir!
	
	
	CHP - A touch of a smile, quickly surpressed.
	
			CHP
	License and registration.
	
	Maverick hands them over with his Navy ID. CHP scans them, 
	hesitates a moment over the last, looks up with a touch more 
	respect.
	
			CHP
	Lieutenant, do you know how fast  
	you were going?
	
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir. I do, Sir.
	
			CHP
	Well? 
	
			MAVERICK
	Sir. I was going Mach point one 
	five.
	
	CHP nods sagely.
	
			CHP
	One SIXTH the speed of sound!
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir.
	
			CHP
	   (a guess)
	Lieutenant... What do you...  
	usually fly?
	
			MAVERICK
	F-14's sir.
	
			CHP
	   (new respect)
	Tomcats?
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir!
	
	A long pause. Respect in the cop's eyes. He taps the Navy ID on 
	the handlebars...staring at this sincere young man.
	
			CHP
	Lieutenant... Is there...
	a Russian attack?
	
			MAVERICK
	No sir! But you have to be ready. 
	
	
	The cop nods and stares at him.
	
	
	41.  EXT. MIRAMAR NAVAL AIR STATION - LATER
	
	
	41A.  OMIT
	
	
	The bike is BLURPING... barely going fast enough to stay 
	upright. Maverick cool in shades and campaign cap dorks past the 
	hanger with the sign: FIGHTERTOWN, USA. He pulls ahead. In back 
	of him, escorting with flashers...the CHP. They pull up at the 
	gate. Maverick and Goose salute the guard, hands over their ID. 
	The CHP gets out of his car, leans against the door.
	
			CHP
	Lieutenant.
	
	Maverick turns to him.
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes, Sergeant?
	
			CHP
	Remember one thing.
	
			MAVERICK
	Sir?
	
			CHP
	Outside of this gate...
	I...am Top Gun.
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir!
	
	He salutes. The CHP returns a snappy one. He gets back in his 
	car and turns away. Maverick receives his ID and clearance. As he 
	passes through, a couple of pilots in flight suits (ICE AND 
	HOLLYWOOD) stare at him. The taller, dark, cool one speaks in a 
	dry voice, meant to be overheard.
	
			ICE
	Uh oh, police escort. This one must 
	be a real killer.
	
	The second pilot grins big at them. Maverick turns slightly 
	stares over his shades at them as he passes. Goose grins back the 
	challenge.
	
	42.  AERIAL COMBAT - VIETNAM ERA - F4'S, MIG 17'S - STOCK 
	
	The Doors on the soundtrack.  Jets swoop, missiles fire, a plane 
	explodes. Gun camera views of MiGs, SAMS, flak, bombing runs...
	
			VIPER (V.O.) 
	During the Korean War, the Navy kill 
	ratio was twelve-to-one. We shot down 
	twelve of their jets for every one of 
	ours. In Vietnam, this ratio fell to 
	three-to-one. Our pilots depended on 
	missles. They lost their dogfighting 
	skills.
	
	
	
	F-14's fighting with F-5's. Music becomes current. 
	
			VIPER (V.O.) 
	Top Gun was created to teach ACM. Air 
	Combat Maneuvering...Dogfighting. 
	Richthofen, Guynemer, Rickenbacker, 
	Galland, Rudel, Bong would envy us. We 
	do just what they did, but we do it 
	beyond the speed of sound. 
	
	
	43.  INT. DAY - TOP GUN ORIENTATION ROOM.
	
	
	VIPER - A tough-looking, confident leader in a blue flight suit, 
	stands before a video-tape monitor. Behind him, on the monitor, 
	the dogfighting continues.
	
			VIPER
	By the end of Vietnam we upped our 
	kill ratio to thirteen to one. 
	
	
	He turns on the lights. We see his audience in F.G.
	
			VIPER
	You're here 'cause you're the top 
	one per cent of all naval aviators.
	
	THE CLASS 
	
	Sixteen young men - eight flight crews - sit at attention. They 
	are trim, fit and confident - high school heroes, college jocks.
	
			VIPER (V.O.) 
	You're the elite, the best of the 
	best. We're gonna make you better, 
	because you're job is damned 
	important. 
	
	ANOTHER ANGLE - THE MEN 
	
	The camera moves among them. Hold on one of the men; the one who 
	greeted Maverick at the gate, Ice.
	
			VIPER (V.O.)
	With the tensions in the world today, the potential for confron- 
	tation is greater than ever, and 
	carrier pilots will be the first 
	ones there. Air combat excellence 
	is vital.
	
	
	Ice is not looking at the speaker, but, rather, in our 
	direction. HOLLYWOOD, a blond, good-looking pilot, whispers 
	something to him, and gestures. Ice is getting the lowdown on 
	someone. The camera moves and we see who that someone is, as 
	Maverick enters the frame. 
	
			VIPER
	 ...Someone once asked me if 
	training men for air combat made 
	the world less safe--flying loaded 
	guns... an accidental confrontation 
	and so forth...
	
	Maverick feels the stare of the other man and glances in his 
	direction. Their eyes meet. Ice smiles coldly.
	
	
	ANGLE - VIPER 
	 		VIPER (Con't)
	My answer is: the dangerous thing 
	is being unprepared. You want 
	trouble, that's what you get when 
	things don't work out, when you 
	can't do what you say you can. When 
	you don't know what you can do. And 
	when your opponents aren't sure 
	either. We are not policy. We don't 
	make policy. Elected officials 
	...civilians, do that. We are the 
	instrument of policy. The tip of 
	the spear. So we had best be sharp.
	
	Maverick has turned to look at Ice. Ice glances back in his 
	direction. Maverick looks at the back of the room where guys in 
	blue flight suits stand. They are the instructors. They look 
	relaxed, poised, mean.  Goose is looking up front...Where Viper 
	has stopped. Goose nudges Maverick. 
	
			GOOSE
	   (whispers)
	What are you doing?
	
			MAVERICK
	Nothing...That's McGown...that's 
	Singer, isn't it?
			GOOSE
	Turn around, pay attention. What 
	are you doing?
	
			MAVERICK
	    (musing to himself)
	...Just wondering...(turns back) 
	...who is the best.
	
	
	He's shocked to find Viper staring right at him, with a killer 
	grin on his face. He's feels caught like a naughty schoolboy.
	
			VIPER
	Really...    (smiles)
	Ya know. We'd like to know who's 
	best too. That's why we've got that 
	plaque on the wall... with the Top 
	Top Gun crew from each class. You 
	think maybe your name's gonna be on 
	it?
	
	Maverick knows he's in trouble, considers the social 
	alternatives, then tells him the truth.
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir.
	
	A couple of ooo's and aahh's from the guys. The instructors 
	stare the challenge at him. He slides lower in his seat.
	
			VIPER
	Considering the company you're in, 
	that's a pretty arrogant attitude.
	
			MAVERICK
	    (somewhat chastised)
	Yes sir.
	
			VIPER
	I like that in a fighter pilot.  
	(couple of laughs from the guys) 
	It's okay to be confident. You have 
	to think you're King Kong to want 
	to try to land on carriers. Just 
	keep in mind the other component of 
	success...teamwork.
	
	Viper gathers his notes, the lecture is over.
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir.
	
	Viper turns back for one more thought.
	
			VIPER
	Gentlemen, this is about combat. 
	Remember, there are no points for 
	second place. Dismissed.
	Viper walks out. Maverick finds Goose looking at him, 
	quizzically. Others mill around the plaque.  A big, friendly bear 
	of a RIO speaks.
	
	
	
			WOLFMAN
	A plaque?
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	It's not the plaque. The winner can 
	get assigned here as instructor. He 
	gets to fight every day.
	
	They move closer to examine the names on the plaque.
	
	
	44.  EXT. "O" CLUB - NIGHT.
	
	Fast cars in the driveway, fast music blares into the 
	night. It's Wednesday; Animal Night. Maverick, Goose 
	Hollywood and Wolfman walk to the entrance.
	
	
	
	45.  INT. WOXOF BAR
	
	
	Loud music, low ceiling, plaques of the squadrons line the 
	walls. A dancer gyrates on stage, largely ignored by pilots 
	talking with their hands. Every pretty girl in San Diego 
	seems to be here. It's a noisy, rowdy place--a "steam 
	releaser" for people under pressure. Nevertheless, there is 
	a control to it all, there are none of the usual bar types, 
	just pilots and Naval Officers.
	
	The Ghost Riders enter. The place is on fire:  a mob of 
	dancers, flashing lights, blaring HARD ROCK MUSIC. Beer 
	flows. Pilots talk flying and hustle girls.
	
	NEARBY - AN A7 pilot stands by the bar. He knows Goose and 
	speaks loudly for his benefit.. 
	
			A7 PILOT
	You know the Fighter Pilots motto? 
	It's better to be dead than to look 
	bad.
	
	They grin broadly. Goose replies as they brush past.
	
			GOOSE
	I don't know, Frank, anybody gets 
	off on bombing the shit out of dirt 
	has got to be queer.
	
	Goose exchanges friendly punches with the attack pilots. 
	Maverick's introductions and friendly barbs are drowned by the 
	music. Maverick is a bit reserved. He doesn't move among the 
	crowd as naturally as Goose does. Hollywood and Wolfman drift 
	
	away, searching for quarry. Goose orders beer. He nods toward a 
	TALL YOUNG MAN across the room.
	
			GOOSE
	Keller, Black Lion Squadron. I knew 
	him at Pensacola. He's damn good.
	
			MAVERICK
	Is there anybody in the Navy you 
	don't know? 
	
			GOOSE
	Gotta keep track of the 
	competition.
	
	Goose suddenly reaches out and grabs a guy moving past.
	
			GOOSE
	Slider -- they let you into Top 
	Gun? If you're among the best in 
	the Navy, I tremble for the 
	security of this country.
	
			SLIDER
	Why Goose, whose butt did you kiss 
	to get here?
	
			GOOSE
	The list is long, but 
	distinguished.
	
			SLIDER
	So's my Johnson.
	
			GOOSE
	This is Maverick.
	
	Smiles good-naturedly, shakes hands with Mav. 
	
			SLIDER
	So I've heard.
	
			GOOSE
	Who's your pilot?
	
			SLIDER
	Tom Kazansky.
	
			GOOSE
	    (very impressed)
	No shit. The Iceman....
	
			SLIDER
	Mister to you.
	
	
			GOOSE
	You think you can stay up with us.
	
			SLIDER
	I think, yeah, we'll show you a 
	thing or two.
	
			GOOSE
	This is Evan Mitchell, he steers 
	the thing. 
	
			SLIDER
	So I heard. Steers it pretty close. 
	Sorry to hear about Cougar. He was 
	a good man.
	
			MAVERICK
	Still is..
			SLIDER
	Yeah. That's what I meant.
	
	Suddenly, behind them, a flame shoots up. Someone ducks his head 
	and swallows it. The pilot sets an empty glass on the bar.
	
			SLIDER
	What was that?
	
			GOOSE
	Flaming Hooker. Sort of an 
	institution around here. Or maybe 
	this is the institution, I forget 
	which. It's the house drink. It'll 
	warm the cockles of your heart ... 
	and other things depending on where 
	you spill it.
	
	He motions to the barmaid and she moves over, sets them up. 
	GOOSE holds a demitasse glass. The barmaid pours Drambuie. They 
	look at Goose apprehensively. Goose looks at nearby flyers in 
	Camo fatigues.
			GOOSE
	You can't show fear in front of 
	Marines...They're like Doberman's 
	they'll go for your throat, it's 
	instinctive.
	
	He takes out match and lights it. Maverick holds his arm.
	
			MAVERICK
	You ever done this before?
	
			GOOSE
	What, been drunk? Sure! Plenty!
	
	
	He downs it all in one gulp, slaps the glass on the bar, still 
	aflame. He stands there, blinking. 
	
			SLIDER
	How was it?
	
			GOOSE
	Could use a dash more jet fuel.
	
	The others are duly impressed. Maverick's gaze falls on Ice 
	watching from the end of the bar - Slider takes one, Maverick 
	takes one too, downs it in a gulp. Sundown, taking up the 
	challenge, motions for one. The barmaid pours it.
	
			GOOSE
	Careful, don't make an ash of 
	yourself...
	
	He tries to drink the flaming concoction. He tries to go for a 
	sip, but it's too close to his face, he tries to tilt the flame 
	away, but that doesn't work. Finally he goes for the gulp. He 
	burns his lip and misses.  He sets his hair on fire. It goes up 
	in a WHOOOSH!!
	
			SUNDOWN
	Yeow!
	
			GOOSE
	Mayday! Down in flames! 
	
	He throws a beer in Sundown's face, quenching the fire. Sundown 
	blinks through the beer.
	
			SUNDOWN
	Thanks, I needed that.
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	You guys are not only crazy, you're 
	dangerous!
	
	Ice comes up from the end of the bar. He motions the Barmaid for 
	another; it comes. Goose lights it. He gulps it down, cool as 
	hell.
			ICE
	    (Disdainfully)
	Frat boys.
	
	
	He walks away. Slider goes after him.
	
			MAVERICK
	Who is that guy?
	
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	That's Kazanski.
	
			GOOSE
	No shit! That why they call him Ice?
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	Nope. It's the way he flies - Ice cold. 
	No mistakes. Wears you down. After 
	enough time, you just get bored and 
	frustrated, you do something stupid, and 
	he's got you.
	
	Maverick moves in Ice's direction. He passes Wolfman dancing 
	with a girl with bright purple fingernails.
	
	ANGLE - DANCEFLOOR.
	
			GIRL
	Why do you all have such funny 
	names?
	
			WOLFMAN
	You gotta have a call sign that's 
	just your own...never changes...you 
	have to recognize it immediately. 
	Then, if someone shouts "Wolf, 
	break left!"..you react right away.
	
			GIRL
	Why do they call you Wolf?
	
			WOLDFMAN
	   (smiles)
	Oh, I don't know.
	
	Goose comes up with his arm around a girl.
	
			GOOSE
	Hey Mav, this is Sally. She doesn't 
	believe a word I say. Tell her I'm 
	married, will you?
	
			MAVERICK
	Yeah, he's married--but then again, 
	he,s not dead.
	
	Sally laughs and tries to pull Goose back toward the dance 
	floor. Something in Maverick's eyes makes him hang back with his 
	partner.
	ANGLE - THE DANCE FLOOR - DANCERS
	
			GIRL
	Could I get a call sign?
	
	
			WOLFMAN
	Well, I don't know. That depends.
	
			GIRL
	On what?
	
			WOLFMAN
	Well, it doesn't just happen, you 
	gotta do something famous.
	
			GIRL
	Like what?
	
			WOLFMAN
	Oh...I'll think of something.
	
	Maverick smiles at this, but seems on edge... He watches a few 
	pretty girls enter and eye the pilots in their flight suits, then 
	turns and walks up to Ice, who sits, drinking with Slider.
	Maverick walks over to him. Ice notices Slider's attention going 
	to Maverick. He turns and grins at him.
	
			ICEMAN
	Figured it out yet?
	
			MAVERICK
	Figured out what?
	
			ICEMAN
	Who is the best.
	
			MAVERICK
	Nope.
	
			ICEMAN
	Need a hint?
	
			MAVERICK
	I think I can work it out on my 
	own.
	
			ICEMAN
	You like to work alone. I've heard 
	that about you. 
	
			MAVERICK
	I've heard of you, too. You were in 
	124 with Bargamian.
	
			ICEMAN
	And you were with Cougar. He was my 
	roommate in flight school.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	He's a good man.
			ICEMAN
	The best.
	
			SLIDER
	You must have soloed under a lucky 
	star. First the MiG, then you slide 
	into Cougar's place.
	
			GOOSE
	It's not Cougar's place. It's ours. 
	
			ICE
	What do you think it was? Was it 
	that MiG contact that did it?
	
			GOOSE
	Did what?
	
			ICE
	Got you here.
	
			GOOSE
	We're here because we're the best 
	flyers in the wing. Not because of 
	some MiG encounter.
	
			SLIDER
	What luck! Guys fly their whole 
	career without seeing a MiG up 
	close...You're famous.
	
			ICE
	You mean notorious.
	
	Something in the way he says it. It's not quite a joke, more an 
	insult. Maverick's about to take the whole conversation too far 
	when something...someone catches his eye. She catches quite a few 
	eyes in this room. She is very pretty and she's walking in on the 
	arm of a Commander. Maverick turns back, but the moment has 
	passed. Ice dismisses him with a nod and weak smile. Goose pulls 
	him away.
	
			MAVERICK
	What do these guys think, I made 
	Cougar quit?
	
			GOOSE
	Pay no attention to it. They're 
	just trying to rattle you. It's all 
	psychological. Sit down..and drink.
	
	
	He deposits Maverick at a chair by a table where other pilots 
	cluster watching and listening to Bugs shoot down his wristwatch. 
	Maverick broods...
			BUGS
	We were just really diving down and by 
	then we were right over downtown 
	Haiphong.  It was some great shit. Jack 
	says, "What are you doing?" "What, what 
	am I doing, Jack?" He says, "What are 
	you doing?" I said, "I'm rolling in, 
	Jack." "Bugs, we're at thirty-two 
	hundred feet. Oh shit, we were like 
	zooom... So we scraped down at hundred 
	feet right over--downtown Hanoi!  Oh 
	shit, goddamn it! And blowing down the 
	river. And so once we were there we let 
	down to about fifty feet just going down 
	the river and Jack says... "Bugs... 
	don't ever do that again!" "Okay, right, 
	Jack, I'll never do that again!"
	
	Maverick pays little or no attention. He broods and drinks. 
	Suddenly, Hollywood nudges him, he turns.
	
			MAVERICK
	What, what is it?
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	Target passing. Check your six.
	
			MAVERICK
	Never mind mine. Check hers.
	
	They turn. Long legs, great ass, beautiful.
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	Her six is a ten! Uh oh, a turn to 
	engage.
	
	
	
	HIS POV - ACROSS A CROWDED ROOM
	
	Maverick sees a stranger, and somehow he knows, he knows even 
	then.  Wolfman turns, sees her walking too.
	
			WOLFMAN
	Bogey...9 o'clock level.
	
			SUNDOWN
	Nine thirty. Bogey?  You presume 
	that hostile?
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	
	Well, we should contact and check 
	it out.
	
	
	She has turned toward them. She passes by. They start to make a 
	move for her. But just then she finds her date at the bar; a 
	distinguished man with Captain's stripes. Their smiles freeze and 
	they slide back in their chairs. Maverick can't stop looking at 
	her...After a while, the intensity of his gaze draws her 
	attention. She feels him. She is nodding and smiling to her date, 
	but her eyes scan the room like radar. A warning tone goes off in 
	his brain dolu dolu dolu as they lock on him. He feels that 
	thrill of excitement and fear you get when you know you're 
	targeted in someone's scope. Her eyes hold on him for a long 
	moment...long enough, and then sweep by the rest of the room. She 
	turns her attention back to the Captain and laughs at something 
	he says.
	
	
	Over in a corner, Goose chats up a couple of San Diego girls.
	
			GOOSE
	The family unit -- that's the most 
	important thing. It's the only 
	thing you can count on. I'm married 
	--did I tell you that?
	
			FIRST GIRL
	Four times. We don't believe you.
	
			GOOSE
	I've been married since I was 
	eighteen. Why don't you believe me?
	
			SECOND GIRL
	Because you don't look married. 
	
			FIRST GIRL
	You're not even wearing a ring.
	
			GOOSE
	    (big smile)
	I take it off when I'm chasing 
	women. It's the only honorable 
	thing to do.
	
	
	ANGLE - MAVERICK
	
	He's half listening to Bugs rattle on.  His eyes are drawn back 
	to the woman. He tries not to stare. She seems to know a lot of 
	people in the club. He looks away. Hollywood is chatting up a 
	girl with a sincerity that cannot be taught. His line is just as 
	polished as his appearance.
	
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	You don't think about death up 
	there, but you think a lot about 
	the danger. One mistake and you're 
	a smoking hole in the ground.
	
			GIRL
	I never knew it was so dangerous.
			HOLLYWOOD
	Oh yeah, it makes everything down 
	here more meaningful. You feel a 
	certain intensity of life, and you 
	want to grab onto every moment.
	
	Maverick looks up at the bar again. A shock. She (Charlie) is 
	staring right at him, intensely, as her date whispers something 
	in her ear. She notices him, staring back, quickly looks away, 
	embarrassed. She says something to the man. He nods and turns 
	away as someone else grabs his attention. The woman, now wouldn't 
	look this way for anything. She picks up her purse from the bar 
	and walks through the crowd and out of the room. Impulsively, 
	Maverick's up, he follows. 
	
	
	46.  INT. HALLWAY - OUTSIDE THE BAR
	
	He breaks out, looks around, doesn't see her. Someone disappears 
	around a corner. He moves after.
	
	CORNER - A door slams shut. Impulsively, before he realizes what 
	he is doing, he's through it. 
	
	
	47.  WOMEN'S ROOM. 
	
	A feminine GASP!  He should have looked at the sign on the door. 
	The realization of where he is hits him too late. She is standing 
	by the mirror, with her make-up out, looking back at him. He's 
	not quite sure what to do. A hasty retreat would be appropriate, 
	if embarrassing. Ah, what the hell, he is a fighter pilot!  He 
	just walks right over to her...no idea what he will say. She's 
	got her lipstick out, twisting it. She looks over at him with an 
	amused smile.
	
			CHARLIE
	Long cruise, was it?
	
	She leans over the sink, puts on lipstick, sees his eyes cover 
	her.
	
			CHARLIE
	Anything I can do to help, Lieutenant?
	
	
			MAVERICK
	Lots of things. 
	
	She laughs. He is sort of attractive, but there are other girls 
	in the room, she doesn't want to be too encouraging...She tries 
	not to grin at his embarrassment.
	
			CHARLIE
	I'll bet!
	
			MAVERICK
	Uhhh...Anything I can do for you?
	She laughs again, doesn't know what it is...could be chemical, 
	but she's instinctively attracted.
	
			CHARLIE
	Yeah. Hold this. It might be safer.
	
	She hands him a makeup mirror. Starts redoing her lipstick. He 
	just stares at her...She looks up at him, than back to her 
	warpaint. Finally, when it comes, it is cool and amused.
	
			CHARLIE
	Now I know why all the girls come 
	here. They know how horny you guys 
	get. But this...is ridiculous.
	
			MAVERICK
	It's not that.
	
	Mock anger. She's toying with him.
	
			CHARLIE
	It isn't?
	
			MAVERICK
	Well, it is. It is that, too.
	
			CHARLIE
	That's a big comfort to me.
	
			MAVERICK
	I could be, too.
	
	 		CHARLIE
	How so?
	
			MAVERICK
	Save you from a big mistake with 
	that other guy.
	
			CHARLIE
	And on to a bigger one with you?
	
	
			MAVERICK
	Yeah, most likely.
	
			CHARLIE
	Was there ever a girl who didn't 
	like fighter pilots?
	
			MAVERICK
	I heard of one once.
	
	She laughs again, shakes her head...another cowboy! She gently 
	takes the compact out of his hands, snaps it closed.
	
			CHARLIE
	I'm really flattered, Lieutenant, 
	but I don't go out with pilots.
			MAVERICK
	Then what are you doing here?
	
	Three pretty blondes enter and look at Maverick quizzically but 
	not without interest.
	
			CHARLIE
	I think the question is...what are 
	you?
	
	She tries to keep a straight face as she walks out of the room. 
	
	The other girls look at him expectantly.  A beat.  He just 
	stands there, then realizes he's holding her lipstick. 
	
			MAVERICK
	Hi. I'm here to talk about a new 
	concept in cosmetics...
	
	47A.  WOXOF BAR. She returns, spots the Captain, motioning to 
	her.  Maverick enters, goes to the other end of the bar. He 
	orders a drink. It comes. He drinks it, pays for it, moves off 
	toward the door. Someone backs into his path, he moves quickly 
	and bumps into someone else; her. 
	
			CHARLIE
	Sorry.
	
	She sees it's him.
	
			MAVERICK
	My fault. Should have watched
	where I was going.
	
	Her hand goes to his collar. She adjusts his insignia. She 
	smiles.
	
			CHARLIE
	
	Where's your wing man? Who's 
	watching your six?
	
			MAVERICK
	Uh, nobody, I guess.
	
	One final adjustment.
	
			CHARLIE
	Too bad.
	
	She breaks the spell abruptly, turns away.
	
			CHARLIE
	See you around.
	
	Maverick finds his voice.
	
			MAVERICK
	Can I walk you out?She turns back to him, a smile.
	
			CHARLIE
	I'm with someone. 
	
	
	48.  EXT. "O" CLUB - LATER THAT NIGHT
	
	P.O.V. - 
	
	From a car in the parking lot, we see Charlie and the Captain 
	leave the club. They walk directly toward us and stop. She turns, 
	says something polite...a peck on the cheek. He turns away. A 
	dome light briefly illuminates the interior of the car as a door 
	opens. It rocks slightly as someone gets in. Charlie turns back 
	and walks over, taking her keys out. She opens the door to the 
	car and gets in. 
	
	
	48A.  EXT. CAR - NIGHT
	
	She starts the car and pulls away. Suddenly, a figure sits up in 
	the back.
	
			MAVERICK
	I thought he'd never leave.
	
			CHARLIE
	Yeow!
	
	Startled, she nearly drives off the road. She turns to him, 
	startled.
	
			CHARLIE
	You! What are you doing here?
	
	
			MAVERICK
	Everybody's got to be somewhere.
	
			CHARLIE
	What if Captain Dawson had come 
	with me?
	
			MAVERICK
	It would have been really 
	embarrassing!
	
			CHARLIE
	How did you know this was my car?
	
			MAVERICK
	Simple deduction. It's fast. It's 
	pretty. Sleek and stylish...It's 
	your color...matches your lipstick.
	
			CHARLIE
	That's all!
	
			MAVERICK
	And I asked someone.
			CHARLIE
	You think you're pretty smart.
	
			MAVERICK
	I think I'm in love.
	
	
	49.  EXT. GUARD GATE
	
	She pulls up at the guard gate, a MARINE CORPORAL is on duty. He 
	sees the pretty girl pull up and stop, leans over helpfully.
	
			MARINE
	Can I help you, Ma'am?
	
	She smiles even more sweetly.
	
			CHARLIE
	I don't know, Corporal. Can you do 
	anything about this lunatic?
	
	The car door swings open. Maverick gets out. The car roars away. 
	He stands in the glare of the spotlight...rocking on his heels, 
	looking across at the guard, who snaps to attention and stares 
	holes in his chest.
	
	
	50.  INT. TOP GUN - NEXT MORNING. 
	
	
	Two guys in flight suits run down stairs past stencils of MiG 
	kills on walls, then down corridor.
	
			FLEX
	Not so fast...my head.
	
	They skid to stop outside a door.
	
	
	51.  INT. HANGAR
	
	Ground crews work on planes in B.G. Jester in middle of lecture.
	Door bursts open. Sundown and Flex skid to a halt when they see 
	whole class looking at them.
	
			JESTER
	Who are you?
	
			SUNDOWN
	I'm Sundown.
	
			JESTER
	Yeah, right. You're late.
	
	
	Viper breaks in, indicating Flex.
	
			VIPER
	And who are you?
	
			FLEX
	Flex 
	
			VIPER
	Flex...? You don't look like Flex  
	to me. You call that muscle? 
	Doesn't look like muscle. Looks 
	like...Pork.
	
	They laugh. Even Sundown has to laugh, scratching his chest.
	
			VIPER
	What're you laughing at? You're 
	Fungus.
	
	Stops scratching.
			SUNDOWN/FUNGUS
	Fungus!
	
			PORK
	Don't make an issue of it, it'll 
	stick.
	
			FUNGUS (Unhappily)
	
	It'll stick anyway. 
	
	Viper turns away...
	
			VIPER
	Now to continue. In this class we 
	will be dealing with F-5's and 
	A4's, as our MiG simulators. 
	Technically the F-5 does not have 
	the thrust to weight ratio of the 
	MiG-21--it also does not bleed 
	energy below 300 knots like the 
	MiG-21 does. The A4 does not turn 
	as well as the MiG-17 but has 
	significantly better visibility.
	
	Maverick looks back to his notes. SFX footsteps...door 
	opening. Viper looks up to back of room door.
	
			VIPER
	Hi, Charlie. Good, our TAGREF's 
	here. Charlie's the most qualified 
	to get into P subs and curves, and 
	VN diagrams.
	
	Maverick turns to see the TAGREF walk forward.  Maverick 
	stares at her as she passes without acknowledging him. He is 
	surprised, embarrassed.
	
			VIPER
	Charlotte Blackwood--code name Charlie-- 
	not your ordinary TAGREF. Charlie has 
	her Ph.D. in astrophysics--she's a 
	civilian contractor so you don't salute 
	her...or anything else. Is that clear?
	
	She walks to the front and starts her presentation. She 
	talks about something very technical, arcane. MiG tactics, 
	technology. As the briefing rattles on, Maverick reacts to 
	her. Goose glances over at him. He, too, recognizes the girl. 
	He looks at his partner. Maverick feels his stare.
	
			CHARLIE
	Hello, I think I have some new data for 
	you...Now a MiG 21 has a problem with 
	the inverted flight tanks. It won't do a 
	Negative G push over. Even below one G, 
	they risk a flame out. Operationally, 
	they will do a zero to one G only.
	
	A snicker from the audience. She hesitates momentarily, goes 
	on.
			CHARLIE
	
	The latest intelligence shows that 
	the most they will do in operation 
	is one....is there something wrong, 
	Lieutenant.
	
			MAVERICK
	I don't think you're altogether 
	right...about the MiG, that is.
	
	She stops--some of the pilots look at him. Viper glares.
	
			CHARLIE
	I beg your pardon.
	
			MAVERICK
	No, I beg yours. But I don't think 
	you're right on that.
	
			CHARLIE
	Why not?
	
			MAVERICK
	I saw one.
	
			CHARLIE
	You saw a MiG 21?
	
			MAVERICK
	I saw a MiG do a 4 G negative dive.
	
			CHARLIE
	    (She doesn't believe him)
	Where did you see that?
	
			MAVERICK
	It's classified.
	
	Nervous buzz in the room. Viper goes rigid. Charlie can't 
	believe it.
	
			CHARLIE
	It's what?
	
			MAVERICK
	It's classified. Like Hollywood 
	says, I could tell you, but then 
	I'd have to kill you.
	
	Pork stifles a laugh, the others chuckle. Viper is 
	embarrassed.
	
			VIPER
	Maverick!!!
	
	
	She stops Viper with a glance.
	
			CHARLIE
	It's all right.
	
	She can handle it. She is very cool, not overbearing. She 
	says it calmly. She doesn't want to embarrass him any more 
	than he is, but she has to get the facts straight.
	
			CHARLIE
	 Lieutenant, I have a top secret 
	clearance. The Pentagon sees to it 
	that I know more than you.
	
			MAVERICK
	Not in this case.
			CHARLIE
	    (Flatly.)
	You saw a MiG push negative 4G?
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes, ma'am.
	
			CHARLIE
	Where were you?
	
			MAVERICK
	On his six.
	
	Little stifled laughs.
	
			CHARLIE
	He was in a 4G Negative dive and 
	you were on his six?
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes, ma'am, At first. Then I was 
	directly above him.
	
	She stares at him for a moment, then she has him. She goes 
	for the kill.
	
			CHARLIE
	If you were directly above him, how 
	did you see him?
	
			MAVERICK
	I was inverted.
	
	A real buzz in the room.  Ice laughs audibly.
	
			CHARLIE
	You were in a 4G inverted dive with 
	a MiG 21?   (She can't believe it.)
	
	At what range ?
	
			MAVERICK
	Two.
	
			CHARLIE
	Two miles.
	
			MAVERICK
	Two meters.
	
	
	Chuckles, barely suppressed. Goose pipes up to deflect 
	attention.
	
			GOOSE
	One and a half, actually. I got a 
	polaroid.
	
			CHARLIE
	    (Flatly.)
	Lieutenant...
			MAVERICK
	Ma'am?
	
			CHARLIE
	What were you doing there?
	
			MAVERICK
	Giving him the bird.
	
	Open laughter. She thinks it's at her. She grows red.
	
			CHARLIE
	The what?
	
			MAVERICK
	You know. The finger.
	
	He shows her, but she can handle this. 
	
			CHARLIE
	So you're the reason those
	SALT talks failed.
	
	The room breaks into laughter. At him. Now he grows red. 
	Goose puts his hand on Maverick's arm, shakes his head as if 
	to say: "Let it go, pal, she got you". 
	
	She looks at Viper. He doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. 
	He knows there's something here he doesn't control.
	
			VIPER
	Lieutenant!
	
	
			GOOSE
	It's just like he says, sir.
	
			VIPER
	    (He snaps)
	I don't care!
	
	
	51A. CORRIDOR - OUTSIDE LECTURE HALL
	
	She walks away. He runs up and stops her.
	
			MAVERICK
	Why didn't you tell me you were a 
	TAGREF?
	
	She studies him coolly for a moment, like a specimen.
	
			CHARLIE
	It never came up.
	
			MAVERICK
	You let me make a fool of myself.
	
			CHARLIE
	You seemed determined to do that 
	anyway.. Why didn't you tell me you 
	were a famous MiG insulter?
			MAVERICK
	Would it have made a difference? 
	
			CHARLIE
	No.
	
			MAVERICK
	What would?
	
			CHARLIE
	You know, I'm assigned to this 
	school. I see sixteen new hotshots 
	every eight weeks. Your attention 
	is flattering, but not really 
	productive. Why don't you keep your 
	mind on flying.
	
	She reaches over and aligns his collar insignia.
	
			CHARLIE
	Why can't you keep this straight?
	
	She smiles at him and walks away. Maverick turns, sees the 
	others sizing him up. Most of them grin. Maverick moves down 
	the corridor past the CO's Office. Viper leans against the 
	
	doorsill. He lights a pipe, laconically eyes Maverick. His 
	tone gives away nothing, like an ELINT probe eliciting a 
	response.
	
			VIPER
	Maverick... Where'd you get that 
	call sign?
	
			MAVERICK
	Ahhh... Runs in the family, sir.
	
			VIPER
	You're father was Marvin Mitchell..
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir.
	
			VIPER
	A good man. Good flyer.
	
	Viper turns away. 
	
			MAVERICK
	Yes sir. Thank you sir.
	
	Maverick watches him for a beat, he's been tested, but he's 
	not sure how or why. He turns to catch up with Goose and the 
	others.
	
	EXT. SKY - LATER
	
	At twenty-eight thousand feet, the two planes circle each 
	other, going in opposite directions. As they jockey for 
	position, they snap past each other like ends of bullwhips.
	
	The earth spins, the horizon appears and disappears. With 
	each hard turn, Maverick and Goose can be heard "grunting" to 
	keep blood in their brains, to keep from passing out.
	
	The fight is hard, physical, and exhausting. The extreme G 
	forces--6.5--flatten them against their seats, causing their 
	heads to weigh over one hundred pounds. Maverick strains to 
	turn his head and track the other jet as it streaks past at 
	Mach One. 
			MAVERICK
	I've lost him -- where is he?
	
			GOOSE
	On your six -- coming hard. Four 
	hundred. Losing airspeed! He's on 
	your six and closing fast!
	Hard left! HARD LEFT!
	
	
	Maverick jerks the stick left, and the F-14 takes an 
	astonishing turn. Jester ROARS past into a wide arc.
	
			GOOSE
	Great move. Great
	
			MAVERICK
	He should've had me.
			GOOSE
	Take it down. Let's bug out of 
	here. Call for a draw.
	
			MAVERICK
	No way. I'll nail him this time. 
	Going vertical.
	
	
	THE PLANE EXPLODES INTO AFTERBURNER - rocketing toward 
	space. Jester is left in direct line with the sun, and his 
	canopy is sprayed with a blinding glare. Going ballistic is 
	dangerous. The plane flys like a bullet, obeying the laws of 
	physics, not the pilot's touch on control surfaces. The 
	ballistic call warns other aircraft that he is, for the 
	moment, out of control.
	
			GOOSE
	He's blind -- you got him!
	
			JESTER
	NO JOY! NO JOY! WHERE ARE YOU?
	I'VE LOST SIGHT.
	
			GOOSE
	He's out of energy! You got 
	control? Unload!
	
	The F-14 peels over the egg, in a backward dive. It rockets 
	down the outside, gaining energy. Over the ROAR of jets, the 
	SCREAM of the wind, Goose shouts data, but it is muffled, a 
	distant voice in a typhoon. Through the canopy, we see 
	Jester, and he hangs in the air like a sparrow in the path of 
	a falcon.
	
	PILOT'S POV - HUD in windscreen - a diamond in a box. 
	Maverick lines up the diamond with Jester, and we hear the 
	high pitched tone BEEPING.
	
			JESTER
	WE'RE BELOW THE HARD DECK. FIGHT'S 
	OFF.
	
			GOOSE
	He's right. We're at ten thousand.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	No way. I got you, sucker. You're 
	going down.
	
	Jester maneuvers, but Maverick keeps him in the gunsight. 
	The BEEPING is louder, faster.
	
			MAVERICK
	In the envelope. FOX TWO MISSILE 
	SHOT. YOU'RE GONE, JESTER, DEAD! 
			GOOSE
	    (stunned)
	Goddamn! We beat him!
	
	There is an edge of anger in Jester's voice.
	
			JESTER
	ROGER FOX TWO. GET YOUR BUTTS ABOVE 
	THE HARD DECK. RETURN TO BASE 
	IMMEDIATELY.
	              
	They are brought up short for a moment, then the thrill of 
	victory gets the best of them. Goose lets out a war whoop. 
	The F-14 sweeps up, rolls into an Immelman..
	
			MAVERICK
	We did it!
	
			GOOSE
	Look, Ma, top of the world!
	
	
	52A.  EXT. MIRAMAR - LANDING PATTERN.
	
	Maverick's Tomcat breaks hard and high, rolls over on its 
	side, wings perpendicular to the ground. Goose sees the world 
	go sideways.
	
			GOOSE
	Ahhh...A little high on the left, 
	don't you think?
	
			MAVERICK
	Right.
	
	He aileron rolls another quarter turn. Inverted, they pass 
	right down the runway.  Goose looks out and insouciantly 
	watches the world go by at 300 knots, upside down.
	
			GOOSE
	Right. Much better. ...Ahhh...what 
	do you call this?
	
	
	
			MAVERICK
	It's a victory roll.
	
			GOOSE
	I wouldn't call it victory.  It's 
	more like...self immolation.
	
	
	52B.  INT. CONTROL TOWER 
	
	Controllers work. Officers watch the landing activity. One 
	old salt, turns from the coffee machine, a cup of steaming 
	Java microns from his lips. A ROAR. VABOOM! The Tomcat roars 
	over. He yelps as hot coffee flys all over his shirt.         
	                                                    52C.  
	EXT. MAVERICK'S F-14
	
	They complete the roll, bank left, zoom right by the tower, 
	level with the observation window. 
	
	                                                             
	52D.  F-14'S POV. Controllers look out at the F-14, mouths 
	drop open. 
	
	
	52E.  ANGLE GOOSE
	
	He waves jauntily.
	
			GOOSE
	Hi...Hi there. How ya doing in 
	there?  Mav... Ahhh...you know, at 
	one point I did want a Navy career.
	
			MAVERICK
	Come on, relax...
	
			GOOSE
	You see all those guys with gold on 
	their shoulders!!?... Oh, no, I 
	think that was Johnson, Air Boss of 
	the Kitty Hawk! 
	
			MAVERICK
	Come on, we beat an instructor. How 
	many times in your life do you get 
	to do a victory roll? 
	
			GOOSE
	Just once, if they take your plane 
	away.
	
	They roll out, break over the runway.
	
	
	                                                      ***
	52F.  EXT. FLIGHTLINE. 
	
	Maverick and Goose walk by parking Tomcats...Ice is 
	unstrapping, Slider is climbing down. Ice looks at Maverick, 
	says one word.
	
			ICEMAN
	Cowboys!
	
	Maverick keeps walking...Goose hangs back.
	
			SLIDER
	Nice. Always a good idea to show up 
	your instructors.
	He nods toward Jester, glaring at them from his A4. Goose 
	indicates the backseat of the Tomcat.
	
			GOOSE
	Hey, see any controls back there? 
	   (thinks about team loyalty, 
	   reacts to Jester's glare...)
	And anyway...we beat the Son of a 
	Bitch!
	
	He turns and runs to catch up with Maverick.
	
	
	53.  INT. LOCKER ROOM - DAY
	
	Pilots half undressed. Maverick and Goose enter the room, 
	carrying their helmets. The students look up at them, and 
	Goose suddenly flashes a thumb's up sign with a grin. The 
	students react with clenched fists, ad libs, high fives, 
	victory punches.
	
			WOLFMAN
	You won?!!!
	
			MAVERICK
	Didn't everybody?
	
	"Oooo" -- they all go "ooo" and laugh.
	                                                 
			WOLFMAN
	No, we...got our butts kicked.
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	Thirty seconds. That's all it took 
	to blow us out of the sky.
	                                                
			WOLFMAN
	
	We went like this, he went like 
	that. I say to Hollywood: Where'd 
	he go? Hollywood says: where'd who 
	go?
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	And he's laughing. Right over the 
	radio, He's laughing at us.
	
	Attention turns to the doorway as Ice and Slider enter. Ice 
	gives a brief dramatic pause, then flashes thumbs up and 
	smiles. The students celebrate Ice's win.  Ice handles the 
	attention with the easy composure of one who is used to it. 
	Maverick ignores him and begins to peel out of his G-suit. 
	Ice moves toward his locker.
	                                                      ***
			GOOSE
	You won. 
	Congratulations.		HOLLYWOOD
	Maverick and Goose won too.
	
	Ice talks into his locker.
	
			ICE
	That's not what I heard.
	
			GOOSE
	We won! 
	Ice turns back, stares them down, then turns back into his 
	locker, dismissing them.
	
			ICE
	Below the hard deck doesn't count. 
	You guys are the second team, 
	aren't you?
	
	Maverick gets up, moves to him, starts to say something, 
	when Jester, breaks into the room.
	
			JESTER
	Maverick, Goose. Viper's office. Now!
	
	
	53A. INT. TOPGUN CORRIDOR OUTSIDE CO'S OFFICE.
	
	
	SCREAMING AND YELLING.  A lot of screaming and yelling, 
	muffled by the door.
	
	                                                             
	53B. INT. ANTEROOM. 
	
	Enlisted Yeomen and Chiefs go about their clerical duties in 
	acute embarrassment mixed with curiousity. Behind the CO'S door, 
	someone is screaming his head off.
	
	
	BOOM! The door bursts open. A big, brawling Officer - Johnson, 
	the Air Boss - blasts out, nearly smashing into a female petty 
	officer. She almost spills her coffee. Johnson looks right and 
	left in fury too strong for words. He looks like he wants to 
	smash something. They move out of his way, but he justs blasts 
	through the door and disappears down the hall.
	The enlisted men turn to Viper's office.
	
	
	53D  THEIR POV
	
	Jester stands inside stonefaced. Maverick and Goose are 
	rigid. Viper...with excess calm deliberation, softly walks 
	over, grasps the doornob. He glances in this direction. The 
	glance is totally without expression, and even scarier for 
	that.
	                                                  ***
	53D. ANGLE ENLISTED (MEN)
	
	In a flash, each man finds something totally engrossing in 
	his work, or something terribly important to do elsewhere. 
	Slowly, steadily, Viper swings his door closed.54.  INT. 
	VIPER'S OFFICE 
	
	He moves over to face Maverick. There is a SILENCE like 
	after a train wreck; nothing but the POPPING of sprung metal 
	and the low GASP of escaping steam. Viper speaks quietly, 
	like a funeral director consoling the living. Makes you want 
	to scream.
	
			VIPER
	Well....That about covers the 
	flyby. 
	
	Jester almost breaks into a grin.
	
			VIPER
	Now...in addition...you broke two 
	major rules of engagement. And... 
	That's ...not good.
	
	
	Maverick gives no response. Viper continues.
	
			VIPER
	Lieutenant Candela lost sight of 
	you, and called "no joy". You 
	failed to respond. 
	
	He stops and looks at Maverick... A beat. Maverick finally 
	nods 
			VIPER
	Why?
	
	
	Maverick is exhausted. It's been a long, rough day. His 
	voice is a horse whisper.
	
			MAVERICK
	I had him in view. I was peeling 
	over the egg, into a dive. He saw 
	me when I moved in for the kill. 
	There wasn't any danger...
	
			VIPER
	    (to Goose)
	Is that how you remember it?
	
			GOOSE
	Yes, sir. By the time we could 
	respond, we were diving right into 
	his view.
	
	Viper is not satisfied with the answer, but he moves on.
	
			VIPER
	The hard deck for this hop was ten 
	thousand feet. Jester, at what 
	point did you call off the fight?
	
			JESTER
	Just below ten thousand.
	
			VIPER
	But you continued to fight.
	
	Another pause, another grudging nod.
	
			VIPER
	Why?
	
			MAVERICK
	We weren't below for more than ten 
	seconds. There was no danger. I had 
	the shot. I took it.
	
			VIPER
	The rules of engagement are not 
	flexible. They exist for your  
	safety. You will obey them.
	Is that clear?
	
	Maverick thinks about continuing the discussion, but the 
	thought is momentary. He quickly cuts his losses, gives Viper 
	what he thinks he wants...He is just on the cusp of too 
	sincere.
	
			MAVERICK
	
	Yes sir, perfectly clear. I guess 
	we were ...I was... just a little 
	over enthusiastic.
	
	Viper measures him for a moment, then lets it go.
	
			VIPER
	I guess you were. Dismissed.
	
	Maverick and Goose leave the room. Viper looks at Jester, 
	picks up Maverick's fitness report. Doesn't read it, looks 
	back at Jester.
	
			JESTER
	I don't know what to tell you, 
	Skip.
	
			VIPER
	Tell me one thing.
	
	Jester waits.
	
	
			VIPER
	...If you had to go into combat, 
	would you want him with you?
	
	Jester turns, walks slowly around the room. The walls are 
	lined with pictures; planes and pilots...history. There are 
	MiG killers, attack squadrons, ground personnel...There's one 
	picture of a Phantom in flight with the backseater mooning 
	the camera. Other pictures show carriers, famous flyers, 
	previous CO's. Finally Jester replys.   
	
			JESTER
	Yep.
	
	Viper slaps shut the fitness report. 
	
			JESTER
	He's seat of the pants... 
	Completely unpredictable -- nothing 
	by the book. All over the sky. But 
	I don't know, Skip, he's really got 
	something.
	
			VIPER
	Yeah, we get one of these guys 
	every damn class.  (laughs) 
	"Maverick!" 
	
	He throws the report on the desk.
	
			JESTER
	
	Yup, a wild pony.
	
	
	55.  OMITTED
	
	
	56.  INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT
	
	Wind ROAR, jet WHINE. Hollywood and Wolfman are being thrown 
	about as Hollywood fights the stick.
	
	
			WOLFMAN
	No. No. Look out, you lost it.
	
	
	They depart flight. Tumble. The horizon swings wildly as 
	they go into flat spin.
	
			WOLFMAN
	We're dead!
	
	
	A face appears at 12,000 feet, right in front of their 
	canopy. Goose's eyes bug at them.
	
			GOOSE
	Man, you guys gooned it. Your laser 
	butts are scattered across KANSAS.
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	    (disgusted with himself)
	Come on. I died enough for one 
	night.
	
	
	56A.  EXT. COCKPIT
	
	They climb out of the simulator - A cockpit sprung on 
	moveable rams, surrounded by a dome on which video images are 
	projected.
	
	As they climb down, Maverick and Goose climb up into the 
	cockpit to take their place.
	
			GOOSE
	Have you guys ever considered 
	career counseling?
	
	
	57. OMITTED
	
	
	56B. SIMULATOR CONTROL ROOM - Filled with computers, tape 
	transports and video screen representations of computer 
	generated combat. Now Maverick flies it as Charlie and other 
	techs watch.
	
	56C. COCKPIT
	
	Maverick flys the heck out of it. It's real. It lurches and 
	bumps, the NOISES and sights look real. He gets on the tail 
	of a MiG. It breaks, he breaks, then what he does is just too 
	fast to follow. It screams around in a turn. Suddenly, there 
	is a WHUMMP...ALARMS...the lights come on.
	
			GOOSE
	What happened.
	
			TECH (V.O. FILTERED)
	What did you do in there?
	
			GOOSE
	What did you do? You broke it!
	58. COMPUTER ANALYSIS ROOM 
	
	Maverick and Goose enter. The techs cluster around the 
	keyboards trying to reprogram, to figure out what went wrong.
	
			CHARLIE
	You flew it off the template. 
	Nobody ever did that before.
	
			GOOSE
	That's what she said last night.
	
	She stares at Goose until he grins and moves off to give the 
	others his valuable opinions on how to reprogram the 
	computers.
	
			CHARLIE
	What is it about you?
	
	He just shrugs at her and smiles.
	
			MAVERICK
	What would you say, too fast...too 
	quick...
	
			CHARLIE
	And far too aggressive.
	
			MAVERICK
	It is combat. Every second counts. 
	
			CHARLIE
	
	The hottest moves in the world 
	aren't gonna help you if you wind 
	up alone.  Your wingman's got to be 
	able to follow you. Trust you. Know 
	that he can depend on you. It's 
	more than just fancy flying.
	
			MAVERICK
	Well, what you need...what you have 
	to keep looking for...what you want 
	to get is a wingman who can stay up 
	with you. Who can match you move 
	for move. Then you've got 
	something.  I'm sorry.
	
			CHARLIE
	For what?
	
			MAVERICK
	That stuff about the MiG. I was out 
	of line.
	
			CHARLIE
	Apology acknowledged.
	
			MAVERICK
	Is that all?
			CHARLIE
	What else do you want?
	
			MAVERICK
	Um. You.
	
			CHARLIE
	There you go with those moves 
	again.
	
			MAVERICK
	Too aggressive?
	
			CHARLIE
	I don't mix with the boys. I work 
	here. Let's keep it professional.
	
			MAVERICK
	I'm special.
	
			CHARLIE
	   (laughs)
	Yes. I'll give you that!
	
			MAVERICK
	Give me a break, I'm asking you 
	out.
	
	
			CHARLIE
	I can't.
	
			MAVERICK
	I thought there was something... 
	That night in the club...
	
			CHARLIE
	Lieutenant...
	
			MAVERICK
	Evan... or Maverick.
	
			CHARLIE
	Maverick...you know the rules of 
	engagement.
	
			MAVERICK
	    (can't believe it.)
		The what?
	
			CHARLIE
	Some one comes up hot on your six, 
	what do you do?
	
			MAVERICK
	What are you talking about?
	
			CHARLIE
	You turn into him, check him out, 
	identify friend or foe.
	
			MAVERICK
	I'm not your foe.
			CHARLIE
	And if he's harmless, you 
	disengage.
	
			MAVERICK
	Harmless!
	
			CHARLIE
	Uh hum.
	
			MAVERICK
	What if he's not?
	
			CHARLIE
	You have to shoot him down....If 
	he's smart, he'll turn away before 
	that happens.
	
			MAVERICK
	
	Harmless. Nobody ever called me 
	harmless before...
	
			CHARLIE
	And probably never again. It's 
	nothing personal. It's just...I 
	know a lot of pilots. Maybe I'm 
	immune...
	
			MAVERICK
	Don't worry, I'm a new strain. And 
	I don't give up. Everything I've 
	ever wanted I've had to work like 
	hell for. Well, how about it?
	
			CHARLIE
	How about what?
	
			MAVERICK
	How about anything, anything you 
	want to do.
	
			CHARLIE
	Hard to argue with that, isn't 
	it...
	
			MAVERICK
	A date... Coffee... A drink...A 
	walk in the park.
	
			CHARLIE
	What about the plane?
	
			MAVERICK
	What plane.
	
			CHARLIE
	Most of them invite me to sit in 
	the cockpit...play with the levers 
	and things. 
			MAVERICK
	Well, get used to it.
	
			CHARLIE
	Used to what?
	
			MAVERICK
	I'm different. 
	
			CHARLIE
	I'm starting to sense that now.
	
			MAVERICK
	
	You're slow to engage. But you'll 
	come around.
	
	She pushes him out the door
	
			MAVERICK
	Let's make it at eight.
	
			CHARLIE
	Make what?
	
			MAVERICK
	Anything.
	
			CHARLIE
	Okay, anything. Just...go. I've 
	gotta work.
	
	She closes the door, turns back to her screen.
	
	
	59 thru 61 OMITTED
	                                                
	***
	59A.  BEACH LA JOLLA - DAY
	
	A day off. Pilots, other personnel are enjoying a day at the 
	beach. There are bikinis, and beer, sunfishes and water 
	skiing. The annual Over-the-Line (a variation of softball) 
	tournament is in progress. The team from the Teddy Kennedy 
	Driving School is whipping another known as Scum de Terre. 
	The pilots are doing pretty well at blowing off steam.
	
	59B.  UNDERSEA
	
	Undulating sea grass. Muffled HISS of the surf. A pretty 
	fish comes into view. A spear shoots through it, and nails it 
	to the ocean floor.
	
	59C.  SHORELINE
	
	Two figures pop to the surface and wade in to the beach. 
	Maverick holds the wriggling fish. Charlie is repulsed. She 
	pulls off her mask and snorkle, follows him in to shore..
	59D. THE BEACH
	
	They flop down. He drops the fish in front of her, sees her 
	reaction at watching its death throes.
	
			CHARLIE
	Why'd you do that?
	
			MAVERICK
	   (surprised)
	
	I had the shot.
	
	She looks at him for a moment, then turns away, fiddles with 
	her mask.
	
			MAVERICK
	It dies. We live.
	
			CHARLIE
	You're an animal.
	
			MAVERICK
	That's true. What are you?
	
			CHARLIE
	I don't enjoy watching things 
	suffer.
	
	He smashes the fish on a rock. It is still.
	
			CHARLIE
	No!
	
			MAVERICK
	It's not suffering anymore.
	
			CHARLIE
	   (she looks at him strangely,  
	   half jokes)
	You're horrible
	
			MAVERICK
	You're not, cause you eat frozen 
	meatballs?   (he puts it down)
	Things die. Every time you breathe, 
	you kill millions of tiny 
	organisms. Every time you eat, 
	something had to die. 
	
			CHARLIE
	You don't have to kill it.
	
			MAVERICK
	Somebody does. It's more honest 
	this way. You do your own dirty 
	work.
	
			CHARLIE
	You ever think about killing 
	another human being?
	
			MAVERICK
	About as much as they think about 
	killing me.
	
	
			CHARLIE
	Does it bother you?
	
			MAVERICK
	They know the rules...(this is too 
	strong for her, she turns away, he 
	comes around to her.) That's the 
	deal. That's why you're up there. 
	It's him or me. That's the price of 
	admission. (she draws away) It 
	bothers you, why? You're part of 
	it. (She stiffens, he's losing her. 
	He softens)  Everybody dies. Most 
	people don't get to die for 
	something.
	
	You don't want to confront it, do 
	you. You want to keep it all clean, 
	cerebral... velocity vectors, 
	wing-load diagrams...You ever been 
	up?
	
			CHARLIE
	Flying?
			MAVERICK
	You use your mind to keep things at 
	a distance. You ever just let go?
	
	She doesn't answer.
	
			MAVERICK
	You know what really scares me? 
	Living too long. Losing my hair and 
	my teeth...and my guts and my wind. 
	And my brains...Sitting in a room 
	with my hands in my lap, watching 
	daytime TV. 
	
			CHARLIE
	You don't believe any of this. You 
	don't think you'll ever die.
	
			MAVERICK
	That's it, of course. When I'm up 
	there and doing it, I'm cheating it 
	every second. I'm subverting all 
	laws...gravity...whatever. I'm 
	skating the edge of it.
	
			CHARLIE
	Winston Churchill.
	
			MAVERICK
	
	What?
	
			CHARLIE
	What he said..."There's nothing so 
	exhilarating as being shot at 
	without result."
	
			MAVERICK
	All you've got is one life. I guess 
	it's worth about the same to every 
	body. You ever see an old woman 
	after her husband has died? And the 
	meaningless years of decline 
	stretch ahead...  When you're in 
	the air and doing something really 
	dangerous, you can look ahead... 
	maybe ten seconds. That's your 
	whole future. That's as far as it 
	goes. But imagine what those 
	seconds are worth.
	
			CHARLIE
	What if you kill yourself? Think of 
	everything you'll miss.
			MAVERICK
	There is lots of stuff I don't know 
	about...  Fine wine... great art... 
	the opera. I guess if I live long 
	enough, I'll get to it. If I don't, 
	I'll never miss it.
	
			CHARLIE
	Are you really that brave?
	
			MAVERICK
	    (shakes his head no.)
	I watched my mother die. Cancer. 
	She had a long time to think about 
	it. They say you reach an agreement 
	with death. Come to accept the fact 
	that pretty soon you won't be here. 
	I didn't see that. She... was very 
	brave...braver than I am. You go up 
	there, there isn't time to think. 
	If you make a mistake, you're just 
	a smudge on the ground. Simplifies 
	funeral arrangements.
	
			CHARLIE
	It's just as I thought.
	
			MAVERICK
	What?
	
	
			CHARLIE
	You're totally insane.
	
			MAVERICK
	   (he smiles)
	Thanks very much.
	   (he lifts the fish)
	Care for some suchi?.
	
	
	59E.  THE OTHER END OF THE BEACH - LATER
	
	A killer volleyball game in progress. Maverick and Charlie 
	wander toward it, talking softly to themselves. Goose runs up 
	and grabs him away. 
	
			GOOSE
	Come on, we're next.
	
			MAVERICK
	What?
	
			GOOSE
	Come on, I got over six bucks on 
	the line.
	
	Maverick looks up and sees the other two-man team, the 
	victors, waiting on the other side of the net for them. Of 
	course it had to be Ice and Slider.Charlie sits and watches 
	as the game gets immediately out of hand. In moments, 
	Maverick and Ice rotate to forward positions directly 
	opposite each other across the net. Other revelers turn to 
	watch as it degenerates (?) to more than a game. Maverick 
	glances at Charlie. He seems uncomfortable, but irrevocably 
	drawn into the confrontation. She says nothing, but her 
	attitude is apparent. Back to the game: Slider and Goose set 
	them up, as they try to spike the ball in each other's face. 
	The final point...up over the middle. They both go up, 
	Maverick smashes, Ice blocks, but the ball sails away, off 
	his forearm. For the first time ever, Maverick beats him. He 
	looks over at Charlie, she is staring out to sea. She looks 
	back at him and he's suddenly had enough competition. They 
	call for another game, but Maverick turns away...
	
			GOOSE
	Come on, come on! It's double or 
	nothing.. We're talking twelve 
	bucks American, here.
	
			MAVERICK
	I've had enough...for now.
	
	He grabs Charlie and his gear..
	
	
			MAVERICK
	Come on.
	
			CHARLIE
	Where?
	
			MAVERICK
	You want to go ballistic?
	
			CHARLIE
	I don't know. I don't like being 
	out of control.
	
	
	He looks back at Ice, bouncing the ball and staring at him.
	
			MAVERICK
	Stick with me, you'll get used to it.
	
	
	59F.  EXT. DESERT
	
	The Bike doing 130, 140, 150 mph. Charlie is unfazed. He 
	turns to check her out, she smiles back at him.
	
	CUT TO
	
	59G.  EXT. RUSTIC ADOBE CANTINA - SUNSET
	
	The bike is parked in front.
	
	MONTAGE ON LOCKED OFF CAMERA - to show the passage of time...the 
	latticed terrace, streaks of light. Maverick is feeding a dog. 
	Charlie sits on a rail watching him.
	
			MAVERICK
	I always wanted to fly... ever 
	since I first saw a jet. I wanted 
	to fly jets, then I wanted F-14's, 
	then I wanted to fly off carriers, 
	then I wanted Top Gun.
	
			CHARLIE
	And now?
	
			MAVERICK
	And now I want you.
	
			CHARLIE
	You always get what you want?
	
			MAVERICK
	I don't know yet.
	
	
	DISSOLVE
	
	He puts money in jukebox. She watches him...eye to eye 
	contact. The music comes on.
	
			CHARLIE
	I want it understood.
	
			MAVERICK
	Anything.
	
			CHARLIE
	No fooling on base, no signs,
	no comments, no talk. By anyone.
	
			MAVERICK
	Why?
	
			CHARLIE
	I'm a professional. You guys are
	in my line of work.
	
	
	A long beat. He looks at her -- makes the pact: like a 
	sailor.
	
			MAVERICK
	Acknowleged.
	
	She looks at his eyes for any sign of a put-on, insincerity. 
	Finally he smiles at her but she can read it. It's time. She 
	moves in and covers his grin with a gentle kiss.
	DISSOLVE
	
	To them sitting within striking distance at a table. The dog 
	sleeps beneath. Their eyes are now locked. The electricity 
	almost arcs between them.
	
	TCU Scrub pine table. Their fingertips touch.
	
	TIGHT SHOT. Waist to head. Holding, close together, swaying 
	in time with the music. Their lips gently brush.
	
	60. 61. OMITTED
	
	
	62.  EXT. DAY - DESERT - TACTS RANGE
	
	An F-14 swoops over the desert, ROARS over an antenna 
	complex.
	
	The JET.- In it's missile rack, it carries a TACTS 
	transponder. The TACTS Range is an area of the desert 
	completely enveloped by computerized radar. The computers 
	
	calculate a number of aircraft's positions and velocities by 
	means of transponders in the ships and ground stations that 
	talk to each other thousands of times a second.  Using this 
	system, it is possible to track aerial combat instantaneously 
	and give pilots directions and also to play back the combats 
	for analysis.
	
	
	63.  INT. TACTS RANGE TRAILER - DAY
	
	The double viewing screens are five feet high; high 
	technology, state of the art. On the screens are computer 
	animated figures showing jets from various angles. Flight 
	data is displayed. The operators punch buttons to show 
	various points-of-view of the battle: a pilot's p.o.v.; God's 
	p.o.v. from overhead, a long range p.o.v., showing topography 
	of the landscape and height of mountains.
	
	Students and instructors sit on chairs in the peanut 
	gallery, facing Viper at the front of the room. Charlie is in 
	the back.
	
			VIPER
	The bandit has good position right 
	here. All right, freeze here. The 
	moment of choice -- Maverick is 
	defensive. He has a chance to bug 
	out right here....Better to retire 
	and save your plane than force a 
	bad position. Stay in the diamond 
	another three seconds, the bandit 
	will blow you out of the sky...make 
	a hard right, select zone 
	5...(turns to Maverick to drive 
	point home) you can extend and 
	escape. You make a bad choice. Roll 
	forward.
	
	The computerized rendering resumes on the screen.
			VIPER (Con't)
	You perform a split S. That's the 
	last thing you should do. The 
	bandit is right on your tail -- 
	Freeze there...the bandit has you 
	in his gunsight. What were you 
	thinking here, Maverick?
	
			MAVERICK
	I wasn't thinking. I just did it.
	
			VIPER
	Big gamble with a thirty million 
	dollar plane!
	
	
			MAVERICK
	    (smiling)
	No guts, no glory.
	
	It's a joke. Viper doesn't like that answer at all, but some 
	of the students laugh and mockingly whistle at the cockiness 
	of it. They give Maverick the high sign. Slider leans forward 
	to him.
			SLIDER
	Your guts. His glory.
	
	Maverick slumps down in his chair under Viper's glare.  The 
	computer rendering rolls forward again. He glances back at 
	Charlie. She smiles sympathetically at him.
	
			VIPER
	Unfortunately, the gamble worked, 
	or you might have learned 
	something. The bandit never gets a 
	clean shot...Maverick makes an 
	aggressive vertical move here, 
	comes over the top and defeats the 
	bandit with a missile shot. The 
	encounter was a victory, but we've 
	shown it as an example of what not 
	to do. Ice is next.
	
	Another computerized rendering comes up on the screen. 
	Hollywood leans close to Maverick and speaks quietly.
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	Gutsiest move I ever saw.
	
	Maverick gives him a small nod of appreciation.
	
			VIPER
	And the dumbest...Okay, look at 
	this. It's textbook. Ice takes 
	control of the battle immediately. 
	He never gives the bandit a chance 
	to take the offensive. An early 
	turn here -- excellent. He goes for 
	the jugular, and it's over just 
	that quick. Let's run that again, 
	it's exactly how it should be done.
	
	
	64.  through  75B. OMITTED
	
	76.  EXT. MIRAMAR RUNWAY - DAY
	
	In full flight gear, carrying their helmets and trying to 
	stuff food down their gullets, the students rush/stumble 
	toward the flight line. Hollywood takes a bit of a sandwich 
	and makes a face.
			GOOSE
	What the hell is this?
	
			MAVERICK
	Don't chew it, you won't have it 
	that long. Easier to clean the 
	cockpit if it comes up in big 
	chunks.
	
	Jester yells from the distance.
	
			JESTER
	On the run. Let's go. Move it!
	
			GOOSE
	A fighter pilot's lunch... a hot 
	dog and a puke.
	
	
	They scurry ahead, overtaking the others. 
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	I was a victim of circumstance.
	
			GOOSE
	They should have warned you about 
	that one.
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	She's kinky for flight suits--said 
	that she'd never seen so many 
	zippers--played with them all 
	night. The noise alone kept me up.
	
			GOOSE
	What'd you do?
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	Pulled left, rolled out, 
	underneath.
	
			WOLFMAN
	It's kind of ironic. All you guys 
	have women troubles and I don't.
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	That's because you don't have any 
	women.
	
			WOLFMAN
	Until last night. Did you see the 
	moves I was making on that girl at 
	the party?
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	The girl with the purple 
	fingernails?
	
			WOLFMAN
	That's her--tall hungry woman with 
	fire in her eyes. It was great.
	
			MAVERICK
	It was bad.
	
			WOLFMAN
	Bad?
	
			MAVERICK
	The girl with the purple 
	fingernails was Coogan's sister.
	
	They all laugh. Wolfman looks stunned.
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	Coogan spent half the night looking 
	for her. He said he was gonna kill 
	the son-of-a-bitch who ruined his 
	sister.
	
			WOLFMAN
	I didn't ruin her.
	
			MAVERICK
	You didn't help.
	
			WOLFMAN
	No, really. She came ruined!...   
	Ya think he knows it was me?
	
			GOOSE
	Seemed not to. But it's hard to 
	know. You never can tell what's in 
	the mind of a psychopath.
	
	Wolfman looks very unsettled.
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	Hear about Ice?
	
			WOLFMAN
	What now?
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	He won again.
	
	Goose walks beside Maverick now.
	
			GOOSE
	Something bothering you?
	
			MAVERICK
	Nothing. Let's just go fight.
	
	
	Wolfman looks very apprehensive as they approach the F-14's. 
	MECHANICS surround both planes, making last minute checks of 
	all systems. Among them is COOGAN, six and a half feet tall, 
	looking mean. Maverick tosses him a wave.
	
			MAVERICK
	Morning, Coogan.
	
			WOLFMAN
	How's it goin', Coog?
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	Ever find your sister, Coogan?
	
			COOGAN
	You guys know somethin' about that?
	
	Wolfman swallows hard and hurries quickly into the plane. 
	Coogan glares at them all with a look that could kill.
	
	
	77.  OMITTED
	
	78.  EXT. F-14'S - DAY
	
	Hollywood leads, Maverick follows. They point their noses 
	down and dive. Two bogies fly side by side at five thousand, 
	outlined against the blue Pacific. Smaller, slower, they seem 
	helpless for a moment. We hear the instructors in the F-5's.
	
	
			VIPER (V.O. filtered) 
	TWO AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, JESTER. 
	SCRAMBLE.
	
			JESTER
	ROGER. COMING LEFT.
	
			HOLLYWOOD 
	Holy shit, it's Viper.
	
			MAVERICK 
	Keep your shirt on, he's saying 
	holy shit it's us.
	
	The bogies split. Bogey One hard left. Bogey Two hard right. 
	Hollywood sweeps left, pursuing Bogey One. Maverick hangs 
	back to cover him.
	
	Bogey One makes a strong vertical move. Hollywood stays on 
	him.
			MAVERICK
	STAY WITH HIM, WOOD... YOUR SIX 
	CLEAR!
	
	Bogey One loops and comes down, and Hollywood almost loses 
	him for a moment before regaining the angle.
	
			MAVERICK
	STAY WITH HIM! TIGHTEN YOUR TURN!
	
			GOOSE
	Bogey at three o'clock high! Nose 
	on!
	
	Maverick looks quickly at three o'clock high, sees Bogey Two 
	returning to the fight. He jerks the stick right, and the two 
	planes make a quick pass.
	
			VIPER
	SNAPSHOT..MISSED HIM..
	
			MAVERICK
	ENGAGING THE OTHER GUY.
	WOOD, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN.
	
			GOOSE
	Just cover Wood, Maverick.
	Mutual support, man!
	
			MAVERICK
	I'm gonna take him, Goose.
	
			GOOSE
	Don't be greedy. Stay with Wood.
	
			MAVERICK
	I want him!
	
	Maverick goes suddenly vertical, zooms straight up.
	
			GOOSE
	Hey, come on--hey!
	
	Maverick loops the F-14 down to get the quick angle on Viper 
	in Bogey Two. Viper takes off, running from the fight again. 
	Maverick looks over his shoulder and sees that Hollywood 
	still has a good position on Bogey One. He takes a hard right 
	and streaks off after Viper.
	
			GOOSE
	What what are you doing?
	We're cover!
	
			MAVERICK
	Wood's okay. I want Viper.
	
	Goose looks back at Hollywood and Bogey One.
	
			GOOSE
	But we're cover!
	
	
	Viper streaks across the sky with Maverick close behind. He 
	pushes the throttle forward to ZONE 5 - full afterburner.
	Viper shows all his tricks...hard left, hard right, rolling 
	into vertical, flipping into a dive. Maverick stays with him. 
	
	
			VIPER (To himself)
	Goddamn, rookie, you're all right!
	
	
	79.  INT. F-14
	
	Maverick turns to get Viper in the diamond. He hears a 
	SIDEWINDER GROWL in his headset.
	
			MAVERICK
	What's the range, Goose. I've got a 
	good tone.
	
	Viper jinks but Maverick stays with him.  Viper is in the 
	diamond, and the TONE GOES CRAZY. But suddenly....
	
			GOOSE
	Two bogies ! Three o'clock high, 
	nine o'clock high! Break!
	
	They come out of nowhere, flashing down toward Maverick--a 
	crossfire ambush. Maverick's eyes are startled.
	
			JESTER
	ATOLL ON THE NORTHERN F-14. HE'S 
	OUT OF THE FIGHT..
	
	Maverick is stunned. He has been tricked, humiliated. 
	There's a little salt for the wound as Viper and Jester 
	celebrate.
	
			VIPER
	 	WALKED RIGHT INTO IT.
	
			JESTER
	NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ZORRO GOT YOUR 
	WINGMAN. NICE GOING. 
	
			GOOSE
	THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REGRETS TO 
	INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SONS ARE DEAD 
	BECAUSE THEY WERE STUPID! 
	
	Slaps his helmet like a dolt...
	
			VIPER
	KNOCK OFF THE CHATTER, TOP GUNS. 
	LET'S RTB. VIPER HAS THE LEAD.
	
	
	80.  INT. LOCKER ROOM - DAY
	
	Silence. Several pilots in various forms of undress. 
	Maverick and Goose sit with their heads down, a hangdog 
	expression on their faces.
	
	81.  INT. DIRTY DAN'S - A BAR - 
	LATER
	
	Maverick mopes at the bar, a figure comes up behind him.
	
			VIPER
	Ya know, that was the best flying 
	I've seen since Nam...(He grins) 
	...Right up to that part where you 
	got killed.
	
	Viper sits down. He's in a jovial, taunting mood.  Maverick 
	watches him guardedly.
	
			VIPER
	Twenty years' experience, I 
	couldn't shake you. You may be a 
	great flyer. I mean that.
	
			MAVERICK
	I lost.
	
			VIPER
	Of course you did. I said a great 
	flyer, not a smart one. You fly 
	reckless. Great instincts. No 
	discipline. That ambush today, you 
	followed your emotions instead of 
	your wingman. Of course you got 
	killed...and well deserved to. It 
	was a really stupid mistake. In 
	battle, it gets people killed.
	
	Maverick nods and stares at his beer.
	
			MAVERICK
	I can take care of myself.
	
			VIPER
	Talent is no holy shield. Von 
	Richtofen was killed by a farm boy. 
	Instincts are not enough. Do it our 
	way. We've worked these things out. 
	The good pilots can become better 
	and the great ones can learn how to 
	stay alive.  (he studies him for a 
	moment)  Why do you have to do 
	everything the hard way?
	
			MAVERICK
	It's my own way. It works for me.  
	I don't care about the rest of that 
	stuff.
	
			VIPER
	Then why are you here?
	
			MAVERICK
	For the same reason you are.
	
			VIPER
	Oh, you mean the thrill!
	
			MAVERICK
	The flying. The fighting.  I'd go 
	up there ten times a day to fight. 
	I'd win at least nine of them. 
	That's all I want to do. It's what 
	I do best. I am real good.  Just 
	give me the jet.
	
	Viper studies him,
	
			VIPER
	It's not a gift, just a loan...
	
	He finishes his beer, then rises.
	
			VIPER
	Nine out of ten is okay, as long as 
	it's only fun and games. But this 
	isn't about that. This is serious 
	business. It is dangerous up there! 
	At 500 knots, things can change a 
	lot in a second. Discipline is what 
	protects us.
	
	He signals the bartender and drops some money on the bar. He 
	stretches, looks around. 
	
			VIPER
	It was a good day. You learned 
	something. You lost and you're 
	still alive to think about it. And, 
	you lost your wingman. That's a 
	cardinal sin...don't ever do it 
	again. You owe Hollywood an apology 
	and you owe me a beer.
	
	Viper touches Maverick's shoulder as he moves away. It was 
	just the gesture Maverick needed, for he seems to relax from 
	his tension. He sips his beer alone.
	
	
	82.  INT. SAN DIEGO AIRPORT - NIGHT
	
	Maverick and Goose move through the terminal, 
	anxious/expectant looks on their faces.
	
			GOOSE
	Relationships are a bitch, here. 
	It's hard enough to concentrate 
	...under the pressure. Having a 
	woman here is asking for it.
	
			MAVERICK
	I guess that's what I'm doing, 
	then.
	
			GOOSE
	Where do you find the time? Where 
	do you find the energy. It's tough 
	enough to keep your mind on school. 
	A woman here is a real pain in 
	the...
	
	
	A pretty woman emerges from the crowd and spots them first. 
	She rushes them, happily, carrying her sleepy four-year-old, 
	RICKY. Goose undergoes an immediate change, beaming a big 
	smile that he has practiced on her for years. She sets down 
	the kid.
	
			GOOSE
	...butt...Hi, honey, God, am I glad 
	to see you! I missed you.
	
	Goose wraps his arms around Carol, smack, a kiss. She smiles 
	at Maverick, turns back to Goose.
	
			CAROL
	I had to come, Willard, I got so 
	lonesome I just couldn't stand it.
	
			GOOSE
	Sure, honey, I understand. It's 
	great to see you. Hey where's your 
	backseater, where's the world's 
	smallest RIO..
	
	He looks all around and then down at the kid, hiding shyly 
	behind his mother's skirts. Goose grabs up the kid and zooms 
	him around, a game they've played before, every six months or 
	so. The kid laughs happily.  Maverick just sort of smiles to 
	himself and shakes his head.
	
	83.  OMITTED
	
	84.  A POOL (OR BEACH)
	
	Maverick comes to the surface. She enters frame by the side 
	of the pool.  She hands him a split fresh pineapple. He eats 
	it in the  most salacious manner possible. He's so contented, 
	he's babbling.
	
			MAVERICK
	Food...and you...my F-14!
	
			CHARLIE
	In that order?
	
			MAVERICK
	Well no...inverse order.
	
			CHARLIE
	I'm still second best.
	
			MAVERICK
	You ever fly an F-14?
	    (She laughs.)
	
			CHARLIE
	I don't fly in anything that
		doesn't show movies.
	
	He gets out, grabs a towel, moves over to some chairs. His 
	flight suit is draped over one. He moves it to sit down.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	Ahhh, you'd love it. Night carrier 
	landings! The most dangerous thing 
	you can think of! ...next to 
	you...And the most exciting. You're 
	living at one hundred and ten per 
	cent. Greatest high in the world... 
	
	
			CHARLIE
	Danger?
	
			MAVERICK
	    (of course).
	Yeah! 
	
			CHARLIE
	Doesn't it ever bother you?
	
			MAVERICK
	Why, what's gonna happen?
	
	His flight suit slips onto the ground. Charlie retrieves it. 
	As she lifts the suit, something falls out of the pocket. 
	Looks like a gold coin. She picks it up. Maverick is drying 
	his hair. She holds the object out to him, questioning. He 
	sees it, quickly takes it, stuffs it back into his pocket.
	
			MAVERICK
	Lucky charm.
	
			CHARLIE
	What do you take me for? It's a 
	Navy Cross.
	
			MAVERICK
	Just good luck.
	
			CHARLIE
	Where'd you get it.
	
			MAVERICK
	Pawn shop. What's to eat?
	
	He roots through a picnic basket.
	
	
	84A.  MONTAGE - PREFLIGHT ACTIVITY
	
			VIPER (V.O.) 
	...MiG sweep over the water.  You 
	will proceed down the one-seven 
	-zero degree radial looking for 
	MiGs. You will engage all that you 
	find, destroy them, and return to 
	base. Maverick, has the lead. Any 
	questions? All right, let's go. 
	Move like you've got a 
	purpose....
	
	85.  EXT. CLOUD COVER - 
	20,000 FT. - DAY
	
	Four F-14's fly in formation over the Pacific, searching for 
	(MiGs). They spot them, engage. The combatants fly scissor 
	patterns, slashing past each other, angling for position.
	
	We hear the VOICES OF COMBAT from the planes, a barrage of 
	information exchanges between pilots and RIO's. Maverick and 
	Ice swoop close together on each other's wing--moving on each 
	other, testing, they glance at each other and nod. The 
	Challenge...the fight is on. Suddenly an F-5 rises up out of 
	the clouds in front of them--Ice has the advantage and rolls 
	in on him.
	
			ICE
	ENGAGING BANDIT 12 O'CLOCK.
	
			MAVERICK
	SHIT!!
	
	The F-5 sees his pursuers. Goes into a hard left.
	
			ICE
	MIG'S IN A LEFT. MIG'S IN A 
	LEFTHAND. I'M ENGAGING.
	
	
	Ice struggles against the G's to bring his nose to bear. 
	They go around into a Lufbery--a tight circle, Ice has the 
	advantage. He is closer to the F-5's tail than the F-5 is to 
	his. But he can't close, can't line up the shot. He grunts 
	and strains as the G force pushes him down.
	
			MAVERICK
	COME OFF RIGHT--COME OFF HIGH--I'M 
	IN--I'LL ENGAGE.
	
			ICE
	STAY WHERE YOU ARE. HE'S MINE. I'M 
	ENGAGED. I'M IN.
	
	Maverick maneuvers close to their left circle.
	
			ICE
	GET OUT OF THERE, YOU'RE UNSAFE. 
	GET OUT OF THERE.
	
			MAVERICK
	FIRE, OR CLEAR OUT, ICE.
	
			ICE
	GET LOST!
	
			MAVERICK
	YOU GOT TOO MUCH NOSE TO TAIL -- 
	I'M COMING IN.
	
			ICE
	IT'S MY SHOT.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	COME OFF--COME OFF RIGHT. I'M ON MY 
	WAY IN. YOU GO FREE, I'M ENGAGING.
	
			ICE
	STAY OUT OF IT. STAY OUT OF IT, 
	MAVERICK.
	
			MAVERICK
	YOU CAN'T SHOOT HIM, I CAN. I'M IN.
	
	
	MAVERICK - ABOVE.
	
			MAVERICK
	ICE, ROLL OFF, I CAN SHOOT HIM.
	
			ICE
	NO, NO, NO, HE'S MINE.
	
	
	Maverick is pulling a log of G's, but can't target his 
	weapons, he continues to turn in a hard circle, going round 
	and round without gaining. He can't bring his nose to bear.
	
			MAVERICK
	IF YOU CAN'T SHOOT HIM, I CAN.
	
			ICE
	NO, I GOT HIM. I CAN TAKE HIM.
	
	Ice stays.
	
			MAVERICK
	COMING IN.
	
	Maverick dives down between the two planes pulling 6.5 G's, 
	exposing his underside to Ice. All Ice sees is belly. 
	Obviously, in this attitude Maverick can't see him.
	
			ICE
	    (under breath.)
	Sonofabitch.
	
	He slams the stick hard right in toward Maverick. 
	Ice quickly rolls up right, in front of him.
	
			ICE
	LOOK OUT!
	
	
	Maverick sees him flash into his view. He has to slam the 
	stick forward to avoid collision. He swings by real close. 
	Too close.
	
			GOOSE
	Oh, no!
	
	
	
	They pass through Ice's turbulence. The blast distorts the 
	airflow to Maverick's left engine. BOOMBOOMBOOM. The engine 
	flames out. Full thrust on the right, engine swings the tail 
	around in a yaw. Maverick slams the stick right to correct 
	but too late.
	
			GOOSE
	Plane's coupling up! Plane's 
	coupling up!
	
	
	The plane couples one yaw to the next--the tail swings 
	around-- which becomes an ever increasing flat spin, like an 
	out-of -control frisbee.
	
			GOOSE
	This is not good!...(Rising panic) 
	We're low!
	
	
	Maverick is pinned to the instrument panel by centrifugal 
	force, desperately tries to reach back for the ejection 
	lever--but is falling short by about a foot.
	
			MAVERICK
	I'm pinned to the panel.
	
			GOOSE
	Time to go.
	
			MAVERICK
	I can't eject.
	
	
	The plane is spinning ever faster, out of control. He drops 
	the gear. Still spins. Goose is closer to center of spin--G 
	forces are less. He reaches behind him for the eject handle, 
	starts the eject sequence.
	
			GOOSE
	3000 feet. I'll do it.
	
			MAVERICK
	Go ahead. I can't reach. 2000 feet!
	
	
	85A.  BOOM - A HURRICANE OF WIND AND NOISE
	
	The canopy BLASTS away--but is held spinning above the 
	cockpit by the vortex of the sinking jet. Goose glances up at 
	it.
	
			GOOSE
	1000.
	
			MAVERICK
	Let's go. Eject.
	
	
	Goose yanks the ejection handle. Things happen in a split 
	second. Goose is fired up and out by the rocket under his 
	seat. Almost instantly he impacts the spinning canopy. A 
	sickening CRUNCH. The canopy is knocked away. Maverick is 
	slammed back in his seat as the ejection seat straps wind up. 
	He is BLASTED out of the plane just before it spins in.
	
	
	85B.  TIGHT ON MAVERICK AS HE TUMBLES IN SLOW MOTION
	
	He's in shock..the loud THUMPING of his heart, labored 
	breathing, a scream that stays in his mind.
	
	Instinctively, he gropes for straps. He releases the pilot 
	seat, it tumbles away. His chute streams, balloons open, 
	snapping his body like a bullwhip.  He drifts momentarily, 
	then plunges into the sea.
	
	
	85C. UNDERWATER
	
	His face, distorted in the water; wild eyes, disoriented, 
	choking for air. He reaches out, finds nothing to grab.
	Suddenly, he is yanked hard to the side.
	
	
	85D.  SURFACE 
	
	The parachute is caught by the wind, and dragged, pulling 
	Maverick along beneath the surface. He is twisting in the 
	water, turning over and over, trying desperately to slip out 
	of the tangled straps. He finally hits the surface of the 
	water and sucks air into his lungs. With the end of his 
	strength, he hits the release snaps and breaks free from the 
	parachute. It whips away like a kite in a typhoon.
	
	The sea is choppy and rough. He struggles as his equipment 
	drags him under. He twists, finds the inflatable raft 
	attached to his harness. Maverick pulls the cord, and the 
	raft hisses open. He pulls his body into the six-by-two foot 
	raft and collapses, completely exhausted. The survival has 
	been almost without thinking: an instinctual physical 
	struggle.
	
	
	85E.  TWILIGHT
	
	Maverick begins to focus on the situation. He stains the 
	water with dye, then sees another parachute floating nearby. 
	Paddling to the parachute, he reaches over the side and 
	begins to pull on the heavy cords that are submerged in the 
	water.
	
	A great struggle. The weight is extremely heavy. Finally, he 
	pulls a body to the surface. Goose. Goose is dead. Maverick 
	releases the parachute and pulls Goose into the raft on top 
	of him. He holds Goose in his arms. His mind shuts down 
	again.
	
	From high above the ocean, we see the debris on the water. 
	An oil slick, pieces of honeycomb titanium, and the small, 
	helpless figure in the raft.
	
	DISSOLVE TO:
	
	86.  EXT. OCEAN - NIGHT
	
	Searchlights skim over the black ocean. A brilliant light 
	flashes as Maverick pops a pencil flare. Helicopter blades 
	flick powerfully. The lights of the choppers descend toward 
	the wreckage area, scanning the debris, searching for life. 
	The spotlights find Maverick and Goose in the raft.
	
	The draft from the chopper churns the water. A FROGMAN drops 
	from the chopper and hits with a heavy splashes. He surfaces 
	and swims to the raft as a rescue harness is lowered.
	
	Maverick watches curiously as he starts to examine Goose. He 
	hugs Goose closer and looks threatened.
	
	
			FROGMAN
	Let him go, sir. Take it easy.
	
	He tries to pry Goose free, but Maverick has a death grip on 
	the body.
	
			FROGMAN
	Sir! Let him go. It's all right. 
	Let him go.
	
	
	Maverick glares at the man as he bobs in the water.
	
	Another long moment, then Maverick releases Goose. The 
	frogman quickly straps Maverick into the harness. 
	
	HIS POV. - He watches the lifeless body in the water as he 
	is pulled up and away. He shivers from the cold.
	
	
	87.  INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT
	
	Extreme CLOSE ON Maverick's face. He is emotionless. His 
	eyes are flat and absolutely without expression. There is 
	complete silence in the room. Then we hear the quiet, calm, 
	probing voice of Viper.
	
			VIPER
	How do you feel?
	
			MAVERICK
	All right.
	
			VIPER
	Goose is dead.
	
			MAVERICK
	I know. I was there.
	
	
	
	Not one sign of emotion from Maverick. Not one tone of 
	expression. We see Viper now, and his face is strained from a 
	very long day.
	
			VIPER
	If you fly jets long enough, 
	something like this happens to you. 
	No one escapes it. It touches us 
	all.
	
	Maverick looks at Viper, and his eyes are very disturbed.
	
			MAVERICK
	He was...my responsibility--my RIO.
	
			VIPER
	My first squadron in Vietnam, we 
	lost eight out of eighteen planes. 
	Ten guys. The first one kills you, 
	but there'll be others--you can 
	count on it.
	
	
	No reaction from Maverick. He can't quite face up to that 
	reality right now.
	
			VIPER
	You've got to put him in the box.
	
	
	Maverick is watching Viper, but he doesn't have anything to 
	say.
	
	
	88.  EXT. CHARLIE'S SPORTSCAR - NIGHT
	
	The RADIO plays John Lennon; "Stand by Me". Maverick opens 
	his eyes, doesn't know where he is for a moment.
	
			CHARLIE
	...they say you're alright.
	
			MAVERICK
	I'm fine.
	
			CHARLIE
	This is it, then.
	
			MAVERICK
	What?
	
			CHARLIE
	The dark side. The price you pay 
	for all the fun you're having. You 
	knew about it, of course. Didn't 
	you?
	
			MAVERICK
	He was a friend of mine. A good 
	guy...great guy. It was my 
	fault.
	
			CHARLIE
	That's not what I hear.
	
			MAVERICK
	I was flying...my responsibility.
	
			CHARLIE
	That's what you get flight pay for.
	
			MAVERICK
	Maybe I shouldn't take it.
	
			CHARLIE
	    (In surprise)
	Why? You act like you didn't know 
	one day this would happen.
	
			MAVERICK
	Not to me.
	
			CHARLIE
	You knew it. You all do. It's part 
	of it. Maybe the most important 
	part.
	
	
	88A.  ON THE BEACH - NIGHT AND FOG 
	
	Charlie's car pulls up. They get out and walk down toward 
	the water. Maverick seems dazed. She is softly taunting.
	
			MAVERICK
	Where are we?
	
			CHARLIE
	Where are we? You know where we 
	are. It's called the beach. It's 
	where life first crawled up out of 
	the sea. I come here sometimes... 
	when I feel like crawling back in.
	
			MAVERICK
	You don't have to do this.
	
			CHARLIE
	Do what, show you a good time?
	
			MAVERICK
	I'm not good company. I should be 
	alone.
	
			CHARLIE
	I don't think so, but if that's 
	what you want...
	
	They stand there, not making a move.
	
			MAVERICK
	No.
	
			CHARLIE
	What do you want?
	
			MAVERICK
	I want it back.
	
			CHARLIE
	What?
	
			MAVERICK
	Yesterday.
	
	She turns, nods out, past the moon.
	
			CHARLIE
	You look way out there. Out past 
	the date line. West becomes East, 
	all things change. You cross the 
	line...today becomes yesterday...or 
	tomorrow, I forget which.
	
			MAVERICK
	That's what I want.
	
			CHARLIE
	Of course the line's just 
	imaginary. You can cross it twenty 
	times...nothing really changes.
	
	She turns and walks along the surfline.
	
			CHARLIE
	On the beach... It's what they say 
	when Navy men retire...He's "On The 
	Beach". I always liked that. I had 
	a picture...in my head... all these 
	old guys wandering around here, 
	looking out into the past.
	
	He walks to the surf, kicks the sand with his bare feet.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	If we knew then, what we know now, 
	we might never have come up out of 
	there.
	
	He turns to her. She just looks at him.
	
			CHARLIE
	You don't believe that.
	
			MAVERICK
	Hardly ever.
	
			CHARLIE
	Only when you're depressed. Then it 
	passes.
	
			MAVERICK
	It does.
	
			CHARLIE
	Everything passes. Immutable law of 
	the Universe.
	
	
	He picks up a piece of flotsam, a twig, worn smooth.
	
			CHARLIE
	This too...shall pass. You put as 
	much life as you can between it and 
	you. You start piling up experience 
	between then and now.
	
	He turns and walks.
	
			MAVERICK
	What do you do when you come here?
	
			CHARLIE
	I sit. I think. I play games.
	
			MAVERICK
	What kind of games?
	
			CHARLIE
	I like to play "reality".
	
	She stops and turns.
	
			MAVERICK
	How do you play reality.
	
			CHARLIE
	It's strip reality, actually, like 
	what the pilots always want to 
	play.
	
			MAVERICK
	  (this gets a small laugh)
	Strip reality! How do you play 
	that?
	
			CHARLIE
	It's like strip poker, only, 
	without the bluffing. (he laughs 
	again) One person says something 
	and if the other one accepts that 
	it's true, the one who says it, 
	gets to take one item of clothing 
	off.
	
			MAVERICK
	You're crazy. (She stops, he goes 
	on, softer) That's a pretty silly 
	game.
	
			CHARLIE
	Not as silly as some. You know the 
	silliest one? ...that we are gods. 
	That we control events on the 
	beach... that we can turn back 
	time...
	
	She moves in close.
	
			CHARLIE
	Want to play the game? 
	
			MAVERICK
	How does it go?
	
			CHARLIE
	You say the truth. (a beat...)    
	Go ahead. Don't be afraid. You want 
	to win the game, don'tcha?
	
			MAVERICK
	What truth?
	
			CHARLIE
	The big one. The one that's most on 
	your mind.
	
	A long pause...it comes hard.
	
			MAVERICK
	Goose is dead.
	
			CHARLIE
	    (she nods)
	True.
	
			MAVERICK
	Now?
	
			CHARLIE
	Take something off.
	
			MAVERICK
	Off me or off you?
	
			CHARLIE
	That's up to you.
	
	
	He takes the ribbon from her hair. It falls down over her 
	face and shoulders. Now it's her turn.
	
			CHARLIE
	It's dangerous...what you do.
	
	He nods. She slowly loosens his tie and pulls it from around 
	his neck.
	
			MAVERICK
	It was my fault.
	
	
	She says nothing, stands looking into his eyes. He slowly, 
	as if in a trance, takes her blouse off.
	
			CHARLIE
	You can't bring him back.
	
	She takes off his shirt.
	
			MAVERICK
	It was my fault.
	
	
	
	He starts to reach for her. She pulls back.
	
			CHARLIE
	Nope. Already used that.
	
	She turns and thinks for a moment, looking at the moon.
	
			CHARLIE
	Your life goes on.
	
	
	Rather than struggle his T shirt over his head, she grabs it 
	with both hands. She leans in close and bites it. She grabs 
	both sides of the tear and slowly rips it off his body.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	What does it mean?
	
			CHARLIE
	   (shakes her head no)
	That wasn't fair. It was a 
	question. Penalty round!
	
	
	She drops her skirt.
	
			CHARLIE
	You didn't mean it. You didn't 
	think. You'd do anything to take it 
	back.
	
			MAVERICK
	That's three.
	
			CHARLIE
	And that's one!
	
	
	She unbuckles his belt, slowly slides it off. She unzips his 
	pants, they fall.
	
			MAVERICK
	One more.
	
			CHARLIE
	Your watch.
	
	She unbuckles it.
	
			MAVERICK
	You owe me one.
	
	
	He rests his head on her shoulder, unhooks her bra. She 
	shrugs it off.
	
	They stand on the beach in shorts and bikini bottom, looking 
	into each other's eyes.
	
			CHARLIE
	Looks like a tie.
	
			MAVERICK
	Who's gonna win?
	
			CHARLIE
	We'll say it together. On the count 
	of three...One...two...
	
	Leaning in, softer and harder...they both jump the gun.
	
			BOTHTOGETHER
	I love.ove y.you.
	
	They embrace madly and sink to the sand. From the distance 
	it looks like a strange slithering creature crawling back to 
	the sea.
	
	
	89.  INT. GOOSE'S ROOM - NIGHT
	
	The lights are out in Goose's room at the Bachelor Officers' 
	Quarters. The door opens, and Maverick enters. He sets a 
	cardboard box on the bed.
	
	Silently, Maverick gathers together Goose's few personal 
	possessions. He fills the box with clothes, books, a clock, a 
	radio, a walkman, and articles from the bathroom. He examines 
	each closely, like an artifact...as if he might find some 
	message or meaning in them. He fumbles them into the box. He 
	can't see too well, his eyes are full of tears.
	
	Maverick closes the box and carries it to the door. He takes 
	one last glance around, then leaves and closes the door 
	behind him.
	
	
	89A.  INT. BOQ RECEPTION AREA                      *
	
	Carol and the kid, stand, staring at a silent TV. Carol 
	looks dazed, lost. Maverick walks in, finds her. An awkward 
	silence while they both try to think of something to say. 
	Maverick hands the box to Carol.
	
	90.   OMITTED
	
	89B.  CLOSE UP - MAVERICK.
	
	He sits staring right through us...the thousand-yard stare. 
	A strange white unreal light washes over him. The only color, 
	the Navy and gold of the stripes on his shoulderboards. A low 
	rumbling mumbling filters through the HISS of surf or fans or 
	something...Snatches of low whispered 
	conversation....disregard of...basic air-safety 
	principles...too aggressive...incident.... 29 July...within 
	performance parameters... disciplinary action...tactical 
	doctrine.... even reckless at times... 
	conjecture...unsupported ...benefit of the doubt...
	
	Maverick's 
	eyes slowly focus. The light attenuates. The surrounding 
	image becomes denser. Things become real.
	
	
	89C.  INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY - MAVERICK'S POV
	
	A BOARD OF INQUIRY, a COMMANDER and other NAVY OFFICERS 
	seated behind tables at the front of the room. Maverick faces 
	them, wearing dress whites. Viper is also present. The 
	Commander looks at each of the Officers. They each nod, in 
	turn, indicating readiness. The Commander turns to Maverick, 
	and states for the record:
	
			CDR.
	The Board of Inquiry finds that Lt. 
	Evan Mitchell was not at fault in 
	the accident of twenty-nine July.
	
	No response from Maverick, one way or the other. Viper 
	studies his face with concern.
	
			CDR.
	 Lt. Mitchell's record will be 
	cleared of this incident.
	
	
	Still no response from Maverick.
	
		CDR.
	Lt. Mitchell is restored to flight 
	status without further delay. These 
	proceedings are closed.
	
	Maverick doesn't respond.
	
	
	91.  INT. MAVERICK'S ROOM - NIGHT
	
	Maverick lies on his bunk and stares at the ceiling. The 
	phone next to his bed is RINGING.  It RINGS EIGHT OR NINE 
	TIMES, then stops. He makes no move to reach for it. 
	
	
	92. through 95. OMITTED
	
	
	94A.  INT. COCKPIT - F-14 ON FLIGHT LINE
	
	Maverick sits in the cockpit staring at the controls while 
	the ground crew preps the aircraft for flight. Coogan helps 
	him strap in. He speaks solicitously to Maverick. It is 
	unheard over the JET NOISE and RADIO BABBLE. Maverick looks 
	at the cockpit as if it's a strange territory, suddenly 
	foreign to him. He grabs the stick like it's some peculiar 
	talisman. He turns and looks aft. He seems surprised that it 
	moves the control surfaces in the tails.
	
	96.  INT. F-14 - DAY
	
			FUNGUS
	BOGEY AT TEN O'CLOCK LOW. YOU'VE 
	GOT THE ANGLE -- PIECE OF CAKE.
	
	
	Maverick checks ten o'clock low. He is disturbed. He tries 
	to make the move, but he is a man with no secret: he is 
	afraid.
	
			FUNGUS
	ENGAGE, MAVERICK - ANYTIME.
	
	
	The bogey abruptly turns into him. Maverick hesitates. Then 
	suddenly, he jerks the stick hard right and takes the F-14 
	away from the bogey at great speed. Fungus is startled.
	
			FUNGUS
	WHAT? WHERE'RE YOU--HEY, WHERE IN 
	THE HELL ARE YOU GOING?
	
		MAVERICK
	DIDN'T ... AHHH...LOOK GOOD.
	
			FUNGUS
	WHAT DO YOU MEAN? IT DOESN'T GET TO 
	LOOK MUCH BETTER THAN THAT?
	
			MAVERICK
	NO. NO GOOD.
	
	
	96A.  INT. FLIGHT LINE - DAY
	
	Jester walks up to Viper who waits near an F-5.
	
			JESTER
	He just won't engage. He can't do 
	it, Skipper. He can't get back on 
	the horse. 
	
			VIPER
	It's only been a week. Keep sending 
	him up.
	
			JESTER
	I've seen this before.
	
			VIPER
	So have I.
	
			JESTER
	Some guys never get it back.
	
	
	He walks off.
	
	
	
	97. through 102.  OMITTED
	
	
	103.  INT. LOCKER ROOM - IMMEDIATELY AFTER 
	
	Maverick grabs his stuff out of the locker, throws them in a 
	bag. He glances up as Fungus enters, continues to pack.
	
			FUNGUS
	What are you doing?
	
			MAVERICK
	Saving them some paperwork.
	
			FUNGUS
	Since when did you care about  
	paperwork? 
	
	Maverick walks away. Fungus hesitates, then follows him.
	
			FUNGUS
	If I could fly like you I'd have 
	everything I want. If I could fly 
	at all. I can't fly. I can't fly 
	like that. Nobody can. Whatever it 
	is, you've got it!
	
			MAVERICK
	Not anymore. 
	
			FUNGUS
	So, you're scared--so what? You 
	ever get a good look at me in the 
	back seat, I'm goddamn terrified.
	
	Grabbing the suitcase, Maverick brushes past Jester and 
	walks up the corridor. Jester and Fungus watch him go. Fungus 
	goes to the phone.
	
	
	104.  EXT. SAN DIEGO AIRPORT - NIGHT
	
	Charlie parks her car, jumps out, and runs toward the main 
	entrance to the terminal.
	
	
	105.  INT. TERMINAL
	
	Charlie hurries through the crowd, bumping past people, 
	searching frantically for Maverick in the huge terminal. She 
	moves past bench after bench, and her eyes flick in all 
	directions. A quick glance at the souvenir shop, the coffee 
	shop, and then she heads for the bar.
	
	Maverick is there, sitting alone in a booth with his 
	suitcase beside him, staring into a drink. Charlie composes 
	herself, then walks to the booth and sits down across the 
	table from him. Maverick does not look pleased.
	
			CHARLIE
	Never liked fighter pilots anyway. 
	
	
	
	He looks up trying to be angry, but he can't help it, she 
	makes him laugh.
	
			MAVERICK
	You came to the right place.
	
	The waitress comes up.
	
			MAVERICKWhat are you having?
	
	Turns to the waitress.
	
			CHARLIE
	I'll have what he's having... 
	Hemlock, is it?
	
	The waitress departs. He tries not to smile, but can't help 
	it.
	
			CHARLIE
	You weren't gonna say goodbye?
	
			MAVERICK
	I was, later. 
	
			CHARLIE
	Long distance? I wouldn't do that 
	to you. I'd at least talk to you.
	
			MAVERICK
	I didn't want to see you. I mean, I 
	did...but I didn't..
	
			CHARLIE
	I know exactly what you mean.
	
			MAVERICK
	How could you?
	
		CHARLIE
	I've got a gift just like you do. 
	My gift is I just know what people 
	mean, even if they can't say it. It 
	helps when you're trying to 
	communicate with fighter pilots. 
	Like what you just said was "I'm 
	embarrassed, I feel I've done 
	something wrong, that I've failed, 
	and I don't think I can live up to 
	the expectations of a wonderful 
	interesting, intelligent woman like 
	yourself." That about it?
	
			MAVERICK
	    (laughs)
	...Something like that.
	
	
			CHARLIE
	And I'm gonna sneak off, and be by 
	myself for awhile, like until I can 
	think of a new career...hotel 
	management or something...
	
			MAVERICK
	Big talk for someone who's never 
	been shot off her computer.
	
			CHARLIE
	Hey, I never said I was a fighter 
	pilot...I never claimed to think it 
	was fun to be shot off the end of a 
	ship in a storm. I can find 
	contentment in a good book. I don't 
	have to roar by someone at Mach two 
	with my hair on fire. Sometimes...I 
	just get happy being with the right 
	man.
	
			MAVERICK
	I hope you find him.
	
			CHARLIE
	I think I have... I could be wrong. 
	I have been before. Just remember 
	one thing. If you're not Top Gun, 
	if you're not fighting jets, you're 
	not gonna be able to act like a 
	fighter pilot... You're gonna have 
	to act like the rest of us. You're 
	gonna have to master humility. For 
	you guys, that's the toughest 
	maneuver of all.
	
	She gets up...lays a bill out for the drinks...
	
			CHARLIE
	So long, Sailor. See you on the 
	beach sometime.
	
	
	She swings away. Her wake sucks in the stares of every man 
	in the place. Then they look over to Maverick, quick flicks 
	of envy in their eyes. He stares them back and can't quite 
	meet their eyes.
	
	
	106.  EXT. BEACH AT VIPER'S HOUSE - LATER
	
	Viper is tugged down the beach by a three year old kid. They 
	come across one creature who's had a bad night...Viper spots 
	him, he spots Viper, and Viper moves toward him. Tim, Viper's 
	kid, wants to head for the sea and pulls his father in that 
	direction. He stops, puts his hand on his hips like he's seen 
	the pilots do. 
	
			TIM
	Dad...Of all the aminals in the 
	ocean, which one's the baddest?
	
	
			VIPER
	I don't know, Tim. You'll have to 
	ask them.
	
	Viper turns to the creature, Maverick, and shrugs.
	
			VIPER
	Runs in the family...
	
	Maverick stands up. 
	
			MAVERICK
	Skipper, sorry to bother you.
	
			VIPER
	No bother.
	
			MAVERICK
	I called your house.
	
			VIPER
	My wife's house.
	
			MAVERICK
	She said you took your kid to the  
	each. Every second Sunday. Zoo or 
	beach or the ballgame. Y'have the 
	option...(Maverick thinks for a 
	beat. Segues to the question...) 
	What about me?
	
	Viper turns, they stroll together.
	
			VIPER
	We can send you back to your 
	squadron with nothing noted on your 
	record except "CNC" --course not 
	completed, no explanation required. 
	Theoretically, it doesn't hurt your 
	career, but people always wonder 
	about things like that.
	
			MAVERICK
	Or....
	
			VIPER
	Or you can quit.
	
			MAVERICK
		I don't know...
	 
			VIPER
	I didn't know either. That's why I 
	told Jester to prepare your papers.
	
	Maverick looks irritated. Viper stops at an icecream vendor 
	and orders three with a gesture.
	
			MAVERICK
	You've already made up your mind.
	
	
			VIPER
	It's no disgrace, kid. That spin 
	was hell. It would wreck anyone's 
	confidence. You could be a good 
	pilot again someday...
	
			MAVERICK
	    (starts to get his back up)
	You think I should quit?!
	
			VIPER
	I didn't say that. That's up to 
	you. But I have responsibility for 
	the other guys up there, not just 
	you. They need to know you're all 
	right...that they can depend on 
	you.
	
	
	The vendor hands them icecream, they take it.
	
			MAVERICK
	Here, let me get this. We'll be 
	even.
	
	He reaches into his pocket for change, comes out with a 
	handful. Slams it on the counter, stars picking the proper 
	change out. Viper spots something and reaches for 
	it...Maverick sees and tries to block it, but Viper comes up 
	with the Navy Cross.
	
			MAVERICK
	Lucky charm.
	
	But Viper recognizes it for what it is.
	
			VIPER
	Sometimes it's luck, but in this 
	case, he earned it... I served with 
	your old man.
	
			MAVERICK
	I know.
	
			VIPER
	VF 51, the Oriskany. You remind me 
	of him. You're just like he was, 
	only better...and worse.
	
			MAVERICK
	I'm nothing like him.
	
			VIPER
	You may not think so, but you are.
	
			MAVERICK
	He was by the book, all the way.
	
			VIPER
	They waved him off. He thought he 
	knew better. He hit the 
	ramp.
	
			MAVERICK
	I never heard that.
	
			VIPER
	Not something they tell dependents.
	
			MAVERICK
	It's not true.
	
	
	Viper looks at him, for a long beat, throws his icecream 
	away.
	
			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.
	
			CCA (V.O. filtered)
	ROGER, VOODOO.
	
	
	120.  EXT. SKY - HOLLYWOOD AND ICE 
	
	The two MiGs cross in a scissor pattern in their path... a  
	provocation...they join together again and fly level at ten 
	thousand feet. One of the MiGs does a sudden canopy roll.
	
			HOLLYWOOD 
	VERY FANCY!
	
	BOOM! A FLASH! Suddenly, Out of nowhere, Hollywood's hit.  
	WHAM! Just that fast, he's hit and goes down.  His f-14 
	disappears into the clouds.
	
			ICE
	WOOD! WOOD, ACKNOWLEDGE!
	
	Ice puts his nose down and follows him.
	
			ICE
	VOODOO ONE, MUSTANG. VOODOO THREE 
	IS HIT. GOING DOWN. WILL ATTEMPT 
	SAR.
	
	
	He comes out of clouds at 1500, nothing but empty water 
	below.
			ICE
	Do you have them? Did they get out 
	or not?
	
			SLIDER
	    (confusion)
	No contact. I don't know.  
	
	
	121.  EXT. MAVERICK'S F-14
	
			MAVERICK
	VOODOO, GHOST RIDER ONE. I'M ON THE 
	WAY. WAIT FOR ME.
	
	
	122.  THE SKY - MIGS AND TOMCATS CIRCLE
	
			SLIDER
	THEY GOT WOLF, THEY GOT WOOD. THEY 
	GOT THEM..  
	
			ICE
	MUSTANG, GHOST RIDER. PERMISSION TO 
	FIRE.
	
			STRIKE (V.O.) 
	GHOST RIDER,  THIS IS MUSTANG. 
	PERMISSION TO FIRE. PERMISSION TO 
	FIRE.
	
			ICE
	ROGER. ENGAGING. I HAVE THE LEAD.
	
	
	122A.  INT. MAVERICK'S F-14
	
			FUNGUS
	Let's go! Dive on those bastards!  
	
	Maverick hesitates.
	
			FUNGUS
	Come on, man, engage. This is it. 
	Get your nose in there.
	
	Maverick hesitates again. He sees the hornet's nest below; 
	planes all over the sky.
	
			FUNGUS
	Bandit at seven o'clock low--solo. 
	Take him. Pull on the goddamn 
	stick, man!
	
			MAVERICK
	Okay, okay.
	
			FUNGUS
	Don't tell me okay. Do it!
	
	Maverick draws a breath, then forces himself to pull the 
	stick over. The F-14 rolls in hard toward the battle. 
	Suddenly, the cluster breaks apart. The MiGs break in every 
	direction as Maverick BLASTS through their formation. 
	Something comes up through the clouds. A MiG BLASTS by. 
	Another rolls in and locks onto them.
	
	The MiGs swarm toward the TOMCATS, coming from every 
	direction. CANNON FIRE erupts from one of the MiGs.
	
			MAVERICK
	MAVERICK'S EMGAGED. HARD LEFT, ICE, 
	PADLOCK THE EASTERN SECTION.
	
	The F-14's execute a left oblique turn in unison. They come 
	down in a section attack with their cannons blazing. From 
	Maverick's cockpit, everything looks choppy:  MiGs slide past 
	at incredible speed. Cannons BLAST, as the planes scramble 
	for position.
	
	Out-numbered four to two, Maverick and Ice fight 
	defensively. Maverick has the angle on a MIG, when Fungus 
	spots a missile launch.
	
			FUNGUS
	BREAK LEFT! BREAK LEFT!   CHAFF! 
	FLARES!
	
			MAVERICK
	BREAKING LEFT!
	
	Maverick releases a flare as he takes the F-14 into a hard 
	left. The missile tracks the heat of the flare and sails out 
	of the area, missing the Tomcat and falling toward the sea.
	
			ICE
	TWO MIGS ON MY TAIL, MAVERICK. I'M 
	DEFENSIVE.
	
	Maverick jerks his stick right and streaks toward Ice. He 
	cuts off one of the MiGs with CANNON FIRE, driving it down 
	toward the deck. Ice goes into vertical and comes around to 
	gain an angle on the other MiG. His RIO is in position to 
	check Mav's rear. 
	
			SLIDER
	MAVERICK! SIX O'CLOCK!
	
	Maverick turns to look and jerks a hard left. The MiG is on 
	him, CANNON BLAZING. Ice Yo Yos inside and cuts the MiG off. 
			ICE
	FOX ONE.
	
	He fires a sidewinder. The MiG turns hard, the missile sails 
	away.
	
	
			SLIDER
	BANDIT, THREE O'OLOCK HIGH!
	
	Ice's F-14 is suddenly caught in a HAIL OF CANNON FIRE as a 
	MiG sweeps down from three o'clock. He breaks, dives. The 
	jets streak across the sky, low to the deck, skimming the 
	surface.
	
			FUNGUS
	ICE'S  DEFENSIVE, HELP HIM OUT.
	
	Maverick's F-14 Rollaways in and intercepts the bogey on 
	Ice's tail.
	
			MAVERICK
	REVERSE RIGHT.
	
	Ice turns right, the MiG bugs and jerks into vertical.  
	Maverick swoops after him.
	
			FUNGUS
	STAY WITH HIM. YOUR SIX IS CLEAR.
	
	
	Maverick closes, jerking left, right, twisting and turning, 
	staying on his tail. 
	
	
	122B.  MAVERICK'S COCKPIT
	
			FUNGUS
	ONE ON OUR SIX! BUG OUT! BUG OUT!
	
	BULLETS fly by Maverick's F-14 from the MiG on his six. He 
	pulls a hard left, then takes the plane straight up. We hear 
	instructions shouted by Fungus, but it is all obscured in the 
	SOUNDS AND FURY OF THE BATTLE. Maverick peels over the top 
	and comes down like a comet. A series of passes at the MiGs. 
	As they come by, one of the MiGs pulls up, 
	
			MAVERICK
	OKAY, GOING UP. ICE, GO HIGH. 
	
			ICE
	LOOK OUT! 
	
	
	They look up. An MiG 21 is coming down, belly to them, close 
	to a mid-air collision.
	
			MAVERICK
	JESUS!
	
	
	He pushes down. The MiG ROARS BY. The whole airplane goes 
	"BOOOMMMM" it's that close.
	
			FUNGUS
	OHHHHH SHIT!
	
	The shock, the air pressure SLAMS them as it goes by, 
	missing by 4-5 feet. Maverick pulls back in, sees a MiG 21 
	below. It takes off, bugging out. Ice goes after him. The MiG 
	maneuvers, jerking hard left, hard right, twisting  up, down.
	
	Ice is right in his shadow. They come in hard and low over 
	the sea. He has the MiG in the diamond.
	
			ICE
	GOOD TONE, FOX ONE
	
	The MiG starts turning.
	
			ICE
	Ah Nuts!
	
	
	The missile goes by the tail.
	
			ICE
	Son of a bitch!
	
	Then his tail comes off, the airplane goes over, a chute 
	comes out. The MiG EXPLODES into a thousand small pieces. 
	They roar by the MiG pilot hanging in his straps.
	
			SLIDER
	JESUS!  HEY SPLASH ONE, SPLASH ONE 
	BANDIT! SPLASH THAT SUCKER!
	
			MAVERICK
	I GOT ONE HERE. ON THE NOSE.  
	COMING DOWN. 
	
	Rolling down on him, good SIDEWINDER TONE. The MiG'S sense 
	him, they break, one guy down low. 
	
			ICE
	ON THE NOSE?
	
			MAVERICK
	GOT 'EM. GOT GOOD TONE.
	 
	He squeezes the trigger.
	
	
	123.  EXT. THE MISSILE STARTS TO GO 
	
	The vapor trail comes off, the MiG 21 turns like he's been 
	bounced off a rubber wall, comes around on the missile, beats 
	it. The missile flies by him. 
	
	
			MAVERICK
	AH, SHIT! GODDAMN IT!
	
	MiG comes back turning into him.
	
			FUNGUS
	THERE'S ANOTHER ONE UP THERE!
	
			MAVERICK
	I GOT ONE COMING UP.
	
			FUNGUS
	AND HE'S GUNNING.
	
	He looks back. 30 millimeter tracers go by; they just kind 
	of float. He breaks, hits airbrakes, the trailing MiG dives 
	through.
	
	Suddenly another MiG appears, rocketing straight for him. 
	They close at 900 knots--VABOOOM!--They pass nose to nose, 
	canopy to canopy. Both planes pitch straight up, trying for 
	the altitude advantage.
	
			MAVERICK
	Zone 5 burners.
	
	The F-14 outclimbs the MiG sitting on its tail, full 
	thruster, it rockets straight up, away from the planet.  
	Maverick has the advantage. Suddenly, his F-14 runs out of 
	energy. FUNGUS is the first to call it.
	
			FUNGUS
	We're ballistic! Ohhhhhh Shit!
	
	The plane backs down on itself, backs into its own smoke as 
	it flips over, falls away...He catches it, just regains 
	control, when...A ROAR. He looks up.
	
	SECOND MIG coming down. Right on him. It fills the Canopy! 
	Instinctive - A Push to miss him, Maverick breaks fast down 
	into him, a last ditch maneuver, and the airplane 
	DEPARTS...the roll rates and the pitch rates combine and it 
	tumbles over the top; the airplane just goes end-over-end. 
	They are being slammed and rattled all over the 
	cockpits...bone-jarring, neck-snapping whips. SHRIEKS and 
	SCREAMS from the airframe. Terriflying?
	
			FUNGUS
	Ohhh Mother!
	
			MAVERICK
	    (strangely calm)
	Goddamnit, Mav, you really are a 
	slow learner. Don't worry, Fung, 
	I've got it.
	
	
	Fungus is getting his teeth rattled. He's helpless, he has 
	no controls, there's nothing he can do but hold on.
	
	
			FUNGUS
	Don't WORRY!!!?   You've GOT it!!? 
	Are you CRAZY?
	
			MAVERICK
	Roger, I've got it. 
	
	The plane's gyrations are rattling Fungus's helmet off the 
	canopy. 
	
			FUNGUS
	You've got it?   Good!  Cause for a 
	minute there, you had me worried.
	
	It yaws and rolls, starts into a spin.
	
			FUNGUS
	Now have you got it?  Have you 
	still got it?
	
			MAVERICK
	Yawing right.
	
			FUNGUS
	I know!
	
			MAVERICK
	Rudder's left, stick's forward.
	
			FUNGUS
	Swell! Passing ten thousand!
	
	
			MAVERICK
	I've got it -- hold on!
	
			FUNGUS
	Passing 8. Passing 6. Lock your 
	harness!
	
			MAVERICK
	I can recover. Hold on!
	
	They're in a progressive spiral, nose low.  The altimeter 
	unwinds, speed picks up. The G forces are forcing them away 
	from the axis of spin, jamming Maverick against the 
	instrument panel at the front of the cockpit. 
	
			MAVERICK
	You with me?
	
	Fungus, also, is jammed to his panel.
	
			FUNGUS
	Right behind you. 
	
	He is closer to the center of spin and less strongly held. 
	It doesn't do much good, however, he can't control the plane. 
	The only thing he can reach is the yellow and black loop; the 
	ejection handle. He reaches for it.
	
			FUNGUS
	Speed's up to 150. 
	
	Fungus's eyes are wide.  The earth grows larger as it rises 
	towards them. G forces flatten them. They've long since lost 
	the MiG. Nobody but an idiot would try to follow them in this 
	maneuver.
	
			FUNGUS
	5000 feet. Speed two hundred.
	
			MAVERICK
	Okay.
	
	
	The earth grows larger.
	
			FUNGUS
	4500. Critical point.
	
	
	FUNGUS grabs the ejection handle with both hands.
	
			MAVERICK
	No! Not again!
	
			FUNGUS
	What are you talking about,
		we gotta go!
	
			MAVERICK
	I'm not losing it again!
	
	The jet is standing on its nose, gaining speed, plunging 
	towards the ocean.  
	
			FUNGUS
	Gotta go, man.
	
			MAVERICK
	280, 290, 300 knots.
	
			FUNGUS
	3,000 feet.  We gotta go, man.  
	3,000 feet, we gotta go!
	
			MAVERICK
	You go. I'm staying with it.
	
			FUNGUS
	I'm gonna go! THREE...TWO...ONE...
	
	Then, just as suddenly, as he's about to pull...Maverick 
	catches it. The plane responds. They're out of the spin. He 
	gets control. Fungus sits there dumbly, hands on handle. 
	Still not believing...
	
			FUNGUS
	ONE....ONE....ONE...
	
	
	SEA LEVEL 
	
	Maverick stops the tumble, pulls the nose up quickly and the 
	F-l4 sweeps into level flight no more than a hundred feet 
	above the deck. He comes up and looks right at Ice. Ice is 
	down low. He comes around, a MiG-21 all over him like a cheap 
	suit. A flick, a whip, and Maverick in perfect position, 
	rolls right in on the MiG. Fungus looks like he just saw 
	Jesus. 
	
			FUNGUS
	What  in  the  Christ...was that? 
	
	He looks at the Mig target set-up in front of him in awe.
	
			FUNGUS
	Did you plan that? Was all that 
	something you planned?
	
	
	Maverick's acquired the target and is all business. 
	
			MAVERICK
	ALL RIGHT, ICE. COME HARD 
	STARBOARD, THEN EXTEND TO THE EAST. 
	
	
	Fungus is still lividly frazzled.
	
			FUNGUS
	Because...if that was... Next time 
	you tell me first.
	
			ICE
	ROG.
	
	Maverick breaks down, Ice zooms up, breaks in and takes the 
	MiG the other way. Maverick Yo Yo's in, comes right up behind 
	the MiG, as the MiG starts acceleration. 
	
	
	Maverick rolls in on Ice and the MiG. 
	
			MAVERICK
	I GOT A WINDER LEFT, BUT NO GOOD 
	TONE ON IT.
	
			ICE
	I CAN'T LOSE HIM, CAN YOU GET OFF  
	A SHOT?
	
			MAVERICK
	I GOT NO TONE. IT MIGHT GET YOU.
	
			ICE
	WHAT CHOICE DO I HAVE?   SHOOT IT.
	
			MAVERICK
	WHEN I SHOOT, YOU BREAK LEFT..3..2 
	
	The MiG fires.
	
			MAVERICK
	HE FIRED, BREAK NOW!
	
	Ice breaks left, drops flares. The MiG's missile follows the 
	flares. Maverick FIRES. The missile doesn't twitch. It flys 
	right up the tail pipe of the MiG, the canopy flies off, the 
	pilot comes out of it, and then the MiG blows up, We go right 
	through the fire ball. VVVARRRUOOMMM!
	
			MAVERICK
	He's out! We got him!
	
	The MiG rolls into the ground...KABOOM!  They swoop by the 
	pilot, hanging in his straps...He watches them, dumbly. 
	Fungus waves. 
	
			FUNGUS
	What a dope! Maybe they'll
		give him another plane...and we
		can shoot him down again.
	
	Maverick and Ice join up, light it, stand on their burners 
	and blast straight for the sun.
	
	
	MAVERICK'S F-14 
	
	Without warning, a triple roll, as the elation hits him.
	
	
	125.  INT. MAVERICK'S COCKPIT 
	
			FUNGUS
	What is it? What's wrong?
	
	
	Fungus nervously looks around at his circuit breakers.
	
			FUNGUS
	Is there something I should know?
	
			MAVERICK
	Just relax.
	
			FUNGUS
	Is it the plane?
	
			MAVERICK
	The plane is fine.
	
			FUNGUS
	Is it you?
	
			MAVERICK
	Yeah, I guess it is. We did it! We 
	did it...Damn! We sure did it!
	
			MAVERICK
	HELLO MUSTANG, THIS IS MAVERICK. 
	I'VE GOT A MESSAGE FOR STINGER. 
	
			STRIKE 
	(V.O.) 
	ROGER, MAVERICK. GO AHEAD.
	
			MAVERICK
	TELL STINGER MAVERICK HAS GOOD NEWS 
	AND SOME BAD NEWS. THE GOOD NEWS IS 
	THAT ICE GOT A MIG. THE BAD NEWS IS 
	THAT MAVERICK GOT TWO!
	
	He looks over at Ice.  
	
			MAVERICK
	I GOTTA HAVE ONE.
	
	
	126.  INT. ICE'S COCKPIT
	
			SLIDER
	We're low on fuel, Ice.
	
	Ice considers for a moment, then responds.
	
			ICE
	I know. I know....Aw hell, let's do 
	it!
	
	
	127.  INT. MAVERICK'S COCKPIT
	
			FUNGUS
	You're not supposed to...
	
			MAVERICK
	But I have to!
	
			FUNGUS
	Then...shit! Go ahead. I'm right 
	behind you.
	
			MAVERICK
	MUSTANG, THIS IS MAVERICK, REQUEST 
	A FLYBY.
	
	
	128.  PRI-FLY BRIDGE - (Primary Flight Control)  USS KITTY 
	HAWK
	
	The Air Boss speaks to Maverick over the UHF. The Admiral, 
	the XO and other officers watch and listen.
	
			AIR BOSS
	NEGATIVE, GHOST RIDER, THE 
	PATTERN'S FULL.
	
			MAVERICK (V.O. filtered)
	MUSTANG, THIS IS GHOST RIDER. 
	REQUEST A FLYBY FOR TWO.
	
			OFFICER
	Who is that guy?
	
	
			ADMIRAL
	Mitchell...
	
			XO
	   (surpressing a grin)
	...Likes to break at 600, 'stead of 
	300 knots. The Air Boss hates him. 
	One time, he came over the deck at 
	two hundred, shakes the shit out of 
	the bridge. Lifted Johnson right 
	off his feet.
	
	
	129.  INT. MAVERICK'S F-14
	
	He glances over at Ice, who gives him thumbs up.
	
			MAVERICK
	BOSS, YOU BETTER CLEAR IT OUT,
		WE'RE FIVE MINUTES OUT
		AND WE'RE DOING IT!
	
	
	130.  INT. PRI-FLY BRIDGE
	
	The Admiral looks out over the water and smiles.
	
			MAVERICK (V.O. filtered)
	TEN MILES ASTERN, BOSS. HOW ABOUT 
	IT?
	
	
	The Air Boss is livid. He clenches the mike.
	
			AIR BOSS
	MUSTANG TO GHOST RIDER!...
	
	Just then the Admiral pipes up.
	
			ADMIRAL
	Johnson!
	
			AIR BOSS
	Yes, Sir, Admiral?
	
			ADMIRAL
	Give him his flyby.
	
	
	The Admiral looks at the others, tries to surpress his own 
	grin. He slides into his (borrowed) command chair, looks into 
	the wind. On the back of the chair, a clue; his name and 
	rank:  RADM. Buford Clancy, "BOOMER"
	
	The AIR BOSS burns, but has no choice. 
	
			AIR BOSS
	    (really pissed off)
	 ROGER, GHOST RIDER, YOU'RE CLEAR.
	
	131.  EXT. 
	KITTY HAWK DAY
	
	Sailors line the deck and search the sky. They crane their 
	necks from their battle stations, sweating into the sun, 
	watching for the approach of F-14's. Someone sees it--he 
	points and SHOUTS. The F-14 appears, and every man stands and 
	CHEERS.
	
	
	132. POV -
	
	WE COME SCREAMING IN, 5 FEET OVER THE WATER, throwing up 
	rooster tails behind. WE SPLIT OFF and ZOOM along each side 
	of the carrier, at 100 feet and ROLL IT.
	
	
	133.  INT. PRI-FLY BRIDGE--VVVAAAAABBOOOOM!
	
	It lifts the Air Boss right off his feet. The walls warp, 
	dust sifts from the overhead. The whole tower just goes BOOM!
	
			AIR BOSS
	Goddamn that guy!"
	
	
	134.  EXT. FLIGHT DECK
	
	They break at 500 knots. Ice is first down over the ramp, 
	waved in.  The F-14 comes in a little rocky. It bounces hard 
	but grabs the wire, then jerks to a sudden halt. The sailors 
	CHEER AND APPLAUD, throwing fists of victory into the air, 
	straining to get a look at Ice as the crew directs his plane 
	off to the side. Opening the canopy, Ice and Slider unstrap. 
	Stinger and the others are there. Guys are climbing up, 
	climbing all over the airplane. They're already painting a 
	MiG on the side, and they're looking at Ice in awe.
	
	
	135.  POV - MAVERICK - THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD - AS HE LANDS
	
	He catches the wire, the view slams down toward the deck as 
	the plane arrests, then comes up...He releases the cockpit 
	and can hear the ROAR OF THE CROWD...
	
	
	136.  EXT. FLIGHT DECK
	
	He swings the nose around past Ice's. Ice's plane is covered 
	in colored jerseys as the ground crew pulls him out. 
	Maverick's plane swings towards the PRI-FLY BRIDGE. Pilots in 
	flightsuits pour from the deck hatch APPLAUDING... 
	
	
	137.  HE CUTS HIS ENGINES AS THE GROUND CREW SWARMS
	
	As Maverick and Fungus climb down, they see their wingmen on 
	the deck. Ice is looking in Maverick's direction. His face is 
	inscrutable. Maverick gets mobbed, but pushes over to Ice. 
	They stare at each other for a moment, eye to eye even as 
	they are buffeted by the crowd. Finally, Ice breaks...a grin.
	
	
			ICE
	I guess I owe you one.
	
			MAVERICK
	You don't owe me anything.
		We're on the same team. 
	
			ICE
	You saved our lives. You did it! 
	
			MAVERICK
	We did it.
	
			ICE
	You're a hell of a flyer.
		    (he can't resist)
		You can be my wingman any time.
	
			MAVERICK
	    (laughs)
	No. You can be mine!
	
	Now Ice laughs. Nobody's ever gonna win on this one. But Ice 
	smiles at him...It's now a running joke between them.
	
			ICE
	Whatever you say, Commander.
	
	
	He and Slider snap to and proudly salute. Maverick 
	hesitates, then returns it. As Ice and Slider snap it off, it 
	turns into the pilot's salute, they give them the bird. 
	Maverick and Fungus laugh and return the compliment. 
	
	As they are mobbed by sailors, Maverick is elated to see two 
	familiar figures: Hollywood and Wolfman turn from their 
	battle damaged TOMCAT on the forward elevator as it sinks out 
	of sight below decks.
	
	
	138.  EXT. FLIGHT DECK
	
			FUNGUS
	What happened to you?
	
			WOLFMAN
	He got our radio, and an engine. We 
	were lucky to make it back.
	
			HOLLYWOOD
	Not luck. Skill.
	
	
	ANOTHER ANGLE
	
	Stinger rushes up, grabs Ice and Maverick in a bear hug.
	
			STINGER
	MiG killers! You name it, boy. 
	Sky's the limit. You name it. A 
	medal. Anything you want. Anything.
	
	
			ICE
	MiG killers!  What else is there?
	
	Maverick grins, turns away from them.  He he looks out, at 
	the dying sun glinting over the sea. He thinks how beautiful 
	it is out here! Fungus grabs him from behind.
	
			FUNGUS
	You hear that? Anything we want. 
	Anything...Well???
	
			MAVERICK
	Well what?
	
			FUNGUS
	What do you want?
	
			MAVERICK
	What do I want?
	
			FUNGUS
	What do you want?
	
			MAVERICK
	     (he thinks.)
	Any more MiGs?
	
	Stinger shakes his head no.
	
			STINGER
	They don't seem to want to come up 
	anymore. There's nothing on the 
	scopes. In fact, everybody's 
	denying the incident ever happened. 
	So...what is it?  What do you want?
	
	
	Maverick turns away, considering the options.
	
	
	139.  EXT. FLIGHT DECK - ANOTHER ANGLE
	
	Another Tomcat rolls up to park nearby. He looks 
	at the plane. Over the deck LOUDSPEAKER, comes the 
	final call to the F-14:
	
			LSO (V.O. filtered)
	    (a touch of sarcasm)
	OKAY, GENTLEMEN. YOU CAN CUT YOUR 
	ENGINES...YOU HAVE ARRIVED....
	
	
	WWHHHEEEEZZZZEEERRRRRUUUUUMMMMMMMMM...
	
	AS THE ENGINES FADE, SO DOES THE PICTURE.
	
	
	FADE IN - WEEKS LATER
	
	140.  EXT. DAY - FLIGHT LINE MIRAMAR - TOPGUN
	
	Viper, Jester and others walk out of hangar to watch a wing 
	return.
	
	
	141A.  EXT. MIRAMAR RUNWAY - DAY
	
	THEIR POV. Suddenly an F-14 breaks, ROARS in over the field 
	inverted, a hundred feet off the ground.
	
	
	142.  FLIGHT LINE MIRAMAR - DAY
	
			JESTER
	Who's the hell is that?
	
			VIPER
	Three guesses.
	
			JESTER
	Well, he's in trouble and he didn't 
	even get here yet.
	
	
	Jester looks over at an admiral, who steps out of a staff 
	car, squints up at the swooping plane, turns, barks an order 
	to his driver, jumps in the car and SLAMS the door, the car 
	takes off.
	
	
	143.  EXT. MIRAMAR RUNWAY - DAY - FURTHER DOWN THE RUNWAY
	
	MP jeeps - lights flashing, pull out and head for the flight 
	line.
	
			VIPER
	Come on.
	
	They head for the hangar
	
	
	144.  OVER THE END OF THE RUNWAY
	
	The jet breaks at 500 knots and sets down neatly on the 
	tarmac. The rest of his flight follows in perfect formation.
	
	
	145.  EXT. MIRAMAR RUNWAY - DAY - MAVERICK'S JET -PULLING UP
	
	He unbuckles his straps, takes his helmet off. He looks over 
	at the approaching caravan.
	
			FUNGUS
	I think they know we're here.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	Let me do the talking.
	
			FUNGUS
	Oh, no. You did the flying, I'll do 
	the talking! 
	
	He stands up in the cockpit, gives a snappy salute.
	
			FUNGUS
	Why Admiral....How really good it 
	is to see you!
	
	
	Maverick turns away. As he backs down the steps, a jeep 
	screeches up, doors slam open, footsteps.
	
			A VOICE
	Who's in charge here?
	
			MAVERICK
	I am.
	
	He's answered automatically, but now it hits him. He knows 
	the voice. He turns.
	
	HIS POV - CHARLIE, HANDS ON HIPS
	
			CHARLIE
	Not for long, you keep that up.
	
	He hops down, stands there speechless, grinning happily at 
	her.
	
			CHARLIE
	Well?
	
			MAVERICK
	Well what?
	
			CHARLIE
	You got your F-14, you got Top Gun, 
	you got your MiGs....You're our new 
	Top Gun instructor...Now what?
	
			MAVERICK
	Oh...I'll think of something... 
	What are you doing here?
	
			CHARLIE
	I live here, remember?
	
			MAVERICK
	Right on the flight line?
	
	He's got her on that one. She laughs.
	
			CHARLIE
	Everybody's got to be somewhere.
	
	
			MAVERICK
	Maybe your somewhere's with me...
	
	He puts his arms around her. Self-conscious, she pulls away, 
	a little embarrassed to show this on the flight line. He 
	laughs.
	
			MAVERICK
	That's okay. I always look forward 
	to a challenge. 
	
	
	Now she laughs back and puts her arms around him. She kisses 
	him and now she doesn't give a damn who sees it.
	
	
	
	TOP GUN
	
	
	
	Chip Proser
	Hollywood 
	April 19, 1985
	
	
	


