Natasha sat patiently in her MiG-23 as the seven plane A-Team flew above the bay, waiting for the arrival of the other team. She was nearly on the outside left of the amoebic formation, only her Number Two farther out. It was odd for a single squadron to be sending more than one pilot to the Peace Games, but Natasha had learned to trust Angie enough to encourage her to apply over the three years that Angie had been Natasha's Number Two. It was only coincidence that had put the two on the same team. As they flew, Natasha looked right and surveyed the rest of the group. [i]What an odd group of outdated aircraft[/i], she thought to herself as she looked at the Corsairs, Jaguar, Tiger, and Phantom in the middle. She noticed one of the Corsairs had ISAF markings and hoped the pilot wouldn't find out she was Erusean...then again, the Oseans seemed to be doing fine with two Yuke planes in their group. She noted that an Estovakian plane was conspicuously absent...perhaps on the other team? Despite wishing to see actual combat and finally get that fifth kill, she was glad current conditions were peaceful enough that all the formerly warring countries could be at peace. After almost forty years on Strangereal, however, she knew that all it took was a very small spark to ignite the entire world into war again.

Soon enough the AWACS got on the radio. [b]<<[/b] Good afternoon, A-Team, AWACS Oracle here. As you've been briefed, I'll watch over you all during this match. B-Team is due to arrive in ten minutes, so get yourselves ready. As soon as I detect B-Team within a ten kilometer radius, we'll allow open communication between you all, but for the moment, feel free to ask me anything. [b]>>[/b] Natasha concisely responded: "Kvant One here. Thanks for covering us, Oracle." Long before ten minutes had passed, the AWACS got on the comm again. [b]<<[/b] A-Team, I've got the adversaries on radar, bearing 160... [b]>>[/b] [i]160 isn't right,[/i] Natasha immediately thought. While there was a chance the B-Team just arrived from the wrong heading, Natasha knew better than to not get on her guard. She prepared to switch to the live missiles as the AWACS paused: [b]<<[/b] Opening communications... what? [b]>>[/b] Now Natasha definitely knew something was up, and as if on cue she got a missile lock warning. "A-Team, everyone break, those aren't virtuals!" the Phantom pilot yelled. Natasha was already on the stick, breaking hard right and down, barely avoiding a Sidewinder. [b]<< A-Team, that's not B-Team! Unlocking missiles, you have permission to engage the bogies! >>[/b] The second the AWACS unlocked the live missiles Natasha had them equipped. "Yellow, engaging," Natasha responded in a tone uncharacteristically calm for a surprise attack. Now that communications were open, she radioed her wingman. "Angel, stay close." [i]Engage as a formation. No single-ship attacks.[/i] Yellow 13's words still rang in her head. Even if there was no way she could keep this ragtag squadron together (especially because she wasn't the flight lead), she would keep her wingman with her. She pulled up and left to get back up to altitude and chasing the bogies. When she finally saw what the fighters were, she knew it would be difficult. She was in a MiG-23 and they were in MiG-29s. [i]Hardly a fair fight...but when is it ever?[/i] she thought as she began attempting to draw a missile lock on one of the bogeys.