[b]March 13th, 2014
Over Linosa, the Mediterranean[/b]

The shout came in over the general comms, Fuka instinctively turning her head at the mention of bandits. But the fight was elsewhere, a different flight's problem for the time being. Her trip was still uneventful; unfortunately, there was nothing to do except continue towards the islands and hope that someone down there was dumb enough to tangle with her. 

"Good luck everyone."

The well-wishes went unheard, Peacenik's mic not even turned on as she banked towards Linosa. The last thing the others needed was her jabbering in their ears while they were jumping into a dogfight, and it didn't matter if they could hear her anyway. Luck was a nonentity, an ephemeral force that could not be qualified nor counted upon. If it existed it did so impartially, not leaning one way or the other. Fuka's acknowledgment of the stuff was perfunctory, a mere hedging of bets on the off chance she was wrong. 

She had her own job to focus on. 

[i]"This is Cobalt 8, I've lost al-"[/i]
[i]"What the hell was-"
"-Engine is on fire, we're losing pressure!"[/i]

This time Fuka didn't bother looking. Indeed, had someone peered into the cockpit the only sign she had heard the distressed squawks was the way her fingers drummed against the console, tapping out a tuneless beat as she refactored the mission in her head. Her first flight with the new team had been plagued by mechanical defects, minor issues piling up until the operation's integrity threatened to crack under the weight. Now they were in too deep to pull away, committed to the charge even as proverbial horses were shot out from under them. Rook, blown to bits it sounded like, a fine mist drifting down onto the convoy below. He was gone too soon for Fuka to feel one way or the other about him. Heartbreak and Kat were alive for the moment but struggling, dead weight plummeting into the Atlantic. They were undoubtedly scrabbbling like rats on a sinking ship, desperately trying to recover before they smashed against the uncaring waves below. They were out of the fight for the moment which left...Valkyrie and Myk.

The mad bomber and the baby face versus an unknown number of enemies-alright. It wasn't Fuka's concern for the moment. She had her own mission to fulfill, and she was too far away to try and play hero anyway. Linosa was visible in the distance, growing larger and larger by the second. Peacenik stabbed at the Hornet's display with a single finger, activating the targeting pod's camera before flicking on her comms.  

"Chevy, I'm scanning the ground and I see helicopters parked here and there, attack and transport. Stationary gun emplacements as well; don't see any radar but that doesn't mean it's not there." 

The footage suggested a high level of sophistication, or at least higher than she had expected. Helicopters weren't cheap, vintage or otherwise. Having a couple squadrons on hand meant that this group had money, foreign suppliers, or both. And they were definitely professionals. Shattered Steel was supposedly a solid outfit; that's why Fuka had joined them. A group capable of downing one of them and crippling the other wasn't anything to scoff at.

Fuka felt a smile creep across her face, the thought of a fight intriguing her. If there was anyone below who felt the need to scramble up and show her a good time she'd welcome them with open arms.   

"I've got this place videotaped for analysis later. Lampedusa is bigger. My guess is there's going to be more activity there."

[@Kensai]