As always waking up was a slow process for Marciano. 

It began with the sun finding the perfect gap in the curtains with which to hit the pilot dead in the eyes, causing him to partially wake and slightly turn before trying to get comfortable. He was close to achieving this when the ear splitting beeping of the old digital clock that was stationed on his night stand, completing the one two punch and shattering any hopes of getting back to the bliss that was voluntary unconsciousness. Groaning he resisted the urge to throw the thing across the room and instead slammed his hand down on the large snooze button, after a couple attempts that is. Lying there for a few seconds Marciano gathered the will power to get himself up, grunting slightly he pushed himself up in what would look like a half assed push up before rolling slightly to get his legs off of the bed. Blinking groggily he stood up and went about the morning ritual of a shower, getting dressed, and immediately finding the nearest cup of coffee. All this was done in silence, until he had taken a few gulps of the coffee, after which Marciano noticeably began to perk up. 

Making his way to the briefing, Marciano was barely able to slip in before the CO's had rounded the corner. Hustling to his seat, a death grip on the ceramic mug, he took it quietly and slowly sipped from the hot drink in his hands as the briefing got started. 
[quote]"The squadron will be split into two flights. Charnel, Stalin and Viking, you'll be Eagle Flight. You're going hunting for the enemy aircraft; since your planes are both primarily air-to-air fighters your job will be to pounce on any hostile bogeys that crop up during the ground attack by the other flight, and to intercept and identify any non-registered flights. If possible, track them back to their point of origin. Stalin - I want your Su-35 loaded with some air-to-ground ordnance, so you can attack if you have a target of opportunity. Otherwise, mark the location for follow-on attacks. You'll be watching the rest of our backs during the operation, and keeping us safe...[/quote] Marciano grinned and nodded, he didnt expect much else but still it would be a lie if it was said he didn't like his job.

At the end of it all he was prepping to go when he heard a loud whistle come from Stalin 

[quote]"Charnel, Viking. You heard d'boss, we're flyswatters today. I'll hang back on this mission t'be ready t'bomb shitheads and help you guys out with any tails that you can't shake off, oke? You need help, call me and I'll chase the motherfuckers back home. Catch you on the flip side."[/quote]

This caused Marciano to chuckle slightly at the fly-swatter comment, because at the root of it that is what they were. Going in to mop up a few buzzers. But it was nice to know that Stalin would be watching his back up there, judging from previous experience that is. Downing the last of his coffee Marciano set about getting more and to begin to set out, whistling a slightly random tune as he did so. 

As the allotted time ran down Marciano made his way to the Hound and climbed inside, from what he had seen, what the techs had told him and what was being displayed as he turned everything on it looked like he was running a full load of 4 ASRAAM's and 4 AMRAAM's, as well as a fully loaded 1× 27 mm revolver cannon. [i]"Whelp, time to do a bit of hunting."[/i] He thought to himself as he secured his mask and began taxing out to take his place in line to take off, quickly taking the first opportunity and getting into the sky alongside the others.

It had been a short flight, and the squads had barely separated, when his comms crackled to life 

[quote]"Squad Stalin here, be advised: I've four bogeys heading inland at grid 552091, bearing 087, flying at low altitude. Break. Viking, Charnel, they look like air-to-ground from here and I don't think they want to drop good presents for our guys... it would be embarrassing if any of you get hit by those slugs, so be good and fuck them up, da? Break. Hawk flight, watch your 2 in case those kretyny target you guys instead."[/quote]

Grinning he responded "Copy that Stalin. Hey Viking, remember that bet you made a little bit ago, well your on." Rolling slightly Charnel brought his targeting ridicule over one of the small fighters. As it locked he had to feel a bit sorry for the pilots of those planes, they were about to have a bad day.

[quote]Fox Three![/quote]

Viking came over the air just as Marciano's own tone sounded "Fox Three, Fox Three." The dull thud sounding as the AMRAAM detached streaking towards it's target, its path carrying it towards a different plane but near to its sibling that had been launched by Viking.

They were going to have a very, very bad day.

 "Alright this is Charnel I'm rolling in." With that he eased the speed forward and pulled his wings back, gaining speed as he streaked towards the remaining Dragonflys.