[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGcsIdGOuZY[/youtube]

[color=00a651]"Alright, babe, let's do this."[/color] Maki spoke to her Hellcat as she coaxed it into a dive, flying beneath the Lincoln's belly to ensure that anyone coming to try and get a shot at it from underneath would have a nasty surprise waiting for them. Given the Hellcat's colour scheme and stealth systems, they weren't going to notice her presence. Well, hopefully. She had no idea if the enemy pilots had some kind of fancy new tech to counter stealth technology. Given the hull damage the Hellcat sustained, Maki didn't like the idea of taking any more hits. She'd been lucky her stunts in the previous battle hadn't damaged anything critical. She could not afford the same mistake here.

As she anticipated, a pair of of Coalition machines had dived and circled around. Maki didn't know if they knew how fearsome the 7th were, but they definitely underestimated their ability to fight across a wide area and support each other regardless. Especially since the pilots of the ultra-lights and mediums were more than capable of relocating in seconds given this kind of engagement. [color=00a651]"Hunter has tally on two bandits underneath the Lincoln. Moving to engage. Someone cover me."[/color]

The first pilot didn't see her coming. The poor soul had flew in too close to her Hellcat and with his MAS scanning in the wrong direction with its external cameras. By the time his sensors warned him of the Hellcat's presence, Maki had already cleaved him in half through the torso. As the Ferir's cockpit was exposed and lost pressure, the pilot was forcefully ejected. It was another woman, and she was still breathing, though it seemed the impact from being ejected had caused her to lose consciousness. At least, she wasn't moving much. It could have just been disorientation. Maki had no time to confirm or waste a shot on the downed pilot. She would be useless without her machine, and Maki hunted MAS, not people.

The second Ferir must have gotten notified of his wingman's demise, because he was turning around and swinging his gun around to fire on Maki. Unfortunately for him, she was far too fast and agile in the Hellcat and hadn't stopped moving just because she scored a kill. At this range, however, it would be easy for the Ferir's guns to train on her, and she didn't want to rely on luck and evasion to stay alive. Maki changed her course, diving further just as the Ferir fired. The trail of the plasma cannon passed over the Hellcat's shoulder - barely - as Maki turned her own autocannon. [color=00a651]"Chew on this one."[/color] She commented, as she fired one shot straight at the Ferir's head.

To her surprise, however, the Ferir moved its arm in the way and stopped the round before it could blind the MAS. [i]This one's got good instincts, if he could tell I was going to fire at his sensors from here.[/i] Maki thought to herself, testing her opponent's ability with her next few shots. [i]Cockpit, cannon, sensors, feet thrusters...[/i] She took aim at each module of the Ferir and fired. Not wanting to underestimate the enemy, Maki followed up by firing to cut off the line of movement she anticipated the Ferir would take. She watched, admiring the skill of her opponent as the Coalition machine simply turned its torso and head, letting its armour absorb most of the damage. Sparks and smoke were her only indications that a few of those rounds had managed to do their job.

Two return shots that almost caught her were her only warning that she had just poked a dragon in the eye. Maki grimaced as she noted how close those shots were to ending her life right there and then. This guy was just as good as any of the 7th, if not better. No doubt he hadn't expected her M103's specialized rounds to do as much damage as they did. The Ferir was no match for the Hellcat's mobility and firepower, but the fact that this bastard was giving Maki a hell of a time trying to kill him spoke volumes of the pilot's skill.

[i]He's keeping close to the Lincoln so I don't fire my missiles haphazardly either. Damn, I really wish he had gone somewhere else.[/i] Maki cursed. [color=00a651]"This is Hunter, I've got a real pain in the ass here, assistance would be appreciated!"[/color] She yelled into her comms as she continued to evade his fire. 

>>[color=00a651]Shields at 60%.[/color]

The first glancing blow from the plasma cannon shook Maki out from her defensive posture. If she continued simply evading, her opponent would only need to get lucky once. It was time to take a gamble. Flying an evasive pattern, she pulled away from the Ferir, hoping he would take the bait and give chase. Two more shots that nearly blew off her thrusters seemed to be the enemy's reply. [i]I've got the range to do this all day.[/i] He seemed to say as he continued firing.

[color=00a651]"Heh, well, if you think range is your ally..."[/color] Maki flew around the wreck of the first MAS, which gave her a brief respite from dodging the Ferir's fire. From between the two halves, her autocannon fired once more. Two flashes of the muzzle were all the warning the enemy pilot had before the Hellcat's EKP rounds slammed into him. It was risky, firing at range and moving at full speed behind an obstacle like that, but Maki hadn't been training so hard to live up to her father's legend for nothing. The first round knocked out the enemy's plasma cannon, the volatile weaponry exploding and disabling the Ferir's offensive capabilities. Missile launchers were another problem, but it seemed the pilot was more interested in using them on the Lincoln than Maki.

He had to know he was dead the moment his weapon got disabled by a pilot of her caliber. He was going down doing as much damage as possible. The second round slammed into the Ferir's "neck". It was likely the enemy was blinded and would lose most of his sensors because of that shot, but Maki couldn't be sure. She had been aiming for the head, but she was lucky to have even hit him at the speed and angle she was moving. The Hellcat flew full speed towards the disabled Ferir, firing at center mass and made sure to plant each shot where it would do as much damage as possible. She wasn't trying to be cold-blooded or malicious, but if brutally executing an enemy ensured the Lincoln's survival, it was no choice to make.

[color=00a651]"Hunter, two bandits downed. Ammo at 60%. One enemy pilot adrift, vitals stable. Requesting a team to take her in as prisoner."[/color] She reported her status to the squad and the Lincoln, before saluting the wreck of the second Ferir. The least she could do out of respect for her opponent's skill was to ensure his wingman lived to spread the tale of his valour. [color=00a651]"Take extra caution, guys. One of them damned near killed me. I'm pretty sure they've got more veterans out here. We're dealing with the cream of the crop, it seems."[/color]

Just then, she heard the Rookie's request for assistance. She was close, and there was no time to take a break. [color=00a651]"Hunter, moving in to assist!"[/color] Maki called out over the comms as she flew straight towards Ari on an intercept course. Of course, it seemed the enemy was paying attention, because no sooner had she broken from underneath the Lincoln did a burst of fire streak past her. One of them glanced off the Hellcat's torso at an extreme angle, the shield deflected more.

[color=00a651]>>Shields at 40%. Caution recommended.[/color]

[i]No shit.[/i] Maki retorted mentally at the console's warning. The Ferir was closing in but Maki already had a bead on the bandit on Ari's tail. She fired one shot and forced it into a spin as its thrusters went haywire from the shot. The Hellcat immediately turned to evade another burst of fire and the Japanese pilot turned her attention to her attacker. [color=00a651]"I've swatted the fly away, Rookie, now take care of him and return the favour, yeah? I've barely just survived one dogfight I don't want to test my luck again."[/color]