The moment Melina formed up as the rear guard and looked out at what was happening, she was stunned. Right out of hyperspace in to a full-blown battle. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, and centered herself.<i>Time to do what I do best</i>, she thought.<i>And time to test out my new baby.</i>This one, unlike her other one, had mass drivers and a dozen small AAMs. Definitely an improvement on that old heap of junk, and much faster too.<br/><br/>When the enemy fighters and bombers got close enough, Melina said in a voice full of calm, "<span style="color: DarkOrchid">Breaking formation to engage.</span>" She pulled her Raptor up and to the right, speeding it forward a little bit. Almost immediately a target presented itself, racing upwards to try and get behind her. For the moment she let it. The waiting seemed to take forever.<br/><br/>Closer... closer... almost there... aaaaand now! The moment the enemy pilot was behind her she pulled up, performing a simple loop, but with a difference. Instead of coming down behind her enemy, she stopped her loop when she was slightly behind and far above the fighter. She accelerated full speed, taking a moment to aim, then her guns fired, taking out the bogey's left wing and part of its hull.<br/><br/>She watched for a moment as the fighter was engulfed in flame, then turned her eyes back to her fellow pilots. One had one on its tail and was about to be turned in to a burning ball of fire. She angled towards it, the chatter from other pilots buzzing through her head. She let loose an AAM after taking a moment to aim up. The fighter was too slow to evade. After that, Melina moved back to what remained of the formation, most having broken off to engage, and flew quietly behind them, constantly watching.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>