The Black Swan. Feared privateer, deadly aviatrix and woman of mystery, this raven-haired beauty is known far and wide for her iron will and the skill of her band of corsairs. But has this queen of the skies fallen upon hard times?

Eyewitnesses report several Black Swan aircraft engaging their own zeppelin, the Huntress near Mayfield, Appalachia. "The planes were buzzing around the zeppelin like flies," said John Hoskins, a local farmer who witnessed the bizarre battle. "Machine guns and rockets were popping off like it was some kind of fireworks display."

The battle itself was brief, lasting only several minutes. One plane, a J2 Fury, was seen heading for the Appalachia/Dixie border. The Huntress and her support planes turned North, towards the I.S.A.

associate)—was shot down in the skirmish. Sears remains at large and is being pursued by local law enforcement.

The Black Swan has stayed out of the public eye for some time, resurfacing briefly during Nathan Zachary's recent escapades across North America. Rumors of her capture at the hands of the Black Hats gang in Sky Haven have not been confirmed, but aviation security experts conjecture that such a lapse could have sparked a mutiny.

"Pirates rule through fear and strength," according to Professor Warren Gilmont, a historian and expert on modern aerial crime. "If the Swan allowed herself, or her crew, to be captured by a rival gang, it is conceivable that an underling would perceive her as weak...a mutiny could result in such a case."