Briefcase Blues Intermezzo 2

Antoinette ‘Bonnie’ Fortescue
Specialty                     moonshining, persuading men
Aircraft                       Le Grand Charles - Bristol Type 140 Balmoral
Signature oneliner         “Shut up, I know what I’m doing”
Antoinette is one of the three lady members of the Firebirds’ flying crew. Born and raised in New Orleans, French Louisiana, she and her brother were inseperable mischiefs from the start. Most of their youth was spent in several correctional facilities, but the straight and narrow was just not for them to travel. After inheriting a small moonshining operation from their grandfather, they discovered their true talents. Her brother Jean-Paul ran the still and the cash, while Antoinette did logistics and sales. She took flying lessons and bought a used Bristol Type 140 Balmoral, refitted the bomb bay for cargo use and renamed it Le Grand Charles. Although not the worlds best flyer (she had to forge her license), her stunning looks and qualities as a femme fatal were put to good use to distract trade inspectors and seduce potential buyers. Business was picking up and things were going well. In their free time, Antoinette tried to teach her brother to fly, but he soon switched to an official flight school after several near-death escapes with his sister behind the controls.
In the spring of 1936, German spies contacted them for transport of their operatives against the French Foreign Legion, whose presence was all that stood between French Louisiana and hostile invasion. Being patriots and pretty satisfied with the lax attitude towards alcohol, smuggle and gambling by their current government, they flatly refused.
In retaliation, the German ace Major Victor Straeber killed Jean-Paul when he was flying his unarmed cropduster for some practice. Upon hearing of her brothers death, Antoinette immediately went after the Germans, but was hopelessly outmatched in her lumbering ex-bomber. If it weren’t for the Damocles, which was nearby to pick up a cargo of moonshine, she’d been done for. The Firebirds rushed to her aid. They shot down all the German planes and clipped Straebers wings to even things out and let her have a fair chance at revenge. Instead, Antoinette discovered that revenge was just more death and death wouldn’t bring Jean-Paul back or comfort her loneliness. She decided to let Straeber go.
Frustrated with defeat, Straeber then swung around and tried to ram Le Grand Charles head on. This time forced to open fire, Antoinette unleashed all five machineguns and ten rocket hardpoints at the uncoming major. He did not survive
Afterwards, she decided the moonshining operation just wouldn’t be the same without her brother and so she decided to stay with the Firebirds aboard the Damocles.
Antoinette continues to fly her trusty bomber for smuggling runs and other logistics. She frequently cooks exquisite Cajun food for the crew and enjoys visiting old friends in the various bars of Skyhaven. Her seductive personality caused her to strike up a secret, yet passionate relationship with her fellow-pirate Patrick Fayne.