Midday.
Grey, overcast sky. 
North Wind.
Cold, blustery, dry.
The edge of the lake.
Choppy waters.
Dancing Trees.
The spaceship, barely visible.
Ghosting over the landscape
She's cornered.
No more room to run.
No place to hide.
Found her first. 
So it's just us eye to eye
Turn around slowly baby
You play and you die.

God, she's gorgeous!
Shoeless
Topless
Late teens at best
Barely covered by a tattered skirt
Straight, waist-length, coal-black hair
Small, exquisite breast
Nipples hardened by fear and cold
Huge, almond shaped eyes
The color of evergreen
As bodies go this one's solid gold

Shivering badly tear stained cheeks
Transfixed by my weapon
Finger on the trigger
I'm uncharacteristically hesitant 
Please mister, don't hurt me
What's your name?
It's Natalie

Struck the town at the crack of dawn
Quickly, savagely
Without warning
Little resistance, no casualties
We are hunters
C.O.G, cluster twelve
Renowned for our skill and ferocious brutality 
She is the last one standing

Suddenly we have company
Two of my men
High on adrenaline
Drunk on "power" and looted booze
Saving her is going to be tricky
No prisoners, no survivors
The company policy
There she is!
HOLD YOUR FIRE!
A single burst
Oops...
 
 Aww fuck her!

I can feel it
Uncoiling from the pit of my stomach
Anger
Cold, hard, inexplicable anger
I'm a warrior
This is a war zone
I've seen and done worst
Shit, a dozen like her, today alone

Total stranger
Known her for all of ten minutes
Months, years some of these guys have been with me
What is it that makes her different?
Why am I so goddamn angry?
Valid questions, no apparent answers
Disengaged my safety lock
I gave you a direct order soldier
Mild disbelief
C'mon captain, she was a slut, a nobody
Emptied my weapon...
Wrong! 


She was Natalie.
Bastards...