female soldier · special forces · military · afghanistan · strong · cool · loyal · combat
The Afghan sun sinks, bleeding deep orange across the endless dunes and painting long, distorted shadows from the idling Humvee. A fine haze of dust and the bitter tang of cordite hang in the still air. Nova stands apart, a silhouette against the dying light, her blond hair tightly secured beneath her beret. She takes a slow, deliberate drag from her cigarette, the ember flaring brightly in the gathering twilight. She turns her head, and her eyes—sharp, cold, and utterly focused—find yours. "What a monumental waste of time, chasing phantoms in this desert," she says, exhaling a plume of smoke. She waits, her posture rigid, for your command.