Strike

Hello. Been a while hasn't it?
I've been busy with university work (and have two essays due next so I need to get to work on them!). Here's a story I've had around for a while.
Also, does anyone know how to spell pre-emptive correctly?

Pre-emptive Strike – Kibwe 

    The night was bleak and the moon only just broke through the barrier of thin clouds to give a sinister appearance to the compound and surrounding bush. Kibwe could feel the cold that nipped at his skin through his layers of protection against it.

He was on patrol duty in the forest that was around the compound, constantly checking for signs of intruders, scanning heat signatures on his sensor and investigating every suspicious sound. He had done many practice routine patrols back on his base, but it was his first time on a real one. And his partner had slipped off somewhere to ‘pee’ but Kibwe knew he just left to go back to bed.  A sudden sound to his left caused Kibwe to stop and aim his gun at the cause, a native owl to the area. He lowered his weapon with a relieved sigh and continued walking.

He entered a small clearing and noticed a faint outline of something foreign just along the edge. He carefully approached and examined it. A sleek and polished metal with no visible opening and a faint heat signature, Kibwe guessed it was a drop ship. He surveyed the ground and saw strange footprints that lead to the area of the compound. As humans had yet to create anything remotely similar to the drop ship and did not have feet shaped like the ones in the prints, he radioed the base and let them know of his findings. He was told to head back to base and regroup with a squad. However Kibwe took another look at the heat signature from the drop ship and told his superior he was going to follow the tracks. His superior tried to say something but was cut off halfway with a flick of a switch. Kibwe raised his weapon and followed the tracks.

Once several heat signatures appeared on his sensor he dropped and crawled to a vantage point. Through his scope he saw the intruders, their jagged skin even more dreadful than he thought possible in the light given off by the moon.  There were five, all of them faced the other way to the compound wall, their guns aimed and ready for someone to walk by and end up splattered. Kibwe ran possible outcomes through his head. If we waited too long for back up to arrive then the enemy would surely kill at least one human and catch the base in the chaos, but if he shot one first and drew their attention away from the base then he would have to deal with the remaining four. He silently considered his options while he looked through the scope.

He then took in a deep breath and pulled the trigger.

And have a wonderful day everyone!!