"Acrylic and Photoshop CS2 Digital Painting"

She caught a glimpse of herself in the ship's port behind her. The assassin's symbol on her cheek and hand stood out against her pale features like a brand. It was a constant reminder of what she was and a warning to those who came near. She turned away and looked at the lifeless form lying at her feet.

"I knew your name", she whispered. "And your actions, but I did not know you. It is not my place to know why, only the who and when."

She lifted the sword and started to clean it. It was a mechanical action which did not require conscious thought. Blood flowed slowly down the blade, small droplets gathered themselves near the hilt, bunched, and finally fell, loosing their identity to the ground below. She despised what she saw and what she had become. Nothing seemed real to her and she was becoming immune to it. Soon she would become lost in her nature like the crimson stains at her feet.