Read Alien Paladin's Woman: SciFi Alien-Human Military Suspense Romance for Free Online Page B

could be powered for a year with a stone that fits into your palm.
    “But until we're sure, the commander thinks we shouldn't play around with it."
    Him again. I wonder if this discovery will warrant me with some face-to-face time at last.
    Audrey nodded.
    Facing away from the stone, only seeing the glow behind her, dancing on the walls around them, she realized how cold it was. While her eyes were on the stone, she'd forgotten how deep in the mines she'd come.
    She had never been at the lowest level before and she started to feel the effect again. She'd need some warm tea when she got back upstairs.
    "So this is it?" she asked the Palians around her. "You've been very mysterious about what it is exactly that we're looking for. Does this mean Verien is valuable to the Union?"
    "Yes," her guard responded, and Audrey didn't remember when the last time was that she saw any of them smile, other than Pelar. "Verien will become one of the most important planets in the Union. Congratulations, governor."
    Audrey smiled.
    "Me?" she asked, raising her voice. "I've barely been down here. You guys have done all the work and it has finally paid off. The whole year we've spent here, the hardships we've endured. The congratulations are all yours.
    “I'll make sure there will be plenty of rewards at the feast today. The kitchen better break out their best stuff."
    Which wasn’t saying much, considering their austere settings, but it would have to do.
    The miners around her cheered wildly and even the otherwise stern Palians were smiling. Audrey was sure she knew what the Terran part of her people wanted for their feast – she had been keeping a score of nice whiskey for just the occasion – but she had honestly no idea what she could do for the Palians.
    "Now, now," she said, smiling. "Before you get all cheerful about this, remember that this means we are staying here for good. You better start investing in a very warm wardrobe from here on out."
    More laughter answered her. Audrey smiled, raising her hand to make them settle down.
    "Jokes aside," she said seriously. "This is a great day for all of us. Verien hasn't always been kind to us, but now it has rewarded us tenfold. So we better treat it well now and make this a colony that will make everyone in the Union want to dust off their snow coats and come live here!"
    As the miners clapped their hands together and congratulated each other, Audrey looked around with pride.
    It was a glorious moment, all the hard work of the past year coming together. She could finally admit that she'd had had doubts in the last few months about the future of the colony. Knowing they were unfounded let her take a deeper breath, at last. For a while, as they were nearing the point where digging would become impossible, it had felt like every day was a step closer to the last.
    But it had all been worth it. Verien would become a Union mining world and she would be its governor until they found a new challenge for her.
    Her eyes drifted over the people around her. All the miners seemed to feel the same relief and gratitude she was. Audrey was sure she had never seen some of them smile before, but there it was.
    The Terrans in particular brought her joy. Palians might have been satisfied with contributing to the galactic well-being, but she knew for a fact the Terran miners were thinking of the fat reward that would be waiting for them.
    Some would bring their families to Verien as soon as the station began to grow, and she could see the anticipation on their faces already. So far only essential personnel were allowed to the surface to preserve vital energy.
    And then her eyes stopped on a face she didn't recognize.
    All at once, Audrey's heart went cold. She knew each and every person in her station, including the pilots who brought them supplies from the Evela , their support ship on the orbit of Verien. The miner closest to her, for example, was Erik. The one behind him was named Jacob, he had two