Alien, Mine Read Online Free PDF Page B

on her back, probing for her weaknesses.
    I will not let them intimidate me.
    Indignation burned through Sandrea. If that was Mhartak’s idea of the security officers being polite she’d hate to be on the wrong side of them when they weren’t. Fury boiled in her veins and her fists clenched. How dare they insinuate she was part of a Bluthen infiltration plan. So, she couldn’t remember much of what happened to her. Maybe they should try a spell as a Bluthen captive, see how well they did. The pricks hadn’t even let her have lunch in peace.
    Drengel’s regular appearances to run a scanner over her had become balm to her outrage. But when she told him there was no need to be quite so thorough, he replied it wouldn’t be worth his hide to ignore his orders.
    “General Mhartak sends his apologies.” Graegen’s voice penetrated her stewing thoughts. When he strode into the room a few moments ago and dismissed the security officers she could have hugged him. He held a hand out toward her. “Would you care for a tour of the base?”
    “General Mhartak isn’t coming?”
    “The General sends his regrets. His responsibilities are numerous.”
    A mix of apology and defensive justification wove through his tone.
    “You admire him.”
    Graegen shepherded her out the door. “The General has not only kept this sector of space free of Bluthen depredation, but also regained territory previously inhabited by Alliance races. Something no other general has been able to duplicate to the same extent.”
    “That must have been difficult.”
    “It was, especially as General Mhartak does not believe in the term acceptable losses . In every campaign he strives for minimum casualties. Fortunately for us, he is the greatest tactician of our time.” He ushered her down a well-lit hallway. “This military outpost is General Mhartak’s headquarters in the war with the Bluthen.”
    “Why are you at war?”
    His shoulders flexed back in a gesture she interpreted as a resigned shrug. “Because we have to be. I know our appearance can seem quite aggressive. As a people, though, that is not our inclination. From our perspective the Bluthen are the most massively self-centred race we’ve encountered. They tend to think they own the Universe and everything in it. We’ve had to fight to keep what’s ours and help our neighbours do the same.”
    “Severe psycho-centric cosmogony,” she murmured.
    Graegen chuckled. “Well said. So you understand the character?”
    “I’ve met one or two people who suffered the same delusion. Is that why they attacked Earth? Domination?”
    “It’s possible they haven’t mounted an offensive against your people yet. You were probably taken in a snatch raid. They study a new species first, discover strengths and weaknesses.”
    He pushed open a large door. Bright sunshine flowed in and a wave of profound gratitude flooded her at the sight of the yellow radiance. At least this sun was similar to Earth’s Sol.
    “The moon rotates just enough in relation to its orbit to always face the planet,” Graegen explained. “As you can see, it’s a gas giant.”
    She lifted her gaze through the clear atmosphere to the azure grandeur of the huge planet hanging above them.
    “Synchronous rotation. Our moon does that.”
    Sadness settled like a dull blanket as she stared at the spectacular, infinitely alien display. The distance to her home seemed to expand exponentially.
    “Why were the Bluthen operating on you?” After a few moments of silence, she turned her gaze and focused on him. “Security violation if you disclose?”
    “Yes, I can’t divulge that information.”
    She shrugged. “Don’t worry about it, Lieutenant, I don’t need to know.”
    She trailed him along a paved pathway through a sea of red pebbles between dull, grey buildings. The warm, humid air pulled a sheen of perspiration to her skin.
    “You are hot, yes?” Graegen inquired. “One of our allies, the Legolopanths, acquire a film