Goddess's Saga 1: Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad

it was. Stephan grimaced.
    “ I guess it wasn’t one of my best days.”
    One crate balanced haphazardly on the corners of two others, and it was pure luck it hadn’t fallen over during their journey.
    “ Hang on, I’ll get the crane.”
    At the moment, Maria was more than happy with standing to the side and letting him work.
    It was a matter of minutes until he had the large crate on the floor and she tugged a little at the lid with her fingernails.
    “You’re not even trying, are you?”
    “ C’mon, I’ve worked all night.”
    He grinned and pried it open with a crowbar. After shoving some of the stuffing to the side, he whistled softly.
    “I didn’t see that coming.”
    Maria reached out to touch one of the rarities before her. Her fingers hovered above Styrofoam and old-fashioned hay, not quite touching.
    “ There must be mines nearby. How many do you think there are?”
    Her lover shook his head and answered in a hushed voice, seemingly as reluctant as she to disturb the peace in the large room.
    “ I don’t know. We can figure it out from the manifest, but just one would be too many, don’t you think?”
    Nodding, she finally allowed her fingers to touch the del icate shell of a big bluish egg. It wasn’t quite ready to hatch, but almost.
    “ They’re B’vil-ayes, right?”
    Stephan sighed.
    “We should put the lid back on. These are nano-cribs, keeping the right temperature. I don’t know how vulnerable they are at this stage, but we shouldn’t risk anything.”
    She nodded in agreement, and plopped down on the floor to watch him close the box.
     
    *****
     
    The computer sounded like it gave a lecture.
    “ B’vil-ayes are known to be a docile species who drift on the winds of Barh’lot. They have light bodies supported by exoskeletons, giving strength, durability, and speed. They mature quickly and are highly intelligent. These properties make them a perfect source of labour.”
    Stephan said, “I’ve heard of them. People use them in diamond-mines where other species would die within days.”
    Oh, great, they get to suffer a miserable existence in an environment completely alien to them before succumbing to pressure and poisonous gasses.
    “You know what? If people are too cheap to pay for robots, they don’t need to get it done at all.”
    “ I don’t like this. I bet the station management is working together with those gentlemen you encountered.”
    “ Were.”
    He lifted an eyebrow and she elaborated, “They were working. They’re not doing anything anymore.”
    “ I guess not... You know, I think the station head will get a visit from a ghost.”
    Maria looked into his eyes and a shadow of a smile crept over her lips.
    “ You’re very handsome for a ghost. I’m coming with you.”
    Please, let ’s not argue about this.
    S aying something as if it was already settled worked on most humanoids, but usually not on Stephan, and he didn’t fall for it this time either. He gave her a stern look.
    “ Absolutely not. I’m not dragging you further into this.”
    “ What? Why? You’re the one who died, not me.”
    Maybe a bit blunt, but it gets the point across.
    He wrapped his arms a round her and pulled her close.
    “ I’m really sorry I died. I can’t promise it won’t happen again, but I’ll try not to do it anytime soon.”
    He paused to press his lips against her forehead, and when he continued it was in a more serious voice.
    “ You know I worry for you, right? You’re precious to me.”
    Of course, big guy, do you want me to sit around and knit too? Why don ’t you just add a really manly, “Let me deal with this?”
    “ All those guards will be looking for you, they seem pretty on edge out there. Don’t you think they might overreact if they see you?”
    As much as she hated it, he had a point. However, if he worried for her, she worried for him too, and she had seen him die just hours earlier.
    “ You’re a mother hen. I’m a hundred times as old as you