Polaris just got a little hotter.

Perhaps it was his wild black hair and indigo eyes, or maybe it was his enigmatic aura, but there was something about Hyna Blue that drew Gem. The man had clearly done hard labor, his cybernetic implants gave him increased strength, but he was no longer whole...and now he was getting drunk in her tavern. Yes, Hyna Blue aroused instincts both carnal and nurturing. Gem's blood had been fiery to start with. Blue heated it even more.

Of course, since the planet of Polaris discovered its trainum mine, things were hot all over. Prosperity had blown in on a solar wind, along with many disreputable types, the least deceptive of which were the shape-shifting aliens. The ruined beauty of one patron and his drunken proposals were the least of Gem's worries--and perhaps her one solace. Like her father had named it long ago, this inn was The Spark. Gem had to survive the blaze.