First published 1977
Captain Pausert of Nikkeldepain thinks he's making a simple rescue when he liberates three young witches from Karres. The children seem harmless enough, but they possess strange abilities that soon drag Pausert into a web of interstellar intrigue. What begins as an act of mercy spirals into espionage and piracy across the galaxy. Pausert discovers that humanity has spread among the stars and evolved in unexpected ways, developing powers beyond ordinary understanding. A galactic war rages without most people even knowing it exists. Pausert encounters bizarre phenomena like Worm Weather and klatha hooks, faces off against creatures called vatches, and navigates a universe populated by grik dogs, Nartheby Sprites, and Sheem Robots. The captain finds himself at the center of mayhem he never anticipated, forced to adapt to abilities he doesn't fully comprehend while protecting the three witches who started it all.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, aliens, alternate-universe
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Karres, Galaxy
344 pages · Paperback · Ace