A soldier cast out by the empire he once served becomes the unlikely protector of 37 giant pandas who see the future in their dreams.
Garrand Ai'Gonet Médeville once commanded immense power and
respect as one of the Emperor's favored sons. Now the former Captain of the
Imperial Guard has lost himself deep in the lawless outer reaches of Carinaena's
Shell, far from the Emperor's reach. Accepting a dangerous mission to transport
37 stolen bios sets him on a collision course with the empire he once served
and the dark forces intent on destroying his mysterious cargo.
The Tchelakov 37 are only three generations removed from
their humble beginnings as fat, furry mammals. They have been genetically
engineered to become living probability engines—intuitive machines.
Precognitive awareness is the tribe’s legacy, a blessing so coveted that it threatens
to destroy them before they even have a chance to understand it. Pursued across
the stars, the tribe sees all paths leading to unbearable darkness.
A slender thread of hope wends through their
dreams: a man will arrive, a reluctant and destructive hero. They must see
beyond this man's ragged past and recognize the honor in his heart. And they
must survive long enough to unlock his true nature and start him down the Path
of Fate.
