Published by www.nemira.ro
In an universe built of layers of zones of thoughts, a superior Power is threatening to destroy like a plague the world as we know it. Researchers studying old archives that are suspected to hide something related to the menacing Power manage to run away with the secret that can save everyone and in their way to take it to a safe place their ship crashes on a planet from an inferior zone of thoughts.
The medieval society living on that planet is formed of a species of dog-like intelligent creatures. They live in packs of up to eight individuals, the more members in the pack the more intelligent the creature as a whole being. The advantage of the packs’ is the hive mentality and capacity to act and think like just one person. The down side of it is the fact that such packs can’t get close together or touch one another except during battle or orgies because their mental waves get mixed up when in near proximity and they lose themselves as a whole.
In this world there are two major clans that are at war, Lord Steel, known for his cruel experiments who continues the work of Skinner, another controversial personality famous for its cruelty, and the Woodcarver, possibly the oldest pack still alive, which is more on the creative side. The ship crashes in the middle of the on going conflict and from the occupants of the ship, a family with two kids, the adults are killed during the crash by the indigene population. A pilgrim pack saves the older girl and takes her to the Woodcarver, while the younger boy, the ship and its entire content which includes over 150 children held in capsules in catatonic state are held captive by Lord Steel.
Separately they learn to communicate with each other and learn from one another, especially the dogs from the humans. The girl has a computer with her that facilitates communication and teaches dogs to speak the human’s language. The boy is raised together with a pack of puppies with advanced math skills, which accepts him as a member of the pack.
The ship is broken but the boy figures out how to use the radio and contact an employee working at the Relay, the main data communication system in the universe. They are also in contact with an old Power that succumbs to the plague’s attack. Before dying though, this one uploads into his made-up human counterpart the info and procedures needed to fight the plague. And so the woman from the Relay and the man from the old age go on a ship of two merchant skroderiders, vegetal life forms possessing special vehicles that enhance their short term memory, and together they start on a long journey meant to save the child, help the dog clan allegedly under attack and save the universe.
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Written for “Scrie ca sa primesti…o carte”
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