: Seomish emigrants to Earth have long struggled to adapt to their new world. It hasn't been easy and growing conflicts between humans, Seomish and their Amphib offspring are making life miserable for everyone. Now one faction of the Sea People have allied themselves with the Chinese to create a deadly bacteriomech plague called the Purple. Their goal: nothing less complete control of the Earth's oceans and lands.
To combat this existential threat, Farpool Service officer Charley Meyer, an Amphib granddaughter of Chase Meyer and Angie Gilliam, is assigned a mission: to follow a joint Chinese/Seomish team through the Farpool to old Seome, before that ocean world was destroyed in a supernova of her sun, and prevent their adversaries from bringing back more toxic microorganisms to enhance the Purple. There are stories that an antidote to these toxins may also be found on old Seome.
But Charley encounters a world riven by conflict among the sea tribes, even as humanity on Earth struggles to survive. Using her training and her own guile and courage, she manages to keep the Seomish from destroying themselves long enough to allow as many as possible to emigrate to Earth. She knows from history that Seome is doomed and her sun will soon obliterate all life on their world.
Racing against an implacable deadline of the coming supernova, Charley and her team must overcome generations of suspicion and conflict, her own doubts and the treachery of a local human occupying force, to realize and make happen what the timelines dictate must happen. In the process, she helps preserve the original Farpool from collapse just long enough to save thousands of Seomish and also finds within herself not only reserves of courage and resourcefulness, but new friends as well.
Sixth title in The Farpool Stories.