of the Church agents (and himself). While awaiting the trade, they encounter Flinx, currently in Rose’s employ as an "assistant sanitation engineer". Flinx, who has only been working for Rose's organization a short time, finds out who they are and that they are being held against their will; Flinx helps them escape. After the agents report Rose’s activities to the United Church, Rose escapes to the AAnn base, where he blackmails the base commander into promising safe passage off-world lest Rose release his entire supply of bloodhype via an over-pressurized container with a "dead-man" trigger (which would lead to a horrible death for everyone on the base). Led by Mal, the agents enlist the help of another wealthy (but legitimate) Replerian merchant, Chatham Kingsley, who has discovered the Tar-Aiym Guardian (named Peot) and his machine now orbiting above Repler. Awoken by Flinx’s psychic abilities, the Guardian prepares to fight the Vom again, while Kitty, Porsupah, and Mal prepare a raid on the AAnn base to capture Rose. Alerted to the presence of the Guardian, the Vom escapes the AAnn base, destroying the installation. The Vom and Guardian engage in a psychic battle as an AAnn fleet arrives to evacuate their survivors, and the fleet commander tricks the greedy Rose into returning (alone) to the base to retrieve data that could damage the reputation of the base commander. Flinx joins Peot against the Vom, but despite their combined efforts, the Vom slowly gains the advantage. Left behind by the AAnn, Rose desperately attempts to negotiate with the Vom while it is still engaged in the life-or-death battle; instead, the Vom consumes him, and his bloodhype supply. The drug is devastatingly effective against the creature, which had proven immune to conventional explosives and energy weapons fired by the Replerian constabulary (as well as the AAnn weapons); weakened, the Vom succumbs to the Tar-Aiym Guardian. After the battle, the Guardian self-destructs; Flinx leaves Repler on his ship Teacher. Porsupah gets drunk, while Mal and Kitty start a romantic relationship. References External links Alan Dean Foster homepage 1973 American novels 1973 science fiction novels American science fiction novels Humanx Commonwealth Novels by Alan Dean Foster Sequel novels Ballantine Books books