Plot
The Vom is an intergalactic intelligence described as a large black blob resembling a gigantic amoeba, impervious to almost all energy and physical attack. Following years of battle with the Tar-Aiym it has sheltered on a planet where it has gone dormant for 500,000 years, waiting for an opportunity to escape the Tar-Aiym Guardian orbiting in space above it. Carmot MMYM, a commander in the AAnn Empire, discovers the Vom and brings it to the planet Repler for study at an AAnn base that had been conceded to the reptilians as part of a negotiated settlement of ownership of the planet; the AAnn base is sovereign territory, allowing them to conceal the nature of their work. Lieutenants Kitten “Kitty” Kai-sung, a female human, and Porsupah-al, a male Tolian, have been sent by the Intelligence Arm of the United Church to Repler to investigate the newly re-established trade in the drug bloodhype (also known as "jaster", "silly salt", "brain-up", and "phinto") as the most deadly and addictive drug in and outside the Humanx Commonwealth. Once on Repler they make contact with the drug trader Dominick Rose, who had used an unwitting Captain Malcolm "Mal" Hammurabi and his ship, the ''Umbra'', as unwilling transporters of bloodhype. Mal discovers the drug accidentally, and determines that Rose caused it to be included with the shipment that Mal brought to Repler; angry, Mal secures the drug on board his ship and goes to confront Rose, proposing to exchange his silence (and the destruction of the drug) for Rose avoiding arrest and mind-wipe by ceasing all production and distribution. Meanwhile, Kitten's and Porsupah's covers are blown, and they are captured by Rose. Mal's arrival interrupts Rose's plans to torture Kitten to death by vivisection, and Mal is forced to trade the drug for the release 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
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