Tia Cade is a headstrong, smart, and very normal girl—until she contracts a terrible illness that leaves her with the bare semblance of life. Tia’s only hope: to become the oldest person ever to train to be one of the legendary star travelers, the brainships But now that Tia is free of her ravaged body, there still remains the task of finding the right partner to be her Brawn, the human element every brainship requires. And when the disease that debilitated Tia threatens thousands more, selecting a Brawn who is her true soul mate may allow Tia to find the origin of the terrible plague—and perhaps even a cure. Anniversary edition featuring a new introduction by Mercedes Lackey. “McCaffrey's [creates] a vivid future universe of diversified cultures and technological wonders [with] vivid heroes and villains. . .”—Publishers Weekly on the Brainship series “With [Mercedes Lackey], suspense never lags. . .”–Kliatt "She'll keep you up long past your bedtime."—Stephen King