David Selby was born and grew up in Berkeley, California. He taught elementary school in California, Mexico, and New Mexico for thirty-six years. He and his wife live in Northwest New Mexico.  He has written many short stories including the Joe the Man with Gills series. Mica is his first novel.

Mica, an expert navigator, uses the currents of the Darkstream to pilot his ship across the galaxy to join his love, Olivine. On the way, he befriends Ronnie, a stowaway who can look like a coat or a first aid kit, the mysterious Vuud, and the translucent “Slight People”. They experience the savage planet of Carnage and the whirling destruction of the Moon of 10,000 Drones before they even reach Olivine in the brand-new city of Garner in the midst of an unknown world.


Mica

The next morning, after Rogere had made gofee and brought me a cup with great ceremony, I asked a question that had been on my mind since we popped: "Rogere, have you ever checked over your safety systems? Emergency O2, bulkhead repair, compartment purge, primaux supplies?"


He looked nonplussed. "Well, no. I took it for granted that my very expensive boat was in tip top shape when it was delivered, and ready to go. It's certainly insured to the hilt, and my men have been over it."


"It's great that it's insured, but that won't help us if we're dead. When we've been cruising for a while and things appear to be under control, why don't we check things for ourselves."


"Alright, I don't see how it could hurt anything-and you make a solid point about being dead."


Chapter 32: Easy Money, Part 1