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 Darkstream moves so fast that if you miss your exit, you could lose a day or a week or more locating and entering a current that would take you back. If you try to use your own propellant, well, you probably would never get there.


Hence, we had to maneuver very fast and try slither to the edge of the current and using our fuel, match the coordinates. We almost missed them, but with some quick working together, and some very fast timing, we were out of the Darkstream and headed for Pisto. 


Rogere and I looked at each other-sweating-and slapped each other on the back sensible indeed of our good fortune. The Darkstream is not controlled. A current may move faster or slower than your best estimate and all your navigation equipment can figure. But--- we should have been a little less trusting of our reckoning.


Chapter 33: Easy Money, Part 2