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

"It's really nice and warm here, I thought it seemed cold when I arrived," I had slept so well; I felt a mixture of relief and - hunger.


Daniel and Vuud and I were marching over to the dining area about a quarter of a mile away. Same black, dripping, rough edged rock, but now they just seemed solid and part of a relatively benign landscape.


Vuud said, "You must control the temperature as it's quite pleasant, but where does the heat come from?"


We sat down with our trays and various tablemates nodded, waved, winked, or looked shy. 


Daniel was the young man assigned to help us learn the ropes-not as visitors, but now as residents. He was a sharp guy; he treated us with consideration and seemed to know most things about his world, but like the other Albans, was extremely interested in life on the surface of his planet.


Chapter 46: Settling In, Part 1