THE MISSION The Exploratory and Evaluation Corps of the Federated Sentient Planets had sent ARCT-10, with its mixed crew of shipbred and planet-bound technicians, to Ireta to catalogue fauna and flora and search for new energy sources. It was a simple mission. A standard crew. THE PROBLEM Kai and his beautiful co-leader Varian, the best xenob-vet in the business, followed all the standard procedures—but the results of their investigations were totally unexpected. Not only were the planet's creatures larger than anyone had anticipated and the geological finds smaller, but the rescue ship had inexplicably disappeared. THE NIGHTMARE Then suddenly on a world of giant swamp creatures and deadly predators, a curious change had come over many of the members of the ARCT-10 crew... a change that would lead all of them, in one way or another, into the primitive darkness of a future world.

To escape extermination at the hands of their former colleagues, the Heavy Scouting Team, Kai, Varian, and their companions sought refuge in the suspended animation of cryogenic sleep. Now time has passed - it's hard to say how much, but at least two generations - and the survivors emerge from hibernation. Ireta, the planet of the dinosaurs, has changed a lot. The Heavy Team has regressed to primitive barbarism. Much-needed life support equipment is out of order or missing. All Ireta is altered. But help is near...a rescue ship is on the way. However, although hopes are reborn, new problems continue to arise. What are the motives of the mysterious Theks? Why do the intelligent Giffs - pterodactyls locked in an evolutionary dead end - act so strangely? And above all, what could be the cause of the Heavy Team's blind hostility? For survivors, it's about more than just survival...

“Few are better at mixing elements of high fantasy and hard science fiction.”—The New York Times Book ReviewThe crew of shipbred technicians sent to the planet Ireta were prepared for a routine mission to catalog flora and fauna and search for new energy sources. Kai and his beautiful co-leader, Varian, the best xenob-vet in the business, followed all the standard procedures, but the result of their investigations was totally unexpected. When their rescue ship mysteriously disappears, they suddenly find themselves surrounded by giant swamp creatures, deadly predators, and terrifying dinosaurs. And a curious change begins to come over many of the crew members—a mutinous change that will lead all of them, in one way or another, into the primitive darkness of a future world that holds many mysteries yet to be revealed...