Plague Ship

The Solar Queen has secured a promising trade agreement on Sargol. Then its crew begins to collapse-and a successful voyage becomes a desperate struggle to save the ship.

Apprentice cargo-master Dane Thorson is learning that interstellar commerce demands more than knowing the value of a cargo. Negotiating with the feline Salariki requires patience and an understanding of unfamiliar customs, while a rival trading company threatens the Queen's prospects. But the greatest danger emerges after departure, when a mysterious illness leaves most of the crew incapacitated.

Only four young crew members remain able to act. With their ship branded a plague carrier, they cannot simply seek help at the nearest port. The authorities regard them as a threat, and every attempt to obtain supplies or medical assistance risks making their situation worse. Saving their shipmates means discovering what happened aboard the Queen while finding a way to make others listen.

Andre Norton combines the working life of a trading vessel with alien encounters, investigation, and pursuit. Dane and his companions must take on responsibilities far beyond their experience, relying on observation, technical skills, and one another when established procedures offer no safe solution.

For readers of classic science fiction and adventures built around capable crews, Plague Ship offers a tense journey through a universe where a trading contract can open unexpected doors-and a frightening label can close every route home.