Nebula Awards Best Novel (nominee)
Centuries had passed since the Final War devastated Earth and turned its surface into an intolerable radioactive desert. To survive at all, the only place to live was Center - a huge city built of rock and steel in a vast underground cavern. One of Center's most rebellious inhabitants was the mutant girl Mischa, who had chosen a life of crime in order to survive. She spent her days foraging in the city's forgotten areas, watching the ships that came from the stars. Mischa's one desire was that someday she'd be able to journey outward on one of those beautiful silver vessels and leave her living hell behind. But for now she must keep her forbidden secret from the world. Luckily for Mischa her mutation was not visible - she possessed a rare form of telepathy that enabled her to sense the feelings and emotions of the individuals around her. Unexpectedly, her talent was put to use with the arrival of a starship captained by a pair of pseudosibs...two laboratory-created twins scientifically linked together by corresponding brain waves. But their psychic connection was fading rapidly. She convinced one twin to take her with them in exchange for helping them but the other, more cunning self-centered, twin turned her into authorities. The only place to run was the dreaded mutant caves. What lurking horrors awaited her? How far had the mutations gone over the countless years? Mischa had already passed the point of no return and knew it wouldn't be long before she had all the answers!