
In a future where humanity’s “perfect” world has become a cage, a handful of altered individuals—biocompensators whose bodies glow like fireflies—seek a chance to live on their own terms. Doctor Cameron, a weary member of the Medicouncil, must field the desperate appeals of Docchi and his fellow exiles, who petition for a place on the forbidden asteroid known as Handicap Haven. Their plea clashes with a labyrinth of bureaucracy, ancient prejudice, and the unsettling reality that even a single “no” can seal a fate.
As the dialogue between the bureaucrat and the hopeful rebels grows tenser, the story reveals a society that hides its cruelty behind sterile procedures. The glowing strangers, each carrying a spark of something beyond ordinary humanity, must decide whether patience will win them a sanctuary, or whether their luminous resolve will force a new path altogether. The opening sets a tone of quiet rebellion, scientific intrigue, and the flickering hope that still burns in the dark corners of a seemingly flawless world.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (385K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2015-12-21
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1915–2004
A mid-century science fiction writer with a sharp, witty touch, he built memorable stories out of big ideas and very human problems. His work appeared widely in the magazine boom of the 1950s, when clever speculative fiction was finding a huge audience.
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