Imagine a creature born from the fierce union of a spitting cobra and a wildcat, painted in striking tan-and-blue, endowed with hydrophobia and a murderous instinct‚Aîwelcome to the world of the sphex. This is the reality faced by rugged adventurer Hyugens, who embarks on an audacious mission to illegally colonize the unforgiving planet of Loren Two. Joined by his loyal companions Sitka Pete, Sourdough Charley, and Faro Nell (along with her young son Nugget), as well as massive, intelligent Kodiak bears bred for loyalty, and his trained giant eagle Semper, Hyugens must confront the dangers of this hostile environment. When he learns that a robot colony has been overtaken by sphexes and that possible survivors are trapped in a mine-tunnel with time running out, Hyugens is faced with a heart-wrenching choice risk his own freedom to embark on a daring rescue mission. This gripping tale, a winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 1956, is an adventure filled with peril, camaraderie, and the fight for survival.