Secret of the Snow Leopard Author:John C. Robinson By the 22nd century, rioting and the breakdown of public order are the consequences of pollution, resource depletion, and ecological collapse -- the reasons why world government established the New World Launch Program, sending off huge starships to colonize distant worlds, although, even with Hyper Leaps, journeys take 50 years or more. Now, Pa... more »ul Torrden, chief of Torrden Enterprises, Inc., fights to be allocated space on the 20th starship for his researchers and their population of rare snow leopards. Set up by Paul's grandfather, the founder of T.E.I., the experiments have yielded some intriguing results. The ship departs -- with the cats -- and, despite sabotage by crazies who want to destroy the snow leopards, reaches planet Refander, where Paul, his wife and son, and others die in a shuttle crash. Meanwhile, one of two alien races that are fighting an endless space war sends a vessel to investigate Refander. The colonists manage to destroy it, but clearly they cannot withstand an invasion. Soon, though, they discover ancient ruins on the planet. Later, out in the planet's backcountry, Paul's grandson Ian and young wilderness-dweller Liraah will discover that the snow leopards not only can learn in human fashion, but sometimes learn things before they happen.« less