The Alien Dark — Diana G. Gallagher

Out of the darkness of interstellar space . .

The ahsin bey, a race of catlike beings determined to expand their territory, launch six vessels into deep space to search for an uninhabited world suitable for colonization.

Tahl d'jehn commands the Dan tahini on a decades-long mission to explore the Chai-te system. Studies indicate that Chai-te's planets are rich in the resources the ahsin bey need, but will their signal reach their home world in time to launch the colony ship? And what is Tahl to make of the startling discovery of a dead civilization on Chai-te Three?