Worldshifter — Paul Di Filippo

A high-octane tale of sweeping scope and and imagination packed into the pages of a breathless novella. Reminiscent of Jack Vance at his best in its sweep and imagination, but wholly Di Filippo in its execution.Klom is a big, simple man who works in the salvage yards on the planet Asperna as a shipbreaker. One day, while deep in the bowels of an antique ship, Klom discovers an active organic stasis pod. He splits it open and out tumbles a large quadruped that seems friendly, harmless, but non-sapient. Klom adopts it as a pet and names it Tugger. Little does he imagine the deadly danger Tugger represents. Klom is forced into a desperate chase across the stars, encountering many colourful worlds and cultures, as the most powerful beings in the galaxy hunt him down and vie for the secrets he has unwittingly discovered.