The Margarets Author:Sheri S. Tepper Margaret Bain lived on Phobos where she was the only child. As lonely children do she created imaginary playmates including a warrior, a healer, a telepath, a linguist, a queen and a spy who had different names and lived on different worlds. At the age of nine one of her imaginary selves split off; Wilvia meets her future husband Prince Jozire. ... more »At twelve, she is on earth and is granted a water ration while another one of her imaginary splits off is not granted a water ration. She becomes the foster daughter of the being known as the Gardener on another planet.
At twenty-two another split occurs and on Margaret is a bond slave. Another Margaret marries the man who loves her and goes to the colony world Bright. One Margaret is a shaman while the lone male of the split becomes a warrior. Yet anther Margaret becomes a shaman and two Margarets become bond slaves on different worlds. Different ages and different life experiences go into the making of the Margarets who are the only chance of saving human life from those who openly and covertly try to destroy it. If they fail in their mission it means the withdrawal of help from the races who want humanity to have a chance and the race trying to restore a barren earth. Water is in very short supply so one races sells the people of Earth water in exchange for getting humans as bond slaves.« less