Mindbridge

Mindbridge, by Joe Haldeman (autographed)

MINDBRIDGE St. Martins 1976

Jacque LeFavre is a Tamer -- one of an elite group of explorers who are teleported for days or weeks to unknown worlds, to set up bases for the colonists who follow. Not one Tamer in four lives long enough to retire. But if you're good enough for the job, you probably don't want any other job.

In the course of interstellar exploration, humans run into the L'vrai -- a race of angelic beauty but with a callous disregard for life. They are colonizing this corner of the universe and see humans as easily disposed-of pests.

Lefavre's assignment: use a dangerous psychic creature to establish a telepathic link with a L'vrai leader, and find a way out of the interstellar war that threatens the extinction of humankind. The adventure unfolds alongside a conflict between Lefavre and Carol Wachal, who as part of an experiment have sex while connected telepathically -- which is a disaster -- and then slowly fall in love.