This Insubstantial Pageant

Prosperina was robbed: of her company Prosper Inc., of her research, and almost of her life. Betrayed by her chief executive officer and own brother Tony, she and her daughter Milana are marooned on a planet orbiting Lalande 21185, a red dwarf 8 light years from Earth. A brilliant bio--engineer, Prosperina genetically alters indigenous plant forms to provide food, shelter, and even conductive and data--processing technologies. When her old ally Joe Gallo manages to hijack the ship of corporate enemy Al King, Prosperina confronts her brother and his allies (including Stephen the socialist atheist boatswain, drunken frat boy Troy, and Al's handsome son Fernando) in a fight for freedom. But the plants, Kaleeban and Auriel? They have other ideas.