When the oppressive global dictatorship of Pax took over Earth they put a stop to space exploration. Still, a few rebels escaped in the sleeper ships to found free new colonies -- or perish in the attempt. Those few colonists that reached inhabitable worlds were cut off for centuries, and in that isolation and freedom they developed the mysterious mental powers that ''civilization'' had all but destroyed."What of our children-the second and third generations born on this new world? They will have no memories of Terra's green hills and blue seas. Will they be Terrans-or something else?"-Tas Kordov, Record of the First Years