Heechee Rendezvous

by Frederik Pohl

Robinette Broadhead, a married millionaire with health problems, returns in this novel, Even with his need for medical care, Broadhead does not feel that he deserves transplants to keep him alive, as he is still feeling guilty about his horrible journey to a black hole many years ago. He still attempts to research more about the advanced alien Heechees and their star-travelling technology. At the same time, a madman named Wan attempts to search for his father within black holes, using stolen equipment and a Heechee ship. Wan's probing is noticed by a sentient race of slow-moving creatures who inform a Heechee patrol that is sent out of their black hole to observe the galaxy. Fearing that humans may alert a malevolent race of beings known as the Assassins, the Heechee patrol tries to find out more about human achievements in space flight and whether or not the damage done by them can be undone. Wan's probing also releases Gelle-Klara Moynlin from her two decade-long entrapment. Moynlin was a companion of Robinette on his journey to the black hole, which Moynlin experienced as only several elapsed days. The journeys of these past and future friends of Robinette begin to converge, and in the end, humans finally meet the Heechee race.