Star Born

"Star Born" by Andre Norton is a science fiction story set on the planet Astra, and follows colonists wrestling with their Earth origins as they change to survive on their new home. Young Dalgard Nordis and his alien merman friend, Sssuri, start a journey that marks their passage into adulthood. Their expedition to a faraway place shows their close friendship, even though they are very different. While setting up camp, Dalgard studies the alterations in their family history and the problems they have in a world with old hazards and new, unseen ones. The sudden arrival of a strange comet suggests hidden tensions, and relates to their past. The two friends soon prepare to face a long-dormant power, making their journey one of discovery about themselves.