All cats are gray

"All Cats Are Gray" by Andre Norton is a science fiction story about Steena, a colorblind woman, her cat Bat, and a spacer named Cliff Moran, as they explore the spooky spaceship, the "Empress of Mars." The story looks at themes of how we see the world, mysterious hidden powers, and the value of unexpected friendships. Cliff, wanting to get his reputation back, decides to search for the derelict spaceship, and Steena joins him, bringing her special ability to see shades of gray, which could help unlock the ship's mysteries. In their journey, they come across an invisible thing causing suspense and new discoveries about the ship and about themselves. Steena's unusual way of seeing things ends up saving them, and the friendship grows strong between her, Cliff, and Bat, showing that real connections can survive even the toughest situations.