D-99: a science-fiction novel

"D-99" by H. B. Fyfe is an early 1960s science fiction novel about a secretive government agency, Department 99, that handles interstellar problems and rescues Terran citizens stranded on alien planets. The story follows the challenges faced by the department as they work their way through complicated alien laws and cultures, especially in the case of Harris, a Terran captive on the water-covered planet Trident. With the book starting with a fast chase scene, we are introduced to Westervelt, who works for Department 99. The story then transitions into the workplace dynamics of the agency, where superiors discuss their jobs while contemplating situations where agents got in trouble with extraterrestrial rules. Through humor and action, the novel demonstrates the issues of space travel, difficult choices about saving humans from alien worlds, and the risky business of interplanetary diplomacy.