Mission Child by Maureen F. McHugh
Humanity once boldly pushed outward from the Earth to establish colonies throughout the galaxy. But humankind reached too far - overextending, faltering, and ultimately failing - leaving its distant, unremembered settlements to fend for themselves. Now, after many centuries, the progenitors have returned to reclaim their lost territories. A stunning and provocative spiritual odyssey, THE MISSION CHILD is a powerful fable, a stirring adventure and a profoundly moving portrait of a lost woman in search of an identity.