Pamela Sargent 
Watchstar 

Alone in the desert, Daiya is faced with a dilemma that will determine her fate. If she can successfully resolve it, she will join the Net of her village, but if she fails, her life will be spent with the feared Merged Ones. Confused and torn between worlds near and far, Daiya harbors a secret of her people and must find a way to move beyond her discoveries to a safe place where she can survive.