Survivors — Anne McCaffrey

Kai and Varian spent forty years in coldsleep, hiding from the mutineers who had taken over the planet Ireta.

But when they woke, the mutineers were still around -- and had sired two generations of ornery descendants! Worse yet, space pirates were on their way to join the illegal colony. Then a huge group of alien Theks, intent on some cryptic purpose of their own, appeared unexpectedly.

Kai and Varian were determined to save the planet and its unusual dinosaurs. All they had to do was solve the myriad mysteries of Ireta and gain the trust of teh most dangerous beings in their Universe. Not an easy task, at best!