The Xandra (Book 1): Daughter of the Dark
by Herbert Grosshans
In the 30th century humans are reaching out toward the far stars. Earth is sending huge ships carrying thousands of colonists in search of suitable planets. Nu-Eden, 325 light-years from Homeworld, looked like an ideal planet--until the colonists discover it is already occupied by a sentient entity who calls herself 'The Xandra', and she is not willing to share her planet with the humans.