It has been over two centuries since the starship Phoenix disappeared into space, leaving a colony of humans to fend for themselves on the world of the alien atevi. Since then humans have lived in exile using a single diplomat, the paidhi, to trade bits of advanced technology for continued peace and safety. Now the unexpected return of the Phoenix has shattered the fragile political balance of these two nearly incompatible races. For the captains of the Phoenix offer the atevi something the planet-bound humans never could - access to the stars. In return the captains ask for atevi manpower and supplies to rebuild their long-derelict space station and refuel their ageing starship. Nearly ten years later, the atevi have three functioning space shuttles, and teams of atevi engineers labour in orbit to renovate the space station.