C. J. Cherryh — Inheritor

Daw 1997 Paperback, 460pp. The alien atevi have reconfigured their fledging space program in a desperate bid to take their place in the heavens alongside humans. But the return of the starship Phoenix has added a frighteningly powerful third party to an already volatile situation, making the possibility of all-out war a constant threat. Some tanning. (ISBN: 9780886777289). Good.