Since leaving Ethiopia, Hanna Abebe has survived in London by working illegally as a cleaner. But her life unravels after a sexual assault; living rough, she loses the resulting pregnancy and very nearly her life. Help arrives and Hanna’s rescuers welcome her into an unusual new family: a school for recruits to the Shantivira, the secret alien space station which protects the Earth. Then Hanna uncovers a traitor in their midst . . .

Lucy Cooper is horse riding on Dartmoor when a mysterious shape-shifter offers her a place on the Shantivira’s training programme. Her instinct is to refuse, but an organisation claiming the Shantivira’s motives are sinister persuades Lucy to become their spy . . .

Joe Llewellyn is bored. Being the captain of the Shantivira isn’t the challenge he’d hoped. Plus, he’d like to inform the Earth about aliens, but his boss won’t permit it. Then a stray asteroid hits the ISS and Joe is forced to let the cat out of the bag . . .

This heart-warming blend of fantasy and science fiction is a must-read for fans of Becky Chambers, Ursula Le Guin, Ben Aaronovitch, Douglas Adams and Doctor Who.