The novel “Steal Across the Sky” by Nancy Kress was published for the first time in 2009.

An expedition carrying three Witnesses reaches the Kular system. The aim is to observe two human populations that have lived on two twin planets for about ten thousand years. They’re the descendants of humans transported to those planets by aliens who call themselves the Atoners, who want to somehow remedy a grave injustice.

Camilla “Cam” O’Kane and Luca Maduro take the two shuttles to descend to the two planets while Soledad Arellano remains on the mother ship to coordinate the operations. Something goes wrong and Luca’s shuttle lands violently, causing him to break a leg. He’s rescued by the natives, and after some time, he realizes that they’re convinced they can speak to people who have recently died. Initially, things seem to be going better for Cam, but on the planet, she discovers that she has ended up near a city ruled by a decidedly unfriendly king.