Bits of Catalyst — E.M. Foner

The ancient past and the future share the stage in the third book of EarthCent Metaverse.Mouser, the reluctant mayor of the colony ship Miklat, finds himself left in the dark as he shares command with the ship's alien owners, a pair of husband-hunting co-captains from the Human Empire, and a Dollnick ex-military AI. Fortunately, the best laid plans of advanced species are designed to tolerate both human foibles and freelancing alien intelligence agents. Add in a Verlock-trained xenoarchaeologist, a new police chief, and a visiting Farling physician, and you have all the ingredients for a change in the galaxy.