Trading in Danger (Vatta's War) (2003)

Ky Vatta’s first command is supposed to be a modest commercial assignment, but finding an opportunity means taking responsibility for the ship and everyone who depends on it. Moon makes negotiation, cargo and practical command part of the adventure. It is a useful contrast to lone-pilot fantasies: running a vessel is an organisation’s work, with financial decisions attached. This begins Vatta’s War, so the trading problems gradually meet the pressures of a wider military conflict.