Tantamount by Thomas J. Radford
The Free Lanes criss-cross a vast ocean in space, sailed by tall ships crewed by those who live on the edge of the law and common decency. Nel Vaughn is the skipper of the Tantamount, not the captain. The captain causes the problems. Nel’s job is to fix them and keep the crew alive through debt, blockade running, slavery and rebelling planets. Between the captain, a xenophobic, kelpie navigator and the manipulative Castor Sharpe she’s got her work cut out for her. And that’s before a kitsune cabin girl and the rest of the crew get involved. Nel would do anything for her captain and crew, and the rest of the Free Lanes are going to find that out.