Trading in Danger

by Elizabeth Moon · 2003

Kylara Vatta, the only daughter in the Vatta family, defies tradition by choosing a military career over the family shipping business. After a disastrous mistake that leads to her expulsion from the Academy, she returns home amid scandal and uncertainty. Determined to prove herself, Ky accepts command of a condemned Vatta Transport ship on a routine escort to the scrapyard. She seizes a lucrative delivery contract, upgrades the vessel, and sets out to restore her reputation. However, the mission spirals into a dangerous colonial war, forcing Ky to rely on her military training and instincts against mercenaries, mutiny, and deadly combat. The novel blends fast‑paced space action with themes of redemption, family expectations, and a young woman's struggle to forge her own destiny.