The Privateer

Adventure for space opera fans! John Smith was a crusading attorney on Peltir IV, whose crusade ended in a rigged trial and a sentence of slavery in the mines – a death sentence. He and his fellow slaves escaped and stole an ore carrier. They failed at trade, and desperation and hatred drove them to piracy. John was a huge success at piracy, building an entire fleet, until forced to confront the horrors committed by his men. He grabs a ship and a collection of gems, and runs away, in hopes of regaining the honor and self-respect he had once had. Pursued by his former colleagues, he must change both his and his ship's identities and appearance, and then convert his gems into more useful form before seeking a sanctuary. Along the way, he learns that his ship is much more than a simple yacht, deals with a stowaway girl, buys an orbital scrap yard almost by accident, finds himself responsible for a beautiful young woman, fights off a pirate attack, makes a friend, and learns that his defenseless proposed refuge has been invaded by another planet. John, now Cale, and his friends formulate a plan to use derelicts from his scrap yard to free his sanctuary planet from the invading forces. But can a bunch of resurrected hulks really defeat a planetary fleet? And, just what IS a Privateer, anyway?