(Outlaw Galaxy 1, stand-alone novel) Trip dreams of someday traveling to the stars ... but he never imagined that he'd be kidnapped and forced to join Diamond Black Joe's pirate gang. A space adventure for readers of all ages. By Bill Smith, author of the Outlaw Galaxy series, Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels and Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition.

Benjamin "Trip" Trippany lives with his Uncle Craz in the busy port city of Pennick's Crossing, working in his Uncle's starship repair bay while dreaming of someday having his own ship and adventuring among the stars. A chance encounter and chase through the bustling city delivers him into the clutches of Diamond Black Joe, the infamous space pirate. Forced to join the pirate gang, Trip learns that they plan to attack and capture a Sh'nar cargo ship fleet, where his best friend Jinx works. Forced to choose between his own safety and saving his best friend, Trip is plunged into a rousing space adventure filled with deep space battles, shipboard blaster shoot-outs with pirates and a desperate struggle to save the Sh'nar from Diamond Black Joe's pirate gang.

About 73,000 words or 210 pages, reading time: 5 hours.