Crossroads of the Galaxy — Stephen Goldin

Young Alex Bredakoff thought he was prepared for anything when his family moved to the center of galactic commerce...but he never dreamed of meeting anyone like Kasinda Venderling. The daughter of an important interstellar trader, Kasinda has been everywhere and done everything in her short life...at least, to hear her tell it. And now these two young people must, on their own, foil a kidnaping attempt that could topple a stellar empire