Merchanter's Luck — C.J. Cherryh

His name was Sandor and he was the owner and entire crew of a tramp star-freighter that flew the Union planets under false papers and fake names.

Her name was Allison and she was a proud but junior member of the powerful family whose mighty starship. Dublin Again, was the true queen of the spaceways.

They met at Viking Station, she seeking a night's dalliance, he desperately in search of a spacer assistant.

Their fateful meeting was to lead to a record-breaking race to Downhclow Station, thereby catching the calculating eye of the grim commander of the Alliance-battlecraft, Norway. and a terrifying showdown at a deadly destination off the cosmic charts.