Masters Shipping runs the most reliable fleet in the galaxy. Family-run for two generations, Masters offers its customers safe and timely transport for their goods. As the youngest of seven children and the only girl, Torrie Masters has had to fight hard to keep her overprotective male relatives from, well, overprotecting her. Torrie finally convinces her brothers to give her a command and a chance to prove herself.

On her maiden voyage, Torrie is boarded and her cargo is stolen by pirates. The Ghost Riders of the Dead Zone left Torrie with an empty ship and egg on her face. Instead of reporting the hijacking to authorities, she takes matters into her own hands and decides she'll recover the stolen goods herself. If she's successful, her brothers need never find out about the boarding and theft.

Following her cargo by means of trackers she planted in the containers, Torrie tails the pirates to Wryth Spaceport, home to the scum of the galaxy, the place outlaws come to socialize and do their business outside of the law. Once on Wryth, Torrie is kidnapped and sold as a slave to the very pirate who boarded her ship and stole her cargo. A fierce battle of wills is about to take place. Torrie is sure she'll come out the victor. But as time goes by, she finds she's not only in danger of losing her command and cargo, but also her heart.

A former slave himself, Qaade Deter buys Torrie only to save her from the slavers of Wryth. He knows only too well that once sold, a slave can disappear into oblivion. Qaade isn't about to let that happen to the fiery redhead. Especially since he knows he's responsible for her appearance on Wryth in the first place. Qaade has been pirating ships and cargo to fund Slipstream, a network he has in place to rescue and relocate slaves. Torrie's ship contains medical supplies the pirates desperately need for their operation. However, when they open her cargo, they find something else -- a dangerous drug hidden inside the containers. This drug's only use is to "scrub" or destroy the memories of slaves. The "scrubbing" disorients its victims and makes them pliable and easy to control. Furious about this, Qaade confronts Torrie, who's stunned to learn she was transporting the illegal drugs. Now, more than her precious pride and her family's reputation are at stake. Realization that they've been unwittingly aiding the slavers drives her into action. The pirate and the captain make a formidable team as they take on Torrie's client -- a madman determined not only to hold onto his profitable operation, but also to take down Qaade and Torrie as part of an endgame only he knows the rules to.

Barry's latest novel in her futuristic UN series is the perfect blend of sci-fi and romance. It's an exciting romp through deep space with a sexy pirate and a ship's captain just woman enough to take him on. A strong cast of secondary characters rounds out this engaging novel.