In the Orbit of Saturn

"In the Orbit of Saturn" by Roman Frederick Starzl is a science fiction story set in a time when space piracy is a real problem, where Quirl Finner, a secret agent for the Interplanetary Flying Police, goes undercover on a spaceship called "Celestia" to catch the "Solar Scourge," a well-known pirate. After the pirates take over and he becomes a prisoner, Quirl sees how awful they treat the other captives, including a moment when a young woman loses her brother. With trouble brewing among the pirates on the ship, he has to deal with the risks of the mission and the tricky ethical issues that come up when he meets Strom, the pirate captain, who has big plans for a new community. In the end, there are intense battles, friendships are tested, and Quirl takes a stand against the pirates to save the prisoners, uncovering a bigger story about what it means to be honorable, to sacrifice, and to be loyal.