Newly orphaned Ishmael Wang finds himself forced off the only planet he knows and thrust into deep space when he takes a job as mess deck attendant on a freighter that plies the spacelanes among the stars. Follow along as Ishmael works his way through the ranks as an interstellar merchant mariner from the lowest quarter share until he finally earns an owner’s share at the helm of his own company. Along the way he finds a new family, a sense of purpose, and—eventually—himself.