Canby's Legion

From the back cover of the Warner first edition: "2681 Earth Date: The Star Legion crushes the Volpato Confederation, make Earth the galaxy's supreme power. The Spoils of Peace - 2691 Earth Date: Earth has deteriorated into a corrupt Empire whose depraved nobles and political hacks can't even protect their own slave ships from Volpato pirates, yet they are very deft at treating Earth's masses - especially Fleet veterans - like vermin... Warriors Betrayed - Ex-Commander Gordon Canby has spent a decade protecting his old comrades from poverty and the police. So when he finds four abandoned starships in a Fleet wrecking yard, Canby hatches a daring plan, reuniting his crew as mercenaries to fight the Volpato brigands. Successful, glorious, Canby's Legion is soon famed across the spacelanes. But in a degenerate age, valor can be lethal. And, lured into a deep-space death trap set by a jealous noble, Canby's Legion is about to discover that when you fight for traitors, your enemies may be your only friends..."