I've been steadily consuming the Black Ocean Mobius Missions by J.S. Morin. His universe has magic (with astral space standing in for jump space) but is otherwise quite Traveleresque, as the stories focus on the polyglot crew of an armed merchant vessel and their usually-illegal shenanigans. The ship's putative Captain is a shameless con man whose principle utility is his consumate skill at lying. While the character is also a former ace fighter pilot, he is seldom allowed to pilot the ship, since he tries to fly it like his old fighter!