The Rachet Encounter (Steven Gordon, #16)

When a Nohla patrol ship encounters a new vessel of an unknown type, it sets Steven and his crew off on a new adventure. It is an adventure that will almost cost Steven his life. An insectoid race has come from a different sector to mine the Nohlas asteroid field. The insectoids capture Steven and Charlie and try to process them for food. Charlie breaks them free and then punishes the insectoids by using one of Lewis’s bombs.
Months later, the insectoids send twenty battleships to investigate, where Steven and a Federation fleet await. Sent home with their tails between their legs, Steven follows them to their part of space with an order from the Federation. Find as much information as you can. As a result, the ship gets a new crew member, the first alien on board Babes.