I first read On Basilisk Station back in 2007, listened to the audio book in 2009, and read it in graphic novel format in 2016. I have a feeling I read the book again at some point and I read it again last month.

In the far future, Commander Honor Harrington is the new skipper of HMS Fearless, an old light cruiser in the Kingdom of Manticore. After showing her mettle in a series of war games she offends an admiral and her ship is assigned to Basilisk, the only extra-solar system controlled by Manticore. And yet Manticore only cares about the Manticoran warp point and has a very light presence on Manticore itself, which is inhabited by an indigenous alien species (in future Honorverse books aliens are rarely mentioned).

As a backwater Honor finds the system defenses in disrepair and the security protocols very lax. It quickly becomes her problem when the commanding officer leaves on his ship for emergency repairs, leaving Fearless the lone navy ship on station. Honor and crew have to restore order, stop a possible alien revolt and the machinations of a hostile star nation.

It's still a great story. One commander and crew with limited resources have to make do and perform their duties far away from help. Very Horatio Hornblower.