One book that I've been trying to find for YEARS was a science fiction book that I read once, really liked and have been meaning to read again since my early teens. It has to be at least eight or nine years old by now. I honestly don't remember very much, and I don't think that it was a very popular book, but I'm really hoping that a sci fi aficionado might know what I'm talking about.

The book opened on Earth, with a woman who was some sort of professional sports player in a game that seemed like it was basically extremely violent handball. Her secret was that she was actually not human, but some race of alien who was banned from ever playing the sport professionally because of the inherent hexadactyly of the species. Basically, she gets found out and run out of town, and then some guy swoops in and says that she's perfect for this dangerous intergalactic mission.

That's only the first fraction of the book, but for some reason, I can't remember the actual exciting parts of the book, once she gets off the planet. I think that there was a big, scary alien guy in a long, black robe who either killed or threatened to kill someone in the ship's gym, but because I don't actually remember any, you know, plot, it's been extremely difficult to search for this book.