SciFi Paperback Novel from 15+ Years ago

[Retired Navy]

I remember a group of rogue (convicts?) who were the good guys. They are trying to escape their detention. They are able to board one of the many empty large spaceships that are in storage orbiting a planet. They have a computer brain (pilot) from a smaller spaceship that they are able to use in this larger spaceship. The brain fits but doesn't connect to all of the available ports in the brain case of this larger ship. The smaller computer brain locks into the clips of this larger case and this smaller computer slowly wakes up the systems on this larger ship.

 

[geosmithredux]

Longshots, but possibly 'Return From the Dead' by Symon Jade, the first book in the Starship Orpheus series from the eighties (sort of a Blake's 7 set-up), or maybe Colin Greenland's first Tabatha Jute book 'Take Back Plenty'?

Take both these suggestions with a large grain of salt because I have not read either of them yet (sitting in my to be read stacks), just came to mind with your description.