Not since Emperor Palpatine have the Jedi battled such monstrous evil. Unless they succeed against staggering odds, the galaxy is doomed.
Luke Skywalker's daring mission to halt the Yuuzhan Vong's nefarious plot to overthrow the New Republic is struggling on all fronts. And time is slipping away for Han and Leia Organa Solo, trapped on a small planet whose rulers are about to yield to Yuuzhan Vong pressure to give up the Jedi rebels.
On Coruscant, Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker have made a shocking discovery that is preventing the Yuuzhan Vong from exerting complete control. But when the enemy tracks them down, Luke and Mara are thrust into a fierce battle for their lives. Suddenly, the chances of escaping appear nearly impossible. And in space, another battle rages, one that holds ominous consequences for the New Republic—and for the Jedi themselves…
Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade Skywalker, and Tahiri Veila have arrived on the recently-captured Coruscant, and on the planet they find a genetically-engineered monstrous Irek Ismaren, who had killed his mother Roganda, masquerading as Lord Nyax. Nyax, his mind having been replaced almost entirely with electronic parts, is bent on opening a Force nexus located beneath the old Jedi Temple. Meanwhile, Tsavong Lah, taking Viqi Shesh's advice to heart, discovers a conspiracy amongst members of the shaper caste and of the priest caste who plan to control him through manipulation of his implant. With the help of shaper Nen Yim, Tsavong Lah discovers the traitors involved, which include Ghithra Dal and Takhaff Uul, and executes them by use of a rancor.
Han and Leia Organa Solo are traveling to sectors of the galaxy that are most likely to join the Yuuzhan Vong in order for leniency for their own planets, people, and especially governments. Han and Leia's goal is to make contact with secret resistance cells on each planet in order to support them in making sure that their governments won't align with the Vong, and that they'll also be able to fight the invaders. One particular journey to Aphran IV gets them locked away in a prison cell, which forces C-3PO and R2-D2 to help them escape. Han and Leia fight past the forces holding them and they escape, with the government of Aphran IV unlikely to join the Vong.
Back on Borleias, Wedge Antilles continues to operate the defenses there, holding Czulkang Lah's forces off for the majority of the events and increasing Yuuzhan Vong sentiment that both Jaina Solo was the physical manifestation of one of their Trickster goddess Yun-Harla, and that the pipefighters were capable of being utilized as a superweapon to attack Coruscant's defense fleet.
On Coruscant, after discovering survivors mindlessly working on excavating something, the team figures out Irek wants access to something. The team doesn't stay unnoticed, however, as a party of twenty Yuuzhan Vong warriors led by Denua Ku enters to fight Irek. Knowing they would need all help possible to bring him down, Luke, Mara, and Tahiri join in the fight.
During the battle, a massive construction droid brings the floor down. Irek flees, and the team follows him. Eventually they end up at a wall the construction droid is working on bringing down, with Irek waiting. Luke, Mara, and Tahiri engage him again. Unexpectedly during the battle, the construction droid brings down the wall, unleashing the Force Nexus.
Once broken through, Nyax immersed himself in the energies of the mountain and raised himself through the Temple Ziggurat's roof.
Upon the roof of the Temple, the five spires of the Jedi Council had collapsed, now strewn about, shattered. Where the Temple Spire had once stood was a gaping hole out of which Nyax flew, spouting Force energies throughout the area. Denua Ku was amazed by the cyborg's raw combat abilities, but in the course of the battle, he found himself flung against the broken structures around him, and impaled through the chest by a rebar spar.
After a fierce mental battle with Irek, Luke, Mara, and Tahiri head to the construction droid to get the survivors—no longer under the control of Irek—to flee the area. By now Coralskippers had arrived, and were attacking the construction droid. Amplified by the Nexus, the Jedi used the Force to hurl debris at the Coralskippers.
After catching up to Irek, Luke and Mara distracted him while Tahiri surprised him from behind. As he was overwhelmed, the roof they were on collapsed, taking Irek down inside.
Following Nyax's death and during the strike team's escape from Coruscant they confronted Viqi Shesh, who had been sent to the planet to help capture them. At the same time the dying Denua Ku, caught up with her. The Kuati woman was shocked when Denua Ku once again appeared behind her, mortally wounded and vowing that he would kill her. Shesh chose to commit suicide to avoid being captured and, most likely, killed by either side.
Upon returning to Borleias the strike team found the Lusankya in a state of horrible disrepair, though this was ultimately part of General Antilles's plan. Using the pipefighters to distract Czulkang Lah's forces from the true weapon, Lusankya was smashed into the Domain Hul worldship, executing Operation Emperor's Spear and fulfilling the objectives Antilles had set for himself and the Borleias defense crew in the war against the Yuuzhan Vong. The final battle of the New Republic campaign at Borleias also sees to the death of Yuuzhan Vong veteran coralskipper pilot Charat Kraal, who had been part of the Vong occupation of the planet since before the New Republic invaded.
The New Republic abandoned Borleias following their defensive victory, though they had ultimately gained the government a great deal of time with which to plan their next moves and alliances, exactly what then-Chief of State Pwoe had instructed the fleet to do.
- ISBN 9780345428684, June2002, Del Rey, 366-Page Paperback.
- ISBN 978-80-252-1674-3; March 8, 2011, EGMONT ČR, 248-page Czech paperback (Nový řád Jedi. Nepřátelské linie II - Bašta rebelů).