One year after the destruction of Starlight Beacon, the Nihil continue to control several sectors of the frontier behind their Stormwall, establishing a provisional "government" headed by Marchion Ro and his three ministers on the world of Hetzel. As the Jedi and Republic seeks to breach the Stormwall to liberate the occupied sectors, they must also contend with Nihil raids along the border. Chancellor Lina Soh grapples with both the greatest disruption to the peace of the Republic within centuries and her own worries about the fate of her son Kitrep, who is trapped within Nihil space. Within the Nihil's territory, other stranded Jedi and Republic loyalists like Avar Kriss and Porter Engle seek to resist any way they can against the marauders while avoiding threats like the Children of the Storm and the Nameless.
Tropes in this novel include:
- Break Out the Museum Piece: While on Daedus, Porter Engle tries to repurpose an old Republic Pathfinder EX droid from the exploration era to send a message past the Stormwall, believing that the Stormwall wouldn't be adapted to intercepting an obsolete form of long-range communication.
- Kangaroo Court: Marchion Ro broadcasts a show trial of captured Jedi Grand Master Pra-Tre Veter across the galaxy before unleashing a Nameless upon him after only a few minutes.
- People's Republic of Tyranny: Nihil propaganda tries to emphasize that the people of the Occlusion Zone are happy to be free from the Republic and under in the Nihil's rule. In reality, that happiness only applies to the Nihil, as everyone else is at the mercy of their raiding.
- Propaganda Piece: Journalist Rhil Dairo is captured by the Nihil and forced by Marchion to read propaganda filled stories about the Nihil and life in the Occlusion Zone. He also forces her to broadcast Jedi Grand Master Pra-Tre Veter's execution to the Republic as an example.
- Time Skip: The novel begins around the one-year anniversary of Starlight Beacon's destruction. The comic series Shadows of Starlight fills in what occurred during that year.
