[2] On the dangerous frontier planet Hellhole, defeated and exiled rebel Gen. Tiber Adolphus continues his honorable opposition to the political scheming and selfish machinations of the Crown Jewel worlds and grandmotherly Diadem Michella Duchenet.

Adolphus and his companions work in secret to undermine the royal space travel monopoly and form a coalition of Deep Zone planets.

Diadem Michella, embroiled in the schemes of the ancient noble families on the decadent capital planet Sonjeera, is too distracted to recognize the danger Adolphus poses.

The Deep Zone is made up of the fifty-four frontier worlds of the Constellation recently opened for settlement.

They are administered by government-appointed Governors and pay constantly increased tribute to the Crown Jewels.