The book is told from the perspective of the main character, Jefferson Kopal, a young member of an immensely wealthy and powerful spaceship building family founded by his Great Grandfather, Rollo Kopal, an admiral in the Space Navy.

Jeff is assigned to a ship that will take him into the Messina Dust Cloud, which residents of the Solar System call Cyborg Territory.

Unfortunately, Captain Dufferin, the Commanding Officer, feels that the Kopals are a plague on the Space Navy and intends to make Jeff suffer for his last name.

Jeff warns the Bridge but then blacks out as the ship takes evasive action to avoid certain death.

The remainder of the story revolves around the "rebellion" of the Cloud Territory as well as Jeff fighting to restore his name and place in the family business.