Posing as scientists, Han, Leia, and Kyp arrive on Callula and meet their Ryn and Rodian guides who have stashed food and weapons along the route to the yammosk.

They run into a Vong ambush.  Han and Kyp suspect it is a trap as the warriors’ armor was inferior and they fell will little difficulty.

Jaina has been keeping a close eye on the approaching Vong armada and as she travels through hyperspace back towards Mon Calamari she realizes that the end of the war is at hand.  When she reaches the system, the vast Vong armada is right behind her.  After initial attacks seem to go as planned, Vong unleash a huge blast that levels fifty Alliance ships instantly.

Back on Callula, the team encounters a much tougher Vong squad.  Han is bitten by and amphistaff and falls unconscious.  They are all taken back to the Vong base where a shaper tells the slayers to return to Yuuzhan’Tar and report that this planet is making all the Vong sick.

Things are still going poorly in the attack; Jaina’s ship is hit hard enough to nearly disable it.  Part of the Vong fleet breaks off and jumps away to hyperspace.

Inside the yammosk chamber on Callula, the strike team is encased in blorash jelly that seems to be liquefying over time.  All Vong life appears to be infected as even the yammosk dies before them.  Lando, Talon Karrde and Shada D'ukal enter the room and say almost all Vong presence is gone from the surface.  Han is able to walk on his own.  Kyp recognizes with horror the reason for the Vong deaths – Alpha Red has been unleashed.  He explains the secret history of the weapon to those there, but one in the group knew it was being tested on the planet and thus the planet was handed over easily.  The Vong that left the planet to give word of the sickness would be taking the disease back to Coruscant with them.

Luke and Jacen take an opportunity to talk about the Force.  Luke tells Jacen that he has been afraid of delving too deeply into the Force, but together they can seek out the Unifying Force and bring it to the New Jedi Order.

Kre’fey is concerned since it has become obvious that they misjudged where the Vong would be heading as he sees the entire armada make a jump back towards the core. He wonders if they know the plan.

Nom Anor is settling in for a nap, when to his great surprise, the planet is beset by problems as Zonama Sekot returns nearby!

Back on Mon Calamari, the Han and Leia are checked for any remnant of Alpha Red.  The test clean and talk to Luke who tells them to meet him on Zonama Sekot.  The Alliance forces unite to plan the next attack.  Many Jedi are also in route to the planet.  When the Falcon reaches it, they are told the must leave the ship in orbit and come to the surface in a Sekotan ship.  All the new visitors are in awe of the planet.  The Jedi gather around Luke and he teaches them the lessons he’s learned.  Jabitha tells them that Sekot will create living ships for each of the Jedi.  Jaina is no selected by any seed partner. Luke also introduces Harrar and says he will help them win the war.

Nom Anor is summoned to Shimrra and Onimi.  Shimrra says the gods have saved Zonama Sekot.  He promotes Nom Anor and has him tell the priests to pray only to the trickster goddess Yun-Harla in hopes of creating a civil war among them while he destroys Zonama Sekot and the gods for good.

Luke returns to meet with the Alliance leaders who are planning an all out assault on Coruscant.  Luke tries to persuade them to hold off on their plans until Zonama Sekot, which is explains is a living being, has time to take action of its own.  He also warns that the World Brain will make the planet uninhabitable if attacked.  Several Jedi suggest that they take back other weak systems while the Vong are in disarray and then they’ll be able to attack from several spots at once.  They receive word that the great Admiral Ackbar has died.

Much to Nom Anor’s surprise, Shimrra tells the tale of Zonama Sekot to the followers including its connection to the Yuuzhan Vong.  He tells them of the ship that is infected with Alpha Red and his plans to crash it into Zonama killing it as the infidels had hoped to kill the Vong.