On Cluster, the capital of the league of 20 000 planets, a ship with the power to destroy planets lies waiting for it's master - "His Divine Shadow". But the soon to be executed rebel Thodin has his eyes on it too, and mangles the city's computer system while engineering his escape. Using the chaos that erupts, the death sentenced security officer Stanley Tweedle and the escaped "love-slave" Zev evade capture and eventually team up with Thodin... with the undead assassin Kai following, with orders to kill them all.

Stanley is captured aboard a pleasure transport by the committee of justice for the 94 reformed planets - and charged with the murder of 685 billion people.