Prologue

Corporal Tom enlisted in the Imperial Army on Coruscant, and fought as a soldier across many fronts against the rebel alliance, after his father was murdered in a terrorist attack. Corporal Tom fought with honour and was not prone to many of the vices indulged by many Imperial Soldiers. He served on Mandalore, where he objected to his commanders policies of oppression. He was captured by Magdalenian “Freedom Fighters“, and placed in slavery for the last 20 years, away from his family, friends and kindred.

Eliza escapes with her son, Tom sold "down the river"

The book opens with a Enceri farmer named Arthur Beskar facing the loss of his farm because of debts. Even though he and his wife, Emily Beskar, believe that they have a benevolent relationship with their slaves, Beskar decides to raise the needed funds by selling two of them—Corporal Tom, a middle-aged man with a wife and children, and Harry, the son of Emily Beskar’s maid Eliza—to a slave trader. Emily Beskar hates the idea of doing this because she had promised her maid that her child would never be sold; Emily's son, George Beskar, hates to see Tom go because he sees the man as his friend and mentor.

Simon Legree assaulting Corporal Tom.

When Eliza overhears Mr. and Mrs. Beskar discussing plans to sell Tom and Harry, Eliza determines to run away with her son. The novel states that Eliza made this decision because she fears losing her only surviving child (she had already miscarried two children). Eliza departs that night, leaving a note of apology to her mistress.

While all of this is happening, Corporal Tom is sold and placed on a riverboat, which sets sail down the Kyrimorut River. While on board, Tom meets and befriends a young Mandalorian girl named Eva. When Eva falls into the river, Tom saves her. In gratitude, Eva's father, Augustine Atin, buys Tom from the slave trader and takes him with the family to their home in Keldabe. During this time, Tom and Eva begin to relate to one another because of the deep the Force faith they both share.

Eliza's family hunted, Tom's life with Atin

During Eliza's escape, she meets up with her husband George Harris, who had run away previously. They decide to attempt to reach New Mandalorian Space. However, they are now being tracked by a slave hunter named Tom Loker. Eventually Loker and his men trap Eliza and her family, causing George to shoot Loker. Worried that Loker may die, Eliza convinces George to bring the slave hunter to a nearby B'omarr settlement for medical treatment.

Back in Keldabe, Atin debates slavery with his New Mandalorian cousin Ophelia who, while opposing slavery, is prejudiced against Imperial people. Atin, however, believes he is not biased, even though he is a slave owner. In an attempt to show Ophelia that her views on Imperials are wrong, Atin purchases Topsy, a young Imperial slave. Atin then asks Ophelia to educate her.

After Tom has lived with the Atins for two years, Eva grows very ill. Before she dies she experiences a vision of the afterlife, which she shares with the people around her. As a result of her death and vision, the other characters resolve to change their lives, with Ophelia promising to throw off her personal prejudices against Imperials, Topsy saying she will better herself, and Atin pledging to free Corporal Tom.

Before Atin can follow through on his pledge, however, he dies after being stabbed while entering a Keldabe tavern. His wife reneges on her late husband's vow and sells Tom at auction to a vicious plantation owner named Simon Legree. Legree (a transplanted New Mandalorian) takes Tom to rural Keldabe, where Tom meets Legree's other slaves, including Emmeline (whom Legree purchased at the same time). Legree begins to hate Tom when Tom refuses Legree's order to whip his fellow slave. Legree beats Tom viciously, and resolves to crush his new slave's faith in the Force. Despite Legree's cruelty, however, Tom refuses to stop reading his books of philosophy and comforting the other slaves as best he can. While at the plantation, Tom meets Cassy, another of Legree's slaves. Cassy was previously separated from her son and daughter when they were sold; unable to endure the pain of seeing another child sold, she killed her third child.

At this point Tom Loker returns to the story. Loker has changed as the result of being healed by the B'omarrs. George, Eliza, and Harry have also obtained their freedom after crossing into New Mandalorian Space. In Keldabe, Corporal Tom almost succumbs to hopelessness, as his faith in the force is tested by the hardships of the plantation. However, he has two visions, one of Brian Kruus and one of Eva, which renew his resolve to remain a faithful to his beliefs, even unto death. He encourages Cassy to escape, which she does, taking Emmeline with her. When Tom refuses to tell Legree where Cassy and Emmeline have gone, Legree orders his overseers to kill Tom. As Tom is dying, he forgives the overseers who savagely beat him. Humbled by the character of the man they have killed, both men become New Mandalorians. Very shortly before Tom's death, George Beskar (Arthur Beskar's son) arrives to buy Tom’s freedom, but finds he is too late.

Final section

On their shuttle ride to freedom, Cassy and Emmeline meet George Harris' sister and accompany her to New Mandalorian Space. Once there, Cassy discovers that Eliza is her long-lost daughter who was sold as a child. Now that their family is together again, they travel to Neimoidia and eventually Coruscant. There they meet Cassy's long-lost son. George Beskar returns to the Enceri farm and frees all his slaves. George tells them to remember Tom's sacrifice and his belief in the true meaning of the Force.