Robert Kimball is a bright, energetic young man, eager to break into the world of politics. But when events bring him into the tumultuous Washington political scene, he is sent off to a remote Mediterranean island country to serve out his time quietly as the ambassador of the deserted American Embassy. But just after arriving in the Republic of Marisupa, Kimball is quickly embroiled in the country's own turmoil, as feuding brothers clamor for control over the island and rival religious factions clash with the new ambassador caught in the middle. Now, the bizarre arrest of an old freighter ship threatens to bring the tiny country to the brink of civil war. Can Kimball uncover the truth behind the scenes, and prevent Marisupa from falling into anarchy?