It is 1904 in Southern Africa, and the great European powers are relentlessly pursuing their goal to build an empire. Werner von Dewitz, a German marine officer, is headed on a steamship to German South-West Africa, where Kaiser Wilhelm II is waging a war against an indigenous tribe determined to resist. After his ship docks, Von Dewitz boards a train to the colony's capital, where he will receive his orders. But when his train is attacked by angry rebels, Von Dewitz must save himself and rescue a beautiful passenger-all before his true mission begins.

After Von Dewitz is assigned to clandestinely infiltrate the gunrunners' operation in Angola, he enters the country disguised as a Portuguese manufacturing representative, knowing that if his cover is blown, his life will be in jeopardy. As he relies on his bilingual skills and attempts to ferret out the gunrunners supplying guerrillas with their arms, Von Dewitz embarks on a dangerous journey where he must endure fierce battles and a terrible disease that instigates yet another chance encounter with the lovely passenger from the train.

In this intriguing historical thriller, a civil war rages in Africa as a young German marine on an important mission soon realizes he is no longer in control of his own destiny.