Samuel's just been handed a task to accomplish by the king of Linnondale, which requires using an airship to go to Cyprenon in disguise as ordinary merchants. This, despite the fact that Samuel's never done more than traveled as a passenger or observer on an airship in his life. The skies being a dangerous place, Samuel winds up in need of medical attention while his crew still doesn't know what their real mission is. Once in Cyprenon, Samuel and his crew must somehow extricate a Linnondale diplomat from a dangerous situation before Cyprenon officials catch on to what the "merchant" airship is doing.