Love, passion and greed are set against the horror of a brutal civil war in 1970s East Africa. Insurance engineer O'Grady is sent to investigate an explosion on a hospital ship. Motivated by his attraction to a lady doctor, he takes charge of trying to save the old vessel. He meets Alan Craig, Government military advisor and the soldier and engineer become firm friends. O'Grady then buys and commissions an ancient tug for a lucrative contract that also keeps him near the doctor. He and his son are welcomed by the colonials, where nobody is quite as they appear, including Craig and his promiscuous wife Muriel. However, the feudal kingdom has provided a platform for ruthless exploitation and everyone's lives are shattered in the ensuing brutality and destruction. As the warfare envelops them, the friends plan to steal a fortune in a desperate bid to escape...