After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, Grand Duke Alexey Alexandrovich, Admirals Rozhdestvensky, Skrydłów, Verkhovsky, and other members of the Admiralty Council believe that Rudnev has played his part and it’s time for him to step down. However, the new Count Rudnev-Vladivostoksky is full of reformer’s zeal and wants to change the appearance of the Russian fleet by introducing new technologies and tactics, such as submarines, smart mines, aircraft, and other innovations. The book’s central intrigue lies in the description of these changes and their impact on the global military situation after the war.