In 1803, Napoleon came up with the idea of creating a secret unit to carry out special delicate tasks. Essentially, it was the first sabotage group created under the personal supervision of the emperor. Louis Caranelli, a Corsican and the emperor’s neighbor in Ajaccio, was appointed commander of the special group.
Cornet Nikolai Danilov, a descendant of a princely family, serves in a dragoon regiment during the 1805 campaign and becomes a witness to the murder of General Schmitt and the unsuccessful attempt on Bagration, committed by Caranelli. Nikolai suspects that all this is not accidental. He tries to tell his comrades, even files a report to command—but they make fun of him. However, mysterious events continue, and Danilov begins his own investigation…