After speaking too freely during the court-martial of Home Riggs Popham, Kydd is denied the command he expected and sent instead to HMS Tyger, a ship weakened by mutiny and distrust. Restoring discipline requires more than punishment from a captain the crew initially regards as another enemy.
Operations in northern and Baltic waters test whether Kydd has truly rebuilt the ship. A battle against three Prussian frigates serving French interests becomes the measure of a crew that must learn to fight together before it can recover its honour.