Now recovered from his first frightful adventure, and regarded as a hero, Rodney wins a lucrative new commission: to start an overnight mail service between Vicaria and Havenscliff (the 'Heart of Varste') using his tiny British-powered airship. But it's not long before things go wrong, of course, and it's all to do with That Damned Firetail! 

Although he survives the first day, his sojourn in fabulous Haven Towers is beset with tension and danger. Should he persevere, or should he get the hell out of there before Murderous Major Mennase returns from the dead? To compound his crisis he goes and falls in love with Karla Cluely: girl-genius in her own right and daughter of the local Mad Scientist Hubert Von Heulenstein, who has his own special way of wrecking Rod's plans. 

Meanwhile, all sorts of secret skullduggery transpires in the shadows …