An action/adventure tale of the French Legionnaire soldier, Battron, "a man without a country", who is involved with the liberation of a freebooting French ship, the Martel, from a heavily guarded Vichy French port during World War II. The Allies want the ship destroyed; the Germans have sent serious resources and firepower to save it and keep it afloat. But a critical security leak in British intelligence could jeopardize not only the mission but Battron s life. The key is the beautiful former mistress of the Martel s captain, enlisted in the hope she can convince him to join the Free French movement with his ship. Part 1 of 3.