When a princess in an alternative reality is threatened with abduction, the Department of Alternative Realities and Time sends STAR, Daniel Archer on his first solo mission to watch over her. The moment he arrives at his destination, he's instantly aware that something has gone horribly wrong. The discovery that his communicator doesn't work not only prevents him from contacting his base to call for help but stops him from getting back home.
However, this just the beginning of his difficulties as he soon discovers that the briefing all Sentinels of Time and Alternative Realities, receive before going on an assignment, has inexplicably vanished. Electronically implanted in their memory, it provides them not only with details of the role they are to undertake but also a wealth of information including local knowledge and customs enabling them to 'adapt' to their new environment, while hiding their true identities and allowing them to work undercover.
Now trapped in a land where women hold all the positions of power treating men as second-class citizens, the prospects look bleak for a teenaged male. Only when he meets Tomas the young servant assigned to him by the palace does he see a way he might continue with his assignment until communications can be restored.
Bound by the formalities of his lowly position, initially, Tomas is reluctant to accept Daniel's offer of friendship but over time and with a little persuading, he proves himself a reliable and helpful ally before finally accepting his 'master' as a friend.
As preparations for the princess's forthcoming Royal Tour get underway, Daniel begins to suspect that her abduction is only a 'red herring', soon learning that the real reason for his presence, is far more sinister. When Professor Marchant, acting as the queen's intermediary asked D.A.R.T. for their assistance in protecting the princess shows his true colours, it becomes clear that he has his own very different agenda, his intention to use Daniel to steal a prototype SPIRIT, the device used to travel through time.
Caught in a battle of wits and deceit, there are more shocking revelations to come when he learns of the duplicity of his two trusted friends and D.A.R.T. supervisors, Jack, and Diana. As a Sentinel, Daniel knows his priority should be to prevent the elicit device from getting into Marchant's hands, since it would eliminate the Department's control over time travel.
However, with his loyalties now divided between carrying out his duty and freeing himself from the control of his superiors, he decides that his personal need is the greater, the solution to his dilemma, to steal the device for himself, but will he be able to achieve his goal with the odds so heavily stacked against him?
