When a U.S. P-3 Orion flying in the Taiwan Strait collides with a fighter jet belonging to the Chinese Navy with the P-3 making an emergency landing in China and the crew subsequently being detained by Chinese officials, Harm and Admiral Boone who has been called out of retirement by SECNAV Alexander Nelson are sent to China in the hope of bringing the Navy personnel on board the plane safely back to the United States but one young Navy pilot's feelings over the whole situation may worsen things while Mac, Sturgis and Bud deal with two Naval Academy midshipmen who staged a duel with Sturgis and Bud defending the two Midshipman while Mac prosecutes.