Vasilii and Miroslava are back at work again. Czar Mikhail wants a rail line built from Ufa, the capital of his United Sovereign States of Russia, to the capital of the USSR's newest addition, the Khazak Khanate. For that he needs a steam engineer and diplomat-Vasilii's jobs-as well as a top surveyor. Unfortunately, the surveyor is an arrogant snob who gets himself murdered-and now the czar needs a detective as well. Fortunately, Vasilii's paramour Miroslava came with him, so she's there to take on the case. She and Vasilii need to solve the murder quickly without blowing up the still fragile agreement between the USSR and the new State of Kazak.

And Miroslava and Vasilii aren't the only ones with troubles. Vasilii's young cousin Alla is hiding out in Moscow and has been since her family was murdered. She's having to learn how the other half lives. It's all going to come together if they can solve the murder without jeopardizing the rights of every citizen in Kazak-newfangled rights which are more fragile than anything else.