When Troy Holloway wakes up to find himself trapped aboard a drifting escape pod shooting towards the Sun he quickly realises the true terror of his situation. With rapid oxygen depletion and a burn- up rate of 90 minutes, Commander Roberts leads a rescue party to save Holloway before time runs out. Having recently lost his son and now confronted by his immediate end, Holloway feels less enthusiastic about survival. But Roberts, speaking to him only through a weak radio transmission, is determined to save his life, and both soon learn that the lives they have both lived influence each other in unexpected ways.

法国大革命战争期间，在皇家海军“挑战号”上，公正的克劳福德船长与他残忍的副手斯科特-佩吉特中尉展开了一场意志之战，后者严厉的指挥风格迫使船员们叛变。