A returning moon capsule deviates from its intended route and lands in Africa, where it is discovered by a little-known tribe. Washington dispatches Matthew Merriwether to retrieve it, believing him to be a region expert when he is, in fact, not. However, a foreign power dispatches Secret Agent Luba to attempt to get the capsule for itself, and when Matthew and Luba arrive at their location, they discover that the tribe regards the capsule as sacrosanct and will not surrender it.