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When the island of Leshp suddenly surfaces in the middle of the Circular Sea,
it is immediately claimed by fishermen from both Ankh-Morpork and Klatch. Klatch
sends very soon after to Ankh-Morpork a diplomat, Prince Khufurah, who is
nearly killed by an unknown murderer. Vimes investigates and finds the
assassin, but the latter is already dead, and the profusion of clues make it
clear that it was a setup. Very soon, Ankh-Morpork and Klatch are preparing
for war. The Patrician is evicted and replaced by Lord Rust, who reformes the
regiments in order to invade Klatch, and disbands the Watch. Meanwhile, Vimes
is still investigating the attempted murder and sails to Klatch with his
faithfull ex-watchmen. At the same time, the Patrician enrolls Colon and Nobbs
for manning a submarine made by Leonarod da Quirm. The Patrician discovers
that the island is floating on a giant pumice, and is soon going to disappear
into the sea once again. He then lands incognito in Klatch in order to gather
intelligence about the situation. Meanwhile, Vimes catches the man he was
following, 71-hour Ahmed, bodyguard of Prince Khufurah, who also happens to be
a Klatchian copper. Ahmed tells Vimes that Prince Kadram, ruler of Klatch,
had organized the assasination of Prince Khufurah, his brother, in order to
provoke a war between his country and Ankh-Morpork. Ahmed cannot arrest his
own ruler, that's why he attracted Vimes to Klatch, hoping the descendant of
Old Stoneface would get rid of Kadram. Ahmed and Vimes finally manage to reach
Kadram and keep him at point blank, undecided about what to do. Just at this
moment, the Patrician appears and announces that Ankh-Morpork surrenders
unconditionnaly before the war actually begins. He agrees that a treaty,
containing numerous benefits for Klatch, will be signed on Leshp, a neutral
territory. But Leshp disappears just before the treaty can be signed,
suppressing all legitimate reasons for the war and making the treaty
impossible to sign.
