In the second book of the series Merchants Without Borders, Matt faces many moral, legal, and scrupulous decisions. He wants to help Stefan Syn Vostoka protect his fisheries and his empire. The political wars of Russia, Ukraine, and the world are closing in on him and Stefan. They finally are separated by more than the waters between their countries. The political embargos and policy changes ultimately thwart their overall goals. To engage in manufacturing and distribution of weapons is controlled heavily by both countries. Matt has found a way to manufacture legally but he cannot distribute to many countries, especially Russia.