Eccentric and cat-loving Counter-terrorism consultant Rufus Excalibur ffolkes (Roger Moore) is asked by Lloyd's of London to develop a contingency plan should any of the North Sea oil installations they insure be threatened. Months later, a North Sea supply ship named ''Esther'' takes on board a group of men posing as reporters who are to visit the oil production platform ''Jennifer''. The leader of this group, Lou Kramer (Anthony Perkins), hijacks the ship; the gangsters attach limpet mines to the legs of ''Jennifer'' and its accompanying oil drilling rig, ''Ruth'', then issue a ransom demand for Pound sterling25&nbsp;million to the Government of the United Kingdom.<ref name="IMDB"/> ''Esther'''s crew tries to fight back, but is thwarted by Kramer's vigilance, and two of their number end up dead.