Things aren't looking so great for Valerian and Laureline. Having given up their job as time-space agents on planet Rubanis, they're struggling to scrape together the 700 000 they owe for repairing their spaceship. Just in time, this chaotic planet's chief of police offers them a little mission: to find their way into the Circle of Power to find out who (or what) exactly is in charge, and responsible for the havoc that's fast becoming unbearable...