Howard, fossil mad from boyhood, whose life as a scientist has so far lacked one essential ingredient for happiness, the ability to fall in love. Enter Lucy, a journalist, 'the kind governments dread', who is equally sceptical about any philosophy of life involving faith or luck. Their worlds collide en route to Nairobi, when their plane is forced to land in Callimbia, an imaginary African country ruled by a military dictatorship, 'the ancient home of Cleopatra's sister Berenice'.