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It's June 21st, 1919, at Scappa Flow, a coastal inlet off the Scottish island of Orkney.

Seven months after an armistice brought the First World War to an end.

Naval Officer Hans Hesse strives purposely across the main deck of a German dreadnut.

He grips the iron railing and piers out across the water.

One hand shielding his eyes from the bright mid-morning sun.

Ranged across the bay are 74 hulking battleships, the pride of the German Imperial Navy.

It's an impressive spectacle, but this is no display of military strength.

These ships are being held hostage.

Their guns have been disabled, their engines have been lowered,

and what once were hundreds of soldiers aboard have been reduced to a skeleton crew.

The sight of them now floating like driftwood in the bay makes Hans burn with indignation.

Following Germany's defeat in the war, what remained of its navy was forced to surrender to the

British. The vessels were impounded off the coast of Scotland, where they are to remain until

the peace negotiations have concluded, and a decision over the ship's fate has been reached.

In the meantime, Hans and his fellow sailors must remain on board,

looking after the fleet until the time comes to hand them over to the British.

But the Germans have come up with a plan to stop that from happening.

With his heart rate quickening, Hans looks over to the flagship of his fleet, the SMS Emden.

There, the Emden's signal is on deck, making a series of movements with a pair of

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