James Bond is ordered to suspend his current mission to locate a missing professor who is reputed to have developed an efficient method of harnessing solar power.  Bond's superiors feel that he must "lay low"  for a while because a golden bullet arrives at the headquarters of British intelligence with "007" engraved on it. They conclude that James Bond is the next target for international assassin Francisco Scaramanga, also known as "the man with the golden gun".   007 suggests that should he find Scaramanga first, then this would change the situation somewhat.  M agrees, the mission begins.