This is a story about a society predicated on a desperate need to prevent the extinction of the human race. Because their gene pool was severely limited, genetic testing determined the best of their breed and only those who could produce perfect progeny were allowed to reproduce. To insure absolute control of the individual those who were selected to bring forth new persons were psychologically treated so that they had no memory of having done so. We trace the lives of two couples who live on opposite ends of the social scale. One couple is together because they want to be and the other couple is together because they have to be. Their desire to simply be human is the substance of this novel.