Women run the world, men are second class persons and the gated super-rich own all. The living standards of the world have fallen to minimal levels, owning books is prohibited and romantic liaisons between the sexes are considered treasonable. Catherine Nesbit, paddle operator for the venal Lazarus Resuscitation Syndicate, is secretly observed and selected on account of her curiosity and perseverance. She is railroaded into slavery in a heavily defended community in the Nubian desert where she becomes a mediator between the invading Turkish military forces and the ruling class. Although the lively, humorous novel plays in the future, life then mirrors our present in this light-hearted adventure, exposing greed and exploitation as the major driving forces of society.