Xanthe is a member (female) of a research team which is investigating the possibilities of humanoid robots, in a world of chaos and starvation... Two types of robot have been produced: the Pragmapractors, who do the conventional manual work; and the Philophrenics, who have been programmed to more human levels, to feel affection, to talk, and even construct themselves. The question is: should they be allowed to go further?