Life for Len and Alex is not pleasant. It's the 27th century, and they are living in an orphanage with thirty other boys like themselves. They are labeled Defectives. They don't fit the accepted mold for the appearance-based society. Their faces are covered in purplish/red birthmarks, their vision is poor, and they are slight in stature. They also live in an underground city like the rest of the world's population. Humans were driven there by tracliodytes, cockroach-like creatures who attacked and took over Earth in the 22nd century. Because the boys are defective, they will be sent to work when they turn twelve, digging tunnels. For the rest of their lives. With this bleak future in front of them, Len and Alex decide to make a bold escape. They travel through the city's ventilation system to the Earth's surface. They are captured by a tracliodyte patrol, and so begins a new life for Len and Alex. Being held captive is not so bad for the two boys. The tracliodytes have evolved into a benevolent and peaceful society. For the two friends, it's a life far better than the two ever imagined, especially compared to living underground. They love the sunshine and the fresh air and make many new friends. When word of their escape reaches the orphanage of defective girls, Kyla and Fae, the two of them also escape to the surface. However, along with themselves, they bring all of the other twenty girls of the orphanage with them. Their escape is an affront to Supreme Commander Botta. He vows revenge, and plans are made to bring both the girls and Len and Alex back to face trial, torture, and a final hideous fate. With an army from underground led by Botta, he stages a surprise attack on the peace-loving tracliodytes. The stage is set for an epic confrontation that will determine the fate of not only the young defectives but the future of life on Earth.