In a town called Carthage, Roarick is looking for his friend Desmond Kean before the start of the imminent art exhibit, finding him on a terrace with a telescope observing the world below. Roarick finds Desmond’s obsession with the world outside their town disquieting, but humors his friend and looks through the instrument. He observes the cities beyond their own—large towns held in the air by tall spires. Desmond directs his attention to the base of Carthage’s spire where a group of people is burning fires and extinguishing them to crack the spire's concrete. They are malnourished, living in makeshift shelters, and clearly dedicated to the tedious task. Desmond rambles about whether a single person could make a difference to relieve humanity's suffering. Roarick brushes him off and convinces Desmond to return inside for the art exhibit. All of the pieces are ectogenes—living humans bred, trained, and manipulated into the artist’s vision of the human experience. Sculptures vary between a couple in orgasm, dancers completing a routine, and a red-headed woman with a vulnerable expression on her face. Though a former artist, Desmond is repulsed and angered by the exhibit. He drills the redhead’s keeper Cleo, on how she produced such a result in the woman. Disgusted, he leaves the party. Later in the night, word passes through the gathering that the ectogenes have been set free and that Desmond was seen fleeing the scene with the redheaded woman. A mob forms in pursuit of him. Roarick begins a search for him, finding him making love with her in a secluded room. Roarick warns the couple and they run away. He finds them mid-conversation where Desmond points to the people tending fire at the spire and reveals to her that they are positioned above Africa where all inhabitants are enslaved. Desmond tells Roarick to flee with the redheaded woman into the town, because the mob will "put her down" if they catch her. Suddenly the mob of partygoers erupts onto the terrace. Roarick begins to flee with the woman, turning back only to see Desmond disappearing over the terrace edge with what appears to be a parachute on his back.