Adam Simon is a young man who inherits a cabin on an old cruise liner which sails the eastern Australiancoast as home to wealthy passengers. Existence ashore in consequence of world overpopulation nowaccomodates two types of people: those who live under a ruthless two child policy in walled cities and thosewho live outside the walls and do not practise birth control. Aboard the ship Adam becomes part of anambitious plan to resettle young couples to save a section of humanity from its inevitable destruction.Subsequently a power struggle begins and murder occurs until Adam and friends expose the killer and Adamtakes charge - although not perhaps as originally intended. (ends)