On the planet of Athos there are no women so Dr. Ethan Urquhart delivers babies from uterine replicators. The Athosians have lived this way for 200 years but the ovarian cultures dating back to the settlement of the planet are giving out. With the future at stake, Ethan is chosen to brave the wider universe in quest of new ovarian tissue cultures to replenish Athos' dwindling stocks.