Forbidden desires plague Celia, head of the Underwater Maintenance Engineering project on Gavrel Space Station. Celia's fascination for the bio-engineered aquatic humanoids who care for the habitat's ocean grows each day. Sleek, strong and graceful, the UMEs have begun to develop patterns of behavior and beliefs that their creators had not planned for. When her attraction to Del leads Celia to finally indulge in her long-suppressed sexual fantasies, she endangers her job and the future of the UMEs aboard Gavrel.In order to save their species and secure the rights they deserve, Del is urged by the leader of his people to use Dr. Weston as a pawn in a political coup. Celia risks everything for the ecstasy of Del's electrifying touch, but can she convince two races to accept their relationship and work together to save the doomed ocean?