The devastation of the earth due to fires, drought, disease, and overpopulation has led to the formation of two behemoth governments-The Endarchy in the west and Kritarchia in the east. To recover from the nearly apocalyptic death of the earth, the Endarchy is turning to GENEtic engineering, where citizens exhibit class A-Pure DNA, which is beneficial to survival.
SARAIc is one of the lead GENEticists (capitalizing GENE is the law) in the Endarchy, guided by The GENEtic Principle-dna our past, Dna our Present, DNA OUR FUTURE. Sarai subscribes to the Principle even though, as a class c citizen, she cannot marry, have children, or even have sex. She is highly bitter that her genius will not survive for future GENErations. Although her GENEtic parents are now dead, she has engineered their DNA to reappear, even to the extent that DIVAb, her friend, gave birth to her GENEtic mother. She is launching a new program, Tabula Rasa, to ensure that her DNA survives.
DIVAb is a class b citizen, which still denies her the right to marry and procreate, but she can be a Surrogate to bear Class A babies. GENEva is her child. Things worsen for DIVA when GENEva is ordered to connect with another Class A citizen, DAVID, who enters DIVA's flat. This sets into motion many problems resulting in mistrust, jealousy, and mistruths. In a frantic moment, DIVA impregnates herself with DAVID's sperm and later learns that she is pregnant. This causes DIVA to become derailed. GENEva and DAVID go great lengths to improve the household mood, unaware of DIVA's transgression.
DIVA turns to SARAI for help, as she always does. SARAI is becoming less tolerant of her impulsive friend DIVA, who we later realize is her GENEtic sister. Everyone in the Endarchy fears The Lottery, where citizens are purposefully obliged to check into each day. No one knows the implications of being chosen. Having enough of DIVA's irrational behavior, SARAI arranges DIVA to receive a new identity but traps her into the Lottery. DAVID, meanwhile, is a Stabilization Officer who has been assigned to track SARAI's behavior.
SARAI's problems are further complicated when the GENEral (leader in the Endarchy) demands that she reactivate the aggressor GENE that is currently muted in its citizenry. This is to counteract threats from Kritarchia that is building an army. SARAI lies about her ability to buy time for her plans. During this time, she learns that the Minister of SPAN whom she detests is married to the GENEral and is a Kritarchian. But in the interim, DIVA needs to be dealt with.
In the end, SARAI's plan goes AWOL. SARAI'S DECEIT IS UNCOVERED before DIVA undergoes exsanguination (bloodletting) in the Lottery. She then meets her fate in the Lottery. DIVA has a miscarriage. Tabula Rasa is operative, and two spans later (span-10 years), GENEva gives birth to GENEsisA, the GENEtic clone of SARAI. DIVA escapes from the Endarchy to join a group of refugees setting up a new country-Autarky.
GENEsis, meanwhile, in her blind faith to the Principle, is cooperating with the GENEral to develop a deadly virus to eradicate Autarky,