Genius room designer Cairo Smetton and mechanical engineer/psychologist Sara Brunel look likely to set up home together for a major part of their 200+ year life expectancy. Cairo is rich and famous because he creates rooms of furniture that are accepted as the equals of old master paintings. But then Cheerful (by name but never by nature), the leader of the most powerful criminal gang on the mammoth spaceship Eagle Ship A7, takes over Cairo's life. Kidnapped, imprisoned and threatened, Cairo has no option other than to continue to create his works of art. The money disappears into Cheerful's pockets. Seeing his future as being no more than that of a minor player in the gang, Cairo seeks power in that milieu by trying to create a terror-room for Cheerful to use. Cairo then unknowingly terrifies Cornelius, the leader of the second-ranking gang on the ship, who proves a near-fatal enemy. Sara comes to his rescue by combining her knowledge with the skills of Blades (second in command to Cheerful), Perry Trachett (an orang-utan) and One Hand Tree Break (a gorilla). The final, deadly conflict cannot be long delayed, but who will live and who will die?