Two hundred years after the apocalypse, inhabitants of Earth were forced to live in immense self-contained Domes. The environmental disaster caused all oxygen to be ripped from the environment and bind to metals, forming a thick coating of rust. A new liquid was discovered that could extract oxygen from the rust, but supplies of rusted metal are running out. Only one human community remains. Their only source of rusted metal lay in caves inside a nearby mountain which is occupied by a race of mutants who are not aware of the importance of rust. When the Mole People finally discover that the Domers have been stealing their source of oxygen, they plan to attack the Dome. Betrayal by a rust collector, who falls in love with a non-mutant occupant of the caves, gives them the means to travel across the plains and invade the Dome. The Dome developed time-travel technology and sends Mrr back to 1988 to recover the only substance that they feel will reverse the decay of the oxygen levels. But the Dome’s founders eliminated almost all history of that time; it is an alien and bewildering world. He is befriended by a woman, but has difficulty in understanding the culture. Missteps and misunderstandings lead to an often hilarious but deadly serious set of events. Without intent, he has sent back inaccurate assumptions to the future, making the project fail. Mrr’s colleagues finally decide that the Dome cannot be saved. Several of the remaining time scientists escape the inevitable catastrophe by returning in time. An “enforcer” is sent to return them to face charges of desertion; an exhilarating chase ensues during which a critical event occurs, one that will change the fabric of time. The tightening story lines come together in an unexpected, chaotic, and dramatic ending.