In the far distant future, the few remaining survivors of the human race struggle to survive on the planet Frontios. The Doctor states that the Laws of time do not allow him to have contact because the survivors must go their own way without outside intervention at this key point in time.A meteor storm hits the planet and starts to drag the TARDIS down with it, the Doctor is unable to stop the TARDIS from making a emergency landing.

Turlough starts to regain ancestral memories of the Tractators, the Doctor having discovered the Tractators works to discover what their plan is.