22.09.72.2540: an Earth Cargo Ship C982 flies in space. It prepares to move to hyperspace. There are two astronauts aboard named Hardy and Stewart. They discuss the threat of war between Earth and the Draconians -- who attacked some of Earth's cargos. They also discuss a Mars-Venus cruise and luxury liner spacecraft. They start the leap but see the TARDIS on their scanner screen, almost colliding with it. The TARDIS is on a slant. They manoeuvre but see the TARDIS vanish -- a large blue box with a white light on top. They report it.

Jo and the Doctor emerge from the TARDIS which has landed in the cargo hold. Jo comes out, telling the Doctor, "Well, I'm never going in that thing again." She wonders how the Doctor could have a traffic accident in space. She is chewing gum. The Doctor is in green. To avoid hitting the ship, the Doctor made a random jump out of hyperspace into the ship. Jo finds bulk flower is the cargo as the Doctor checks the TARDIS systems. Out a window of the cargo hold, Jo sees a strange rocket ship which blurs during a strange sound and seems to change shape. She calls the Doctor to look out. It is the 26th century by the Doctor's reckoning. Interstellar travel is routine by now. When the Doctor moves away to try to check out his calculations with the crew, Jo gasps--the ship is coming straight at the one they are on.

Hardy and Stewart try to contact the ship for assistance but the sound occurs again, the ship changes shape, and they see the ship is a really a Draconian battle cruiser -- Galaxy Class with neutronic missiles. Stewart orders Hardy to get the blasters. Jo and the Doctor watch as Hardy prepares a space link up, a tunnel between two airlocks, avoiding a space walk. Jo wants to get back to the TARDIS but the Doctor wants to look at the ship's cabin. Getting two blaster guns, Hardy is then confronted by the Doctor, whom after a blur and that sound again, appears to Hardy as a Draconian with a gun in its hand. When Jo pops round, she sees Hardy as a Drashig and screams, hiding behind the Doctor.

Stewart reports the Draconian battle ship is locking on to his ship now. The Draconian commander appears on the screen and tells them if they use any resistance they will be destroyed. He orders the hatch opened. Hardy brings the Doctor and Jo in. Stewart refuses the Draconian order to open their air lock door and thinks Jo and the Doctor are Draconian prisoners.

On a futuristic Earth, the female Earth president and the Draconian ambassador (and also the son of the Draconian Emperor) discuss the charges and counter charges. Both believe the other to be attacking the other's cargo ships. The Treaty between Empires have established a frontier in space. General Williams gets in on the discussion and mentions the frequency of these attacks. The President insists he go find out the progress on the matter and the General leaves. The Ambassador called for war -- he hates the Draconians. The nobles of his father's court are angry as are the people of Earth. Many noblemen of the Draconians felt it a mistake to make a treaty with Earth. He warns her that in a war Draconia will destroy Earth if they do not stop attacking their cargo ships.

In the hold cell, Jo tells the Doctor to put the sonic screwdriver away -- there are bolts on the doors. The Doctor seems to recall dragons... which is what the crewmen think he and Jo are, and he knows about the race called Draconians. He mentions the Earth Empire spreading throughout the Milky Way. When Jo asks if that is like Solos, he mentions that Solos was during the declining years of the Earth Empire. This is beginning of Earth's Empire. Earth and Draconia are colonizing planet after planet. Dragons is an unflattering term for Draconians. They wonder why someone has gone to all the trouble to make someone see things...posthypnotic command. Jo looks out the door's window and can see the TARDIS.

Stewart and Hardy discuss red alert and what Earth is going to do. The door of their space lock is 99 percent virilium, thus it will take the Draconians a long time to get through it. Hardy and Stewart go down to the hold with guns to fight the Draconians if the aliens want to take the flower.

On Earth, a black man is on TV, talking about the news: the Bureau of Population Control announced today that the recently reclaimed Arctic settlements, New Glasgow and Montreal, can be settled by civilians. As an incentive, the Bureau will lift the limit of one child per couple to two children per couple. News of another attack on the Earth cargo ship comes through. The President watches this and calls Williams in again. Congressman Brook wants Earth to take an official stand and have Earth strike back. The President tells Williams she ordered a complete media black out but he counters that the Media have their own sources. The Rescue Ship will be at the cargo ship in 17.5 minutes but Williams believes it will be too late by then.

Using a laser drill rifle, large hairy headed aliens -- Ogrons are almost through the door.

In the cell, the Doctor is reversing the polarity of the sonic screwdriver's power source. He's turning it into a powerful electro magnet. One of the cargo ship's crewmen gets the Doctor and Jo -- just as the Doctor had opened the door anyway, "Oh my, how very embarrassing." The man takes them to the airlock hatch to use them as human shields against what he thinks are their Draconian "friends." The Ogrons blast in and use a gun to knock down the crewmen and the Doctor--the Doctor being shot in the back as he and Jo run. Jo checks the Doctor to see an Ogron standing over her.

Williams tells the President on Earth that there have been anti Draconian riots in Tokyo and Belgrade. The Draconian consulate in Helsinki has been burned to the ground. In Los Angeles, demonstrators burned an effigy of the President of Earth. The President's secretary tells her via video phone that the Rescue Ship is about to board the cargo ship. Williams doubts anyone is alive to explain what happened.

The Doctor wakes up to Jo's joy. She calls him over to her... she is in the cell again. He opens it for her and she makes him sit down. Neuronic stun gun did this. The Ogrons took the cargo and threw Jo in the cell. They also took the TARDIS. Sitting the Doctor tries to figure out the sound Jo heard and what is happening. Last time the Ogrons were met by Jo and the Doctor, they were working for the Daleks. Jo supposes... The Doctor dismisses this since the Ogrons are mercenaries, other life forms use them to do their dirty work. The pair leave to find the crew. Both men are stunned and the Ogrons repaired the airlock door. Jo wonders why they would go to all that trouble -- the airlock not being repaired would have killed them. The Doctor states, "Well, perhaps they have kind hearts. There's good in everyone, you know, Jo."

One of the rescue guards, Gardiner, mentions the Doctor's outfit, "I see. Having a fancy dress party." He also says of the missing "equipment" tough luck. "Thank you very much," the Doctor says. Jo and the Doctor try to explain about not being traitors but the guard leader orders them put in the starboard cubicle. They will be able to talk to Earth security when they get there. A guard shoves the Doctor into Jo. Once inside, the Doctor hears the ships' unlocking. Gardiner leaves Kemp on board the C982. Jo paces up and down like "a Perishing panda". Jo tries to get a plan for escape. She once saw this gangster film and...the Doctor tells her to sit down. She asks why the crew cannot recall the truth...it's been erased from their minds, that's why. The crewmen don't know they are lying. At Earth, they have to get to someone whose mind is not already closed. Jo ponders the future, "It's simple then. All we've got to do is find out what's going on, who's behind the Ogrons, where they've taken the TARDIS, go and get it back, and then we can all go home."

Williams wants the ship area cordoned off once it lands on Earth. The Earth President tells Williams she wants direct reports from him. Williams gets the Doctor and Jo. Later, he tells the President he believes them to be Draconian spies. They could have been two unfortunate refugees from a Draconian attack...or at least that would have been their cover as Draconian spies. The Earth President wants the Doctor and Jo face to face with the Draconian ambassador. A guard shows the Doctor and Jo to a dirty cell, offers them food and drink, and gives them advice: tell the truth, sooner or later, they will. The interrogators will use the mind probe. The Doctor tells her to calm down and ushers her to sit down. He tells her about the time the Medusoids, hairy one legged jellyfish with claws, teeth, and a leg who put him under a mind probe to try to get him to tell them where he was going. He told them he was going to meet a giant rabbit, a pink elephant, and a purple horse with yellow spots. The machine had a nervous breakdown and he was put under another one and the same thing happened. He was going to meet these: they were all delegates at the Third Inter-Galactic Peace Conference. They had to turn the Doctor loose eventually, "They ran out of mind probes."

The crewmen tell the President they saw the Doctor and Jo as Draconians. The Ambassador tells the President these men are under the Earth President's control and will say what she wants them to say. He insists the Draconians do not have human agents: subversion and espionage are forbidden by the Peace Treaty. A treaty Williams blames the Draconians of breaking. Before the Ambassador can return to his Embassy, the Earth President has the Doctor and Jo brought in. The Doctor tries to assure the Draconians and the Earth President he and Jo are not spies, nor agents. The Doctor congratulates Williams, "You have the most totally closed mind I have ever encountered." He goes on to claim a third party is trying to provoke war between the two. Williams has them taken away. The President wants the Ambassador to relay a formal protest. He will inform him of the latest insult to the honour of Draconian Empire. He leaves. The President thinks the Doctor and Jo might have been telling the truth. Williams reviews the facts: a pocket spaceship which can appear inside another, alien giants that can change their form. He tells her to leave it to him, he will get the truth out of them.

Jo and the Doctor are taken outside past high buildings of stone and walked up steps past bridges. They are put back in the dirty cell. Earth and Draconia are on the brink of war. Jo wonders about getting the two of the out of the cell. The Doctor uses the sonic screwdriver on the lock but alarms are set off. He tells Jo that he thinks they will sit here for awhile after all.

In a lush office in the embassy, the Ambassador reports to the First Secretary, who thinks maybe the Earthlings are telling the truth. It would be useful to question the humans found on the ship and perhaps they can help the two to escape. Should two escaping prisoners seek sanctuary, it would be uncivilized to turn them away. Without directly sanctioning this, the Ambassador allows the First Secretary to perform his duties... freeing the Doctor and Jo.

The First Secretary calls the President that his highness would like to interrogate the two prisoners. She invites his highness to question them together. A tough but short guard orders the Doctor and Jo on their feet. The Doctor won't do it until he can give him good reason. He doesn't want another ridiculous interrogation. On the way out of the building, the first guard is shot by Draconians on a bridge. More Draconians arrive and shoot another guard. Jo and the Doctor run but more Draconians come from the underhallway and shoot another guard. The Doctor uses his karate to stop one so that Jo and four guards can get away. Jo is grabbed by the four. The Doctor is taken by the Draconians. The President wants to question the girl but will not break off diplomatic negotiations with the Draconian Embassy. Williams wants her to but she insists she will not. Jo is brought in to the President and Williams. Jo tells her that the Doctor has been kidnapped. Jo tells them to use their mind probe: she is telling them the truth.

The Doctor is brought to the Embassy. The Doctor thinks it nice to invite him there. The Draconians believe he is working for Williams, who once before caused a war between Earth and Draconia. The Doctor explains yet again about the Ogrons and a third party. The Ambassador wants him to expose Williams to the Earth President. The First Secretary wants the mind probes they have used on the Doctor and orders him taken away. From his chair, the Doctor pushes the two guards into the Secretary and the trio fall into the desk. The Doctor backflips in his chair toward the door and is about to run out. The Ambassador stops one of the guards from shooting the Doctor. The Doctor runs out across the lush Embassy. Outside, on a landing, a Draconian pulls a gun, "Halt!" The Doctor hits him and another down and runs. Another Draconian points a gun down from a balcony. Earth soldiers are all over now and have the Doctor surrounded outside the perimeter of the Embassy.

As the President gets a head rub down from a lady, her secretary, Sheila, gives her reports. The Historical Monuments Preservations Society meeting clashes with her Cabinet Meeting. An enquiry to the anti Draconian riots caused damage and petitioners seek compensation. All claims to the Treasury will be sympathetically considered. Williams wants an interview.

When the Ogrons exit with the Doctor and Jo, shots from an Earth soldier knock the Ogrons away from them. The pair run amid shots. The Doctor gets Jo down by a stone wall, "That was close." A battle continues to rage around them but finally an Earth guard points a gun at their backs.

In the President's office, on a giant screen are reports and newsflashes of demonstrations and riots as well as police riot control. A riot in Tokyo is on the screen. Williams comes in to the President and explains the time is now for extreme measures. The Draconian kidnappers have vanished. The President will break off diplomatic relations but will not be responsible for starting a war. Williams tells her, as she hands him a drink, that she can be replaced. They used to be friends once. He asks if she thinks he would betray her. She never doubted him, she says, 'I'm sorry." There are certain senior officers that feel a military dictatorship is needed. Her political opponents are clamouring for war. She will make the Ambassador and his delegates leave Earth. Unless she has conclusive evidence, she will not strike the first blow. The President will not let the mind probe be used on the girl. She wants them to see reason. Williams tries the mind probe again on the Doctor.

He asks the Doctor questions and the Doctor tells the truth. He tells of the TARDIS, his own "spaceship." The female recorder tells Williams the Doctor is telling the truth. They see his thoughts on the screen. Williams thinks the Doctor is using conditioning against the machine. Williams threatens to increase power. The Doctor tells the girl, "There's just no telling some people, is there, my dear." Williams orders the girl to step up the power and the machine bursts and burns out.

The Doctor sleeps in his cell. Jo reaches over him and asks if he is all right. Jo is in a new outfit of black which looks like a karate outfit, "Who are you fighting tonight?" He tells her it is a pity that the Ogrons didn't succeed in kidnapping them: it might have brought them to where the TARDIS is. "So," Jo says, "We just sit around here, waiting for those jolly old Ogrons to turn up again." A guard comes to take the Doctor to the Madam President. Jo hands the Doctor his cape and wishes him luck. "See you later," he bows to her.

The President gives the Doctor a final chance to tell her the truth. He explains he has been telling the truth for a considerable time. She will double any offer the Draconians made to him. Under the powers invested in her under the Special Security Act, she will send him to the Lunar Colony without a trial, just quietly tucking him away. Away from the Doctor's influence, Jo will see the error of her ways, the President hopes. He asks that she will see that no harm comes to his companion. "We are not barbarians, Doctor," the President states. She asks why he won't tell her where Jo comes from. She wants to inform her family. The Doctor doesn't think they would believe him. He won't be allowed to say goodbye to Jo, Williams explains.

Lunar Colony: a mean guard brings the Doctor and three others to a holding area. One man seems Indian or Pakistani, another is an old man, and another a black girl. Only political prisoners get sent here but the Doctor tells the man next to him that he is not particularly political. The man tells him if you criticize the government you get sent here. He asks if the Doctor is part of the peace party. The Doctor tells him, "You could say that." The man next to the Doctor told him he wanted to sabotage a military installation. He tells the Doctor there are no sentences here, once you are sent here, it is forever. This man is Patel and when Cross, the main criminal overseer, for the governor comes in, he asks what Patel has. Patel tells him it is chocolate. His allowance from the remand prison. Cross takes it. The Doctor tells him that is stealing. Cross tells him it is stealing. Cross will remember the Doctor and the Doctor is glad to hear it. The official governor comes in and tells them they have no rights, they are here forever, and that the Doctor should be put into prison uniform. Patel yells at him that the Peace Party will win one day and they will not be here forever. Cross runs a trouble free section here. He doesn't want a black mark on his record.

Another older man in glasses, Professor Dale, comes to explain more to the Doctor. He recognizes Patel. The Doctor asks if they've tried to escape. Dale will get him a uniform. The Doctor gives Patel the peace sign as he leaves with Dale to get a uniform.

Williams and the Earth President examine records of the Doctor and Jo. Some crimes of the Doctor's: evading planetary tax, defrauding the Sirius bank, and others. Jo's record was issued by the High Court of Bassat, with an order for her arrest. 51 and 52nd Smalk Act is involved. The President asks her secretary to send in the representative from Sirius Four, an Earth colony. She feels if there is a war, they will need all the allies they can get so she does not want Sirius Four angry at Earth and herself. The Commissioner wants to extradite the Doctor and Jo to his planet, Sirius Four. The representative comes in -- the Commissioner is the Master!!!

Patel, on the moon, checks and mates another man in a strange sort of three dimensional chess game. The Doctor and Dale return to the rec room of the prisoners. An escape try last month ended up in the death of all who tried. No one escapes from here. The Doctor asks all Dale knows of the layout here. Patel eyes them suspiciously.

The Master bickers with General Williams. Once a colony is given Dominion Status, it enjoys autonomous rights including the right to try and punish its own citizens. The Master feels his government will return Jo and the Doctor to them once they are tried on Sirius Four. Williams will not turn over vital prisoners to some tin pot colony. It is not a colony, a Dominion. The President grants him the prisoners. Williams tells him "Heaven help you if you let them escape." The Master tells him, "They are safe with me."

On the moon, a guard yells at the prisoners to take their drink from a prisoner serving them. He wants them to keep the line moving. This contains all the elements to support life. The Doctor drinks it and comments none of the joy of life. Patel asks what time they get to bed. Anytime, Dale says -- there is no day or night here. The Doctor whispering, asks when the Professor plans to escape. He tells the Doctor no one escapes from here and for all he knows, the Doctor can be a spy for the governor. The Doctor doesn't think he would be drawing so much attention to himself this soon. The three share a cell, whatever they will do, he will know about it. The Doctor explains about the empires being put at each other's throats by a third party.

The Master tells guards he will see the prisoner -- Jo -- alone. He quietly enters Miss Grant's cell. "I've come to take you away from all this," he says. He is a fully accredited commissioner from Sirius Four and the Doctor and Jo are prisoners in his custody! He ordered the Ogrons to attack the ship and make them look like Draconians. The Master tells her he will collect the Doctor on the moon. After they attacked the cargo ships, the Ogrons returned to their planet with their loot...and that is when he saw the TARDIS. He tells her she wouldn't believe that he would leave two dear friends in this dire predicament. Jo yells at him, telling him she doesn't believe him at all. He yells at her, he has his reasons. If she doesn't come, she will vegetate in this cell for the rest of her natural life. Anywhere is better than here, she says. They leave the cell.

The Doctor explained more to Patel and Dale. Dale is the first person who's believed the Doctor. Dale tells him after the stupidity of the Draconian War, the bitterness died down and there were many years of peace, trade treaties, cultural exchanges but now these acts of hostility.

Cross comes in to the rec room and gives a routine search of Dale but this is a ruse. Cross gives him info, whispering that he will leave two spacesuits at Base Seven. A VIP spaceship is landing there. Dale tells him when the Peace Party takes over, Cross will be given a pardon. Cross gives him a signal that he can take whoever he wants to take for maintenance work at Airlock 3. The Doctor knows something is up: he was giving off conspiracy over there with Cross. Dale trusts him...they have to walk from the airlock across the lunar surface to steal a spaceship. Dale meant to take another member of the Peace Party Committee with him -- Patel. Dale tells Patel he will have to give up his place for the Doctor. The Doctor rubs the back of his neck, not sure. It was telling his story to the Earth authorities that got him into this place in the first place. Dale tells the Doctor he has friends everywhere...journalists, newspaper reporters, broadcasters, even friends in the government. They will make them believe the Doctor. The Doctor is glad to finally have allies. The Doctor gives Patel the peace sign and he returns it.

The Doctor bangs on the door with the tanks, telling Dale not to shout. Dale falls. A gloved hand turns the dial device and the air starts back in. The Master opens the door, hoping the Doctor is all right. He would hate the Doctor to come to any harm.

In the Governor's office, the Doctor demands an investigation into this cold blooded near murder. The Doctor believes there was an attempt against Dale because he is politically dangerous to the Governor, who wants to place the two of them into solitary confinement for one year. The Master tries to get the Doctor but the Governor will not listen. Cross apologizes to the Governor after the prisoners are brought out. The Master shows the Governor his warrant. The Governor will not reconsider until after the year. The Master tells him the two prisoners were telling the truth. The Master knows it is the Governor who set this all up. The Master threatens to expose the Governor and support the inquiry which the Doctor wants. If the Governor will hand the Doctor over to him, he will have no further problems from the Doctor. The Master tells him the Doctor's list of crimes: assault and battery of a police commissioner, stealing a spaceship, landing the ship on Sirius Three in an unauthorized area, evading taxes, defrauding the bank, not paying ship tax and flying without insurance.

The Master reads this list of crimes the Doctor supposedly committed to the Doctor in his cell. The Doctor calls himself quite the Master criminal. The Doctor tells the Governor the credentials are of the Master are forged. When the Master mentions Jo is under lock and key in his ship, the Doctor comes quietly.

Soon, the Doctor is brought to cell where Jo is. Guards lock him in with her and give the key to the Master. An interesting reversal, the Master states, "I remember you visiting me when I was in prison." The Doctor wants to know why he is still alive. Why the Master hasn't killed him already. For the moment, the Doctor is precious to him. His employers want the Doctor. Jo asks if that is the Ogrons. "Miss Grant, please, I employ them," the Master claims. The ship, 2390, they are on is an interplanetary police ship and a closed circuit TV camera monitors their every move. They will be under continued observation. They are going to the home planet of the Ogrons on the remote fringes of the galaxy. The Master leaves to start the navigation. The Doctor whispers to Jo quickly before the Master gets back to the flight deck. The Doctor has had his sonic screwdriver taken in the prison but on his right boot is string file. Once underway, the computers take over the flight. The pair plan.

The Master returns to the control flight deck and begins settings for the flight and straps in. He tells the two to hold on as they lift off. The ship leaves the Moon. The Master watches the Doctor, who is telling Jo about the High Council of the Time Lords -- they had no right to put him on trial. If he chose to go travelling around space and time it was his business. She asks about the stealing of the TARDIS. He didn't --he just borrowed it. It wasn't the latest model and he fully intended to return it. He tells her he made a complete fool of the Prosecuting Council. They found him guilty, changed his appearance and exiled him to Earth. Meeting her alone, made his exile worthwhile. The Master reads a book while the Doctor talks. Behind his back, the Doctor files the bars with the string of file. The Master comments over the speaker, "In a reminiscent mood are you, Doctor, poor Miss Grant, you have my deepest sympathy." Then the Master returns to reading The War of the Worlds by HG Wells.

As the ship flies on, the Doctor tells Jo that the Brigadier is a military mind and that he always does everything by the rules. He tells Jo that he has managed to cut through the red tape, something the Brig should learn to do. This is a signal that he has cut through the bars of the door lock. Jo moves to the bars--she talks about the Brigadier finding her absent for this long -- she will probably be court martialed. She goes on and on talking about getting back to Earth but they keep ending up in one terrible situation after another. She tells him if they do get back she is never going up in that TARDIS again with him. She also talks of giving the Master an okay, that the Master keeps offering the Doctor a share in whatever is going on and the Doctor keeps refusing and playing dirty tricks on the Master -- the Doctor is so stiff necked. While she rants on and on, the Master turns the sound lower and the Doctor is outside the cell, doing what he needs to do to escape. He gets into a spacesuit. Jo keeps talking -- about her uncle pulling strings to get her this UNIT job. Intelligence is not all romance. Her friends and relatives think she is in a romantic job. Filing for HQ and being with the Brigadier is not a romantic James Bond type job! The Doctor gets her to keep talking while he sneaks out. She also makes the tea and being a dog's body.

The Doctor in spacesuit goes out a hatchway of the ship. He moves around the hull, planning to enter the flight deck. A small alarm goes off in the flight deck. The Master announces the problem to Jo and the Doctor -- he thinks. He doesn't realize the Doctor is outside. He has to make a course correction. Jo looks frightened for the Doctor. The Master fires the rockets and the Doctor falls off the ship. He floats in space. The Master checks the constellations via his viewscreen.

The Doctor in space, away from the ship but not very far, unhooks his air tanks and uses the tube to shoot himself back to the spaceship.

The Master unstraps and asks Miss Grant if she is all right. He knows she seems distressed. She hasn't been talking. He calls the Doctor -- and the Doctor doesn't answer. Jo tells him not to wake the Doctor, the Doctor is fast asleep. The Master suspects something and jumps up and gets a gun from a cabinet.

The Doctor climbs the side of the spaceship to the top of it. Using the frameworks to hold onto. He gets to a top hatch and climbs down it.

Jo has set up a roll to make it seem the Doctor is asleep. She talks to it, telling him that he really should be more careful -- she knows there is a lot of evil in the universe. He can't help put it all right himself. One of these days, she says, he will get himself killed. The Master comes in and finds the bedroll empty.

The Doctor climbs into the control room.

The Master asks what the Doctor's plan is. Jo cries and tells him what she thinks happened -- that the Doctor was outside during the course change. The Master thinks the Doctor is thousands of miles away, swimming in space. Just in case, he isn't, the Master takes Jo and puts her in the airlock. Unless the Doctor surrenders himself immediately, the Master will open the doors and let her out into space... without a spacesuit.

The Doctor sneaks in as the Master talks this threat to the control room. The Doctor uses a suspender or a belt to whip the gun out of the Master's hand with a karate aikido yell. "What an ingenious fellow you are, Doctor," the Master comments. The ship is moving toward a Draconian spacecraft. The Doctor steps on the gun through the bars to stop the Master from obtaining the gun again. The Master runs for the airlock as Jo bangs on it to let her out but the Doctor uses the belt to whip his arm away. The Master trips the Doctor and then gets to the button. He makes the Doctor get the blaster gun over to him or he will press the button and that will be the end of Miss Grant. The Doctor points it at the Master. They dock and Draconians enter the other airlock via a tunnel between the two ships. The Doctor tells the Master to put the gun away, they have them outnumbered.

The Draconians who enter ask why he violated Draconian space. The Master tells him all the lies. The Draconian knocks the warrant and credentials of the Master's to the floor. The penalty of violating Draconian space is death. The Doctor has vital information for the Draconian Emperor and demands they cannot be killed without a trial. The captain decides to take them to Draconia.

Soon, the Master, Jo, and the Doctor are in a cage together. The Doctor thinks there is a chance the Draconians will believe him: he spent some time there before, helping through some problems. The Master snorts, "Displaying your usual sickening lovability, I supposed." It was a long time ago, things may have changed so the Doctor is not sure. It is all the way you approach Draconians and the Doctor knows a bit about that. Jo tells the Master if they do believe the Doctor, the Master has had it. The Master tells her that one never knows, one never knows from where help will come. He goes to lie down, telling them this is going to be a long journey. The Doctor tells the Master they will wake him with a cup of tea in the morning. He thanks him. As the Master lies down, from his right sleeve, he takes out a signalling device which is flashing.

A Draconian pilot flies the 2390 for Draconia. The Doctor tells Jo they have landed. He also tells her that the Master has awakened already -- "He's just trying to show us how unconcerned he is." The Master laughs, "How well you know me, Doctor." Jo comments he is very confident; the Master quotes Tennyson's Sir Galahad, "My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure." He is almost jolly to the guards who point guns at him.

The Prince is told by his father to address the Emperor in a proper manner. He tells his son he must realize the importance of formality. The son wants war and demands he lead it. The Emperor knows that in such a war there are no victors; war could bring down both empires. The nobles want war. The son tells him that Emperors have been deposed. An Emperor who does not rule, deposes himself, the Emperor tells him. A guard brings the Master, Jo, and the Doctor. The Doctor kisses his ring, "My life at your command, sir." The Doctor bows, something the Emperor allows. The son despises this -- it is only for nobles of Draconia. The 15th Emperor bestowed this honour -- that of a noble -- on the Doctor. The Emperor describes that 500 years ago a great plague from outer space almost overwhelmed them. He does not think this could be the man...no Earth man lives that long. The Master tries to make them disbelieve this. The Doctor names the TARDIS and that the man who helped them 500 years ago was the Doctor: he comes from a race that lives far longer than Earthmen. The Master claims the Doctor is his prisoner. The Doctor tells them the Master is a renegade of his own race, not an Earth man. Ogrons are being used by the Master, the Doctor tells them. Jo tries to back up the Doctor but the Prince (who is also the ambassador) tells her that females are not permitted to speak in the presence of the Emperor.

A guard comes and tells them that a spaceship from Earth is asking permission to land at the Palace Spaceport. The Prince doesn't want them to land. The Emperor will allow it to land. The Master tells the Emperor he is devoted to peace as well as law and order. Also social stability. The Doctor asks if he's feeling all right, calling him old chap. Jo hears that sound again. The Prince silences her but she yells at him to be quiet. Ogrons enter the throne room and begin firing! The Master orders the Doctor and Jo seized but the Doctor kicks an Ogron with Venusian karate. The Master orders them back to the ship. The Emperor sees the fallen Ogron as an Earth soldier. Jo hears the sound fading. The Prince wants the Doctor destroyed but the Emperor now sees an Ogron and realizes the Doctor has spoken the truth.

On the ship, the Master calls the Ogrons idiots. He knows the Draconians will know the truth. He must not allow the Doctor to take this evidence back to Earth.

In the throne room, the Doctor questions the recovered Ogron but they get noplace. The Doctor tells the Prince that the Ogrons have the greatest defense of all against a Mind Probe: the Ogrons don't have a mind at all. Jo explains what is happening to the Prince. Fear is the weapon of the hypnosound...what you fear is what it causes you to see. The Doctor tells them fear breeds hatred -- each side fears the other and that fear leads to war. The Prince does not think the Earth people will believe them and the Doctor agrees. Since there are hostilities and near open war, a Draconian ship will be attacked and destroyed. Jo comes up with the idea of using the ship the Master brought them in the 2390. The Emperor allows Jo to speak even though the Prince tells her females are not allowed to in the Emperor's presence. "We must respect the customs of our guests, strange though they may be." He also thinks the suggestion has merit. Jo thanks him and gives the Prince a nasty look. He allows them to go but his son must accompany them as a noble ranking leader.

Soon the ship is underway with the Ogron in the cell. Jo brings him some food, a banana. He eats it without peeling it. Jo tells the Draconian guard to be very careful of him -- he's not as stupid as he looks. Jo thinks it is time that women's lib was brought to Draconia. The Ogron tries to get out of the cage door. Jo goes to the control room.

The Doctor tells her they are on the frontier of Earth space. The Prince sees a flashing light in the space. Another spaceship which is following them.

An Ogron pilot spots their ship as well and alerts the Master, who is aggravated at the stupidity of the Ogron's comments. The Master would like to take the Doctor alive. But soon his ship will be within striking distance, "Pity though." Rocket fire at long range lacks the personal touch. He would like to kill the Doctor another way.

The Doctor calls the President of Earth. The Master answers as Earth Police Ship 142. He instructs them that as a stolen ship, they must reduce speed so it can be boarded. The Doctor tries to get them to believe the ship is no longer stolen. The Doctor wants to lure the ship into visual range. The Master has the Ogron release the first missile. The Doctor takes evasive action. The ship shakes as the missiles blast. Another is fired.

In the hold, the Ogron's door has been knocked open and it gets out and knocks the Draconian guard down from behind.

The Doctor tells the Prince that they cannot fire back. This ship is not a battle cruiser. The Master continues to fire on the 2390. The Ogron prisoner rushes into the control room. The Doctor grabs it as Jo screams, "Get out, Jo!" The Ogron hits the Doctor back onto the controls which makes the ship lose speed. This makes the Master believe the Doctor's ship has been hit as it reduces speed. He wants to board and take the Doctor alive after all. The Prince and the Doctor overcome the Ogron and tie his hands behind his back with him face down.

Jo goes to the hold and asks the fallen guard if he is all right. She looks up. Soon, Ogrons force Jo into the ship. The Doctor and the Prince get blasters. The Prince fires at the Ogrons as does the Doctor.

The Master wonders why they haven't taken the ship by this time. His Ogron pilot spots an Earth Battle Cruiser X29. He orders the boarding party back to his ship. They obey and take the girl, Jo, with them!

Soon she is brought to the Master's ship and it unlocks. They left the door open on the Doctor's end so he and the Prince are fighting depressuring air as the oxygen is drawn out. They have to fight the force in order to reach the door and close it again. Helping each other, hand in hand, they are able to reach it. The Doctor shuts it and the ship will pump in more oxygen.

The Earth Cruiser calls the Doctor, who tries to get them to stop the Master's ship but the Earth soldiers will not comply. They will board the Doctor's ship.

The Master tells Jo that the evidence, the Ogron, is behind her. His Ogron was rescued.

The Madam President will not believe the Prince once he and the Doctor see her. The Doctor wants one spaceship. She will give it to him but Williams denies him the ship. The President stands up from behind her desk -- in a military matter such as this, her authority is limited. She can overrule him but only with the backing of the full Earth Senate. The Prince tells her they cannot expect help from Williams, the man who deliberately caused war between Draconia and Earth. 20 years ago, a Draconian ship came in peace to Earth. Williams opened fired on this ship and destroyed it. Williams' ship was damaged and helpless. This is from the records of the Emperor. The neutron storm that damaged Williams' ship also damaged the communications on the Draconian ship. Williams asks why it was a battle cruiser -- it was but Draconian nobles always travel that way...but the weapons were not armed or aboard! It was unarmed.

The place the Master, Jo, and the Ogrons are going to is not a nice place. The Master tells Jo, "Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home."

Williams asks the Prince to forgive him the wrongs he has done to the people of Draconia. The Prince bows to him. Williams will lead the expedition to the planet of the Ogrons.

Jo sees the Master as a Drashig, a Mutt mutant, and a Sea Devil. She resists that also. The Master congratulates her. Jo tells him he can't win them all. He makes Ogrons show her to her room. Another Ogron tells him two raiding ships have returned. They attacked two Earth ships, one resisted and was destroyed.

On Earth, the President, the Doctor, and the Prince watch a newscast of a speech calling for war! Williams uses his personal scout ship to go to the Ogron home world. The Prince kisses the hand of Madam President and says, "My life in your command."

Jo is brought some muck to eat in a bowl by an Ogron. With a metal spoon. She thanks him, "Thanks cheerful." She finds the ground is not solid so she starts to dig with the spoon.

Williams' ship is on the way. Galactic coordinates of the Ogron's planet: 23496784. The Doctor extracted this from the Master's ship's memory banks. En route, Williams' ship is attacked by a Draconian battle ship and is shaken. Using hyper drive, they escape but there is damage. The Prince will punish the pilot but the Doctor explains they were intruding on Draconian space. They cannot return to course due to the damage -- one of the drive outbursts or outputs, the exterior electrical circuit. The pilot cannot go out, he has to stay at the helm and keep the ship stabilized manually. The Doctor offers to go out and effect the repairs. Laughingly, Williams says, "Naturally you're a qualified space engineer, too, Doctor." The Doctor says, "Naturally," and continues on. Williams is shocked.

The Doctor is in an orange spacesuit in space once again. Outside, he places a key into a slot and opens a sliding door to circuit. It is shambles but he has to do something to fix it up. A ship approaches, possibly a Draconian. They cannot go to hyperspace now that the Doctor has started repairs, disconnecting the circuitry. The Doctor goes as quick as he can. He finishes and floats to the top to come back in. As soon as he gets in, a blast shakes the ship. They move to hyper drive to get away.

Jo has dug into the cell which adjoins her cell and simply walks out of it. She hides as an Ogron passes. An Ogron brings a flame to an altar of a giant bag-like blob monster which is drawn on the wall over the altar. Jo sneaks to it.

Williams' ship is in orbit around the Ogron planet and the Doctor asks that they risk getting in closer to get a better view. This may mean entering the atmosphere -- and the repair may not withstand the heat.

On the planet of the Ogrons, Jo palms the fear device of hypnosound and gets to the radio. She gives the message to Draconian and Earth empires about the Ogrons planet and plansgalactic coordinates 2349 to 6784. Over the horizon, the ship of Williams' loses the signal. The Master comes up behind Jo with Ogrons. He counted on her to escape. The Master left the coordinates for her to find...he set up the trap so Miss Grant would call the Doctor right to them--he sets out a homing signal which he hopes the Doctor will think is Miss Grant's. No one beyond 200 or 300 miles from the planet will have heard her--the radio is a short range one only. He has the Ogrons take Jo away under guard this time.

The Doctor thinks the homing signal is too convenient. The circuit goes again, burst into flames. The pilot is not sure where he can get it down but he can get it down.

The Master tells the Ogrons to conceal themselves and set up an ambush. Then he spots the ship landing nearby. He tells them he wants the Doctor alive. "Yes Master," the Ogrons say and leave.

On top a huge cliffside and hills, the Prince, the Doctor, and Williams along with many soldiers use a device to track the homing signal. They see prints of a large reptile, the dominant life form. An Ogron watches them from behind some the rock face. Another from above the cliff. The Doctor's party continues along the path but an Ogron from behind, calls them to stop. A gun battle follows with the Prince shooting some Ogrons. An Earth soldier on his stomach shoots another Ogron. A few Earth guards are shot also. A giant bag monster of red and orange eats an Ogron. The Doctor thinks it is on their side.

The Master finishes a radio call to someone who is helping him. He will meet their ship. The Ogrons return, in fear of the monster. The Master tells them their masters are coming and they quake with more fear. He feels now he can dispense with their dullard ways. He pushes one out of his ways and goes out.

The Doctor uses a device to pick up the homing signal again. It started again. Williams spots a ship landing. Dust kicked up prevents them seeing the new ship. The Doctor feels something -- he has a premonition.

Above them and behind them, the Master appears on the cliffside. Williams tells him to surrender or he will be shot down. The Doctor tells him, "No, he's unarmed." The Master tells the Doctor he is not alone. He's brought some old friends to meet him...Daleks! Many of them all along the clifftop. The Master notes the Doctor doesn't seem pleased. Williams orders his men to fire but two men are burned down by the Daleks. The Doctor stops further carnage.

Soon, the Doctor is brought back to the bunker area. A dull grey Dalek states, "Doctor, you are in our power and you will be exterminated." The Master doesn't want that yet. The Master tells the Daleks, "You know as well as I do that this man does not fear death." He wants the Doctor to see the galaxy in ruins, the planet Earth that he loves so much in ruins. Then he wants the Doctor exterminated. The Daleks will return to their base and prepare the army of the Daleks. The Doctor tells the Master he supposes he should thank him for saving his life. The Master tells him not for long... it will be a short war.

The Doctor is put in a cell with Jo who hugs him. The Prince and Williams are put in a cell next to them. The Daleks will emerge as the Supreme Rulers after the war of the empires. Jo gives the Doctor the fear device. He will make a slight adjustment.

The Master tells the Daleks that once he delivers the Doctor to them, the Doctor will be a broken man. He also asks that he be given the planet Earth to rule in the Dalek's name.

The Doctor wants Williams to find his way back to his spaceship as soon as he can and take off for Earth. From there, he and the Prince will warn their respective governments. Jo knows where the TARDIS is so she and the Doctor will escape that way. The Doctor tells them to block their ears and stand back. Jo can resist it. The Doctor calls the Ogron guard over and uses the device. The Ogron sees him as a Dalek who tells him to open the gate. The Ogron does and runs out The Doctor gets the key and opens the cell of the other two.

"...stupid tin boxes.." The Master mocks the Daleks and imitates them, calling them this. A fearful Ogron reports to him about the cells being empty. The Master orders the other Ogrons brought here to find them.