The TARDIS arrives on the planet Dulkis where the Doctor, Zoe and Jamie decide to have a quiet holiday. Only to find the Evil Dominators and their robotic slaves, The Quarks have arrived on a radioactive island, where they plan to detonate a bomb in the planet's core, which will turn the entire planet as source of radioactive fuel for their invasion fleet.

The Doctor and Jamie are captured by the Dominators, who subject them to an intelligence test, while Zoe and Cully attempt to convince the Dulcian council of the threat.

Zoe and Cully are captured by the Dominators and put to work alongside the survey team while the Doctor and Jamie decide to return to the island to help.

The Doctor and Zoe are interrogated by Rago, who is planning to present his terms to the Dulcian council, while Jamie and Cully try to find a way to strike back against the Quarks.