The Doctor and Ace are in the spaceport of the planet Epajaenda. Ace has been chatting with security guard Essjee 78, while the Doctor has gone outside, which is forbidden, to take readings in the toxic atmosphere. He is looking for some kind of anomaly. The only other people in the spaceport are the other security guards, a blue tumbelweed creature, and a group of Travellers, frog-like beings.