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Dr. Who, his granddaughters
Susan and Barbara, and Barbara's boyfriend Ian are accidentally
transported to another planet by Dr. Who's latest invention, a time and
space machine called Tardis.
While exploring, the travellers see a city in the distance. They also find
a small container of drugs which they take aboard Tardis. Wishing to
investigate further, Dr. Who fakes a leak in a fluid link, a vital
component of Tardis, to ensure that the group will go to the city to
search for the mercury supposedly needed to refill the component. Once in
the city they are captured by cyborg creatures which refer to themselves
as "Daleks", who seize the fluid link for examination. Dr. Who then
realises that the group have contracted radiation sickness, and that the
drugs they discovered earlier may be their only hope of survival.
While covertly observing the captives, the Daleks discuss their own
plight. They are trapped inside their metal casings, and within the city,
by the radiation. They wish to leave so that they can destroy all other
life and claim the planet for themselves. Hearing the captives discussing
the drugs, the Daleks make a proposal to them. If the humans bring the
drugs they found to them, they will allow them enough to treat themselves.
Susan goes, being the only one still strong enough to undertake the task.
Reaching Tardis Susan collects the drugs and then encounters Alydon,
leader of the Thals, a species that fought the Daleks in an atomic war
centuries previously. Alydon gives Susan a second container of
anti-radiation drugs to use if the Daleks fail to keep their promise.
When Susan returns the Daleks discover the second drug supply, but allow
the humans to treat themselves with it. Susan explains to her companions
that, according to Alydon, the Thal crops have failed and they have come
to the Dalek city, hoping to trade the anti-radiation drug formula for
food. Again overhearing this conversation, the Daleks decide that they
don't need the Thals now that they have a sample of the drug. They get
Susan to write a letter which they will leave for the Thals, stating that
they will provide food, to be collected from the city, as an act of
friendship. When Susan finishes the letter, the Daleks reveal that they
plan to kill all of the Thals when they arrive.
When a Dalek enters their cell the travellers manage to disable it. Once
free, they are able to warn the Thals who are entering the city, and
escape with them into the jungle. The Daleks then test the Thal
anti-radiation drug but find that it causes disastrous side effects.
Thwarted, they decide to detonate a neutron bomb to increase the planet's
radiation to a level which even the Thals cannot survive.
Back at the Thal camp, Dr. Who realises that the travellers are trapped on
the planet as the Daleks still have the fluid link, and he will need the
Thals' help to recover it. He urges Alydon to fight the Daleks to save his
species but he refuses, insisting that the Thals are now peaceful. In
response, Dr. Who pretends to order Ian to take a Thal woman to the Daleks
in exchange for the confiscated component. Horrified, Alydon attacks Ian,
then realises that the Thals can fight for things they care about. Alydon,
Dr. Who and Susan then lead the Thals in an attack on the city, but the
Daleks repel the assault and Dr. Who and Susan are recaptured.
Meanwhile, Ian, Barbara and a small group of Thals infiltrate the Dalek
city from the rear. Once inside they join the rest of the Thals, who have
mounted a frontal assault to rescue Dr. Who and Susan. The Thals and
humans enter the control room, where the Daleks have started the bomb
countdown. During the ensuing struggle the Daleks inadvertently destroy
their main control console, which kills them by cutting their power and
stops the bomb detonation.
Back in the jungle, with the fluid link recovered, the travellers depart
in Tardis to return home. |
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