On Alkya, a planet a long way from Earth, the Division of Investigation – Other Worlds has set up a base where hundreds of personnel live and work. Among them are two men, Major Jake Archer and Captain Bart Hilton, who are part of one of the survey teams. One evening Jake asks Bart to do him a favor. Bart agrees and stays in his office in the underground base while Jake goes off to take part in a concert. While there a huge explosion rips through the base and Bart is left injured and trapped in the remains of Jake’s office. Jake is horrified and full of guilt when it is discovered that Bart is missing. Jake is forced to wait for the engineers to try and dig out the man that Jake secretly loves.