It ran primarily in the pages of Doctor Who Magazine, written by John Freeman and novelist and future television series writer Paul Cornell.

Incensed with yet another humiliating delay at the hands of the Doctor, the Emperor Dalek makes use of his empire's delicate time-travel capabilities to snatch Abslom Daak from the brink of death, and pose as humanoid delegates of Earth.

The TARDIS materialises on the planet "Hell", a world the Doctor had visited earlier in his seventh incarnation in Daak's previous appearance, Nemesis of the Daleks.

The Doctor is now accompanied by Bernice Summerfield, and it is not long before the two discover that Daak's former team the "Star Tigers" are alive and well, having been presumed dead when their vessel crashed in the previous story.

Davros and the Sixth Doctor's experiences following their departure from Skaro is explored further in a prequel strip, "Up Above The Gods", published several months after this story had concluded.