After a pleasant dream in which his penny-pinching brother, Howard, is attacked by the insectoid Xux, Des is dismayed to learn that he and Netta are due to visit his obnoxious relative that evening. Having met up with Jim, Des then ponders as to the whereabouts of Miss Griffin, who has failed to visit the repair shop for two weeks, despite the fact that Des has actually ‘fixed' her razor… Meanwhile, unknown to the two friends, the object of their worries is busy working for Mr Horsley at the Town Hall, undertaking secretarial duties while attempting to fend off the clerk's lascivious attentions. That evening, after their tedious dinner engagement, Des, Netta and a roll of second-hand carpet – a gift from Howard – are returning home when their car inexplicably stops in the middle of a wood. Feeling uneasy (and a little unsteady from the beer) Des goes for a walk and comes across Miss Griffin's spaceship parked amongst the trees. Inside he meets Loon, Bat, Sagga – and Buddo, who has come in person to warn that Miss Griffin has been missing for two weeks; it seems that her last log book entry indicates that she may have gone on a dangerous mission to the Town Hall… Having been instructed to take no action until he is contacted again, Des returns to Netta, and finds his car now works once more. The following day, while walking through the woods, Netta is approached by a flasher; although the encounter leaves her and Cuddly quite shaken, Des and Jim suspect the incident may have been due to an alien attempting to make contact. That night, the two friends set off for the woods in an attempt to track down their contact…