Air Commodore Goddard, in conjunction with Spectrum, has organised a conference of the world's air force leaders to discuss anti-Mysteron defence. While flying to Cloudbase through a heavy storm, Goddard and his pilot, Captain Holt, are killed when their XQR plane is hit by lightning and crashes. Mysteron reconstructions of Goddard, Holt and the XQR continue the journey. Due to the poor visibility, Melody Angel (voiced by Sylvia Anderson), Goddard and Holt's escort, cannot be sure that the XQR was struck. On arrival at Cloudbase, Goddard informs Colonel White (voiced by Donald Gray) that he has changed the conference venue to the remote Glen Garry Castle in Scotland. Transmitting to Earth, the Mysterons cryptically warn that the "wings of the world will be clipped".