Tonska

For the companies named after the Tonska species, see Tonska Industries.

The Tonska were the Human-like inhabitants of Alrakis.

Culture

The Tonska were led by a Yed-Prior, who lived in a stone citadel in the middle of Almaraqq. The Doctor believed they had none of the creativity or imagination of humans, stunting their social development. (VD: ...And Eternity in an Hour)

Technology

The Tonska cities were powered by cold-fusion plants, which could also be used in the making of bombs. They were able to control temporal rifts to a degree, though they accidentally produced too much time spillage, causing damage to their own cities. (VD: ...And Eternity in an Hour)

History

The Tonska had a development much like the humans, where their technological development increased beyond their environmental capabilities. They eventually developed spacetravel, mined out their moon and learned of the Time Lords.

At some point, Zaniah came into power as the Yed-Prior, likely by killing her competition. When the mobile temporal rift arrived on Alrakis, she was able to take advantage of the panic it caused by killing all who disagreed with her and beginning a propaganda campaign to sway people to her side. She was also able to control the temporal rift to a degree, and planned to use it so that she would be immortal and her subjects would live for only an hour.

The Doctor and Jo Grant were sent by the Time Lords to deal with the temporal rift and intuition circuits of the TARDIS brought them to Almaraqq after Zaniah was in power. After they were accidentally separated, the Doctor tried to talk to the Yed-Prior and was forced to help her with her plans. Though the Doctor tried to patch up the damage they had caused, the damage was too severe. Jo, on the other hand, was taken by terrorists who were trying to stop Zaniah and was able to help them smuggle a bomb into the citadel using the TARDIS. She was able to help the Doctor escape, at which point the bomb was set off.

A thousand years later, the Tonska civilization had been long since destroyed. (VD: ...And Eternity in an Hour)