The research room was an area of a human colony ship in the far future. The ship crash landed on the planet Frontios and Captain Revere had the floor opened up as he could excavate the ground beneath. Revere was dragged underground by the Tractators. Brazen had the room closed off.
Norna, Turlough and Tegan managed to break into the room and take an acid jar stored there. The hatchway in the floor was discovered by Turlough and was used by several of the colonists to access the cavern dug by the Tractators' Excavation machine. A group of deserters broke into the room and tied Norna up. She freed herself and convinced the deserters to side with the colonists once more. (DW: Frontios)