On a deserted Russian Arctic island, two men work diligently at a small meteorological station. Their task is to take regular readings from their partly radioactive surroundings and relay this crucial data on to headquarters via radio - their only bridge to the outside world. For a seasoned pro like Sergei, a gruff man in his fifties, this job has become routine. During the years he has spent in extreme isolation, he has learned to take this task very seriously. His new work partner is the fresh-faced Pavel, a bright-eyed college graduate assigned to spend the summer at the station.