To Be Forgotten

Chapter 9 - The Pandorica Opens

The Pandorica Opens, part 1 -

Astrid walked up to the ringing phone opposite River's prison cell. She picked it up.

"Cell four two six, this is Astrid, how may I help you?", she answered.

"I'd like to speak to the Doctor."

"Ooo, she's so clever, the Tardis. Yes, I'll put you on speaker. This is his daughter and, you know, someone important", she walked up to River who had already stood up and smiled at her mischievously.

"Doctor?", River asked into the phone the second Astrid had taken it off her ear.

"No, and neither are the two of you. Where is he?", Winston Churchill asked.

"You're phoning the Time Vortex. It doesn't always work, but as Astrid said, the Tardis is smart. She's re-routed the call", River explained.

"Talk quickly, this connection lasts less than a minute", Astrid jumped in.

As Churchill explained what had happened a new guard approached from behind.

"Doctor Smith, you're not supposed to be talking to Doctor Song this much. They'd talked to you about this. Are you finished?", he held out his hand for the phone.

"You're new here, weren't you?", Astrid asked pitifully.

"First day", he replied insecurely.

River put an approving hand on Astrid's shoulder as she turned around to the guard, "Then I'm very sorry."

She grabbed him, kissed him and pushed him up against the wall, her hallucinogenic lipstick knocking him out for a few minutes. She turned back with a disgusted grimace and unlocked River's cell. River put her hand on top of the vortex manipulator on her wrist and then they were gone.

---

They quickly made their way through the Royal Collection art exhibit, which, in 5145, was very empty and untidy. They looked around with flashlights until they found what they were looking for. River ripped it out of its frame and rolled it up. Then they made their way back but halfway up the stairs the lights turned on and they were stopped by a woman in a velvet robe pointing a gun at them.

"This is the Royal Collection. And I'm the bloody Queen. What are you doing here?"

"It's about the Doctor. My dad. You met him once, Ma'am, didn't you? We know he came here", Astrid said.

"The Doctor", she furrowed her eyebrows and lowered her gun.

"He's in trouble. We need to find him", River continued.

"Then why are you stealing a painting?"

"Show her", Astrid nudged River forward.

"Look at it", she obliged, "We need to find the Doctor and we need to show him this."

---

They sat down at the table in the Maldovarium in 5145. Astrid's vortex manipulator hadn't worked for time travel since she had started working as a guard in Stormcage and they took that function away permanently. Therefore they were here now, attempting to acquire a new one.

"Well now, word on the Belt is you're looking for time travel", the blue man in front of them looked between the dressed-up women.

"Are you selling?", River asked.

He snapped his fingers and a mid-size box was brought to him, "A vortex manipulator, fresh off the wrist of a handsome Time Agent", he opened the box, only for himself to look and sighed, "I said off the wrist."