A/N: Hello there again. Sorry it took such an inordinately long time to update, but it's been hard to write, and I've been busy. Please do review!

River and the Doctor sat in their cell, bored. River was nodding off, leaning her head on her husband's shoulder, when there was an apologetic cough from outside the cell.

The pair jumped and spun around, both now fully awake, to see an unarmed native of the planet standing in the hallway outside. He (or maybe she) ran their fingers through their green, standing-up hair, grinning at them uneasily. "Hello," she said (for it was a she, River realised), "Anna sent me."

"Hello. I'm the Doctor, and this is my wife. What's your name?"

"I'm Sraf. I'm a friend of Anna's. Well, a servant actually, but she's nice to me. She's nice to all of us servants."

The Doctor smiled. "I'm sure she is. So, Sraf. How old are you?"

"I'm sixteen years old, which Anna tells me is about nineteen Earth years. How old are you? You look around twenty, in our years."

"Oh, I'm a bit older than twenty, I think you'll find. In anyone's years."

River butted in impatiently. "Look, I don't want to rush you or anything, but a guard's going to come along any minute now."

Sraf blushed slightly. "Sorry, ma'am. I'm not supposed to be here, but Anna bribed me to come and talk to you."

"What did she bribe you with?" the Doctor asked interestedly.

Sraf held out a small object that looked like a cross between a lump of dark wood and a cake of soap. "Matca," she explained. "It's a very expensive cake that we can't afford."

"So, do you have a message from Anna?" River interjected again.

Sraf nodded vigorously, and held out a larger object wrapped in cloth. "For you, ma'am. And I'm to tell you, 'five hours' time, when the guards come around again.' Also, she'll fix it so you don't worry about them, or something. Does that make any sense to you?"

River took the object and hefted it. It wasn't too heavy, and fit nicely into the palm of her hand. She smiled slightly, fairly confident she knew what it was. "I think I do understand, yes. Thank you."

The Doctor spoke up. "Anything for me?"

Sraf turned to him. "She hopes that you received her gift, and is wondering slightly why you haven't moved yet. Oh, and she says that in about half an hour, some food will arrive from a certain someone, and she advises you not to eat it. I think that's everything."

The Doctor grinned at Sraf. "That's very helpful, thank you. And could you please tell her that it's wood, so I can't. Thank you again, Sraf."

Sraf smiled modestly. "I like to do what I can to help people."

"And you've been a great help. Do you know if Anna is likely to come back?"

"She can't come, it's too dangerous for her. She might get caught. She's taking a great risk, sending me here, now."

"Please tell her thank you very much. And when we get out, we'll make sure we repay the debt to you, Sraf. Thank you."

Sraf hesitated, and the Doctor frowned. "What's up?"

"Can…can I ask something of you, sir?"

"Of course! You can ask anything of me. Well, almost anything. There are some things I can't do. Like taking candy from a baby. I could never bring myself to make a baby sad. But I can do most things. What do you want me to do?"

Sraf looked at River, perplexed. The older woman nodded. "Yes, he is always like this."

"Like what?" the Doctor demanded indignantly. River shook her head and smiled as if at a child, while Sraf stood there, brow furrowed.

After a couple of moments, she said, "You see, Doctor, we are a peaceful people. A quiet race who doesn't like fuss. We don't even like hearing about wars on the other side of the universe. The only army we have is for defence, not attack."

She paused, and the Doctor spoke quietly. "What is this for then?" He indicated around him. "Why do you have us? Why do you hate us, if you don't like disliking others?"

Sraf looked down ashamedly. "This was the Master. He came, and convinced our people that you had destroyed out planet. I see now it was him, but most are still blind."

"So what was it you wanted me to do?"

"Please don't hurt them." The words came out in a rush. "Please don't harm or kill any of us. We like peace, not war. The weapons we have don't even work. They're only for show."

River held up a hand. "Wait. You mean that we've been kept in here by toys?"

"Essentially, yes. But it was necessary that you think they were real."

"So, basically you want me to not hurt any of your people, is that it?"

"Yes, please, sir. If you wouldn't mind."

"Why would I mind? Look, Sraf, I don't like hurting people. Okay? I don't like it when people die. I am the Doctor. Death and destruction follow me wherever I go. And I hate it.

"I'm so sorry about what happened to your planet. Even though I didn't do it, it was still my fault. Because I came here, and the Master took that as an opportunity. So I am so, so sorry."

Sraf thought this over for a minute. "I don't think it was your fault, sir. As you said, the Master took you coming here as an opportunity' but that means that he used us to get to you, not that you used us. It wasn't your fault. In fact, I know for a fact that most of the servants here are behind you two, one hundred percent."

The Doctor exchanged a look with River. Both looked slightly taken aback. "Really?"

She nodded emphatically. "Absolutely. We're all rooting for you, and we want you to know that if there is a fight, we'll all take your side."

"There won't be a fight," the Doctor said firmly. "Well, I hope not, at least," he added nervously. Then he said, "Well, thank you, Sraf, for coming and giving us these messages. I hope that someday, when this has all blown over, I can thank you properly."

Sraf blushed. "It was nothing, sir. Glad to be of service." And with that, the young messenger turned and left, walking away down the long corridor.

The Doctor turned to River. "Well? What did she give you?"

River smiled and quickly unwrapped her gift, to reveal her gun inside. She cocked it and pretended to send a round into the wall, before putting the safety back on and sliding it into her hip pocket. "I think we'll be safe from now on."

The Doctor eyed the weapon nervously, before shrugging and reaching into his own pocket, pulling out his sonic. "I dare say we will be."