France, 1890
Vincent Van Gogh lay in his bed, crying out in anguish as the people inside his room tried to tend to him.
"Vincent!" Doctor Gachet tried to speak with the man. "Can you hear me? Please!"
"Ah!" Vincent screamed, tears falling from his eyes as the images seared into his mind played over, and over, and over, and over.
Great fire. All things ending… The Doctor and El burning to death at the heart of it as silence fell across the universe.
"It's not enough he goes drinking all day, now the whole town has to listen to his screaming!"
Gachet angrily turned to the woman. "He's very ill, Madame Vernet!"
The woman shook her head, turning away, laying her eyes upon Vincent's latest… terrible work. Not terrible in the sense that it was bad, though she did certainly think so.
"Look at this, even worse than his usual rubbish."
But because the events depicted, even for those who knew not of the Doctor in any capacity, were so deeply disturbing…
The only correct reaction was the primal instinct to cower in fear.
Cabinet War Rooms, London, 1941.
"It was found behind the wall of an attic in France." Edwin Bracewell, the Dalek android now more human than machine, regaled the Prime Minister, as they looked upon the painting. "It's genuine, it's a Van Gogh…"
Churchill walked over, taking the cigar out of his mouth. "Why bring it to me?"
"Because it's obviously a message…" Bracewell replied. "And you can see who it's for."
"Can't say I understand it." Churchill placed the cigar back. "Though it is… unsettling."
"You're not supposed to understand it, Prime Minister." Bracewell replied. "You're supposed to deliver it."
Ealing, 2010.
Sarah Jane looked at the calendar in the attic worriedly. Three weeks since the Doctor had dropped her off. The Time Lord was notoriously unreliable with time, yes… but the TARDIS rather liked her. If the Doctor had told Sarah Jane he'd be back in a day, the timeship would make sure her damn self the Doctor got back in a day.
Something was wrong. Every fiber of her being agreed… but she couldn't figure out what.
The phone on the wall began to ring, Sarah Jane going over to answer it quickly. "Hello? Doctor?"
"No." A familiar voice replied. "And neither are you."
"Oh, Winston." Sarah Jane recognized. "It's been quite a while."
"Sarah Jane Smith." The Prime Minister returned. "Indeed it has."
"Now, pardon me for getting straight to the point, but I don't believe phoning 2010 from 1941 is something you do every day."
"No." The man sighed frustratedly. "I've been trying to phone that infernal jalopy of his for the past five hours!"
"The TARDIS, yes… It does have a habit of routing calls around. Connects you to the person you need to see, not want." Sarah Jane shook her head. "I'm afraid I haven't had any luck with the Doctor either. He dropped me back here and said he'd be back tomorrow… that was three weeks ago."
"Then we have a problem."
An eyebrow raised, though she really, really didn't want to consider it. "…Why did you call, Winston?"
"We've found something. Something disturbing. What do you know of a painting by Vincent Van Gogh, known as 'The Pandorica Opens?'"
"Nothing. But hold on." Sarah Jane held the phone away from her lips, "Mister Smith, I need you!"
With a hydraulic hiss, fanfare began to blast from nowhere as the fireplace and mantle opened up, revealing the computer behind it.
"Yes, Sarah Jane?" The computer inquired.
"I need you to run a search for me." The woman prompted. "On a painting by Vincent Van Gogh, called 'The Pandorica Opens.' Year…" She spoke that last word into the phone.
"1890."
"1890."
"Searching." Mister Smith replied, screen flashing through images. "Search complete. There is currently only one production of the work, stored in the National Gallery's Undergallery."
"Okay?" Sarah Jane raised an eyebrow. "Let me see it."
"Sarah Jane, I should warn you. You may find the contents… disturbing."
"Yes, well, whatever it is, it has to do with the Doctor." Sarah Jane replied. "I must see it."
"…very well." The computer reluctantly replied, bringing an image up on his screen.
Sarah Jane almost dropped the phone, before clutching it tighter. "No… Oh no…"
"Now do you see why it's so important I talk to him?"
"Mister Smith… call the Doctor. Now." She commanded.
"Connecting…" The screen flickered. "I'm sorry, Sarah Jane, but the space-time telegraph will not connect. It is most likely a technical issue on the TARDIS's end."
"Damn." The woman cursed. "How are we supposed to get in touch now?"
"…wait a moment." The computer spoke up in… confusion? "I appear to be receiving… instructions."
"Instructions?" Sarah Jane repeated.
"They appear to be… a method of calling the future. Sent by the TARDIS herself."
Sarah Jane's eyebrows knit in confusion. "What's she playing at?"
"It's possible the Doctor is currently in a location that prevents him from accessing the TARDIS communications systems." Mister Smith answered. "I am otherwise uncertain as to why the call would need to be performed, however, it is well within my capabilities. The instructions are surprisingly simple. I could initiate the call now, if you wish."
"…do it." Sarah Jane ordered. "Winston, I'll get in touch with the Doctor, don't worry."
"Good show, Miss Smith." The Prime Minister replied. "And when you finally get back to him, make sure to smack that ridiculous hair off his head! KBO."
"Mister Smith, make that call."
Stormcage Containment Facility, 5145
River Song sat in her cell, flipping through the pages of her diary, reminiscing on old adventures. On some pages were illustrations of Daleks, on others the Doctor's many faces. On a few pages were sketches of El, in various stages of her life (most of it forward-to-back), as well as some of the many people the Doctor had run into.
The phone rang across the way, a guard walking over to answer it.
"Cell 426." The man held his helmet at his side, holding the phone to his ear. "The Doctor? You mean Doctor Song?"
River's head shot up from the book, nearly dropping it, as she got up to her feet, running to the bars of her cell.
"Give me that." River commanded. "Seriously, just give it to me, I'm entitled to phone calls."
The man glanced around, before walking up, handing the phone over.
"Doctor?" River desperately spoke into the handset.
"No," Sarah Jane sighed, "This is Sarah Jane Smith."
"Sarah Jane Smith…" River repeated, starstruck. Even amongst the Doctor's companions, Sarah Jane was legendary. "What's happening?"
"I've got a painting here that's terrifying everyone who knows the Doctor out of their minds, he's been AWOL for three weeks, and we can't get into touch. We're following instructions from the TARDIS that led us to you. Look into a painting called 'The Pandorica Opens,' then get yourself a vortex manipulator, get here, so then we can go and fix whatever mess he's gotten himself into."
River blinked. "How do you know we have… that here?" She inquired, trying not to clue the guard in.
"Mister Smith's displaying the call data. You're in the fifty-second century. I've dealt with time agents before. Well… I should say one very particular time agent."
"Harkness…" River shook her head, rolling her eyes. "The man is a letch. Where are you?"
"13 Bannerman Road, Ealing, June 26, 2010."
"Alright… hold tight."
"Doctor Song?" The guard questioned. "Are you finished with that?"
River let the phone fall, as she reached down her shirt, pulling out a tube of lipstick.
She turned around, a pleasant smile on her face as she approached the bars, prepared to hand the phone back. "You're new here… aren't you?"
The guard awkwardly shifted. "First day."
"Then I'm very sorry." The woman apologized, before pulling him up to the bars.
Alarms blared at maximum as a team of guards ran down the corridors towards Cell 426. The team stopped at the open door, looking inside.
"Stay exactly where you are!" The newbie guard pointed his gun. He quickly glanced over his shoulder, as he kept the weapon trained on his target. "She had the lipstick, the hallucinogenic lipstick! She tried to use it on me!"
The guards in the team looked at each other confusedly.
The newbie wiped his lips, shaking his head. "Your tricks don't work in here Doctor Song!"
Turns out, he was pointing his gun at a little doodle of River, a little speech bubble with a single word inside it.
'Bye!'
Starship UK, 5145
River had heard Sarah Jane loud and clear and was now stalking stealthily through the darkened halls of the Royal Collection, searching around.
So many of the paintings were ancient, in disrepair. It'd make any art collector flinch in sorrow, never mind a time traveler who'd seen them at the prime of their existence.
River found the one she was looking for, and her stomach sank...
It was like Starry Night… with a hellish scene against its backdrop.
Yeah, okay, now she understood everyone else's urgency. They had to get to the Doctor, fast.
River ripped the painting out of the frame and began marching back up the steps.
The lights activated all at once, and River froze, at the woman pointing the gun straight at her.
"This is the Royal Collection." Liz Ten growled, keeping the gun trained straight at River's head. "And I'm the bloody queen. What are you doing here?"
"It's about the Doctor, ma'am." River quickly answered, holding her hands up. "You met him once, didn't you? I know he came here."
Liz's arm holding the gun slowly dropped, as a smile overtook her. "The Doctor?"
"He's in trouble." River slowly approached. "I need to find him."
"Then why are you stealing a painting?" Liz asked.
River gulped. "Look at it…" She handed it over and watched as Liz unrolled it. "I need to find him and show him this."
Liz froze, looking to River in despair.
The Maldovarium, 5145.
The overweight blue man, Dorium Maldovar, owner of the Maldovarium, chuckled as he sat across from River. "Now, word on the belt is, you're looking for time travel."
"Are you selling?" River asked in response, keeping a hand closely nearby her blaster. Dorium wasn't exactly an evil man, but that didn't mean he wasn't shady. He'd sell her his entire stock, then turn around, knock her out, and harvest every last one of her vital organs.
Still, he was the man who had it all… And the man who could sell it to you. For a price.
Dorium snapped his fingers, a fish-like alien walking in, placing a box down on the table. "A Vortex Manipulator. Fresh off the wrist of a handsome time agent." Dorium lifted the lid, before letting out a frustrated sigh, pushing it back to the alien. "I said off the wrist."
The alien bowed, going to take care of it.
"It's not cheap, Doctor Song." Dorium looked to her. "Have you brought me a pretty toy?"
River smiled, reaching up to her ear, pulling off one of her earrings. "This is a Calisto Pulse. It can disarm micro explosives from up to twenty feet."
Dorium furrowed his brow in consideration. "What kind of micro-explosives?" He asked, taking a swig of his drink.
River smiled. "Like the kind I just put in your wine."
Dorium glanced down in the glass and scowled.
"Ahaha!" The Doctor laughed, darting around the TARDIS console as the ship landed. "I can't believe I've never thought of this before! It's genius!" The ship settled as the Doctor took the lead over to the door.
"Where are we?" El asked, following closely behind.
"Planet One." The Doctor answered with a giddy smile. "The oldest planet in the universe, and there's a cliff of pure diamond, and, according to legend, on the cliff, there's writing. Letters fifty feet high from the dawn of time, and no one knows what it says because no one's translated it."
"Until now." El finished, getting at what the Doctor was saying.
The Time Lord nodded. "Exactly."
He pulled the door open and stepped out first.
Instantly, the Doctor's good mood soured, and he let out a sigh.
El, however, had the opposite reaction, as she laughed.
'HELLO SWEETIE'
Following the space-time coordinates under the words on the cliff face, the TARDIS materialized at the top of a hill in ancient Britain.
The door opened, and the Doctor and El stepped out.
"Right place?" El asked, looking around.
"Yep, just followed the coordinates on the cliff face." The Doctor replied, checking his watch. "Earth. Britain. 1:02 AM. No, PM." The Time Lord looked up, upon the camp below. "No… AD."
A massive Roman legion went about their business, training for the battles ahead.
"The… Romans?" El asked.
"You know the Romans?" The Doctor looked down to the girl, who nodded.
"One of the only books Papa… Brenner would let me read." El answered. "He liked the Romans."
"…I can't believe I'm about to say this, but he had good taste." The Doctor remarked. "I like the Romans. Romans are cool."
El shrugged. "I didn't understand why."
A Roman soldier came running up to the two, offering them a Roman salute, before bowing.
El blinked at the pink substance on the man's cheek.
"Hail, Caesar!" The soldier bowed.
The Doctor glanced at El, before looking to the man. "Hi."
"Welcome to Britain. We are honored by your presence."
"Well, you're only human." The Doctor replied, thinking about what to do next. He wasn't going to tell the soldier that he wasn't Caesar. "Arise… Roman person."
The soldier bowed his head respectfully once more, as he returned to his feet.
"What is a Caesar?" El asked.
"Technically, it's pronounced 'kay-sar.'" The Doctor replied. "And it's a title. Leader of the Roman Empire."
"Okay." El nodded. "Why does he think you are one?"
"Cleopatra will see you now." The soldier informed.
The Doctor looked at El with excitedly raised eyebrows. "Cleopatra… it's been a while since I talked to old Cleo."
The soldier led them to a tent, larger and obviously more important than all the rest.
Inside was a woman sitting on an arrangement of pillows, dressed up as an Egyptian Pharaoh.
El smiled. "Aunt Sarah!"
The woman returned it. "Hello, El."
The Doctor took two steps over to her, looking down with a frown. "…Where is she?"
"It's my turn to be Cleopatra." Sarah Jane answered. "We switch out day-to-day. What? Did you think I was going to let her have all the fun?"
"I was rather hoping you would." River spoke up from the other side of the room, dressed as a manservant. "I hate being the manservant."
The Doctor turned to River, scowling all the while. "You graffitied the oldest cliff face in existence."
"And you wouldn't answer your phone." Sarah Jane snapped back. "Three weeks without so much as an answerphone!"
"Really?" The Doctor blinked. "Oh, well… It wasn't on purpose, I swear!"
"I figured as much." Sarah Jane replied, glancing to River. "Do you have it?"
The other woman rolled her eyes, but nevertheless produced a rolled up bit of canvas, presenting it to the Doctor.
"What's that, then?" The Doctor inquired, looking at it.
"It's a painting." River answered. "Your friend, Vincent."
The Doctor frowned as he snatched it out of River's hand, unrolling it to place it on a table.
"He didn't just have depression, did he?" Sarah Jane asked, as she got up to join the others over the painting. "He had some form of time sensitivity."
"Time sensitivity?" El repeated.
"A sixth sense attuned to the fourth dimension." River answered for Sarah Jane. "Very, very rare in humans. But some do have it. That's how you get prophets like Nostradamus and Rasputin."
The Doctor finished unrolling the painting, he and El stiffening in terror.
"Dad…" El swallowed, grasping the Time Lord. "Dad, what is this?"
The Doctor looked down at the painting, unable to provide her with an answer.
Swirls of orange, like a twisted opposite of Starry Night, were plastered against a dead back background. At the center of the painting, very obviously meant to be viewed, was a blue box, exploding into the flame.
"'The Pandorica Opens.'" River answered. "Also known as 'Blue Box Exploding.'"
El swallowed. "Why's she exploding?"
"Well, it's a warning, obviously." River replied. "Trouble is… we can't piece together what sort of warning." She outlined, as the Doctor flopped down in a nearby chair.
Sarah Jane nodded, placing her hands on her hips. "We couldn't be sure if it was a 'stay away from here no matter what you do' or if it was 'get here and take care of it before it can destroy you.'"
"But how did you know it was here?" El inquired.
"Date and coordinates on the door sign." River pointed.
"And it's called 'The Pandorica Opens…' Ominous." The Doctor sighed, trying to remain level-headed.
"The Pandorica… like that fairytale." El remembered.
"Fairytale?" Sarah Jane repeated. "What fairytale?"
"The old stories say that it was a… prison, of sorts." River explained, shrugging, unsure of the exact terminology. "And it was built to contain the most feared thing in all the cosmos."
"But, it can't," The Doctor got to his feet, pacing around. "Be real! It's just a fairytale!"
"So are you, in some cultures." Sarah Jane replied.
"Regardless, it is here, and it is opening." River stated, trying to get the Doctor to focus. "And it has something to do with the TARDIS exploding."
The Doctor shook his head, grabbing a series of scrolls nearby.
"It's been buried here for centuries; you won't find it on a map." River shook her head.
"No, but if you buried something dangerous…" The Doctor began, thinking. "Wouldn't you want to know where you put it?"
