"So let me get this straight," said Rory. "Let me get this really clear and organized in my head."

"All right." River Song inspected the screen on the wall, which had looped back to the UFO landing Patrick had shown them before. She checked a few of the cables, then simply ripped the thing off the wall. It snapped and sparked in her hands. She tucked the unit into a nearby box and followed it with the keyboard.

Rory ticked the problems off on his fingers. "This prison—which Amy says is the most secure prison, ever—was attacked by one ship of alien robots."

"It's designed to keep people in, not out," said River. She clapped a lid on the box and stacked it on top of similar boxes in a far corner.

"Some people, viz., yourself, 'Mr. Belkin' and the other... people out there hid in the ventilation system to survive."

"Exactly how much time," said River, "does the Doctor spend explaining things to you people?" By the time River got involved, this bit was usually done.

Amy took one sip of her tea, frowned, and spit the liquid delicately back into her cup. "Quite a bit, actually," she said. "I think he likes it."

River rolled her eyes.

Rory couldn't stop. Not normally rude or unsociable, he kept going right over the ladies' chat, in a slow monotone. "And in a little while—we don't know how long—some other aliens are going to come round and finish the job, whatever the job is, cos—by the way—I don't think their goal is just to kill everyone and have done."

"The Gorgorans," said River. She sat in the space she'd cleared, making a neat triangle with Amy and Rory. "And technically we're more alien than they are. Gorgor is part of this system."

Rory really didn't care. "Meanwhile they could cut off our air at any moment, and we're basically helpless to stop them."

"That's broadly correct," said River. "Though I think—"

"No." If he was standing he would have put his foot down. "Cause what puts the tin lid on this thing, what really makes it all work, I mean, as an existential sort of crisis, is that they—" He pointed down the shaft— "think I'm him."

There was no mistaking whom Rory meant by him. The Doctor had such a presence in all their lives that he a way of entering every conversation, even the ones he wasn't in. "They really think I'm him, and for some reason, you want them to think that." As he talked his face grew dark, and his eyes went wide as dinner plates.

"You're panicking," said River calmly.

"I'm not even close," Rory snapped. "The people out there—your plucky band of survivors—they're all murderers, right? And thieves and pirates. What do you think they're going to do to Amy when they find out?"

"What do you think they'll do to me?" River fired back. "I told them he was coming. I promised. You think you're in trouble? Well, you're right about everyone here. They're not in prison because of their social skills." She rubbed her eyes with a pale hand. "The only thing that's keeping them together and alive is hope. And the minute that goes..." She shook her head. "The Gorgorans will be the least of our problems. We'll lose ourselves long before they get here. And that may not mean much to you but it's all I've got left. Literally all I've got."

For a moment Rory saw a crack in her composure. Her hands curled into white-knuckled fists in her lap. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

She said, "Now, could someone please tell me what's happened to the Doctor." She kept her eyes closed and her voice level. "Because if he was all right, he'd be here by now."

Silence ruled. River had admitted to something that should not have been said: that in addition to all the other problems, it was possible that no one was coming to rescue them. In every other situation, the Doctor had their backs, but no more. Maybe never again. And that was an unspeakable loss—not just for River and Amy and Rory, who knew him, and not just for the refugees who trusted him—but for good-hearted people everywhere.

"No," said Amy. She had watched the row without speaking, torn between her worried husband and her heartbroken friend, but now she had something to contribute. She scooted to River and rested a light hand on her arm. "He's fine," she said. "Or at least he was, the last time we saw him."

Rory thought she was putting too bright a face on things. "Something happened to him while we were sleeping," he said. "It's like he's unconscious. We couldn't wake him. We actually..." He almost laughed at the absurdity of it. "It was sort of random, but we actually came here for help."

At River's side, Amy caught his eye.

Rory took the hint, but spoke too brightly. "But Amy's right. There's nothing really wrong with him. He's just sort of... sleeping. I'm a nurse," he explained. "I mean, used to be. A long time ago."

River opened her eyes. "A nurse," she repeated. "He's always had a thing for medical people." She spoke with a sad affection, as if talking about an old friend who'd moved away.

"Well, he is a doctor," Amy pointed out.

River smiled. "Right." She tossed off her melancholy, and once again, Rory was impressed by her self-control. Impressed—and slightly saddened, because anybody who was that contained wasn't used to relying on other people.

"Here's what we're going to do," River decided. "Rory. I know this is going to be difficult, and I'm sorry, but you need to keep up the facade. It's very important. Lie, pretend, act, whatever. But you be what they think, for as long as you can. We'll try not to make it long."

Rory swallowed. A hunted look inched back into his expression. "Okay. I'll try. If you two are with me, I'll—"

"That's the other thing. Amy and I are going to get the TARDIS."

"Both of you?" Rory blurted.

"I can't do it alone," said River.

"Why not?"

"Because," said River. She reached behind Amy's neck, hooked her finger around Amy's lanyard, and pulled. Her TARDIS key showed at her throat. Amy put a tender hand over it.

"It's all right," said Amy. "I get it."

"Why don't you just give her the key?" Rory asked her.

"She can't," said River. "It's Amy's key. It won't work for me."

Amy nodded her confirmation.

"Then take mine," said Rory, pulling at it.

"No," said River. "Maybe—but no. We can't go with variables right now. Only sure things."

"But I can't fight a war alone," Rory pleaded.

River said, "You'd be surprised what you can do alone."

"But I can't. You can't expect me to... negotiate with them, or fight them, or anything the Doctor would do."

"No!" said River, shaking her head. "No. Don't you dare. Just... keep leading them down."

"Down?" said Amy.

"There's a reactor core at the bottom of the prison," said River. "That's where we were headed. It's warm down there. There's all kinds of energy, which should confuse their instruments and signals. You'll have a better chance there than you would anywhere else."

Rory said, "But not a good chance."

"I won't lie to you," said River. "You have the worst job of all. The most dangerous. But we will come back." She leaned on each word, making the whole sentence seem almost real. "That's a promise. I can't guarantee that we'll win, but we'll be back with the TARDIS before the end."

Rory wanted to believe it. But all he felt was cold.