A/N: At long last, it's Christmas! Here I am!

I'm sorry this took so long to write, I had major writer's block. And I also apologize if this chapter is short.

Thanks to Yawnsummer, Melody and guest reviews. I appreciate it! I am so very glad that you enjoy this story!

Chapter 15

River Song looked out from her cell on board the "Scythe" with some exasperation. It figured that she would find herself behind a set of bars again after being released from Stormcage. It had been lucky that the Doctor hadn't been injured further in the ensuing fight that had broke out, and fortunate that Jack was immortal. Still, she hadn't meant for him to get shot. River knew that her Doctor would get her back, so now would be the opportune moment to speak with Captain Samor's two officers. She pulled her hallucinogenic lipstick and applied it to her lips, just in case.

As it so happened, the one called Fodec entered the brig, holding a tray in one hand, his face unreadable as they made eye contact. The officer shifted uncomfortable as he opened the cell door and handed her the tray.

"I was-told to give you a meal."

River nodded, "Thank you." She replied tersely as she took the tray.

There was pause, then Fodec spoke up, "I'm-we're sorry about this."

"I'm sure you are." sniffed River, not looking up at him.

He said, in a more quiet tone, "I am sorry about this." This made River look at him, and her eyebrows rose.

Fodec shifted his feet and continued, "I didn't mean for your husband to get injured. It was an accident."

"I don't think I'm the one you should be apologizing to really. And besides, I think you a have a more pressing concern. Don't you think you should care about the little boy your captain seems to put in harms way? It's lucky that four adults were looking out for him." Her eyes narrowed. "So maybe you can tell me why you haven't said anything against your captain about his behavior?"

"How am I suppose to do that?" Fodec snapped suddenly, "It's not like I can appeal to-"

"The king and queen? Samor is a prince, after all." River responded. At this, the officer started, his mouth slightly agape.

"How long have you-?"

"For a while. The Doctor was doing a little research in his ship when he discovered it." River responded calmly.

At this, Fodec became abashed. "It's not like they would listen to me, anyway. I'm just a lieutenant in the fleet."

"But they would listen to the Doctor, because he's the kind of person who would tell them what Captain Samor has done."

"And why would he do that?" Fodec asked tersely

"He doesn't like injustices, especially toward one who can't defend himself." River answered truthfully.

There was a pause in the conversation, and then the officer continued, "D-do those humans really care for the child that much?" he asked quietly.

River nodded.

"And they plan to...what's that word? Adopt him? What does that mean?" Fodec queried, now genuinely curious.

"It means that Amy and Rory plan to take the child into their lives and home and care for him the rest of their lives."

Fodec's face wrinkled in concentration, "And what is it that you want me to do?"

"Well, do you want to stop your captain from this tyrannical escapade, or let him carry on without saying a word?" She asked seriously.

The officer seemed to think about it for a moment before pressing a button on his communicator watch, "Kotens, please come down to the brig. I am having some trouble with the prisoner. "

When the Doctor woke nearly thirty minutes later, he could smell the distinct aroma of tea. He also felt a heavy fabric keeping him warm and comfortable. Opening his eyes, he saw Jack running his hand over the Galliferyan text on the console. "Jack?" the Doctor called out hoarsely, still a little too tired to raise his voice any further.

The Captain sprinted over to his friend, "Doctor, how are you feeling now?"

He groaned and pushed off the coat from his shoulders, "Better," though the Doctor still held a hand to his head.

Jack supported the Doctor as he stood, "Should you be getting up?"

"No choice," He replied, "How far off are we?"

"About 30 minutes." Jack pursed his lips, "How do you think we should proceed?"

The Doctor went to the console control panel and typed in a destination, then looked over to him. "You still have your vortex manipulator?" When Jack nodded in the affirmative, he continued. "Good, we'll park on the planet Feldy Minor.." he pointed to a planet on the monitor, "and teleport directly to the ship." The Torchwood leader was about to protest when the Doctor cut him off. " I don't want to take the TARDIS onto the "Scythe".

"I understand," Jack agreed, "I won't let anything happen to you though." He grinned.

Fodec and Kotens looked at their prisoner with mouths agape. "You want us to start a mutiny against the captain?! Are you insane?!"

"Do you want him to continue in this manner? What if someone else gets in his way?!" River argued, aggravated by the two alien's hesitation.

They looked at one another in contemplation, and both bit their lips. Finally, seeming to be in the same mindset, Fodec whispered, "What must we do?"

"You need to let me out of this cell for a start," commanded River.

Both Kotens and Fodec looked nervous before, in one glance, they agreed. Fodec placed his hand on the security lock and the electrified gold bars disappeared in a millisecond.

River nodded her head in thanks and proceeded out into the corridor with a measure of confidence.

"Just what do you plan to do?" Kotens asked suddenly.

She turned and smiled at the pair, "Oh I plan to motivate him. My husband will be here any moment to come to my aid, though I need hardly tell you that I can handle myself." River chuckled, sauntering away from them. Her features turned serious as she addressed them, "You have to start a rumor of a mutiny, cause the captain to start loosing control of his crew. Meanwhile, you'll need to let him know that I've escaped, so the crew will start looking for me and I can make my way up to the bridge. I assume that's where he is?"

Kotens looked at his watch, "Actually m'am, he'd be in his quarters."

River smirked, "Even better."

The captain read the computer, annoyed at the data. Growling with frustration, he pushed his chair from the desk and paced his quarters.
How was he suppose to disperse suspicion on himself? The only way he knew was to dispose of the evidence, so to speak. But that was proving to be more difficult than he anticipated. Surely it would be easy to be rid of the woman, however this "Doctor" was much to clever to be rid of easily. Plus there wasn't an easy way to deal with the two humans shielding the boy. The Doctor had been correct in saying that the hospital's shield, and the nurses would protect its patients.
If his parents, the king and queen found out what he had been doing, he'd surely be punished, if not disowned. He hadn't exactly been discreet with his crew either, and the Captain contemplated how he could silence them. No doubt that advancement in rank or monetary rewards would buy their secrecy in the manner.

He was contemplating all of this when the intercom of his computer alerted him of an incoming call.

"Captain, that woman, River Song, has escaped the brig." Fodec had reported with some panic in his voice.

"What?!" Samor roared and stalked over to the com to pound on the 'receive' button. "Report!"

"She..seems to have had a hidden device we didn't know about, sir." the inferior officer responded nervously.

"Well then, find her!" The captain snapped slamming the button again, placing his weapon within reach.

His anger was volcanic when he heard the chime of his quarters.

"Come in!" He shouted, thinking that it was one of his crew, and therefore did not turn around in his pacing as the door swished open.

"What do you want?!" Samor snipped impatiently. When there was no reply he turned to address the person at his threshold...and was greeted by the form of River Song.

The Doctor and Jack landed on the jungle planet of Feldy Minor, which was like the rain forests on Earth, complete with sounds of animals calling out in the night, and branches nearby rustling with unknown creatures.

"The sooner we get off this planet, the better Doc." Shuddered Jack.

"Don't call me Doc!" hissed the Doctor, but grew silent when he heard the rustling growing closer.

"Umm...Jack, maybe we should go." The Timelord whispered.

Jack just chuckled, "What's the matter, Doctor? I didn't peg you as a scaredy-cat."

"I'm not!" The Doctor snapped, but both froze as they heard a snapping branch from behind them.

"Hang on." Jack called out, pulling out a torch from his pocket and shining it into the bushes.

The sound grew louder and then the pair found themselves face to face with a huge lizard.

"AHHHH!" Both men yelped.

Jack's hand tightened over the Doctor's bicep. "What kind of lizard is that?!"

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, and turned it on the creature, then read the data.

"It's a Haurong, an alien version of a Coelophysis...dinosaur." The Doctor shouted back to his companion.

"Dangerous?" Jack asked with a small bit a worry.

"Yeeah." Returned the Doctor, "Run!"

The two took off into the forest, the Haurong not far behind and giving chase. Both men were running through the undergrowth, which was treacherous enough in the daytime, let alone by darkness without a torch. The Doctor's foot caught under a sticky plant, hurtling him to the ground.

"Doctor!" Jack exclaimed, running to help his friend up. The dinosaur barred down in with the snarl, making The Doctor and Jack yelled in unison before the Time Agent pressed his vortex manipulator. A moment later, the dark forest had been replaced by a brightly lit corridor and slick metal walls of a spaceship.

The Doctor scanned the hallway with his sonic screwdriver, "We're on the Sythe."

"God, I forgot about all the running I do with you, Doctor." Jack gasped, putting a hand through his hair. "We have to find your...wife? Never thought I'd say that. She's probably still in the brig."

The Doctor laughed quietly, "If I know her, she's probably broken out by now."

"Then we'd better split up and look for her."

Agreeing to a meeting point, Jack and The Doctor went their separate ways.

"What do you want?" Captain Samor demanded again stalking over to the entryway.

"Only to talk, surely there's nothing wrong with that, is there Captain?" River said with a superficial smile.

The alien took her by the wrist and stuck his face very close to hers.

"Your suppose to be in the brig!" Captain Samor hissed.

"And now I'm obviously not," Shrugged River. "Being a good girl isn't in my nature Captain."

She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. The Captain looked dazed for a moment and then smiled.

"Now," River whispered, what were we talking about?"

The Captain chuckled, a dark smile growing on his face as his vice like grip went to her other wrist. "I don't think that will work on me, Miss Song. I've heard about your hallucinogenic lipstick. "

At that moment. Captain Samor's intercom at his desk beeped. He growled with anger, glaring from his desk to her.

"Yes?!" He shouted, not keeping his irritation at the situation in check."

"Captain," The voice of a lowly ensign now overcame the room, "You're needed on the bridge. There's been a situation."

"What kind of situation?" Samor snapped, annoyed by his inferior officer's lack of military decorum.

"W-were being held captive, sir." The voice returned in a shaking tone.

"I think you'd better come with me, Ms. Song." Captain Samor commented, pushing into the corridor and dragging her along by his side.

River for her part, looked over at the grey metal walls and grinned inwardly. Within the corridor, a message had been written that only she could read, courtesy of the sonic screwdriver.

YOWZA!

TBC...

Dinosaurs and Yowza, see what I did there? Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think.