"This cliff face, then," said Donna. "Oldest graffiti in the universe? What are we waiting for?"

"Your wish is my command," replied the Doctor, who had already been setting the coordinates before Donna voiced her approval. "Using the Tardis, we can translate the words and find out what someone millions of years ago … billions, maybe! Wanted us to know. Perhaps it's the name of the first people to be on the planet. Or the epigraph of a beloved leader."

"Or maybe a billboard pointing the way to the nearest market." Donna grabbed onto her favorite handhold just in time, as the Tardis began its trip.

"Yes," the Doctor said, scratching the back of his neck. "It could be that. Of course, that wouldn't be much fun."

The ship landed with a jolt, and they looked at each other.

"Ready?" The Doctor held out his hand.

"Ready!"

The doors opened, and they found themselves looking at …

"Stonehenge?" Donna frowned. "Doctor! You've done it again!"

The Doctor looked back at the Tardis. "Don't look at me! I set the coordinates properly!"

"Oi! That's no excuse, spaceman. Now hurry up and let's get back inside."

"No, wait. If we're here, we might as well have a look around." He sniffed, then knelt down and brought a bit of dirt to his tongue. "This is around the year three hundred."
"Then why is Stonehenge still old?"

"Oh, it's been old for centuries before this. I've always meant to go back far enough to find out who actually built it, and why."
"Maybe it was aliens." Donna rolled her eyes.

The Doctor took no notice. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and began scanning the area. Meanwhile, Donna wandered around. She had never been to Stonehenge; that sort of thing had never interested her much before she met the Doctor. It was strange to be standing there, in the year three hundred, and see it still looking just the same as in postcards. Maybe there were less weather marks, and maybe a few more stones were still standing, but only someone who was familiar with it would be able to tell the difference. She looked out towards where the sun was beginning to set, and with a jolt noticed riders coming towards them.

"Doctor!"

"In a minute," he mumbled, continuing to scan the ground and stones.

"Doctor, someone's coming!"

"Ah ha! Come here, Donna."

He had bent down and was pulling away turf and moss from a stone. There was a creak and a grinding and the stone moved away to reveal a wide hole with steps leading down into it. Donna gave a last glance at the approaching riders and followed the Doctor into the hole.

It was pitch black, and she was about to suggest that she get a flashlight when the Doctor produced one from his pocket. He handed it to her and then took out another one.

"Oh, look at this!" he said.

Donna came closer and shone her light on a huge cubic object. It was covered in strange symbols and shapes. The Doctor was circling it slowly, and in a moment she couldn't see his light anymore.

Five minutes later, as she was tiring of looking at the thing, he was beside her again, shining his flashlight on her.

"What did you say about someone coming?" he asked.

"Uh … just that someone was coming."

"Let's go meet them."

They climbed out from beneath Stonehenge and found themselves face to face with five Roman soldiers.

XXXXXXXXX

"Hello!" the Doctor said, sticking out his hand. The Roman leader ignored it.

"You are to come with us," he said.

"Well, that all depends on where you're taking us," said the Doctor cheerfully. "We don't fancy being thrown into the arena as lion bait. Or being used as practice dummies for gladiators. Where are you taking us?"

Donna noticed that he was nodding ever so slightly in the general direction of the Tardis. She felt around her neck for the key, but didn't move. If he wanted her to make a dash for the Tardis, then he was going to have to dash with her.

"We have been sent by Cleopatra. You will be given safe conduct."

"Yeah," the Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "Says Cleopatra. Doesn't she poison her slaves or something nice like that?"

The leader drew his sword and positioned it two inches from the Doctor's heart. Donna gasped.

"Safe conduct is only for those who obey," the Roman said. "Come with me, or die."

"Oi, Roman boy!" Donna said. "How does Cleopatra even know we're here? Did we send her a text message? Did she give us a call? No. So what's your game?"

"She says that she knows the Doctor. That is all I know."

The Doctor eyed the sword calmly. "Come along, Donna." He looked up at the Roman. "Do we have to walk the whole way? Because, I do have some transportation if you're a bit short on horses."

"No, you will ride with me; I value my head too much to let you escape so easily. Cleopatra warned me that you are slippery and treacherous."

"Oh did she now? Tell her thank you from me." He paused. "Never mind, I'll tell her myself."

Donna was helped into the saddle by another soldier, who then mounted behind her.

After about half an hour's riding, a bustling Roman camp came into view. Quintas, the leader, dismounted and waited for Donna and the Doctor to join him. Then he led them into a large tent where an Egyption woman sat, or rather reclined, by a table filled with food. She was delicately popping grapes into her mouth.

The Doctor walked straight up to her and said, "So, Cleopatra, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Egypt … dead."

She raised her eyes to him and fluttered her eyelashes. "Maybe so, but where's the fun in that?"

Donna blinked twice. That voice … those eyes. "River?" she said. Well, practically shrieked.

"River?" the Doctor said, his tone even. "This is ridiculous."

"Well, sweetie, I had to get you here somehow. I'm sorry I couldn't provide first class transportation; this is the first century, after all."

"Never mind Cleopatra!" Donna said. "River is supposed to be in the ..."

"No, Donna!" the Doctor moved towards her. "You can't tell her about that. It's in her future still."

"Oh, my future! How exciting. Glad I've got one." River fluttered her eyelashes again, but then her face grew serious. "Doctor, I brought you here because there was nothing else I could do."

"What do you mean?"

"The cracks in time and space. I'm sure you've seen them."

"Yes, I have. Are you going to tell me what they are?"

"They have something to do with the Pandorica."

"I don't believe in the Pandorica," said the Doctor, shaking his head. "That's a fairy tale."

"Then what's that thing beneath Stonehenge, hmm? Come on, Doctor, don't tell me you didn't figure it out already."

"I still don't see what that has to do with the cracks in time."

River rolled her eyes, and Donna felt like slapping the sarcastic look off of her face. The Doctor was silent.

"So, Doctor ..." began Donna. "What's the Pandorica?"

He sighed. "It's a legend. A Gallifreyan legend, about someone who was so feared that all the races of the universe sent out their armies to capture him. When they finally did it, they imprisoned him in a box from which they thought he could never escape."

"But did he?"

"Some people say he did, some people say he didn't."

"Who was he?"

"I've heard it was Rassilon. I've heard it was someone worse. But no one knows."

"The cracks in time come from this," River said quietly.

Donna and the Doctor turned and saw her holding a rolled up canvass, which she proceeded to lay flat on the table, pushing aside food and drink. They leaned in to get a look at it in the dim light.