*White room*
On Demon's Run, an asteroid modified into a habitation, a baby has been born. Her name is Melody Pond.
"I wish I could tell you that you'll be loved, that you'll be safe and cared for and protected. But this isn't a time for lies. What you are going to be, Melody is very, very brave" Amy says stroking Melody's cheek, the Eye Patch Lady steps forward from the line of armed guards.
"Two minutes."
"But not as brave as they'll have to be. Because there's someone coming. I don't know where he is, or what he's doing, but trust me, he's on his way."
*Cyberspaceship*
Twenty thousand light years away, non-Cybus Industries logoed but otherwise identical cybermen stomp through the corridors.
"Intruder level nine."
"Seal level nine."
*White room*
"There's a man who's never going to let us down, and not even an army can get in the way" Madame Kovarian comes to take the baby "Leave her. Just you leave her. Please leave her! Please, leave her!"
*Cyberspaceship*
The ship is shaking.
"Intruder level eleven."
"Seal levels twelve, thirteen and fourteen."
"Intruder, level fifteen."
*White room*
Melody is in a high-tech Moses basket.
"He's the last of his kind. He looks young, but he's lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. And wherever they take you, Melody, however, scared you are, I promise you, you will never be alone. Because this man is your father."
*Cyberspaceship*
"Prepare to engage."
*White room*
"He has a name, but the people of our world know him better..."
*Cyberspaceship*
"As the Last Centurion."
"I have a message and a question. A message from the Doctor and Alex and a question from me. Where is my wife? Oh, don't give me those blank looks. The Twelfth Cyber Legion monitors this entire quadrant. You hear everything. So, you tell me what I need to know. You tell me now, and I'll be on my way" Rory says.
"What is the Doctor and the Seer's message?" outside, all the other ships in the Legion explode.
"Would you like me to repeat the question?"
*Docking bay*
Two Cleric soldiers are walking along.
"A whole Cyber Legion though. He just blew them all up to make a point."
"We're being paid to fight him, not praise him. Praising costs way more" they get into a lift.
"Level Minus Twenty-Three Transept."
*Level -23*
"Digger says he once chased the Atraxi off a planet, then called them back for a scolding."
"Fight him, not praise him."
"Reminder. This base is on Yellow Alert. This base is on Yellow Alert" They pass a young woman doing some sewing.
*Control room*
The two Clerics have her on CCTV.
"Is she sewing?"
"She's on a break. She can do what she likes. Now try again" he holds up two pieces of paper.
"That one."
"No, that's the psychic. You've got to look for the fractals. Don't look bored, we're on Yellow Alert."
"We've been on Yellow Alert for three weeks."
*Corridor*
"Reminder. Do not interact with Headless Monks without divine permission. Do not interact with Headless Monks without divine permission."
"You're not supposed to stare at them. And if they think you're trying to see under their hoods, they'll kill you on the spot."
"But why are they called the Headless Monks? They can't really be headless?"
"They believe the domain of faith is the heart, and the domain of doubt is the head. They follow their hearts, that's all."
"You're Lorna Bucket, aren't you?"
"Yeah."
"Hello. I'm the Thin One. This is my husband. He's the Fat One.''
"Don't you have names?"
"We're the thin fat gay married Anglican marines. Why would we need names as well?" three Headless Monks are 'looking' at them "oh, looks like I'm off. Time for my conversion tutorial. See you in a bit. Do you lot have Lent? Because I'm not good at giving things up" the Fat One leaves with the Monks.
"Lorna Bucket. You've had an Encounter, haven't you? You've met them."
"I was just a kid."
"But what are they like? The Doctor and the Seer."
"They said run."
"Just run?"
"They said it a lot."
"And this was in the Gamma Forests, yeah? Because you're a Gamma girl, aren't you? What are you doing here? The Forests are heaven neutral."
"Yeah, and thirty seconds of the Doctor and Seer is the only thing that ever happened there."
*Conversion chamber*
Red light fills the room.
"Oh, this is nice, I like this. I mean, quite a lot of red. I hope it's not to hide the stains. What's in the little boxes?" the Fat One asks.
"Welcome, applicant, to the order of the Headless. It is traditional for visiting armies of other faiths to offer individuals for conversion to our order. You have been selected. Are you ready to make a donation?" A Monk brings forward an empty box.
*Corridor*
"So, what do you think? If the Doctor and Seer are really coming here, where are they?"
"He's the Doctor and she's the Seer. They could be anywhere in time and space."
*London, 1888 A.D.*
A horse-drawn cab pulls up and a woman gets out.
"Whoa!"
"Thank you, Parker. I won't be needing you again tonight."
"Yus, my lady" the lady goes into her house and is greeted by her maid.
"You're back early, ma'am. Another case cracked, I assume?" the mysterious lady puts a Samurai sword back on its stand.
"Send a telegram to Inspector Abberline of the yard. Jack the Ripper has claimed his last victim."
"How did you find him?" the lady throws back her hood to reveal that she is a Silurian.
"Stringy, but tasty all the same. I shan't be needing dinner."
"Congratulations, ma'am. However, a matter has arisen in the drawing room."
*Drawing room*
"It just appeared. What does it mean?"
"It means a very old debt is to be repaid" It is the TARDIS "pack the cases, Jenny. And we're going to need the swords."
*The Battle of Zaruthstra, 4037 A.D.*
"Nurse! Nurse! Damn it, where's the nurse!"
"He needs help."
"Madame President, I'm sorry, but we have to go now! Those things could be here any second" a little boy is lying on a bed in the tent. He is very still. A Sontaran warrior enters.
"Did somebody call for a nurse?" the Sontaran tends to the boy.
"Will I be ok?"
"Of course you will, my boy. You'll be up and around in no time. And perhaps one day, you and I shall meet on the field of battle, and I will destroy you for the glory of the Sontaran Empire."
"Thanks, Nurse" the Sontaran leaves, and the man follows him.
"Commander Strax. I just have to ask. A Sontaran nurse?"
"I serve a penance to restore the honour of my clone batch. It is the greatest punishment a Sontaran can endure, to help the weak and sick."
"Who came up with that one?" the sound of the Tardis materialising.
"Tonight, though, perhaps my penance is over. Captain Harcourt, I hope someday to meet you in the glory of battle, when I shall crush the life from your worthless human form. Try and get some rest."
*Stormcage*
River Song is returning from a Regency-era Frost Fair. The alarms are blaring. She picks up the guard's phone.
"Oh, turn it off. I'm breaking in, not out. This is River Song, back in her cell. Oh, and I'll take breakfast at the usual time. Thank you" River says, she sees a figure standing in the corridor "oh, are you boys dressing up as Romans now? I thought nobody read my memos."
"Doctor Song. It's Rory. Sorry, have we met yet? Timestreams. I'm not quite sure where we are" Rory says.
"Yes. Yes, we've met. Hello, Rory."
"What's wrong?"
"It's my birthday. The Seer took me ice skating on the River Thames in 1814, the last of the great Frost Fairs. She got Stevie Wonder to sing for me under London Bridge."
"Stevie Wonder sang in 1814?"
"Yes, he did. But you must never tell him."
"I've come from Alex too."
"Yes, but at a different point in time."
"Unless there's two of them."
"Now, that's a whole different birthday."
"She needs you" River checks her diary.
"Demon's Run."
"How, how did you know?"
"I'm from her future. I always know. Why on Earth are you wearing that?"
"The Doctor's idea."
"Of course. His rules of engagement. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."
"I look ridiculous."
"Have you considered heels?"
"They've taken Amy. And our baby. Alex and the Doctor are getting some people together. We're going after her, but they need you, too."
"I can't. Not yet, anyway."
"I'm sorry?"
"This is the Battle of Demon's Run. The Seer's darkest hour. She'll rise higher than ever before and then fall so much further, and I can't be with her until the very end."
"Why not?"
"Because this is it. This is the day she finds out who I am."