supernova: gravity (11th doctor)

The Impossible Astronaut (pt 3)

We came across a place that had a strange, dirty looking surgical chair, with wires with peculiar bulbs hanging above it. River stepped through the area first, shining her flashlight around. "Now why would a little girl be here?"

"I don't know," The Doctor stepped over some wires. "Let's find her and ask her."

I knocked on the surgical chair. "Well, definitely not from Earth."

"Probably not even this time zone," River agreed.

"Which is odd-- because look at this!" The Doctor spoke excitedly as he rummaged through boxes containing very late 60s, early 70s looking space suits.

"It's Earth tech. It's contemporary," River observed.

"It's very contemporary, cutting edge. This is from the space program!"

"You think our old space tech is cutting edge?" I asked. In the era of Earth I was from, everyone mostly assumed that if there were other alien planets, we were most likely very far behind in technology.

"Of course," The Doctor assured me, putting down the space helmet. "But it's not your old space tech."

I paused for a moment, remembering that once again, I was not human-- and confused at the fact that the Doctor reminded me of it.

"Stolen?" River cut in.

"What, by aliens?" Amy asked.

The Doctor shrugged. "Apparently."

"But why? I mean, if you can make it all the way to Earth, why steal technology that can barely make it to the moon?"

"Maybe because it's cooler!" The Doctor shouted from inside the space helmet he put on himself. He moved the screen up, revealing his stupid, grinning face. "Look how cool this stuff is!"

"Cool aliens?" Amy stared at him blankly.

The Doctor smiled. "Well, what would you call me?"

"An alien."

"Oi!" The Doctor took the helmet off.

Rory entered the room again, slowly following Canton with his flashlight on him, while Canton aimlessly wandered. "I uh, I think he's okay now."

"Ah! Back with us, Canton." The Doctor noticed.

Canton was barely paying attention, busy frowning at the mysterious objects around him. But after all, he was an FBI agent-- he was used to dealing with multiple things and emotions at once. "I like your wheels."

The Doctor pat his shoulder, and continued walking ahead. "That's my boy. So, come on! Little girl, let's find her."

888

River and I stood by the table, examining the wires with mounds of slimy gunk at the ends as Amy approached us. "River, Nova..."

"I know what you're thinking." River responded, not even looking up.

Amy would have sounded offended if she weren't so sad. "No, you don't."

"You think if we get rid of the astronaut in 1969 it won't get rid of the Doctor in 2011," I answered her, looking up and soothingly rubbing her arm. "Believe me, we were also thinking it. But it won't work."

"Why?" Amy sounded desperate, but she didn't move away from my comforting touch.

"It doesn't work like that. We came here because of what we saw in the future. If we try and prevent the future from happening, we create a paradox." River explained.