Gwen froze at those words...that didn't sound like the off-kilter Doctor that she'd been with for the last fortnight. It sounded like the Doctor she'd seen back in Jack's flat all those months ago.
"Doctor, isn't there a way out?"
"No, the door this side is jammed and I think there's a fire the other side," the faint reply came. "Just go, before they start boarding."
Boarding?
"I can't leave you, I can start clearing it from this end!" she shouted.
"No, get out now..." the voice broke off for a few seconds and Gwen thought she heard coughing. "They'll be here soon...the Shadow Proclamation. I don't want them to get my children..."
The faint voice trailed off and Gwen thought the Doctor had been overcome by smoke but his voice came again and he sounded forlorn and deeply unhappy and she didn't think he was talking to her.
"Should have seen it...no timelines... it all ends here..."
The voice descended into coughing and Gwen stared sadly at the wall of metal. "I'm sorry Doctor," she said and picked up the babies and left the now destroyed nursery.
She hadn't a clue as to how she was going to get off the ship, but it may have been the Doctor's dying wish and she was going to her damn best to see that she fulfilled it.
The Master couldn't believe that this was happening; only yesterday they were tearing apart another star system. Laying the foundations for a new Time Lord Empire, one that his oh so special twins would rule.
He'd been overjoyed when he realised the Doctor was pregnant again and this time it had been by choice, not by accident. It had sealed their bond in a much deeper way than the twins.
Yes, the twins were the next step in Time Lord Evolution and he had no doubt that the next child would be as special and it was quite right that they should be the parents; his and the Doctor's families were the oldest and most powerful on Gallifrey.
But that was for nothing now as the huge cruiser that had torn his ship apart like it was paper now pulled back.
He knew what that meant; they were going to be boarded and he had no doubt who by...the Judoon.
There was only one thing to do...find the Doctor and his children and abandon ship.
Bellowing orders to the crew he left the bridge and went into the now ruined depths of the cruiser.
He'd only gone one or two decks, avoiding falling metal and sparking cables, when he heard it; the tell-tale sound of something cutting a hole in the side of the ship...they were here.
He increased his speed and only stopped when he reached the deck that their private quarters were on.
The whole section was a tangle of metal and wire and sparks. Acrid smoke filled his lungs and he could feel the heat of fire.
"No," he snarled and turned away, he would have to find another way in.
Jack tried to brace himself as the floor shifted under him; whatever weapon had hit the ship must have been a powerful one. He heard the whine of power as the cruiser returned fire.
There was that eternal minute before the next shot and this time not just the floor moved; the whole cell shifted and his chains were ripped from the wall and the cell door buckled outwards.
Jack knew enough that that shot was the crippling one and the sounds of resulting explosions confirmed it.
He wasn't one to think about luck, he just took advantage of it and now knew why that servant had given him the key-card...he must have been another plant by the Shadow Proclamation.
He shucked off his chains and squeezed through the gap of the door.
Smoke was filling the corridor and he wasted no time in using the card. He knew exactly where he was going and what he had to do...find his team and if he could find the Doctor and the babies and if he had to drag him kicking and screaming off this doomed ship he would.
He stopped when he heard a ripping sound and then he froze when heard voices.
"So ko ro no...find the Time Lords and the children."
Judoon...they'd been boarded.
Gwen hurried down the corridor carrying her precious cargo, desperate to get out of the thick smoke.
She'd had to stop several times as a cable twitched and sparked like an electric viper. She moved again when another cable whipped the other way; she could see the door she needed up ahead but there were flames coming from the wall.
She knew it was the only door to where she wanted to go and she looked down at the two babies.
"Be brave little ones," she said and covered them with their blankets.
She steeled herself and moved.
The heat was incredible as she shoved the door and it flew open; she slammed the door behind her and let out a yelp of surprise when two familiar faces appeared.
Rhys, Ianto! How did you?"
"No time to talk, sweetheart," Rhys said. "Those rhino boys are heading this way and those babies are top of the list."
"Then let's go," she said and handed one of the babies to him.
They had only gone a few feet when they heard the sound they didn't want to hear...the stomp of booted feet.
Out of the smoke that was starting to form they came and the trio knew there was no escape.
"You will halt!" the lead Judoon growled. "You will hand over the Time Lord offspring!"
The Doctor let out a sigh and welcomed the smoke that would eventually kill him. He knew that Gwen would try her best to save his children.
His only sadness was that he would never see them grow into the fine Time Lords they would be nor would the new life he carried take one breath.
He wasn't even bothered when the floor shifted under him again and the door that had been firmly stuck buckled and fell inwards.
He didn't even try to fight when the large shapes loomed out of the smoke and he was dragged to safety and virtually carried off the cruiser and onto another ship.
Jack stopped when he found the nearest computer terminal that was still working. He tapped at the screen, hoping to find what he wanted.
What he saw dismayed him.
He saw Gwen, Ianto and Rhys along with the babies being pushed along by the Judoon and disappearing through the hole the Judoon had cut into the side of the ship.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw the Doctor, who didn't seem to be resisting; he looked broken.
"This is so not good," he muttered.
"No, it isn't," a voice said behind him.