"Leave her out of this," the Doctor said. "She's done nothing to you, she isn't involved!"
"She's a friend of yours," the Admiral replied. "And so she is emphatically involved in this, Doctor."
"She isn't," the Doctor insisted. "Leave her out of it."
"No," the Admiral spat. "I won't."
The Doctor spun his sword in his hand.
"I will not sacrifice humanity for one person," he said, slowly. "If you kill Eilidh, I will kill you anyway, but if you threaten to kill her, I won't jeopardize the future of humanity by surrendering. You can't win."
"Doctor?!" Eilidh gasped.
"Isn't she important to you?" the Admiral asked, confused by the Doctor's words. "Would you not try to preserve her life?"
"Nope," the Doctor said. "Human women are ten a penny and frankly, she complains too much for my liking."
The Admiral stared at him for a moment in abject shock, and then released Eilidh. The Doctor grinned.
"Why you -!" Eilidh started, striding up to him, raising her hand.
"Now, now," the Doctor said, raising his hand, "Let's not be violent, besides which…"
He ran forwards, sweeping his sword down, knocking the Admirals sword of his hand, where it fell in two pieces. The old Zagrite stood back.
"What?" he yelled. "Wh –"
"Always," the Doctor smiled, "always, pay attention to the sonic screwdriver, not the nattering guy in the suit."
He held up the sonic screwdriver and shook it merrily.
"Sorry about that Eilidh," he said, turning to her. "I had to –"
Before he finished speaking, Eilidh slapped him across the face. He wobbled his jaw, rubbed it, and stared at her.
"That would be three times," he muttered. "On last count."
"Three times what?!" she said, angrily.
"That you've slapped me," he replied. "Have you got any kids?"
"Why?" she asked.
"Because I've been slapped twice by mothers, at last count and by no one else, unless you count twice by an angry ginger bride," he said. Then he turned to the Admiral. "Anyway!"
"How did you break the sword?" the Admiral gasped in astonishment.
"Used the sonic, to switch it off remotely, then swiped." the Doctor said. "You're done."
The Admiral glared at him, hatred there deep in his eyes.
"That's what you think," he replied. He drew a gun out of his pocket, and aimed it at the Doctor. The Time Lord stared at it warily, watching the Admiral carefully.
"I am Admiral Salasarankovasher, decorated war hero, commander, respected leader, loved by my men, and I will not die here in shame!" he barked. "You have ruined it all for me, Doctor! I will destroy you!"
"No!" came a voice. Carde ran forward, aiming his gun at the Admiral and firing like a madman. The Admiral was winged in a second, but returned fire, catching the former chief of security on the ship in the chest. The dying Zagrite spat in the Admirals direction, then slumped to the floor.
"Traitor," the Admiral spat, lying on the floor gasping in a growing pool of his own blood. "To hell with him."
"He was a better man than you," the Doctor replied. "Honour in Death, and Glory in the Next –"
"You profane that phrase!" the old man barked, but weakly. He tried to aim his gun at the Doctor one last time, but his arm wouldn't go high enough. He spat at the Doctor, closed his eyes, and breathed out slowly, his last ever breath. He seemed to lose an inner strength that had kept his features firm, his face strong, and they both fell into what the Doctor thought of as a typical old man look. Sad, but at peace.
"Honour in Death," the Doctor whispered. "And Glory in the Next Life."
Eilidhs eyes were blank as she stared at the dead man. Finally, she murmured; "why did you say that to him? About me?"
"Had to convince him I didn't care, or he'd have killed us both," the Doctor replied softly. "He was insane."
"Then why did you wish him that?" she asked.
"Because he was a soldier of Zagroatia," the Doctor replied. "He deserved better than this. Old Soldier," he finished quietly, without elaborating.
He turned to her, sadness in his eyes, and looked at her.
"C'mon," he said. "Let's go find Jack."
--