"We can't Jack," Martha repeated. "The wound is only held together by your shirt and how tight it's tied. We need a shuttle, not to climb ladders."
"No, don't have to, just leave me, get out."
The Doctor's voice was hoarse and barely audible, but the words cut through Jack like a knife.
"Don't talk Doctor," Martha said, in her best doctor's tone.
"No, just go. Jack please," the Doctor searched for Jack with sightless eyes.
Jack moved closer and crouched down besides the Doctor.
"I can't do that," he said placing a hand on the Doctor's face.
The Doctor grabbed his hand. "Please Jack...the Cynrog..."
Jack moved his hand to the Doctor's lips. "No more Doctor, we're leaving and we're taking you, like it or not. I am not leaving you here."
Without further words he scooped the Doctor up, ignoring his weak protest and the groan of pain it elicited.
"Ianto, lead the way. Martha with me, Gwen, watch our six," he said, keeping a tight hold on the Doctor, who despite his injury was trying to move.
"Stop it!" Jack hissed, as they approached the maintenance shaft. "I'm not letting you die down here, even if you want too, now shut it!"
The climb up the shaft was proving long and painfully slow, the others having to keep pace with Jack and Ianto, who had to help Jack carry the Doctor., who thankfully to Martha's relief, but to Jack's concern had lost consciousness.
As they reached the top of the shaft, the sounds of claws on metal filled the air...the Cynrog.
Gwen cautiously put her head above the shaft, and sighed with relief when there wasn't a scale to be seen.
She ducked down again and whispered down to the others. "It must have been a patrol, it looks clear."
She clambered out of the shaft and hauled Martha up, and they both helped Ianto as he took the weight of the Doctor as he and Jack manoeuvred the still out of it Time Lord out of the shaft and laid him on the floor.
Blood was starting to seep through the make shift dressing, and the Doctor's breathing had become shallower and uneven.
"We have to get out of here and soon, if he loses any more blood..." Martha trailed off, seeing the look on Jack's face.
"He is not going to die," Jack growled. "Ianto, where is the main hangar?"
Ianto pointed to his left. "Along this corridor, up another set of stairs, then it's right in front of us."
"Right, then let's get the hell out of here before our luck runs out," Jack said.
Their luck did run out as they reached the top of the stairs.
It was their misfortune to meet the Cynrog who had struck a deal with Martha, but this time he had a full complement of soldiers with him.
"Human female!" he growled. "You deceived us, where is the one called White..."
The Cynrog stopped when he saw the figure being carried by Jack.
He hissed and the soldiers behind him came to full alert, their weapons all aimed at the little group.
"Time Lord..." he hissed. "He is ours, you will surrender him to me."
Jack took a step back and shook his head.
"He belongs to us, we purchased him, you will give him to me."
Martha, Ianto and Gwen moved in front of Jack, making their answer clear.
"If you do not give him to me, you will die."
The stalemate was interrupted by the floor suddenly moving under their feet and what sounded like something metallic being ripped open.
Jack tried to keep his balance as the ground bucked under his feet, which wasn't easy when you had an armful of unconscious Time Lord.
He backed up until his back was against the wall, and it was then that he heard...the stomping of boots?
The last thing Jack needed was another problem.
Everybody bar Jack was suddenly knocked off their feet and claws when the hangar door flew inwards in fiery explosions, and the stomping grew louder, and Jack heard voices coming from the smoke.
"Koh ro ma sho, toh ro koh!" a voice thundered.
Jack heard Martha letting out a gasp of surprise. "I don't believe it," she said as large shapes began to emerge from the smoke.
Whatever they were, Jack noticed the words had a different effect on the Cynrog. They looked around in what looked like panic.
One of the soldiers tried to make a break, but was cut down by multiple laser fire.
"Koh ro ma, toh ro koh!" the voice thundered again, this time accompanied by what Jack could only described as a rhino, well at least a dozen rhino that appeared out of the smoke.
"What the hell are...?" Gwen said.
She looked round when Martha gave a short laugh. "Judoon, they're Judoon."
The Cynrog leader hissed and then all hell broke loose.
Jack dropped the Doctor and covered him with his own body as laser fire filled the air. He could hear the cries of alarm from the others, but knew there was nothing he could do.
The battle, such as it was, was short bloody and final, the Judoon far outnumbering the Cynrog, and the Cynrog Leader was soon the only one left.
Jack looked up as he heard boots stomping towards him.
The Judoon, that was what Martha had called them, the one that had spoken stomped over to Gwen, who was the nearest and hauling her up, placed some kind of tube against her head.
"Category human, language Earth English."
It did this to everyone, even Jack.
Then it came to the Doctor, who still lying on the floor.
"Category, non-human, species not catalogued."
The device the Judoon was using beeped at him. "Material evidence in case number 3098765- illegally purchased property for purposes of torture and public execution. Evidence will be impounded."
At those words Jack jumped forward, barring the way of two Judoon who were advancing on the Doctor.
"No, you can't!"
The first Judoon stared at Jack. "You have no jurisdiction over crimes outside of Earth, stand aside."
Ianto suddenly stepped in between Jack and the Judoon.
"Wait a minute, did you say impounded as illegally purchased property?"
The Judoon looked down at Ianto. "Correct. Listed as article number 45673 on cargo manifest of impounded Cynrog cruiser."
Ianto thought for a moment, and then asked. "What if the property..."
"Article 45673," the Judoon rumbled.
"Okay, what if article 45673 is stolen property?"
The Judoon didn't reply for a moment. "Then article 45673 will be returned to its original owner and compensation will be paid for any damage to property."
"Then article 45673 should be returned to that man there, Captain Jack Harkness. It was stolen by a human accomplice, which mean the crime of theft was committed on Earth?"
"Judoon have no jurisdiction over Earth crime."
"In that case wouldn't article number 45673 be part of an Earth crime and not fall under your jurisdiction?"
The Judoon blinked, seemingly caught out by Ianto's question.
"Correct."
The Judoon turned to where Jack was standing defensively over the Doctor.
"Captain Jack Harkness," it said and moved over to him and handed him a clear plastic sheet.
"You will sign this affidavit. If it is found you are lying, you will be arrested for perverting the course of intergalactic justice. You can claim compensation in civil court."
Jack nodded dumbly, too confused by the turn of events to say anything. He took the pen from the Judoon and signed.
The Judoon commander took the document and stowed it away.
"All troops withdraw!"
With that the Judoon turned away, dragging the Cynrog leader with them, and once again the sound of many boots filled the air, and minutes later the floor shook again.
The silence was deafening, then the group let out a collective sigh of relief.
"I have absolutely no idea what you just did, but it was bloody brilliant!" Gwen said and hugged Ianto, closely followed by Martha.
A cry of alarm from Jack made them turn.
Jack had the Doctor in his arms, who was convulsing violently.
Martha rushed over, but by the time she'd reached them, the Doctor had stopped and was ominously still.
She felt for a pulse and her eyes widened in horror...there wasn't one!
"Lay him flat!" she barked at Jack.
She ripped open the Doctor's bloody shirt and placed her head against his chest...no heartbeats.
"Move out of the way!" she snapped at Jack and shoved him out of the way when he didn't move.
As she started the CPR, memories of the moon and the MRI room flashed through her head.
"You are not dying on me!" she growled.
After what seemed an eternity, the Doctor inhaled and when Martha put her head to his chest she could hear his hearts, but only just and they were erratic.
"Is he...?" Jack asked.
"He's alive, just, but his hearts are erratic they could stop at anytime. Now can we leave this bloody place!" Martha said.
Minutes later a shuttle rose into the sky, leaving the burning base and unfinished business behind.