The Orphan in the TARDIS

Chapter Eighteen

Jack turns to spot the Venuciuian he and Martha had been hunting. It has a small laser gun, which it aims straight at the doctor's back. The immortal doesn't hesitate to shove Martha out of the way, taking the blast of energy to his chest, falling to the hard ground. Martha spins, seeing the alien herself. She pulls out her tranquilizer gun, shooting it directly at the Venuciuian.

It collapses to the ground, completely unconscious. Martha leaves it, kneeling beside Jack. She doesn't bother trying to resuscitate him, just sitting beside his body, waiting for him to wake up. A few minutes go by, and he gasps awake, his eyes snapping open.

"Hey," he smirks at her.

"Thanks for saving my life, again."

"Hey, someone ought to. Was that the last one?"

Martha pulls the tracker from her pocket, finding that all of the aliens are completely stationary, most of them in the courtyard where the command center is located. "Look's like. You wanna grab him?"

"Sure. If we don't get back, the Doctor will leave before we even get there."

***

Benton allows the Doctor to drive Bessie, knowing he's been without her for far too long. He sits next to Sophie in the small car, as the Time Lord accelerates far beyond the legal speed on the road. His hair blows around in the wind, while he whoops happily. Sophie tries to hold in her laughter. They get back to the courtyard far faster than it took them to arrive at the Palace.

Jumping from the car, the Doctor finds a large tent, with UNIT personnel rushing about, a large container of unconscious Venuciuian's. "Well, looks like your team have been busy, Benton."

"That would be Dr. Jones, sir."

"Hm, yes, Martha. Welp," he claps, quickly moving away, "Send her my best, but, oh would you just look at the time," he mutters, flicking his wrist out. "Mustn't be late, the missus wants to go for tea."

"What, you're leaving without saying goodbye?" Sophie asks, frowning big. "Anyway, don't you have to contact the Shadow Proclamation."

His shoulders droop, and he wiggles his finger at her, "Oh, oh, you just always have to be logical and right, eh?"

Benton stands behind Sophie, trying not to laugh at the Time Lord. He turns, signaling for the UNIT personnel all standing about, gawking at the bow tie wearing alien. He walks over to them, "Alright, back to work," he calls, and they all immediately turn back to the tent.

"So, are you just going to call the Shadow Proclamation here, since they're already all sort of locked up?"

He sighs, "I might as well, I guess. It's going to be a fight just to get a few Judoon, and not the whole platoon." He squints, glancing around the courtyard, "Why don't you go see Dr. Harper about your neck, because as you are fully aware, I am not a medical Doctor."

"You're not gonna go gallivanting off, are you?"

"What? No! You still have my jacket, which I will be taking back before I leave."

She pouts, "But it's so comfy..." The Time Lord smiles, turning around to his TARDIS to phone the Shadow Proclamation.

Sophie smiles at him as well, turning to where he indicated Owen was lurking. It isn't hard to find the doctor, as he's leaning over Tosh as she shows him something on her computer. Gwen seems to be in an intense conversation on the phone, and Ianto is handing out mugs of coffee that he somehow managed to make in the UNIT tent. As the girl approaches, Ianto turns, his eyes widening.