Pirates Of The Caribbean Fan Fiction ❯ A Pressing Engagement ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

A Pressing Engagement

By LadyLark

 

Chapter 2 - In Which Jack Tells a Tale

 

oOo

 

 

Jack made sure his dinghy was hoisted up and then secured to the Flying Dutchman firmly before he double checked his cargo to affirm that it hadn't been dislodged in the journey or ascent. After all, he didn't plan on staying on the cursed ship for any length of time and it was always a good idea to have an escape route, or three, if need called for it.

 

When that task was completed, Will led him to the Captain's Quarters. Along the way, Jack noticed that the ship had undergone several changes, not the least of which was a different appearance.

 

The change was so pronounced that Jack felt the need to comment on it. “Been redecorating, eh? I like. The old look was so garish, just screamed `Cursed Ship' that it didn't leave any room for surprises. This way's better, more subtle. I also notice that the crew are decidedly less fishy smelling.” He left the real question unasked between them - why was the Dutchman and crew different under Will's command?

 

The younger man drew a deep breath. “It's part of the covenant between Calypso and myself. I get a fresh start with a decent ship, and the old crew members were released from their indenture.” Will explained. “You probably noticed that there are fewer sailors aboard, a lot of them chose to move on to the other side when the whole escapade with Cutler Beckett and Davy Jones was over.”

 

“I did notice, figured it was part of the redecoration scheme,” Jack said with a shrug. “Not that you would want most of them, freakishly stupid the whole lot. Not a good sailor in the bunch.”

 

Will nodded his head. “True. But they at least knew how to crew the Dutchman. It's something I've been struggling with since I assumed the helm. The turn-over rate among the new sailors I've recruited is simply staggering. Once they find out our task is to ferry the souls of those lost at sea to the other side, many quit and choose to die. It is very frustrating.”

 

“Why don't you have them pledge themselves to the Dutchman? Press them into service, so to speak. Time honored tradition and all that rot. Even our esteemed Royal Navy engages in the practice.”

 

“I will not make these men my slaves!” Will whirled to face the other man.

 

“What about the women?”

 

“No!”

 

“The eunuchs?” Jack offered. “They're not really men, ya see.”

 

“Them too! It doesn't matter, they're human!” Will thundered, causing Jack to back up a pace. The former blacksmith clenched and unclenched his fists in an effort to calm himself. “It isn't enough that they are dead but to be forced to labor with no hope for respite is something I cannot allow,” he growled.

 

“Sounds like I cut a little close to the bone there.” The older man stated shrewdly.

 

Will glared at Jack before turning away sharply. “It is none of your business.”

 

“I wonder if this has to do with that middling shop that I found you in. With the drunken ass and that donkey, too.” Will started to speak but Jack waved him off. “It's not important. Now, where's that rum? I am frightfully parched and you wanted to know what happened to the Pearl. You would be an unforgivably rude host to deny me refreshment,” he said turning to wander the quarters.

 

Walking over to a desk covered in charts and papers, Will jerked open the bottom drawer and tossed a half-full bottle at Jack. “Here.”

 

Jack caught the bottle deftly and opened it. Taking a huge swig from it, he asked. “What about yourself?”

 

“I have my own,” Will replied holding up a bottle of wine.

 

“I would have figured you more for the ale type, meself.”

 

“Times change.” Will settled himself into his desk chair and took a long drink from the bottle of wine. “So, you were going to tell me what happened to the Pearl.”

 

Jack took another pull of rum. “Right, I was. Barbossa stole it.”

 

“That's what I thought. I'll be taking my rum back,” Will said leaning across his desk with an arm outstretched.

 

“Ah, ah, ah!” Jack exclaimed, cradling the rum close to his chest. “'Tis a longer tale than just that.”

 

Will settled back into his chair. “Then do tell.”

 

“I was on Tortuga, you see. Visiting some lady friends of mine, you remember the blonde and the redhead beauties that you met when we were last there together.” He paused looking over to his friend for a response. At Will's nod, he continued. “Well, at the same time Mr. Gibbs went ashore to see to some provisions.”

 

“And Barbossa held a mutiny and sailed off,” Will filled in.

 

“That time, yes,” Jack corrected.

 

“That time? So he stole your ship more than once?”

 

“It got stolen more than once, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Turned out, old Jack was a bit too smart for Hector Barbossa,” he continued with a grin. “Figured he was going to use Sao Feng's chart to find another fabled treasure, I did and I was right.”

 

“What treasure?”

 

Jack waved off the question. “It's not important, because I stole the middle of the chart so that he couldn't find it.”

 

“And?”

 

“I stole a boat and set out to get it meself.”

 

“Did you find it?”

 

“Well, not then, you see, Hector was mighty displeased that I had absconded with the chart, and I was mighty displeased that he had absconded with me ship. You might say we was both mighty displeased in general, and you would be right. So, when he came after me to retrieve said chart, we came to a bit of an accord.”

 

“Go on,” Will said, taking another swig of wine.

 

“We would work together to find the location of said treasure. However, once we got to the location, it would be every captain for himself. The winner would get the Pearl and the treasure and the loser would swear on the Code and their status as Pirate Lords never to steal the ship again.”

 

“And you lost.”

 

“No, actually I won. Hector didn't count on the treasure's little side effect when we found it.”

 

“What side effect.”

 

“A particularly nasty one,” Jack said with a self-satisfied smirk. “So seeing as he was indisposed, I made off with some of the treasure and high-tailed it back to the Pearl. Only when I got to where I'd left her, she was gone. Bloody taken she was.”

 

“Who took it?”

 

“Your wife.”

 

“Elizabeth. . . ” Will's voice trailed off.

 

“Yeah, her,” the pirate said in disgust. “Ruddy wench stole my ship. My ship! Granted it had been beached on the Florida coast for some time, but still the point is she stole it!”

 

Will set the bottle of wine on the desk. “I don't understand.”

 

Jack ignored Will's statement and continued with his rant. “The girl had the gall to leave me a note. A bloody note! Like some kind of Dear John letter. No, only this time it was a Dear Jack letter.”

 

“Wha-“

 

“'Dear Jack,' she starts. Like she isn't about to stab me in the heart. `I received word that the Pearl has been spotted marooned on a beach near the Southern tip of Florida. Of course, I immediately felt compelled to investigate. When I got here, imagine my surprise to find that the rumours were true.' Imagine my surprise when I got back and found my ship gone! Again!” Jack's arms were gesticulating wildly, emphasizing his anger at the predicament he had found himself in.

 

“Jack, the rest of the letter? What did it say?” Will's voice was full of eagerness.

 

“Not much,” he fished about in his waistcoat and sash until he pulled out a stained piece of canvas. “Now let's see, where was I? `I had Mr. Gibbs and AnaMaria, whom I had found languishing in Tortuga, rig her up along with the rag-tag members of your crew who I also found on that same beach. You really shouldn't abandon them like this, Jack. I thought better of you.' Like she's one to talk. She abandoned me on that beach and then again to the Kraken. Heartless wench.”

 

“Jack, I will not have you speak of my wife like that,” Will said warningly.

 

“What, oh right.”

 

“Is there any more, or is that it?”

 

“Just a bit, mate,” Jack replied, and then slipped into the falsetto he was using to mimic Elizabeth's voice. “'I shall been in Tortuga until September 15, weather permitting. After that, I sail for Singapore and I shall take the Pearl with me. Godspeed, Elizabeth Turner, Rex.'” He refolded the canvas and shoved it back into his sash. “I `ave to wonder what gives her the right to scurry away with my property. The Pearl is my ship and she knows it! No, she is only doing this to have fun with me. Not only that, she leaves me without a boat! What a sadistic woman ye've married. You're lucky to be away from her.” Jack had been pacing wildly after finishing reading the letter, his gesticulations threatening to crack his fingers against the ceiling.

 

At his last comment, Will's face drooped and he swallowed deeply. “Jack . . .”

 

“Hmm? What was that?” Suddenly the pirate stopped as something shiny caught his eye. “But no matter, it will not solve your crewing problems, nor will it prevent my impending late arrival to my most important appointment.”

 

The Dutchman's captain sighed. “I'm very sorry about that, Jack, but you aren't going to be making your meeting. So it's probably for the best that Elizabeth has the Pearl.”

 

“And why is that?” Jack narrowed his eyes, but did not turn to face his friend.

 

“You're dead, or would be very near it if the Dutchman hadn't found you. Therefore, you have the same choice that all souls get to make.”

 

Jack stopped his perusal of a gold and silver candlestick and looked at Will over his shoulder. “And what is that?”

 

“You can either choose to go onto the other side-“

 

“Not the Locker?” Jack interrupted.

 

“No, not the Locker.”

 

Letting out a relieved sigh, Jack set the candlestick down on top of a low bookcase. “And the other choice?”

 

“You can join the crew of the Dutchman.”

 

Jack grimaced. “Not much of a choice there, mate.”

 

“So, I ask you again. `Do you fear Death?'” Will intoned.

 

A shiver danced up his spine, as the pirate stared at his friend in growing horror and he downed the remaining contents of the bottle of rum he was holding. “Can I think on it?” he choked out.

 

Will inclined his head once.

 

“Oh, good,” Jack said, before collapsing in a heap on the floor.

 

oOo

 

AN:

 

This fic is seemingly getting away from me. Oh well.

 

The Deaths I mentioned in the previous chapter were inspired by the following sources. 1. Sandman by Neil Gaiman, 2. The Sims2 by EA Games, and 3. Edward aka “Death” from the Anita Blake series.

 

Special thanks go out to HostileCrayon for betaing this for me.

 

I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am enjoying writing it. Let me know what worked and what didn't for you. I love getting feedback. It makes me write faster.