| Welcome aboard, me maties! AG is a Pirates of the Caribbean RPG taking place after Curse of the Black Pearl, and incorporating many of the plots of Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, but is not beholden to follow them exactly, or at all. We welcome both Canon characters and Original Characters, and hope you'll consider joining us for some adventure on the high seas. Sign the Articles! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
| Special Effects; OTP + 1 month | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: 5 Apr 2007, 06:05 PM (352 Views) | |
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:05 PM Post #1 |
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
  ![]](http://209.85.48.14/static/1/pip_r.png)
|
Originally posted by Jack. ((And the Oscar for lamest thread title ever goes to... me! *applause* This is basically a story for depleti and myself (and possibly Norrington), but if you want in, just PM one of us and we might be able to work something out.)) One month. It had been a whole month since the bloody Navy had taken Jack's compass in Port Royal, and it was far too long. Oh, Jack didn't regret leaving it behind when he did, since the odds of him surviving another encounter with Norrington and his minions were frankly not very good - and there certainly would have been an encounter, for, so shortly after he escaped, they would have been expecting him to show up again. Now they would hopefully be their usual lax selves again, easy to be deceived by the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow (or so Jack flattered himself to think). And he needed that compass, now more than ever. Jack presumed his compass would be kept at Fort Charles. He thought Norrington would likely keep it in his office, the most secure place of all. It might have been a trap, if anyone would be stupid enough to try to break into the fort, which no one was; it was inconceivable. Which was, of course, why Jack thought he might just get away with it. But the real reason Norrington would probably keep the compass in his office, in Jack's opinion, would be that it was a sort of memento; a reminder; something tangible of the abominable Sparrow - almost something that might help Norrington pick up Jack's scent somehow. Yes, Norrington's office was definitely the most likely place for Jack to find his compass - provided, of course, that the Navy still had it. Jack's mind painted a vivid picture of Norrington throwing the apparently not working compass into a fireplace in a moment of extreme frustration; he cringed at the thought. No, the Navy had to still have it somewhere; there was simply no other acceptable option. And so it was that Jack made his way to Port Royal once again. The crew had laughed at him when they dropped him off, mocking his disguise; he had scowled at them and made an appropriate joke. He could see their point, but they could hardly expect him to walk into Port Royal in his usual attire mere months after his unsuccessful hanging and the subsequent mess Barbossa had caused. Then again, maybe they could; they weren't the brightest bunch. Still, with Gibbs at the helm, he could trust them to pick him up at the agreed location at the agreed time. Jack watched the Pearl sail away, waiting until she disappeared behind the horizon before heading on foot to Port Royal. He shook his head with a lazy grin; the things he did for her... Not that appropriately handling this whole affair wasn't in his own best interest as well. |
 |
 
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:06 PM Post #2 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. Keegan was oft entering and leaving the fort doing errands for not only Norrington, but many commanding officers. Delivering notes and messages was a primary job, but sometimes he was also asked to deliver small parcels and fetch things like maps and papers. He liked to think that, having been a cabin boy for over a month, he was getting more responsibilities. He'd been out on the smaller boats a few times, but nothing exciting ever really happened aside from simply being on the water. For Keegan, that was all he wanted. Since his dagger had been taken away by that blasted - #$@! - pirate, Sparrow, Keegan had taken to carrying a small kitchen blade instead. At least if it got stolen it wouldn't be a horrible tragedy. Except now his mother was harping him about a lost carving knife....And ever since that time he had limped home from Rose's house, she'd been watching him like a hawk when he was around. Keegan was thankful she didn't follow him to the fort, or even onto the ships. Today he was going to the fort to deliver some messages to another officer. It was fairly early in the day, so when he passed by a dark alley the last thing he expected to happen was being dragged into it. But it happened, and of course the first thing Keegan did was kick and punch and scrape around as hard as he could to get away. "LEGGO!" he shrieked. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:06 PM Post #3 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. Jack had been unobtrusively inspecting the outside of the fort since daybreak; walking around it (at a safe distance, naturally), noting entrances and guards, seeing which and how many people moved in and out... The number of the latter was very low - unsurprising, but still disappointing. If Jack was going to get in, he'd rather be one of the many, easily lost in the masses. Keeping an eye on the activity around the fort was also a part of Jack's plan, as these observations could be useful if he needed to cause a distraction. Port Royal was a big city, and while Jack had been there several times, his contact with the population had been of necessity rather limited. He wasn't expecting any familiar faces therefore - but there, all of a sudden, he saw one. The boy... What was his name again? He might know something useful, just from living around here - and, as Jack remembered, there was some sort of connection between him and Norrington too. The boy came closer, and Jack withdrew deeper into the shadows. As the boy walked by the alley Jack was hiding in, he grabbed him and pulled him in. The boy had to kick, of course; people who were dragged into alleys never bothered to see who was dragging them in before deciding on an appropriate reaction. Men on the alternative side of the law were so misunderstood. Jack swallowed a curse as one of the little rotter's feet came into contact with his shin - and of course the boy started shouting. "LEGGO!" he shrieked. Enough! Jack whirled the boy around and pushed him to the wall, keeping him there with one hand while covering his mouth with the other. "Didn't your mother teach you any manners?" His voice was soft, trying to sound friendly but still coming out a bit strained. "That's no way to treat an old friend." Jack gave the boy a few seconds to get accustomed to the situation, and to recognise the pirate under his disguise. "Now I will remove my hand from your mouth, and we're going to have a nice little chat. Any grievances you may have, feel free to state them - in a civilized tone." Jack gave the boy a warning look; the threat was clear. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:07 PM Post #4 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. Keegan had to admit to himself that he was scared when he was thrown against a wall. For all his tough talk and jaunty walks, it sometimes took a rude awakening such as this for him to remember that he was just a boy, and he wasn't as strong as a full grown man. His head was dizzy from the impact with the bricks, and he was prepared to give the mugger whatever he wanted...until he heard his voice. "Didn't your mother teach you any manners? That's no way to treat an old friend." He slowly dwindled his violent protest to a muted one, opening his eyes and staring for a few moments. Once he had adjusted to the light and he made out the form in front of him, he couldn't help but stare again. It was a priest....with bloodshot eyes and a face only a mother could love. And one Keegan unfortunately knew. A slew of curses and half-screams left his lips, though he didn't lash out with his legs or his arms. "Now I will remove my hand from your mouth, and we're going to have a nice little chat. Any grievances you may have, feel free to state them - in a civilized tone." Keegan was breathing heavily, out of exertion, adrenaline, and now sheer anger. For a month he had idly envisioned all the ways he would pay Jack back for stealing his dagger, but most of those had included surprise attacks. Now the tables had turned, and he was sort of at Jack's mercy. For as much as he loathed pirates, however, he couldn't really imagine Jack hurting (at least fatally) a child. When the man took his hand away, Keegan instantly wiped his face on his sleeve. "The hell do you want?" he growled, glaring daggers. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:08 PM Post #5 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. There, that was better. Jack got no particular enjoyment out of threatening people, but with some, it was the only way you could get them to listen - so why wouldn't he do it? It was practical, and it wasn't like it might ruin his good name. Keegan recognised him, Jack noticed; good. Now they could talk. Jack removed his hand from Keegan's mouth, letting it hang loosely next to his body while his other hand still held on to the boy; you never knew. "The hell do you want?" he growled, glarring daggers. "Anxious to get down to business, eh? Very good. I like that." Jack, however, chose to be more circumspect. "You work for Norrington, do you not? I suppose you go in and out of the fort all the time." ((Yes, short... Sorry.)) |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:08 PM Post #6 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "Anxious to get down to business, eh? Very good. I like that. You work for Norrington, do you not? I suppose you go in and out of the fort all the time." Keegan definitely didn't like where this was going. Why was this pirate so curious about whether he worked for Norrington? In truth, he sort of did, or he considered himself more under Norrington's orders than anyone else's (though anyone else could have told him what to do). He knew Norrington better than any of the other captains, and was proud to serve him. But what did Jack want with him? "I work for the Navy," he said instead, shrugging his arm in an attempt to free himself from Jack's grasp. "What of it?" ((ooc: XD short! I'm sorry too, but dialogue tends to do that, we are excused.)) |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:09 PM Post #7 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. ((Very true. Unfortunately, Jack insists on yapping on just a bit longer, instead of getting down to business. I'm trying to persuade him otherwise, though...)) "I work for the Navy. What of it?" "A very noble course of life, to be sure... and one of importance. One that gives you access to places that most others can't get into." He was exaggerating the boy's importance, perhaps, but what he said was still true to some extent - besides which, a little flattery never hurt anyone. "You must see a good many interesting things. Important documents, and... other items." Jack's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the boy, gauging his reaction. It didn't feel like he was getting through as well as he would have liked; his own fault, probably, for trying to talk to a child as he would to an adult. Perhaps he should state his plan more simply. But for that, he'd need to have a plan - one that went beyond 'get in, get compass, get out'. Getting the boy to cooperate was the first point on the agenda. But how? As soon as he'd asked himself the question, calling his previous encounter with the boy to mind, the answer presented itself. It was beautiful in its simplicity. "If you recall, the last time we met, I borrowed your dagger." As Jack began to formulate the other end of the equation, a question presented itself: had Norrington ever shown Keegan the compass, mentioned it? It seemed unlikely; the kid was just an errand boy. Best keep the object of his search vague then, at least for now. "As it happens, your navy has something of mine, in there." Jack nudged his head towards the fort. "I suggest we put things right again, and make it so each item gets back to its rightful owner." |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:09 PM Post #8 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "A very noble course of life, to be sure... and one of importance. One that gives you access to places that most others can't get into. You must see a good many interesting things. Important documents, and... other items." Keegan said nothing to that. He could already see where Jack's train of thought was headed, and he was not going to help a pirate infiltrate the fort. There were numerous things in there that he could probably want, none of which would be beneficial to the port if stolen. Maps and money and weapons and keys, as well as other things Keegan was sure were there but simply didn't know about. In response to Jack, he simply glared, trying again to wrench his body out of the man's grasp. "If you recall, the last time we met, I borrowed your dagger." That managed to elicit a response. At first the boy's eyes just enlarged tenfold, but then he voiced his thoughts aloud. "You bloody PIRATE!!" Keegan screeched, thrashing anew. "Where is it?! Give it back!!" "As it happens, your navy has something of mine, in there." Jack nudged his head towards the fort. "I suggest we put things right again, and make it so each item gets back to its rightful owner." Keegan stopped abruptly and stared at him. Well, that was it, wasn't it? The pirate wanted a trade. For a few moments the boy was so furious he could barely speak, aside from the occasional shocked squeak. He tried to calm down and sort things out in his mind. The dagger had been missing for a month, and he had been extremely lucky his father hadn't demanded to see it. He had mentioned it once or twice in passing while he playfully contemplated his upcoming birthday gifts, and Keegan just smiled and went along like he still had it. It would be nice to get it back, if it wasn't damaged anyway. But...what would the navy have of Jack's that he wanted back so desperately? And was it safe to return it to him? "Where's my dagger?" he muttered, glaring. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:10 PM Post #9 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. "You bloody PIRATE!!" Keegan screeched, thrashing anew. "Where is it?! Give it back!!" Jack reinforced his grip on the boy and threatened to cover his mouth again, glaring in warning before continuing his narrative. It took Keegan a few moments to digest what Jack was telling him. Good; then at least he'd realise what the situation was, and not do anything rash anymore. "Where's my dagger?" he muttered, glaring. "In a very safe place." It wasn't a bad question, actually... Jack was pretty sure he still had the dagger in a drawer of his desk, under a bunch of documents, but he wasn't positive. Still, it mattered little where he had the dagger, or even if he still had it; the important thing was to have Keegan believe he had it. "Am I to assume you want it back then?" |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:13 PM Post #10 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "In a very safe place. Am I to assume you want it back then?" Keegan actually laughed, though it was hollow and dry. This man had an obviously small opinion of him if he thought such a simple reply would make him turn tail and just lead a pirate into the fort. After a few moments of dark chuckling, he shook his head and looked at Jack. "Assuming as much would be a safe bet," he grumbled, glaring from under his brows. "But to assume I'd just lead you in there with your alleged 'word' as my only consolation of the return of my dagger is a grave mistake on your part." He tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. "I want. To see it." |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:14 PM Post #11 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. "I want. To see it." Jack glared at the boy, annoyed at this almost successful attempt to turn the tables. "That will not be possible. It's aboard my ship - and my ship, as you can imagine, is not in the neighbourhood." Well, she was close enough - but where exactly, he had no way of knowing. The rendezvous wasn't for another three days, and he didn't fancy the idea of waiting that long only to show the boy his bloody dagger; there was no time. "And if we should agree to meet at a certain time and place for me to show you the dagger, who's to say you won't arrange for the Commodore to join us and clap me in irons, eh?" A stand-off then. Unfortunately for Jack, he had much more to lose than the boy did. He sighed, let go of Keegan, and joined his hands under the wide sleeves of his robe. He pulled and wrenched, his face contorting at the effort, and then his hands suddenly came apart again. Jack's left hand grabbed the boy's right one and opened it; his right placed something in it. "Collateral." It was one of his rings; a gold one with an enormous ruby in it. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:15 PM Post #12 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "And if we should agree to meet at a certain time and place for me to show you the dagger, who's to say you won't arrange for the Commodore to join us and clap me in irons, eh?" Keegan grinned sneakily, but remained quiet. He hadn't thought of doing that, of calling the commodore in to deal with it, but now he was wondering if that wasn't the better course. He would be taking Jack into an area brimming with soldiers. It wouldn't be difficult to just shout out "Pirate!' and get the man arrested. The problem was, if the dagger really was on the ship, they certainly weren't going to get it back. As Jack finally let him go and began wriggling around in his clothes, Keegan began to wonder if the dagger was worth all this mess. Wouldn't it be better to get a pirate behind bars and laced up on the noose? He quickly thought of the consequences of admitting to losing the dagger to his parents. If he simply said he lost it, they would never trust him again and deem him irresponsible. They would surely make him quit the navy. If he explained it had been stolen, they would demand details about the event. While he could lie at the drop of a hat, Robin or John might squeal. He never had told those boys to keep quiet about meeting a pirate. It wasn't so much about the dagger, but about the ultimate consequence: his freedom. Suddenly he was lurched from his thoughts when Jack grabbed his hand and placed something in it. "Collateral." Keegan frowned slightly as he held the gaudy jewelry between his thumb and forefinger. While he'd seen a good amount of high quality jewels and simple glass baubles, he never had been able to really tell the difference. For all he could tell this was just a piece of highly polished junk. "This isn't worth even half as much as my knife," he grumbled. There was silence for a few moments before he looked up thoughtfully at Jack. "What about what's in the fort? Sounds like a fairer trade to me. Something you obviously want for something I obviously want." His expression turned slightly more curious. "What's it you want anyway?" |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:15 PM Post #13 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. "This isn't worth even half as much as my knife." Jack rolled his eyes. The boy was a connoisseur now? "What about what's in the fort? Sounds like a fairer trade to me. Something you obviously want for something I obviously want." "Oh, very well." Jack sighed, annoyed. He really shouldn't have given in as quickly as that, showing how much he wanted his compass back; but he did want the compass back that badly - desperately, even - and his patience with the boy was rapidly running out. Well, it didn't matter much. Promises were easily made, and he could see whether he'd keep this one later. He casually waved his hand. "Keep the ring until then. As good faith payment." His fake smile showed how much good faith they both knew was involved. "What's it you want anyway?" Jack narrowed his eyes. "As I said: something that belongs to me. But, to put your mind at ease," a brief pause to let the sarcasm sink in, "it's small enough to be carried - even by you. And it won't harm your precious Navy in any way." Letting go of the boy, he took a step towards the beginning of the alley, and surveyed the fort again, paying special attention to the men standing guard at the entrance. "I'll tell you what we're looking for when we're inside the fort, not before. We'll begin our search in Norrington's office. If it isn't there, you'll suggest other places where it might be." He turned towards the boy again. "Do we have an accord?" |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:16 PM Post #14 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "Keep the ring until then. As good faith payment." Keegan smirked, flipping the ring into the pocket of his jacket. For a moment he thought about giving Jack the kitchen knife he now used instead of his missing dagger as further collateral. The rather majority part of his mind said no, so he did nothing. Jack might have been a different sort of pirate from the kinds Keegan had been scared with as a child, but he was still a pirate. Jack certainly seemed in a hurry to get back whatever it was that had been lost. Keegan could only guess as to the object of their search; there were many small handheld things of importance in the world. It could be another kind of weapon, a gun or knife, or maybe a priceless artifact or jewelry. It had to be something very special for Jack to risk his own life to get it back. "I'll tell you what we're looking for when we're inside the fort, not before. We'll begin our search in Norrington's office. If it isn't there, you'll suggest other places where it might be." He turned towards the boy again. "Do we have an accord?" Keegan stayed against the wall for a moment before letting out a sigh and walking back down the alley toward Jack. "As much as the canary has with the cat." He stopped beside the man and smoothed out his ruffled clothes. "So if it's no harm to the navy, why do they have it?" he asked as he fruitlessly tried to tame his hair. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:16 PM Post #15 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. ((Meh, can't get my writing to work - again. Sorry.)) "So if it's no harm to the navy, why do they have it?" Jack shrugged. "Probably hanging on to it until they can hang me. It's the only physical prove they have of ever getting close to doing that." If they still had it. The Navy had no way of knowing how valuable the compass was - fortunately, or they would have used it themselves. To catch him, probably. That would have been ironic... Trying to stay optimistic, Jack said cheerfully: "Well, shall we then? No time like the present." He'd thought about waiting for nightfall to make his move, but the boy might not be available then - and Jack didn't want to give him the chance to change his mind about cooperating either. Also, while it would be easier to escape (if escaping was required) under the cover of night, people would also be more suspicious of mischief at that time. Hopefully the fort was as quiet as it seemed to be, this early in the morning. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:17 PM Post #16 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "Well, shall we then? No time like the present." Keegan let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes to prepare them for the lies ahead. Jack looked different enough to pass for a father, in fact his physical impersonation was almost impressive, but it would be different to see him in action. Keegan was going to have to say a bunch of prayers to make up for this one. "I guess so." He stepped out onto the street, stretching his arms around him and putting on a calm, bored expression. "What's your name anyway, Father?" he said with a sarcastic little grin. "What church are you from? Why have you come to the fort? Who are you going to see? How long do you expect to be there?" He turned back forward as he ambled along the street. "And make sure you say you need me, or they might send me off." He gave Jack a pointed look. "And you do, old man. Even if you get in there, you'd get lost like a rat in a maze." ooc: ish okay! XD I'm not that much better |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:17 PM Post #17 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. ((Old man? Psh! Jack protests most violently against that description. :P)) "What's your name anyway, Father?" he said with a sarcastic little grin. "What church are you from? Why have you come to the fort? Who are you going to see? How long do you expect to be there?" Jack rolled his eyes. "I have it all worked out, thank you." In truth, he didn't - but he didn't have to. Improvising would do just fine. Putting on an imitation upperclass English accent as the lower clergy would have, he continued: "You may introduce me as the Reverend Bartholomew Sharp, come to offer spiritual aid and guidance to the prisoners." "And make sure you say you need me, or they might send me off." He gave Jack a pointed look. "And you do, old man. Even if you get in there, you'd get lost like a rat in a maze." "I thought, of the two of us, you were the rat," Jack said with a serene smile, and added as an afterthought: "my son." They were approaching the gate now, and the two guards positioned there jumped to attention as they saw people coming at them, a little uncomfortable as the visitors were a boy and a clergyman; they didn't seem to be a threat, and (at least in the case of the clergyman) it seemed rude to treat them as such. "M-may we help you?" said the taller of the two. The other, small and weasel-like in his appearance, tried to make up for this hesitance and unprofessional attitude by straightening himself to look as big as he could, and saying a little too loudly, without any emotion: "State your business." |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:18 PM Post #18 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "I thought, of the two of us, you were the rat," Jack said with a serene smile, and added as an afterthought: "my son." Keegan shuddered and gave himself a small sign of the cross. "Lord help me," he grumbled as they began to walk toward the fort. He recognized the guards that manned the gates, at least by their faces, for they had appeared at many a party trying to court his older, unmarried sisters. They probably didn't know him by name, but hopefully they would remember him from following around Norrington. "State your business." The boy waved his hand toward Jack. "Reverend Bartholomew Sharp to see the prisoners. Spiritual guidance and that." In an undertone he added. "Last rites for those being hanged today too." The taller man nodded in understanding, but the weasel-face was staring at Keegan. "And you are...?" Keegan grimaced in genuine annoyance. "Keegan McAllister," he muttered with the barest edge of decorum. "I'm a cabin boy, and Norrington's apprentice." In truth he wasn't sure what he was to the commodore, but something along the lines of an assistant and errand-boy was the best he could come up with. Hopefully the association with the man alone would be enough. His last name seemed to catch the taller one's ear at any rate, for he leaned over to the short one and muttered, "Abby's brother." Keegan could barely hear him, but it amused him the association they cared more about was with his sister rather than their commanding officer. The weasel-face straightened up and waved them inside. "Go on then," he said. Keegan bowed his head and ambled inside. When they were out of earshot he muttered, "Never thought my sisters' socialite tendencies would come in handy." |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:18 PM Post #19 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. Jack folded his hands as the guards let them through, and bowed ever so slightly. So far, so good. "Never thought my sisters' socialite tendencies would come in handy." Jack gave a soft, approving grunt. "It always pays to have connections." He'd never done very well at maintaining such connections himself, but, if necessary, he usually managed to make people he'd met just once feel like they'd always been the best of friends - and that they owed him somehow. Jack followed silently, presuming Keegan knew where they were going. There were many things he would have liked to ask the boy, but he'd have to control his curiosity. For one thing, he didn't want the boy to feel more important than he was feeling already; and for another, too much talking might arouse suspicion if someone were to overhear. Still, there was one question he had to pose. It wouldn't usually interest him overly much, and it shouldn't do so now, but for some reason he felt he should ask it. "Out of curiosity..." A wonderfully innocent tone there; it merited a small pause to let it sink in. Jack licked his lips before asking: "The men being hanged today - who are they?" |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:19 PM Post #20 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "Out of curiosity..." Jack licked his lips before asking: "The men being hanged today - who are they?" Keegan shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure if there are any, to be honest, but they usually hang at least one person everyday. Staves off the boredom for the guards." He made a face at how morbid that sounded, but it was true. They treated hangings like high-class entertainment. He scratched his chin as they continued walking along the main corridor. A light sea breeze wafted through and ruffled his hair. "There's actually some negress in one of the cells. She'll probably be hanged soon." Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to face Jack. "This thing we're looking for, in the commodore's office...what is it? I'm asking now because you, more than likely, won't be allowed into the office with me." He tugged at his earlobe, looking off at the stone walls. "That's going to be tricky, actually. The office is usually guarded by at least one person..." He pursed his lips, turned around, and continued walking as if Jack wasn't even there. "Maybe you can talk to him and I can go inside with the excuse of getting the to-be-hanged man's effects. Some prisoners' things are in there, unless they get stolen or thrown out...." |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:20 PM Post #21 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. "There's actually some negress in one of the cells. She'll probably be hanged soon." Jack involuntarily slowed his steps. Surely it couldn't be - but what if it was? He hurried to catch up with Keegan again, almost bumping into him as the boy suddenly stopped and turned around. As much as Jack hated to admit it, Keegan was probably right about him not being allowed into Norrington's office. He might just be able to persuade the guard to let him in - but even if he succeeded at that, there was a good chance that the guard would come inside with them, simply because his orders told him not to let anyone into the office unwatched. The boy would not be considered anyone, though... "Maybe you can talk to him and I can go inside with the excuse of getting the to-be-hanged man's effects. Some prisoners' things are in there, unless they get stolen or thrown out...." "Good plan," mumbled Jack, his thoughts already wandering to that other problem again. Then he remembered that he hadn't told Keegan what they were looking for yet. He didn't want to tell him, but he supposed it was inevitable... Still, if the boy betrayed him now, stuck inside the fort as he was, and got him hanged, he'd be very annoyed. "What we're looking for... is a compass." They turned right, then left, continued walking... Jack was almost beginning to suspect that the boy was taking a long route on purpose, leading him in circles. Oh well, he had the right to be slightly paranoid, strutting around in enemy headquarters. "What's a negress doing in a cell then?" Due to this possible complication of his plans, Jack had long forgotten his intention to use a posh accent in case anyone should overhear. "What did the lass do?" |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:20 PM Post #22 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "Good plan," mumbled Jack. Keegan looked at the man over his shoulder as he led the way. He had hardly expected the pirate to agree with him on a plan, since Keegan figured he would have one of his own that was bound to triumph even if it was stupid. Then he noticed Jack seemed a little distracted. He turned back around and continued walking, his brows furrowed. "What we're looking for... is a compass." "Ah," Keegan remarked, walking forward in silence for a few steps. Then, rather abruptly, he replayed Jack's answer in his head and stopped short again. He whirled on the pirate, an incredulous expression on his face. "A com-!" He stifled his shout before it rang through the halls. "A compass?!" he hissed. "We're risking our lives for something even I could pilfer off a drunken sailor?! I knew you were insane, but this is just incredible." He heard heavy-booted footsteps approaching them and quickly turned to lead the way again, still fuming. "What's a negress doing in a cell then? What did the lass do?" "How the hell should I know?" Keegan grunted. "Probably stole something, praticed witchcraft, anything. It's not difficult to peg an accusation on one of them." He continued stomping along the corridors until he didn't hear anyone approaching, then stopped and turned to face Jack again. "A compass?!" he snarled, barely keeping his voice down. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:21 PM Post #23 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. "A compass?!" he hissed. "We're risking our lives for something even I could pilfer off a drunken sailor?! I knew you were insane, but this is just incredible." Jack's face twisted with indignation and he opened his mouth to defend himself - but then there were footsteps somewhere nearby, and Keegan very wisely decided to take their conversation elsewhere. Jack followed, almost sulking; he usually didn't mind it too much when people underestimated him, as it generally worked to his advantage - but a kid! A boy that meant nothing, and had achieved nothing, calling him insane? For some reason the situation triggered a very childish reaction in Jack himself; it was not fair. It took a minute for Jack to calm down enough to inquire about the black woman in the cell, and he only did it then because they might not have any time to discuss the subject after they'd retrieved the compass - presuming the stupid boy managed to find it. "How the hell should I know?" Keegan grunted. "Probably stole something, praticed witchcraft, anything. It's not difficult to peg an accusation on one of them." Well, that helped a lot... Jack thought about asking Keegan if he knew the negress' name, but since he knew so little else about her he probably didn't know that either. It would only arouse the boy's suspicion if Jack kept asking him about the woman. Jack would simply have to take a look, providing things went well - and if they didn't, tough luck for the woman, whoever she was. Keegan stopped again and turned around. "A compass?!" "It's not just any compass," Jack said in an I-can't-believe-you-didn't-figure-that-one-out tone. He considered explaining how the compass worked, but decided that the boy didn't deserve that. Instead, he shooed him along with his hands. "Now scurry. The longer we're in here, the bigger the chance that we'll be caught." |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:21 PM Post #24 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "It's not just any compass," Jack said. "Now scurry. The longer we're in here, the bigger the chance that we'll be caught." Keegan growled to himself and continued walking along. What could be so priceless about a compass? He doubted Jack had any sort of sentimentality, so it couldn't be some kind of family heirloom. It was true that compasses were easily stolen, and frankly, easily made. Keegan's father's store had several very high quality compasses in stock, and he was almost tempted to suggest just taking one of those rather than invade the office of his commanding officer. The image of Jack in his family's store made Keegan grin. They rounded a corner and Keegan immediately stood taller, taking a brief moment to adjust the collar of his shirt. A little ways along the wall was the door to the commodore's office, guarded by two men. Keegan mentally cursed, but he didn't let this unfortunate turn affect his steady stride toward them. It was time to see if Jack's acting was as marvelous as it had to be for him to have lived as long as he had. Keegan stopped in front of the guards and gave a small salute and bow of his head. "The commodore instructed me to retrieve a condemned prisoner's effects from inside his office. I'm escorting the reverend here to deliver the last rites." He was sure they recognized him, since their expressions weren't telling of any sort of distrust. The guards turned their eyes to Jack, and Keegan held his breath. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:22 PM Post #25 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. Jack noticed the change in Keegan's bearing just in time to prepare himself for playing his part. He tried to carry himself with a little more dignity, but found it very difficult at the pace Keegan was walking. Focusing so much on appearing respectable, he almost stumbled over his robe. If the guards had not seen it from the corner of their eyes, they would at least have heard it; and so Jack quickly adapted his role. If not dignified, he would be the overly friendly and humanitarian sort of priest; not too smart, occasionally bumbling. Keegan introduced him more or less, and the guards turned their attention to him. "Reverend Bartholomew Sharp," said Jack, panting a bit and wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead. He briefly looked at Keegan, hinting that the boy was to blame for wearing him out like this, though of course the good priest would never complain. Turning his eyes back on the guards, he raised a hand in a vague blessing gesture. "May the Lord be with you." One of the guards tried to suppress a grin; the other glared at him and, without speaking, opened the door to Norrington's office for Keegan. When the boy had gone inside, Jack decided to use Keegan's own words against him, and procure a guide to the cells to have a look at the imprisoned negress in case Keegan would refuse to lead him there - very likely, as the boy had a healthy (though inconvenient) mistrust of Jack. "It is a wonderfully important job you young gentlemen are doing, protecting His Majesty's possessions from... misguided souls." There. A little flattery had never hurt anyone. But the guards, though seemingly mildly appreciative of Jack's comments, still didn't say anything that Jack could work with, so he continued. "That boy... A good boy, but with all the boisterousness that boys will have." He smiled ruefully, staring at the door that Keegan was now behind. Then he looked brightly up at the guards, making it seem like he'd just had an idea. "I know it is an imposition, but could one of you gentlemen perhaps escort me to the cells? The boy should not be exposed to such an environment, and... I think your pace is more in accord with that of mine." |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:23 PM Post #26 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "May the Lord be with you." Keegan clenched his jaw, a change only noticeable by a shift in facial muscles. As the guards let him through, he sent Jack a warning glare over his shoulder, then quickly turned his attention to the task at hand. Something as small as a compass could be almost anywhere, and if it was Jack Sparrow's compass, it could be somewhere locked. Keegan still didn't understand the importance of this compass and why Jack was going to such lengths to get it back. He started his search on the surface, scouting every sort of table and desktop in view. Shuffled papers and things quietly went back in their previous spots. When that searched yielded nothing, Keegan went about quietly pulling drawers open and shuffling around inside them. What would his parents think if they could see him now? A greater part of him felt incredibly guilty about doing this to the commodore, who'd taken him under his wing and given him a job. Well, it wasn't like he was doing this completely by choice. It was all in effort to get his dagger back, and keep himself out of trouble. If the fact his dagger was gone was discovered, he'd be forced to quit the navy altogether. He grumbled as his quick search still hadn't revealed anything, but there were a couple more drawers to poke around. Voices drifted inside from the corridors, but Keegan wasn't really listening to them. The guards hadn't burst in with Jack in shackles yet, so things were going better than Keegan had anticipated. The bottom drawer finally revealed something fruitful. A little box, a compass box. Keegan quickly pulled it out and opened it to make sure. It certainly was a compass--a broken one. He frowned as he realized the north point wasn't facing north. It was whirling around in circles, going backwards and forwards, then settling on a westerly position. Keegan frowned in confusion, but this was the only compass he could find, and it seemed silly enough to belong to Jack. He pocketed it and briskly walked to the door, his ears adjusting just in time to hear Jack's last few words. "...The boy should not be exposed to such an environment, and... I think your pace is more in accord with that of mine." The boy slammed the door behind him, giving Jack a repressed glare. "I'm sorry if my stride is too fast for you, sir, but I was instructed by the commodore to escort you myself." |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:23 PM Post #27 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. "I'm sorry if my stride is too fast for you, sir, but I was instructed by the commodore to escort you myself." "Yes, yes, certainly..." mumbled Jack, his embarrassment at being overheard entirely acted. "But it couldn't hurt for this fine gentleman to accompany us, could it?" Jack cast a hopeful glance at the more responsible-seeming of the guards, who looked at his colleague to check if it was all right with him; a nod, and the guard started leading the way. "Follow me, father." "Thank you." Jack would have preferred it if Keegan had somehow been worked out of the way for this particular part of the venture, since he had no idea if the boy would cooperate. Still, whether Keegan liked it or not, he was already an accomplice of Jack's now, and he must realise that Jack would have no problem with telling Norrington all about his involvement if the boy should give him away. Providing the boy had found the compass, that was... Without that, there would be no evidence for Jack's claims. As they walked behind the guard, Jack nudged Keegan, raising his eyebrows and spreading his arms in a somewhat desperate-looking demand of a report on the success of his compass quest. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:24 PM Post #28 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. "But it couldn't hurt for this fine gentleman to accompany us, could it?" Keegan skillfully feigned indifference and shrugged his shoulders, while on the inside he was fuming with rage and confusion. Why did Jack want to bring an armored guard along down to the cells? If they were asking one to direct them, that meant they were actually going there. Why did Jack need to go to the cells? Their past conversation wavered to the forefront of Keegan's mind, and he remembered Jack was particularly interested in the black woman he'd mentioned. The smallest trace of a frown downed the edges of his lips as he followed dutifully behind. Did Jack know her? Keegan hadn't seen her aside from the first time they'd brought her there; she'd caused enough ruckus to alert the whole fort. From what he remembered, she could just as easily been a pirate, he supposed. Still, a female pirate? Wasn't that just digging the sword of desperation further under their ribs? He lifted his head at the jab to his arm, then looked up into Jack's questioning face. Did he get the compass. Keegan glanced at the guard, then quickly pulled the compass out of his pocket to show. It was the only one he could find, so hopefully it was the correct one. Before Jack got too long a linger, he stuffed it back in his pocket. While Jack was looking at him he stabbed his thumb in the direction of the guard with the same questioning expression. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:25 PM Post #29 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. Keegan's hand disappeared into his pocket, and time seemed to stand still for Jack. Did he have it? Did he really, actually, have it? He did! Jack grinned, his hand already on its way to reclaim the compass when Keegan put it back in his pocket. Oh, right... The boy was going to hang onto it. Well, that didn't matter; as long as they had it. Jack looked at Keegan, eyes sparkling with satisfaction, and gave a small nod; that was the one. In response, Keegan mutely inquired about the guard. Jack made a circle out of his thumb and index finger, and looked as blithe as he could. Nothing to worry about, son... All according to plan. A few corridors and a flight of steps later, Jack began to wonder if they'd been through this part of the fort before, or if all of it just looked alike, in properly uniform Navy style. Only when the guard turned around did Jack realise; he had indeed walked through this corridor before, but not today. "The cells are right through there, sir." The guard pointed down a winding staircase that seemed to disappear into darkness. "If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my post." "Of course." Jack was hiding his excitement perfectly. "I will pray for you and your colleague tonight; that you may continue to serve His Majesty as well as you have done today, and get the rewards you deserve." The man gave a small smile. "Good day, father." And then he left. Trying to avoid giving Keegan a chance to ask questions, Jack quickly disappeared down the steps. The darkness at the end of the stairs was deceptive; just beyond that dark corner of the jail area started a row of windows, and sunlight poured in, giving the place a surreal happy atmosphere as Jack came out of the darkness. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:28 PM Post #30 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. Keegan stayed respectfully quiet while the guard led them toward the cells. Inside he was still bubbling and boiling over, and it became harder to conceal a grimace from his face the close they got to their destination. He just didn't understand. Why was Jack making this more complicated than it needed to be? The guard gave a small smile. "Good day, father." And then he left. Almost as soon as the guard left Keegan began to speak, but Jack had already descended down into the depths of the cells. The boy sighed and followed along, using the darkness to switch the compass from his jacket pocket to one in his breeches. No harm in that. Eventually they reached the cell area full of light and Keegan almost burst with his raging questions, but then he remembered this area had a guard as well. He bit back his question and quickly bustled past Jack to face the guard sitting around some cells. He looked up from playing a card game by himself, raising a ratty brow at the pair of them. Keegan instantly changed from angry to resigned. "Reverend Sharp is here to deliver last rites to one of the prisoners," he stated firmly. The guard glanced at Jack and back to Keegan. "Which one?" Keegan paused for a moment. He didn't really know which one Jack wanted to see, but he had a very strong suspicion. The guard glanced at Jack again, then back at Keegan. "The woman. The negress," Keegan finally said. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:29 PM Post #31 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Anamaria. The guard actually had to stifle a laugh. "The Negress."He reiterated, before setting his cards down and standing, the chair sliding backwards with the most excrutiatingly painful screech. "God help ya." Trust the navy to teach it's fine purveyors of justice to use blasphemy in front of a man of god. It even took a moment for the knowledge to sink in before he aptly corrected himself. "Sorry father, not meaning no disrespect." With that he promptly shut up, having finally finished digging himself in a hole. Silently he moved towards the cells, the farthest one being occupied by Ana. Drawing to a halt, the guard placed the key in the lock and turned it with an audible click. "You've got a visitor." Did the pirate care? 'course not. Last rites weren't going to change much. She was already convinced that there was in fact no god, so why bother? Spitting to the ground, just to further her disrespectful nature, the guard shot her an angry look before turning back to the Reverend and Keegan. "All yours sir. Don't mind the irons, it's just so she can't go anywhere." And he duitfully waited. Just until the Reverend was inside so he could lock up the cell again. "Shout when you're finished father. It means we can schedule the noose." Charming. Let's all talk about death in front of the wrongly convicted negress. Anamaria would be damned if she was sitting through this and not saying something. "Si muero, yo le tomo conmigo. " The amount of times she'd been spouting Spanish this week alone, was well beyond what she'd done in the last ten years, but it was strangely appealing to be shooting her mouth off and have very few people able to understand. " Ah, don't need a priest. So you can bloody well shove off. " Well, that was likely to change when she knew who her priest was, but for the time being, she was having nothing to do with god, death or indeed 'broadening her horizons.' Spitting again, the chocolate skinned woman gritted her teeth. Note to self: Never try and help anyone ever again. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:31 PM Post #32 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. While Keegan made the introductions, Jack was scanning the prisoners; fat man, skinny man, possibly dead man... And there she was, unmistakable. Anamaria. What were the odds? She'd slapped him - more than once, in fact - but he couldn't help having a strange sort of respect for her. A beautiful woman, and yet more pirate than most men would ever be. Well, maybe 'respect' wasn't quite the word for it. But whatever his feelings, he was certainly not going to let her rot in jail. "Sorry father, not meaning no disrespect." Jack belatedly gave the man a stern look, having forgotten to do so before. It wasn't that he was a bad actor, he quickly assured himself; the only problem was that his church attendance had been dwindling a bit for these past few... decades. And his last few visits hadn't exactly been to worship either. "It's not me you should be asking for forgiveness." He was really getting back into his part now; only a priest could manage such a haughty voice. And maybe a naval officer... It had been far too long since he'd played one of those. "Just open the door to the cell, if you please." When the guard had done so, Jack entered the cell, quickly closing the door so Keegan couldn't follow him. "It wouldn't be safe for you, my boy." He gave Keegan a meaningful look. "Why don't you join the guard in a game of cards while I handle this?" Jack walked towards Anamaria, keeping a safe distance from her for now. A small shiver ran down his spine as he heard the door being locked behind him, but his fear paled next to the anticipation of seeing Anamaria's reaction when she would realise that he was here - here, in a Navy fort - to save her. It wasn't the least of the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow's miraculous feats, to be sure. "Si muero, yo le tomo conmigo. Ah, don't need a priest. So you can bloody well shove off." "Calmate, Ana." Standing with his back to the guard, he grinned, and continued softly: "This particular redemption will be very much to your benefit." |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:31 PM Post #33 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Keegan McAllister. Keegan took up the rear of the line as they ambled to the last cell in the row. Occasionally he brushed his hand against his pocket to be sure the compass was still there, only to be constantly reassured that it was. The guard stopped and Keegan glanced inside the cell to the black woman inside. There was nothing all that remarkable about her from what he could see. The guard opened the cell, and Jack promptly closed it once he entered inside. Keegan made no move to intercept. "It wouldn't be safe for you, my boy." He gave Keegan a meaningful look. "Why don't you join the guard in a game of cards while I handle this?" Keegan rolled his eyes and shook his head. "My orders, sir, are clear." He glanced up at the guard and smiled, shrugging. "You can go now, if you want. Sorry I can't be joining you, but captain's orders." The guard shrugged. "That's all right, lad. Come get me when you're through." "Yes, sir," Keegan replied, watching the guard as he walked away. When he had resumed his post a few cells down, the boy turned back to the scene inside the cells. "Calmate, Ana. This particular redemption will be very much to your benefit." Just as Keegan suspected, Jack knew the woman. Whether she was a consort, shipmate, slave, or even distant relative didn't matter. What mattered was that now they had to get her out as well. Keegan grimaced. "Hurry up," he hissed through the bars, glancing at the man in the cell besides Ana's. The grungy man inside was muttering to himself, hopefully insane. Keegan tiredly ran a hand through his hair and sighed at this new development. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:32 PM Post #34 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Anamaria. "Calmate, Ana. This particular redemption will be very much to your benefit." She knew that voice. She knew that shadowy silhouette too. Oh god. It was him. Jaw dropping regardless of whatever half decent image she was supposed to be portraying, the Jamaican just had to mull over what was going on. Jack Sparrow was inside the fort, inside a cell, dressed as a....priest? Dare she even ask what that was all about? Arms folded ( well to the most they could be whilst in irons) Anamaria irked her eyebrow upwards as she leant backwards against the dampening wall. "Took yer bleedin' time." Trust her to be bitter when someone had gone out of there way to get her out. Now granted Jack was less likely to make sweeping statements than Will,(who was never getting forgiven for telling the navy she was ' with child '), but she wouldn't put it past him to do something ludicrously insane. That was, after all, what he was renowned for. "Hurry up," What? Head tilting to the side to see past the would-be priest, hazel orbs locked onto the form of a child. A child telling them what to do. I think not. "We'd hurry a lot faster if you weren't hissing at us." Civil tongue. She was excelling herself today, even if she was mildly irritated by numerous things. "Oi, father, who's the munchkin?" There really wasn't a word for how bizzare it felt reffering to Sparrow as a man of the cloth. He'd sinned more times than she'd cared to count, providing of course that you actually believed in a god. If not, it was all just one free ride. " Y'know there's only two reasons why y' could be here. Either y' still haven't reclaimed that stupid compass, or y' miss being slapped that much y' decided to personally come and fetch little ol' me. I think it's safe to stick with the first theory. Still can't believe you let them get hold of it though." Ah, the joy of subtle digs. Just what everyone needs. |
|
|
|
| Brendan | 5 Apr 2007, 06:33 PM Post #35 |
|
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
|
Originally posted by Jack. "My orders, sir, are clear." Hiding some little irritation at being disobeyed, Jack carefully ignored the boy. If Keegan insisted on keeping an eye on things, so be it. It wasn't like he could do anything, and it only made him more involved, more guilty. "Took yer bleedin' time." Jack grinned. Only Anamaria. "Well, I didn't want to deprive you of these extraordinary surroundings too quickly. Room and board, nice view of the sea..." Jack looked around for other things to list, and his eye fell on the madman in the next cell. "... interesting neighbours." At that point Keegan interrupted. Jack was still ignoring him, but Anamaria quickly put him in his place. "Oi, father, who's the munchkin?" Jack gave a little dismissive wave of his hand. "Hired help." He might explain the details of how and why he'd come here later, but for now this was more than enough. " Y'know there's only two reasons why y' could be here. Either y' still haven't reclaimed that stupid compass, or y' miss being slapped that much y' decided to personally come and fetch little ol' me. I think it's safe to stick with the first theory. Still can't believe you let them get hold of it though." Then again, maybe he wouldn't have to explain why he'd come here... Pride demanded denial, or something close enough to it. "Actually, I retrieved my compass some time ago." About 15 minutes ago, to be precise. "And I hardly think you're the right person to criticise others for having been done a bad turn by the Navy." |
|
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Fort Charles & Cells · Next Topic » |
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
2:30 AM Sep 7
