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| Perhaps you've heard of one Jack Sparrow?; Beckett and Keegan | |
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| Topic Started: 20 Dec 2007, 06:42 PM (293 Views) | |
| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:42 PM Post #1 |
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Originally posted by Cutler Beckett: The large East Indiaman ship titled with the name of Endeavour sat majestically in the harbour. The main deck had scarcely any men on it, with only a few choice sailors and sentries busy doing whatever duties had been assigned to them. The atmosphere was one of general normal-routine, with nothing particularly interesting happening to rouse the sailors and marines from their casual conversation. Only two marines were deathly still and silent, and those were the two placed as the guards from the large ornate Captain's Cabin that was to be found underneath the helm deck. The two guards had been stood with nothing to do other than wait upon the short, but powerful, man who was currently sat at his desk inside the cabin, and so it was that they were both pleasantly surprised when they saw Lieutenant Greitzer, the Endeavour's temporary commanding officer until Admiral Hamilton arrived at Port Royal, come striding towards them with a ragged-looking sailor in tow. The mere presence of the filthy seaman following the Lieutenant about raised a few eyebrows, as the East India Trading Company kept a strict protocol on the presentation of those working for it, and the sentries could only surmise that he was a Navy or independent trader's sailor, rather than one of the Company, though why such a sailor would be on a Company ship with a Lieutenant was yet to be seen. Saluting when the Lieutenant reached them, one of the guards nodded towards the follower and asked, "Begging your pardon, sir, but we must ask who your companion is." Greitzer fixed his eyes upon the marines and simply replied, "Someone that His Lordship will want to see. Step aside." The marines then did so without question, one even moving to open the door to the cabin for the Lieutenant, who simply nodded in response and stepped across the threshold, beckoning for the scruffy sailor to follow him like a dog on a lead. The run-down seaman did indeed follow Greitzer, and the two marine sentries gave each other quizzical looks as they closed the door behind them. Inside, the Lieutenant looked across the cabin to the large polished desk that sat overlooking a huge globe in the centre of the study. At the desk was sat Lord Cutler Beckett, with his clerk and right-hand man Mercer stood just behind him and to the right, a small pile of folders clutched in his arms. Bowing to Beckett, Greitzer waited for His Lordship to nod his head in acknowledgement before stepping to side and gesturing for the ragged sailor to step forward, before presenting him to Beckett. The Chairman put his quill down firmly and gazed at the seaman for a short while with a slightly disgusted expression, as if he had just caught a bad smell in his nostrils, before moving his stare towards the Lieutenant, and asking in a disapproving voice, "What is your reason for bringing that into my office, Lieutenant?" "He has news of someone who might be of assistance to us in apprehending Jack Sparrow, my Lord." Was Greitzer's response, and it caught Beckett's attention strongly. "Continue." Beckett prompted, his attention instantly diverting from Greitzer to the sailor, "What is your information?" "I 'erd someone speakin'bout Sparra', di'nt I?" The sailor replied in a voice and accent that sent a shiver of distaste down Beckett's back, "This 'ere lad said 'e knew 'bout Sparra's compass, di'nt 'e?" His Lordship's eyes narrowed at these words, and he leaned forwards slightly in his chair, so that his keen gaze could have the most effect on the commoner, before saying, "The compass? Who is this boy?" "Works for th'Commodore, dun' he?" The sailor told Beckett, "'E's 'is cabin-boy." "Norrington's cabin-boy," Mercer spoke at this point in his Londoner's accent, "A rather ironic circumstance, given the esteemed Commodore's hatred for Sparrow." "Indeed," Beckett said without looking at Mercer, instead turning his gaze from the sailor to Greitzer, "Have you sent men to apprehend this boy?" "Not yet, my Lord," Greitzer said, before adding quickly as if wanting to justify why, "I thought it would be best to see if His Lordship wished to follow up on this information." "I do," Beckett replied swiftly, before beckoning for Mercer to step forward, "Mr Mercer, retrieve this cabin-boy. Take this...informant...with you." "When do I get m'money?" The scruffy man asked as Mercer stepped away from Beckett's desk and towards the exit of the office, grabbing the man by the arm and dragging him along with him when he passed him. "You'll get some monetary reward." Beckett said, no longer interested in dealing with the man now that his usefulness was up, "Take him away." *** On the docks, the East India Trading Company longboat that carried Mercer and the informant arrived at one of the jetties usually reserved for Navy vessels. Climbing up onto the wooden platform, Mercer turned to the sailor with him and ordered him to point out the boy if ever they saw him. The pair then began to make their way down the jetty, and there was a painful silence between them, before suddenly Mercer felt a filthy hand grab his arm, and he turned to see the sailor pointing excitedly towards the end of the jetty, where a young lad was stood. Prioritising, the clerk shoved the sailor's hand from his arm, and dusted his sleeve down, before making his way in the direction of the boy. All the while, the sailor began asking for his money, and all the while Mercer ignored him. Just as they were within a few feet of the lad, however, and the seaman demanded his money for the seventh irritating time, Mercer casually shoved outwards and pushed him off the side of the jetty, to land with a large splash in the water below. Ignoring this event and casting it from his mind, Mercer stopped right next to the lad, towering over him, and, looking down, said in his nasty, but seemingly harmless, voice, "I know someone who wants to see you." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:43 PM Post #2 |
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Originally posted by Keegan McAllister: Keegan was swearing off rum. Almost as soon as he had told his story about helping Jack break a black piratess out of prison and stealing from the Commodore, Keegan had returned to bed via stumbling end over end down the stairs back to his hammock. As soon as he woke up he forgot almost everything that he'd said, except he knew he had spoken without reserve among those sailors. For him, that was a bad thing. He knew they had told stories, but he couldn't remember how far he had gone in his own telling. That thought was enough to make him sick even without the rum, but he managed to hold his stomach as he stood and wobbled off of the ship. If he was going to vomit, he wasn't going to do so among all those sailors he had, hopefully, won over the night before. He stood at the end of the dock, breathing deeply and stilling any discomfort in his belly. At the very least he had control over that, thank goodness. However he was so engrossed in keeping the rum down he didn't notice anyone else stalking up the dock towards him. Even when he knew there were people about he didn't pay attention, however. No one ever came to talk to him, unless it was his family, and they avoided the docks for the most part. So when he turned around and saw the most menacing-looking man he'd ever had the misfortune to meet in his life, he nearly lost control of his stomach. "I know someone who wants to see you." Keegan was silent for quite a while, rubbing his fluttering stomach through the dingy gray shirt that had once been bright white. He had seen this man before, and had heard his name numerous times. At that moment, with his head starting to throb, he couldn't place it. All he remembered was that this man wasn't one to be reckoned with. If anything he was to be avoided. And he worked for someone who was even worse. "I...I can't imagine many outside my family who want to see me," he said, attempting a pious smile. "I'm afraid you must be mistaken." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:43 PM Post #3 |
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Beckett: "I...I can't imagine many outside my family who want to see me. I'm afraid you must be mistaken." The boy's words made Mercer regret having lost his patience with the informant, as he had now literally thrown away his only way of verifying that the boy in front of him was indeed the young lad who had claimed to have met Sparrow himself and even helped him recover the compass that was desired by Beckett so very much. Considering his options, Mercer surmised that the boy was probably simply intimidated by his sudden approach, something Mercer could relate with. Dressed completely in black and carrying with him a cold-hearted expression, the clerk did indeed have a rather foreboding and scary appearance about himself, something that he took pride in at times when his work called for such an intimidating approach. Now was not one of those times, however, in his eyes, as the target he had been tasked with bringing to Beckett was nothing more than a boy, and one who at least matched the description that Mercer had been given by the scruffy sailor. Looking down at the boy with his stone-cold stare, the clerk replied to the boy's words with a simple, "I'm not in the business of making mistakes. Now, young sir, if you'd be kind enough to make your way to the boat." He gestured towards the end of the jetty, where the longboat sat bobbing up and down with the small waves. As an added precaution, Mercer stepped to the right slightly so that he was effectively standing in the path of the young boy if he tried to run away - now the only way he could run was towards the end of the jetty. Risking a quick glance around the immediate vicinity, Mercer was pleased to see that there was nobody close enough to notice if things became a little more...forceful. If the boy resisted, then Mercer planned to pull out his intricately-designed knife and press it against the boy's back, as a threat cloaked from the view of the public by the boy himself, and march him down towards the jetty. It was a slightly less civilised way of doing things, but Mercer was adaptable to circumstance - it was, after all, one of the reasons he was Beckett's most trusted 'henchman'. *** Back on the Endeavour, Beckett began to consider his options. If the informant's words were true, and there was indeed a boy about Port Royal that had not only met Jack Sparrow himself, but had also laid eyes and hands on the compass in Sparrow's possession, then the Chairman had been granted a most unexpected trump card in the game of catching Sparrow. As he sat at his large desk in his office, Beckett's mind began to whirl and soon he had begun to formulate a plan that would make the best possible use of the boy that he had just dispatched Mercer to retrieved. A boy familiar with Sparrow could easily be used as bait, surely? Or at least, would be able to approach Sparrow under the guise of a past friend. With Sparrow's guard lowered, it would be a simple matter to ambush and apprehend the infamous pirate. Yes, Beckett liked the idea, and was soon laying out the finer intricacies of the plan in his head, going over every detail, objective and result, and what would be needed to accomplish them. Eventually he came to the decision that he would need someone independent of the East India Trading Company to actually spring the trap and catch Sparrow himself - a pirate hunter to be exact. With a ring of a small bell on his desk, Beckett summoned Lieutenant Greitzer, and when the officer arrived at the door of the office, the Chairman demanded sternly, "Who is the best pirate-hunter to have accepted the bounty on Sparrow?" Greitzer looked slightly surprised by the question, and replied with a nervous, "Well there are many factors to take into account, my Lord, and ---" "Then hazard a guess, Lieutenant. If you feel up to such a challenge." Was Beckett's unimpressed response. "Captain Rhett Morgan, of the Ocean's Blood, my Lord." Greitzer said quickly, before adding in an apprehensive manner, "May I ask why His Lordship wishes to know such a fact?" "No you may not." Beckett cut across swiftly and sharply, "What is Captain Morgan's last known heading?" "I do not know personally, my Lord." Greitzer replied, knowing that in doing so he had sealed his own fate concerning the Chairman's favour. "Find out." The Chairman ordered shortly, before returning to his thoughts as the Lieutenant left the room. Captain Morgan, an infamous pirate-hunter in his own right but with a somewhat ironic surname for such a profession, would be perfect for the task, Beckett mused. With Tortuga being the one place that it was near-certain that Sparrow would head, all Beckett would have to do is sail to Tortuga with the boy, meet with Captain Morgan, and then have him lay and spring the trap upon Sparrow when he next made port there which, if past reports were anything to go by, would be in a reasonably short amount of time. The only problem now was contacting Captain Morgan soon. Lieutenant Greitzer, in a move that surprised Beckett, turned out to solve this problem, as he returned with a small pile of reports from all of the Company's vessels and associates. Waving one in particular around, Greitzer went over to Beckett's desk, only to have the Chairman snatch the report from him and, with nothing along the lines of thanks, shooed the officer from the room. Glancing down at the report, Beckett could not help but smile at the pure convenience of this latest piece of information as he read the final line in the report: Current heading - Port Royal |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:43 PM Post #4 |
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Keegan: "I'm not in the business of making mistakes. Now, young sir, if you'd be kind enough to make your way to the boat." Keegan followed his gesture and saw a particularly fine longboat waiting nearby. The older man's move to block his other means of escape wasn't lost on the boy, but he tried to stop his butterflies from bothering him too much. He didn't think he was being kidnapped. This man had a prominent status (though Keegan still couldn't remember exactly what), so it wasn't like he needed money from Keegan's family for ransom. Keegan wasn't exactly looking like his family had money anyway, with only a dirty white shirt and frayed black breeches on. He ran a hand through his equally unkempt hair, a look of confusion plain on his face that was only slightly the result of acting. He really did have no idea what was happening. Why was he wanted? And who wanted him? Did it have something to do with his family? Maybe this was a family friend of his older, married sisters. Had something happened to them? Despite those nervous questions, Keegan managed to keep any such feelings out of his face. He looked back at the older man. "Who are you?" he asked. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:43 PM Post #5 |
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Beckett: The boy seemed confused, but this did not surprise Mercer. After all, how was the young lad supposed to fathom that it was to do with Sparrow of all people that he was being summoned. A slight feeling of sympathy fell through Mercer's mind, but was quickly sent scampering away when he thought of how Lord Beckett preferred such encounters as this to occur swiftly and with little incident other than that which they had originally been intended to incite. With this in mind, Mercer was about to reach out and grab the boy by the collar and forcefully pull him towards the boat, but at that exact second the young lad looked up at him with an innocently confused expression and asked, "Who are you?" Mercer look down, unblinking, for several long seconds of silence, as if contemplating how much he was allowed to reveal at this point in time. Beckett had not been specific, and in fact had seemed far too eager to get the boy to his office to interrogate himself to lay out the specifics of his summoning. Deciding to keep the information he gave the lad to the sort which could easily be gained from any moderately-informed citizen, the Londoner replied with a single word, the sound of which carried a somewhat cold ring to it, "Mercer." Then, realising that it would probably not be enough to satisfy the boy's curiosity, he added, "Lord Cutler Beckett demands your presence. Go to the boat." Short a simple, thought Mercer to himself. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:43 PM Post #6 |
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Keegan: Keegan didn't particularly like how it was taking the man so long to answer him. When that happened, people were usually looking for a made up name to tell, some way to lie. This man was being very brazen to try and figure out his name without any sort of cover. Keegan didn't think it took very long to recite one's name. "Mercer." Finally, the little bell went off in Keegan's head. His eyes widened very slightly, and he furrowed his supposedly confused brows further over them to hide his surprise. This man had certainly been mentioned, by several people, and usually with less than flattering terms. However, everyone seemed to dislike his employer all the more. "Lord Cutler Beckett demands your presence. Go to the boat." Oh, shite. Since he felt the surprise at that moment was warranted, Keegan let his eyes fly open and his jaw slacken. He tried to look like he was in awe of the prospect of meeting Lord Cutler Beckett, but in the back of his mind he knew this was bad. He smiled a little bit to seem partially excited. "Lord Beckett wants to see me?" he said in disbelief, pointing at himself. He let out a laughing scoff and ran a hand through his hair again, looking at the ground with a stupid, goofy grin on his face. "Wow...I can't imagine...." Suddenly he stopped when he noticed his attire, and let out a gasp of dismay. "Oh, no. I can't meet his Lordship like this," he said, looking imploringly up at Mercer and pulling at the shirt stained with dust and perspiration. "Can't I go home and get into some better clothes first?" he said with an innocent smile. While he was out he might have time to find his father, or maybe even Norrington. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:44 PM Post #7 |
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Beckett: "Oh, no. I can't meet his Lordship like this. Can't I go home and get into some better clothes first?" Mercer raised a suspicious eyebrow at this request. At face value, it seemed like a reasonable enough assumption on the boy's part to think that His Lordship would not appreciate interacting with a dirt-covered lad, but something in the young man's tone did not quite register with the clerk as being entirely sincere. Either way, he doubted that Beckett had the time or patience to wait around in his office whilst the boy he was planning on interrogating was running around getting changed. If anything, from the way the informant had described the boy, Beckett would expect no more than the kind of appearance Mercer was looking at right now. What was more, Mercer doubted that the Chairman wished it to be known that he had had the boy brought aboard his ship. Allowing the lad to go home to change would alert his family, who could then spread the word. How Beckett would keep the boy himself from spilling the news, Mercer did not know, but he guessed that it would probably involve threatening to send a particular knife-wielding clerk round to the boy's house if he did indeed say anything to anyone. "Lord Beckett is not one to be kept waiting, nor is he one to care for the appearance of a child when there are more pressing issues to deal with." Mercer then double-checked that he was firmly in the way to be able to intercept the boy if he tried to make a run for it. Then, as if to satisfy some need within the clerk to be slightly horrible and intimidating, he added, "You should be more careful about who you speak to over a game of cards, young sir. Now, get in the boat." One more delay on the boy's part and Mercer was ready to draw the knife that sat comfortably on the inside of black jacket. Strangely enough, the clerk did not find himself in the slightest bit concerned about threatening a child, so long as Beckett condoned the action to begin with, which Mercer knew he would. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:44 PM Post #8 |
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Keegan: "Lord Beckett is not one to be kept waiting, nor is he one to care for the appearance of a child when there are more pressing issues to deal with." Keegan ran a hand down the front of his shirt, looking at it apprehensively while mentally cursing the man in front of him. He must've seen through Keegan's act, which was understandable since Keegan wasn't quite up to snuff that day. His head was still throbbing dully, and his wits were still swirling around in a daze for the most part. He prided himself on being able to keep his head at all. But what pressing issues could there be that had to do with him? "You should be more careful about who you speak to over a game of cards, young sir. Now, get in the boat." Keegan was glad he was looking down at his dirty shirt when Mercer spoke, for he knew his facial expression would have given everything away. His blood ran cold as he suddenly remembered the night before, how he had bragged about knowing Jack Sparrow. How he had bragged about helping Jack Sparrow infiltrate the fort and steal from a commanding officer. How he had bragged about helping Jack Sparrow break a pirate out of jail from the fort. Swallowing with a little difficulty, Keegan forced his face to clear as he looked back at the intimidating man. His tone said he probably wasn't against the idea of using force on the lad, and Keegan could see no one else around who would bother to help him if he let out a yelp. If he really had bragged about knowing a pirate, the other sailors might not want anything to do with him anyway. Then he wondered just who had snitched on him, but it didn't really matter. With a face still full of mild confusion, Keegan shrugged and ambled to the longboat before easily jumping in. He took a moment to steady himself and his stomach before sitting down and looking around the boat in boyish curosity. Behind his plain-faced visage, he was near panicking, but hoped he could still come up with something to tell Beckett that would work. He was a young boy surrounded by experienced men, there was rum, he was willing to do just about anything to gain their respect and acceptance, even make up a few stories. The problem was there were witnesses. At the fort, there were several guards who had seen Keegan escorting a "priest" around the area, and Keegan had even gone inside Norrington's office to get the prisoner's effects, or something like that. Keegan couldn't even remember. Hopefully Beckett hadn't talked to anyone at the fort yet. If he had just gotten Keegan, he probably hadn't had time to talk to anyone else. Perhaps he would let Keegan go before even thinking to ask around, and by then Keegan could look for help. "What ship is His Lordship on?" Keegan asked, looking into Mercer's dark face. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:44 PM Post #9 |
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Beckett: Mercer's face remained expressionless as he stepped into the longboat just after the boy, and nodded to the two sailors who had been assigned as rowers. As the boat began to pull away from the jetty and in the direction of the various moored vessels, half of which were flying the East India Trading Company flag, the clerk turned to face the boy just as he asked him which ship it was that Lord Beckett was on. Mercer nodded towards where the Endeavour sat in the harbour, towering over the small ships around it. It rivalled the Dauntless, which was Commodore Norrington's pride and joy in the Royal Navy, and was truly an example of exactly how powerful the Company was, and therefore by default, how powerful Beckett himself was. Deciding that words should accompany the answer, Mercer then said, "Lord Beckett is on that ship, the Endeavour. You should feel honoured to be allowed aboard." *** As the final strings of Beckett's plan fell into place in his mind, His Lordship heard his office door open and looked up once more to see Lieutenant Greitzer enter, an expression on his face that assured the Chairman that he wasn't about to be told anything disappointing. After a short bow, the officer threw a gesture back behind him, to the main deck outside, and said to Beckett, "Mr Mercer is on his way back, my Lord." The Chairman did not give the Lieutenant a second glance after this. Covering the distance between his desk and the office door in an impressively short amount of time, Beckett pushed past Greitzer and stepped out onto the main deck, only to be bombarded with a sudden array of salutes from the marines spread out along the ship. Ignoring the men, Beckett made his way to the side of the ship slowly, taking one step at a time nice and easily in true nobleman fashion, before peering over the side of the ship to see the longboat containing Mercer, two sailors and a young boy pull up alongside the vessel. Turning to Greitzer, Beckett said simply, "Let them up and direct them straight to my office." Greitzer saluted his acknowledgement of the order as Beckett returned to his office and took his customary place sat at his large desk. The longboat, meanwhile, began to slowly be hauled up to the main deck, and Mercer managed one last word of advice to the boy before they reached the top, "Don't get too close to the Chairman, boy. You carry the smell of rum about you." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:44 PM Post #10 |
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Keegan: "Lord Beckett is on that ship, the Endeavour. You should feel honoured to be allowed aboard." Keegan followed the man's direction and saw quite a splendid ship in sight. He stared at it as they approached, seeing the lines of uniformed men on its deck and the gleam of the sun off several splotches of gilding. It really did put the Dauntless to shame, but Keegan felt it was really just a little too...much. His lips squirmed into a smirk as he remembered something Giles had said about similar things before. "Perhaps he's compensating for something." Knowing full well that speaking any such thing aloud would only get him in deeper trouble, Keegan kept his mouth shut. They approached the boat and were lifted in, but he hadn't noticed any man who might be Lord Beckett. Despite being in the military now, the lines of soldiers around him gave little comfort. "Don't get too close to the Chairman, boy. You carry the smell of rum about you." Keegan looked around the magnificent ship, pulling at a hole forming on his shirt. "Well of course, sir," he said. "That's a job hazard if you're to work amongst sailors." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:44 PM Post #11 |
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Beckett: Mercer raised an eyebrow slightly at the boy's reply before stepping out of the boat and onto the deck, turning to Greitzer as he did and asking if Beckett was still in his office. When the Lieutenant replied that His Lordship was indeed there, the clerk made his way over to the door of the cabin and knocked three times before entering without waiting for a response. Inside he found Beckett sat at his desk looking at the clerk expectantly, to which Mercer simply nodded before turning to look out of the cabin door again to where the boy was stood, now flanked by two marines and with Greitzer looking at him sternly. Calling out to them, Mercer then gestured for the boy to be brought forwards towards the cabin. Greitzer obliged and ordered the two marines to begin pushing the boy in the direction of the cabin. When he reached it Mercer nodded his head as an order for the boy to go inside into the office, and said calmly, "Go in, and present yourself to His Lordship as formally as you know how." *** Although Mercer did not know it, the Lieutenant was actually beginning to feel slightly concerned for the well-being of the boy - who knew what would happen to him after his usefulness to Beckett had expired? It didn't bear to think about, and the Lieutenant instead decided to busy himself by checking on the supplies below deck. All he could do was hope that the boy was done with by the time he returned to the main deck. OOC: Gah, a bit short. Sorry =/ |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:45 PM Post #12 |
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Keegan: (no worries! with a lot of dialogue, I imagine our posts will be a little short anyway) Keegan found it amusing that he was being guarded by three men. One would have been plenty, for they were all armed and fully grown. Keegan had no weapon on him at all. He was slightly dismayed by this fact, for he knew none of these men he was looking at, and didn't know if they might be so vicious as to kill a young boy. He continued looking around the ship in awed curiosity as he was led toward the cabin where the infamous Lord Cutler Beckett was waiting for him. Inwardly he was wondering if he should even say his name, but decided it would really be easy for anyone to get. Norrington only had one cabin boy, and he was it. "Go in, and present yourself to His Lordship as formally as you know how." Keegan nodded at Mercer, his face still open and honest and curious about the goings-on. As he entered inside, he realized he was probably going to have to give the performance of his life to get out of this one unscathed. And there was Beckett, looking comparatively less scary than Mercer, but still bathed in an undercurrent of malice. Keegan stood tall as he walked into the office and stood in front of the desk and bowed from the waist. For now he would have to be very respectful. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my Lordship," he said before straightening up. He put an innocent little smile on his face. "I hope today finds you well." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:45 PM Post #13 |
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Beckett: Beckett watched the boy from across the room, at his desk. The only other two occupants of the room were Mercer, stood just behind the boy, and the servant who waited upon Beckett with such things as his tea and fresh ink pots. Ignoring the boy for a brief second, the Chairman quickly scribbled something down on a piece of parchment and handed it to the servant, who immediately took it across the room and handed it to Mercer before leaving the office. Mercer took one look at the parchment, then nodded to Beckett, before also leaving the cabin and shutting the door behind him with a loud click. The Chairman placed his quill away inside one of the drawers in his deck, and then diverted his full attention to the lad once more and, making a quick mental note of his slightly shabby appearance, waved away his courteous greeting and instead rebuked it with a stern, "Today will find me much better by the time this meeting has come to an end." He then stood up from his chair and made his way to the back-right corner of the cabin, and turned his back on the boy. Soon, Beckett was busying himself with pouring a glass of brandy from the ornate glass bottle in the cabinet he had just extracted it from, and soon spoke to the boy once more, his back still to him as he placed the glass to the side and put the bottle away, "I hear you have encountered our mutual friend, Jack Sparrow." With the bottle having been put away, Beckett picked up the glass of brandy and turned around to face the boy, glass in hand, before adding, "But not only Sparrow, but also a trinket in his possession. A compass. Is this true?" Straight to the point, that's how Beckett liked to operate. What's more, he was nigh-certain that the boy wanted to be stood in his office talking about this about as much as he would want to be stood in a shallow pool of piranhas. No, the sooner this conversation was over then the sooner Beckett could put his plan into action. *** Mercer looked down at the piece of parchment once more as he stepped into the longboat and ordered for it to be lowered down towards the sea once more. The message and orders were clear: Find Rhett Morgan. Tell him to go to Tortuga. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:45 PM Post #14 |
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Keegan: "Today will find me much better by the time this meeting has come to an end." Well so much for amiability. Keegan's smile faded as Beckett stood and walked to the back of his cabin to get a drink for himself. This man obviously wanted to get right to the point, and it was probably wise if Keegan didn't dawdle about the subject. Keegan wasn't particularly wise when it came to such matters. "I hear you have encountered our mutual friend, Jack Sparrow. But not only Sparrow, but also a trinket in his possession. A compass. Is this true?" Keegan grinned sadly and looked off to the side, running a hand through his hair. "I figured this would be about those things. The stories I told the sailors, right?" He looked back at Beckett with a shrug, smiling an apology. "I'm afraid to inform you that's all they were. Just stories, M'lord. I was more than a little intoxicated, and I'm still rather new on board." He glanced shyly down at his feet, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. His voice turned into a murmur. "I just wanted them to accept me, really. I thought telling them such a tale would accomplish that." He lifted his head slightly, looking at Beckett like a poor puppy waiting to be punished. "I see now I was in error, and it has led to several false conclusions. Forgive me, my Lord." He bowed again, lower than before, wondering how wise it was to show his bare neck to this man. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:45 PM Post #15 |
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Beckett: "I figured this would be about those things. The stories I told the sailors, right? I'm afraid to inform you that's all they were. Just stories, M'lord. I was more than a little intoxicated, and I'm still rather new on board. I just wanted them to accept me, really. I thought telling them such a tale would accomplish that." Just stories, M'lord Little intoxicated Just wanted them to accept me Just stories, M'lord Beckett's hand nearly crushed the glass of brandy in his hand into a million pieces as his grip suddenly became incredibly tight as his anger began to seethe and boil at the news that this boy had simply made up the tale of Sparrow and the compass. In fact, the Chairman felt half-obliged to actually throw the glass at the lad, but a fact came to mind that immediately calmed him and his emotions, thankfully before his blank expression actually betrayed any sign of anger. His eyes narrowing on the boy, the Chairman realised that the boy was lying. After all, what were the chances that a boy would make up a story about Jack Sparrow involving a very important compass, if all it was was fiction? Especially when Beckett knew that Sparrow did indeed carry a powerful compass, but one which very few others knew about. Where would the boy have learned of the compass to use in his little story unless he had encountered it himself? Smiling in a knowing fashion, Beckett took several steps towards the boy, until he was eventually stood only a metre or so away, before taking a quick sip of his brandy to calm himself and saying, "Well, I suppose if you have no useful information, then I will have to simply get rid of you." Another sip, before he added, "I do hope you can swim with a cannonball strapped to your foot." It was now or never. Would the boy actually reveal to Beckett how much he knew, or would he attempt to defend Sparrow even more? Surely the lad realised that Sparrow was not only nothing to risk his life over, but also not the kind of man who would return the favour? But then, Beckett thought, children had a way of becoming infatuated with things and people in an unwise fashion. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:46 PM Post #16 |
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Keegan: Keegan couldn't really tell how angry Beckett had become. The air was full of ill-will before he even spoke, and it only seemed to intensify. Several moments went by after Keegan had finished speaking, and Beckett continued to stare at him. Keegan really had no idea just what Beckett was capable of doing, and if he would even do such things. Beckett strode right up to him with the glass still in his hand. His next words struck Keegan dumb. "Well, I suppose if you have no useful information, then I will have to simply get rid of you." Keegan blinked at him, his expression true to his feelings. Now he really was genuinely confused, surprised, and a little scared. He remembered all the marines outside the cabin, not to mention Mercer. He was deep in enemy territory, and there was so visible means of escape. "I do hope you can swim with a cannonball strapped to your foot." This entire situation was spiraling so fast into something so absurd, Keegan found himself smiling. Was Beckett serious? He was going to kill him just for telling some stories? Keegan guessed he had somehow picked up on his act, but this was still an incredibly serious threat. Of course Keegan wasn't lying to protect Sparrow. He was lying to protect himself. Doing the things he had done was considered treason, and he could be imprisoned or hanged for them. "Ha...Well I've never tried, my Lord," Keegan said, staring at him with a funny expression. "Though I'm not eager to learn either. I don't understand how my telling tales has resulted into something so serious....." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:46 PM Post #17 |
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Beckett: "Of course you don't. You're a child." Beckett had to admit, he was somewhat enjoying messing with the boy's head, "And a child whose story has some significant holes in it. Must I take the time to question the soldiers at the fort? Or even Commodore Norrington? I'm sure you made some mistake during your little adventure with Sparrow hmm?" Satisfied that he had made his point, Beckett returned to his desk, but did not sit at it. Instead, he remained standing by the side of the desk, and turned to face the boy once more. Tired of playing mind games, the Chairman said in a cold and demanding voice once more, "Perhaps it is the consequences of your actions that you are worried about, yes? Do not be concerned with that, for I am not. As long as you grant me your full co-operation, then there will be no need to inform the Navy of your little law-breaking will there? No need for you to bring shame to your family. No need for you to be punished. All you have to do is assist in the capture of Sparrow. I trust that he will remember you?" |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:46 PM Post #18 |
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Keegan: "Must I take the time to question the soldiers at the fort? Or even Commodore Norrington? I'm sure you made some mistake during your little adventure with Sparrow hmm?" The funny expression on Keegan's face changed to one of impending suspicion. He knew there was no use in lying or acting anymore. Beckett also wouldn't take pity on him if he tried to sound like a hysterical little boy who was only lying because he was afraid of Sparrow. In truth he wasn't afraid of that pirate. It seemed his real enemies were right next door. "As long as you grant me your full co-operation, then there will be no need to inform the Navy of your little law-breaking will there?" That was it. There it was, right there. Blackmail. Keegan lowered all manner of respect and elegant pretense and glowered at the nobleman before him. No man of any real worth would resort to such low measures to get what he wanted. But Keegan had played right into his hand, and it was his own fault he was in trouble now. If he hadn't already, he would have sworn off rum again then and there. "All you have to do is assist in the capture of Sparrow. I trust that he will remember you?" Keegan shrugged. "Depends on how much his brain has deteriorated." He tilted his head back, jutting his chin out in defiance. "You know how pirates are. Especially since you're about as good as one." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:46 PM Post #19 |
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Beckett: Beckett managed a small smirk as he listened to Keegan speak of how it was possible that Sparrow's brain may have 'deteriorated', but immediately let it fall when the boy had the daring to compare him, Lord Cutler Beckett, to pirates. Once again, his grip on the brandy glass tightened considerably, but this time the glass did not hold out as strongly as it did before, and crippled in his hand before suddenly shattering. Small fragments of glass fell to the ground or embedded themselves in Beckett's hand, as the brandy shot down to soak the floor. Soon small streaks blood began to follow it as Beckett's hand bled slightly from the pieces of glass that had stuck to it. Giving the boy a glare reserved only for his most hated of people, Beckett pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and quickly removed the pieces of glass from his hand before wrapping it around to stop the blood from trickling out of the wound. When this deed was done, he turned to the boy and, standing up straight once more, said in a cold voice that barely hid his hatefulness, "I should shoot you where you stand." And indeed, the Chairman was severely tempted to. It was only the thought of finally being able to watch Sparrow hang as he, Lord Beckett, held the compass in his hand that stopped him from taking his pistol out from where it was contained in the specially-crafted pocket in his jacket and pulling a bullet neatly into the boy's forehead. Instead, Beckett decided to prioritise the capture of Sparrow over the death of the insolent boy before him, and added in his still-icy tone, "I suggest you learn to be more co-operative. It will do you no good to cross me." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:46 PM Post #20 |
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Keegan: Keegan was surprised that Beckett's anger was enough to shatter the glass he was holding. Suddenly he realized, this man wasn't just trying to intimidate him. All his threats weren't hollow, and killing some little boy would be easy to do. "I should shoot you where you stand." He decided it was probably wise to keep quiet, for all Keegan knew Beckett would do just as he said. It gave him only small comfort to know that his association with Jack Sparrow was keeping him alive just then. He would have to continue to make Beckett think he and Jack were actually quite close. Keegan was fairly sure Jack would remember him if they met again. If not, Keegan would make him remember. "I suggest you learn to be more co-operative. It will do you no good to cross me." Keegan sighed and rubbed his eyes. "No, it wouldn't." He kept his eyes closed for a moment or two, grimacing as he realized there wasn't any way out of this. At least not right at that moment. He opened his eyes again and looked at Beckett. "I suppose Sparrow would remember me. It's been a while though. I'm still not sure just what you need me for, and I would like to know before I'm forced to do it." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:47 PM Post #21 |
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Beckett: "I suppose Sparrow would remember me. It's been a while though. I'm still not sure just what you need me for, and I would like to know before I'm forced to do it." The boy's insolent nature seemed to be subsiding, and so Beckett decided against having a weight strapped around his neck and having him thrown into the harbour. Instead, the Chairman simply placed his hands together, before contemplating his response. When he told the boy what to do, he needed to make sure that he would not simply warn Sparrow of the imminent danger, and that would require fear to be placed in the heart of the boy. Fear necessary to keep him in line. The thought struck Beckett almost right away, and he said to the boy in a very direct but cold fashion, "You are to be bait. Nothing more. Bait for Jack Sparrow. You are to lead him away from the protection of his fellow pirate scum and into the clutches of Captain Rhett Morgan. Perhaps you recognise the name?" Beckett allowed this information to settle for awhile, before continuing with, "In case you are planning on siding with Sparrow, I'll be sending Mr Mercer to watch your every movement, and he will shoot you if you betray me. Besides, there would be no benefit for you to betray me, after all, since I highly doubt you wish to find yourself stranded in..." A short pause, before Beckett told him where it was he was about to be heading to, "...Tortuga." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:47 PM Post #22 |
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Keegan: "You are to be bait. Nothing more. Bait for Jack Sparrow. You are to lead him away from the protection of his fellow pirate scum and into the clutches of Captain Rhett Morgan. Perhaps you recognize the name?" Keegan shrugged once more but said nothing. He did recognize Morgan's name, hearing it from other sailors and even adults. Morgan sounded just as bloodthirsty as Beckett, if not a bit more so. He was some kind of pirate hunter that seemed to be just as low as a regular pirate. Murderers and killers were all in the same boat to Keegan, for the most part. Especially those that didn't seem to feel anything about it. "In case you are planning on siding with Sparrow, I'll be sending Mr Mercer to watch your every movement, and he will shoot you if you betray me." Wonderful. Keegan really didn't care for either side right then, but between Sparrow and Beckett, he was more than willing to be on Sparrow's side. He thought this was terribly ironic, considering the fact Sparrow was a pirate and Beckett was actually a "legitimate" nobleman. Keegan was cursing himself with not going to Norrington in the first place. He would be more than willing to do this same plan for the Commodore. It helped that Norrington trusted him enough not to send a sniper after him. Unfortunately Keegan had too many reasons to do just as Beckett ordered, and they all shared his last name. "Besides, there would be no benefit for you to betray me, after all, since I highly doubt you wish to find yourself stranded in...Tortuga." Keegan's head snapped up to looked at Beckett. "Tortu..." he started to exclaim, but then realize that, yes, Tortuga was where Sparrow was most likely to be. All the pirates went there. It was practically their home port. Suddenly Keegan was more worried about the denizens of Tortuga than Moody Mr. Mercer. He let out a very long sigh before glaring down at the floor. Even if he did betray Beckett and live to see the sun, and even if he managed to find a way back to Port Royal, his family and home might be watched by whatever snakes worked for the East India Company. He could be killed for returning to the land where he was born. Vaguely he remembered how excited he was when his parents let him join the navy. How excited he was that he was going to be out on the sea and have adventures and help bring justice to the waters of the Caribbean. Now everything had taken an interesting turn to the ironic. He grunted and cracked his knuckles. "Who's to say you won't get rid of me once you have Sparrow?" he said, and even as he spoke he realized how easy it would be to do. Shoot him once Sparrow was in custody and toss his body into the sea and just say he died in the line of duty. "I'm afraid I'm going to need some kind of guarantee that I'm going to get home alive and safe, and won't be bothered by...well, you, anymore." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:47 PM Post #23 |
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Beckett: How amusing, Beckett mused to himself as he watched the boy crack his knuckles and listened to his words, The boy actually thinks he is in a position to make demands of me. "I'm afraid that you have no guarantee. You have no choice in this matter, after all, so why should there be a guarantee?" The Chairman's words left his lips as a hiss leaves the tongue of a viper, "All I will say that it would be inconvenient for me to have to explain how a boy taken into my custody was suddenly lost. That inconvenience is enough to spare your life, providing you do as ordered." Looking down at his now-bandaged hand, Beckett's thoughts wandered. There would probably be some kind of small scar left after the wound was properly treated and healed, and that fact made the Chairman's upper lip curl into a slight snarl for just a brief second. His expression soon fell blank again and, despite being mentally-angered by the fact that this encounter with the boy would probably live on in his memory every time he looked at his left hand, he opened his mouth to add something to the conversation, before a knock at the door drew his attention and he glanced at it in time to see Lieutenant Greitzer step into the doorway. The officer carried a neutral expression and, at a nod from Beckett, said simply, "Mr Mercer has returned, my Lord." "Good," Beckett replied, "I trust Captain Morgan has set sail?" "He should have left the port by now sir." Was Greitzer's response, "Any further orders?" "Yes," Beckett's gaze then diverted from the Lieutenant to the boy, the name of whom Beckett had yet to be informed of, and ordered Greitzer with the words, "Prepare to set sail for Tortuga immediately." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:48 PM Post #24 |
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Keegan: "I'm afraid that you have no guarantee. You have no choice in this matter, after all, so why should there be a guarantee? All I will say that it would be inconvenient for me to have to explain how a boy taken into my custody was suddenly lost. That inconvenience is enough to spare your life, providing you do as ordered." "Considering you're kidnapping me, and blackmailing me," Keegan grumbled, glowering from under his brows. "And probably haven't gotten permission from the Commodore to bring me along to start with." But Keegan shut his mouth after that. Despite the onrush of rebellion that was making him snap left and right, he knew it was to no avail. Beckett had him, and at least Keegan knew enough not to trust him with his life. That actually gave him small comfort. Then there was a knock at the door, and Keegan glanced over to see another of Beckett's men walk in. Knowing not to trust Beckett certainly meant not trusting his men either. The only person he could trust in this endeavor was himself, so he went about trying to think of ways out of this. He didn't care if Beckett got Sparrow or if Sparrow got away or anything. Keegan just wanted to get home safely. And alive. "Prepare to set sail for Tortuga immediately." Keegan grimaced. "We're leaving now?" he snapped, suddenly remembering his considerable lack of attire and the fact he hadn't bathed in a couple of days. At the very least he would have wanted shoes before he went stepping all over a festering wound like Tortuga. But Beckett wouldn't want him alarming anyone about their journey, so he knew asking wouldn't accomplish anything. He growled again and crossed his arms, drumming his fingers along his rolled sleeve. At least he would look like an urchin easily enough. Damn that pirate! |
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| Aztec Gold | 4 Mar 2008, 03:31 AM Post #25 |
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Beckett: Ask the Commodore for permission? Beckett thought curiously, This boy is somehow connected with Norrington personally? How interesting. Not sure how that would affect things concerning his plan, Beckett eventually decided that whether the Commodore sanctioned the idea of using the boy or not, the capture of Sparrow was a far more worthwhile cause than looking out for the well-being of some cabin-boy or powder monkey. After all, Norrington could hardly risk confronting the Chairman of the East India Trading Company over something so trivial as a child, surely? Beckett assured himself with this notion and then turned his attention to the boy, who still remained unnamed to him, and his concerns over the sudden departure from Port Royal to Tortuga. Smiling with a smug smirk on the corners of his mouth, the Chairman said in a tone which did not match said smirk, "I often feel that it is best to get things over and done with in as little time as can be done. No doubt you wish to get to Tortuga, do your 'patriotic duty', and return here to your family as soon as possible, Master...?" He left the question hanging. He was curious as to the name of such a young boy who seemed to be affiliated with both Sparrow and Norrington, sworn enemies the two of them. In fact, Beckett had already begun to wonder on how he could use this knowledge of one associated with Norrington assisting a known pirate to his advantage, and therefore the advantage of the Company. All in the name of business, of course. |
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| Aztec Gold | 4 Mar 2008, 03:31 AM Post #26 |
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Keegan: "I often feel that it is best to get things over and done with in as little time as can be done. No doubt you wish to get to Tortuga, do your 'patriotic duty', and return here to your family as soon as possible, Master...?" Keegan raised a brow, tilting his head back to look at this menace. He didn't know his name? Wouldn't just about anyone have been able to tell him that? Well, it wouldn't be terribly hard to find out if he just asked around, so Keegan saw no reason to give him his name just then. "Master? I like that. You can call me Master, if you like," he said with a wolfish grin. Keegan knew what he was doing, poking a lion with a stick, was extremely dangerous. But if he was going down, he wasn't going down quietly. This was no time for manners or propriety or etiquette. Beckett deserved none of it to start with. "And I would like to get going as soon as possible," he said snobbishly, imitating the numerous bigwigs he'd met over his time in the aristocracy with perfection. "So we should be on our way, don't you think?" (ooc: sorry short, but Keegan couldn't help himself >D ) |
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| Aztec Gold | 4 Mar 2008, 03:32 AM Post #27 |
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Beckett: "Master? I like that. You can call me Master, if you like," The boy's insolent tone returned once more and did nothing than to wipe the smirk from Beckett's face and replace it with an expression of extreme dislike, "And I would like to get going as soon as possible," The boy then added snobbishly, as if trying to mock the Chairman, "So we should be on our way, don't you think?" Beckett's reply was short and to the point, but this did not stop the Chairman from allowing a generous dosage of malice and threat to enter the words as he spoke them with his infamous silver tongue, "You seem to forget your association with the good Commodore Norrington," Beckett then made his way towards the cabinet which held his bottle of brandy, and began pouring himself another glass to replace the first one, although this time he was sure to put it down whenever he wasn't drinking from it, "What do you think of the consequences concerning said association should word of your second association with Sparrow suddenly.... slip out?" If there was one thing Beckett was sure of, it was that he wasn't going to be outdone by some dirty, filthy cabin-boy who by chance was critical to an opportunity for the Company to finally get its hands on Captain Jack Sparrow, and the compass in his possession. With a short ring of the bell on his desk, Beckett once again summoned Lieutenant Greitzer, who by this point was looked every so slightly rushed off his feet. The Chairman guessed that he had only just finished bellowing the orders for the ship to set sail, as determined by the officer's heavy breathing. "Yes, my Lord?" The officer asked, managing a quick salute as his breathed in a notably heavy fashion. "I doubt there is any more that our guest here has to say - or more specifically, has to say that I may actually wish to hear. Please escort him to the brig." Lieutenant Greitzer nodded in response to Beckett's order, and clapped a hand down on the boy's shoulder, offering reassuring words which gained him a sharp look of disapproval from the Chairman, "Come on, lad," The officer said, "I'll see if I can arrange to get you something to eat." Beckett's gaze soon silenced such reassuring sentiments from the Lieutenant. |
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| Aztec Gold | 4 Mar 2008, 03:32 AM Post #28 |
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Keegan: "What do you think of the consequences concerning said association should word of your second association with Sparrow suddenly.... slip out?" Keegan frowned a little. Of course he expected, should the word get out, that the Commodore would dismiss him from his post and all trust would be lost between him and Keegan, not to mention him and Keegan's family. But however much he admired Norrington and prided being in his service, he would have other more important things to deal with should the word get out. "I'm afraid my association with the Commodore would be the least of my worries if word did manage to 'slip out,'" Keegan said, complete with finger quotation marks. Such as the noose. Keegan resumed his regular glower of boredom as the henchman from before came in. He seemed the least intimidating of them all, and Keegan was shocked when the man actually tried to comfort him. "Come on, lad," The officer said, "I'll see if I can arrange to get you something to eat." The boy blinked, wondering if this man was just acting or if he was genuine with his reassurance. Keegan glanced at Beckett, saw he was glaring at the Lieutenant, and realized the other man probably was genuine. Beckett didn't approve, and that meant it was good. Keegan turned to the Lieutenant with a shy smile, turning into a meek little boy who'd just been bullied by a big bad monster. "Thank you, sir. I would like that very much." He turned to Beckett and bowed again. "And thank you, my Lord, for your hospitality. I will try to do my best to assist you." He straightened up and gave Beckett the same innocent smile he'd given the Lieutenant, but as he turned away to leave he also discreetly gave a very rude gesture. |
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4:03 AM Jul 30
