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| To Catch a Sparrow; Incomplete | |
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| Topic Started: 20 Dec 2007, 06:50 PM (833 Views) | |
| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 06:59 PM Post #36 |
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Jack: "A man such as yourself, must be pleased to hear there's a fairly large reward for catching you. Not only gold, I'll be taking your ship too. And when all your men are dead, I'll be known as the man who caught Jack Sparrow." Jack was surprisingly unflattered, but smiled to keep up appearances. "Tell me something, mate... Who remembers the last man who caught me, or the one before that? Better still: how are they remembered?" The mention of the Pearl got to him in spite of himself; it had taken him so incredibly long to get her back. He hadn't been able to enjoy her very much either, so far. If he lost her again, he would get her back; that much was certain. But he might not have the time before... before - and the fastest ship in the Caribbean would be a great asset in his search for a certain chest, if not a necessity. As for the crew... Well, they ought to know when to give up and run for it, should it come to that. If they didn't... that was their own fault, wasn't it? The walk to the docks was long and uncomfortable. Jack kept a sharp eye for any possibilities of escape or compass exchange, but there were none. Once they got to Morgan's ship, Jack tried to note every detail for later use. The Ocean's Blood... What a silly name. When did a body of water ever bleed? "Throw him to the brig..." he motioned towards Sparrow, then looked at the boy. "... and show him to my cabin. I'd like a word with McAllister before he's sent there too. Has Mercer returned yet?" Jack was pleased that Mercer didn't seem to be present, and that Beckett was nowhere to be seen either. It meant more time, and time was invaluable right now. Keegan was visibly less pleased - and not without reason, as a private session with Morgan was probably best avoided. "See you later then, Master McAllister," said Jack lightly before being dragged off to the brig. He couldn't do much more for the boy than point out to him that he would soon be reunited with Jack (who, if not liked, was at least his best ally at this point), but he had to do that much, to hopefuly help Keegan relax and keep things in their proper perspective. If Keegan was to keep the compass safe for Jack later, Jack would need to be able to count on him, and that didn't tend to work so well with a person in hysterics. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:00 PM Post #37 |
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Rhett: Mercer had not returned yet - they would have to wait with sailing, until he was here. But at least they could prepare for it. While his men dragged Sparrow off to the brig, Rhett looked to the sky. He'd been so busy all day he hadn't noticed - it was hardly day anymore. The sky turning darker, it was dusk now. Which was why he smiled when Roberts returned with the box with fireworks, and picked up the one with the blue ribbon. On the darkening sky, it would look extraordinary on it. Or so he hoped... Rhett had never actually seen fireworks before, and decided to stay on deck, just to watch it. The tube was filled into a cannon which was directed towards the sky, before it was lit and Roberts quickly stepped away. Soon a little ball of light shot up into the air, and exploded into thousands of little colored stars. It was pretty, actually, although overrated - Rhett had expected more, from what he heard about fireworks. But that was that... he returned his gaze to the boy, then nodded to those of his men holding him. Rhett went into his cabin, sat down and waited for McAllister. They left him on the middle of the floor - maybe letting go of him a bit more roughly than necessery - and left the cabin, closing the door on the way. Rhett considered for a short moment to actually pour some wine into a glass, but decided it was too early to celebreate. He would wait until the pirate was delivered to Lord Beckett. Until then... he would just have to kill something. Time. "So... cooperating with a pirate? I assume you do understand, how foolish that was? Lord Beckett will hear about it, and he will probably be even more displeased than I am." Rhett said from his chair behind the desk. He picked up the knife from his one boot, and sat fiddling with its sharp and shiny blade between his fingers, while looking up at the boy. "You do know what happens to people of all ages, who cooperate with pirates?" |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:00 PM Post #38 |
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Rhett: "See you later then, Master McAllister," said Jack lightly. Keegan glanced over toward Jack, then nodded sharply. The nod was more for his own reassurance than any shared camaraderie with the pirate. He would see Jack again, which meant he would get out just fine from this interview with Rhett. And after that, he would get home, alive. He would see his family again; he would be fine. He glanced up when the fireworks were brought out again. He had pretty much forgotten about those too, but let his curiosity about them crawl to the forefront of his mind. It was so weird. Just a little tube could signal a ship miles away? If it could do that, wouldn't it also signal just about everyone in Tortuga as well? Keegan wondered if that was a good idea, but then wondered if it was a bad idea. Perhaps notifying everyone in Tortuga of Rhett's presence was a good thing. Surely the people on the Pearl would notice it, and maybe go looking for Sparrow and find he wasn't there. Of course that placed a lot of intelligence on a group of men Keegan had never met, and if they were pirates they probably weren't any better than anyone else. They also might not know what the fireworks meant, other than loud noises and light. Keegan continued to watch as one of Morgan's men lit the lantern, then a few moments later it sailed up into the sky with a screech. Keegan wasn't sure if it was supposed to sound like that and he braced himself for some terrible explosion that never came. Instead there was a burst of blue light that blinded him for a moment, and a second later there was terrible boom that deafened him. The combination petrified him and reminded him of his predicament, and he wondered how people could be entertained by something so awful. He was still recovering from the firework when he was shoved forward. Since his hands were still tied behind him it was difficult to maintain his balance while being shoved, but he managed. He was led to Morgan's cabin and escorted in roughly enough that he went sprawling to the floor. With a tired sigh he sat up, but didn't bother to stand any further. It wasn't easy to stand without the use of one's hands, and he was only then aware of how physically exhausted he was. The thought of having to stand and move again almost sent his body into quakes. "So... cooperating with a pirate? I assume you do understand, how foolish that was? Lord Beckett will hear about it, and he will probably be even more displeased than I am." Oh right, the bastard was there. Keegan glanced up from his spot on the floor and couldn't help but notice the knife held in the man's hands. The boy's fears resurfaced again, but he swallowed them back down into the depths of his defiance and denial. "You do know what happens to people of all ages, who cooperate with pirates?" Keegan rolled his eyes and shook his head in mock disappointment. "Of course I do. You think coming all this way I haven't heard enough threats of deaths and hangings to last a lifetime? Well I have, so I know. Do you know what happens to people who kidnap helpless children and find delight in torturing them to the point of emotional scarring, if not death?" He tilted his head to the side and gave Rhett a disgusted look. "They certainly aren't noted for their pirate-catching, I'll tell ya that much, you demented piece of tripe." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:00 PM Post #39 |
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Rhett: "Of course I do. You think coming all this way I haven't heard enough threats of deaths and hangings to last a lifetime? Well I have, so I know. He sighed, then why was he cooperating with pirates? And especially a pirate such as Jack Sparrow - and especially more than once? McAllister had been the key to catching Sparrow, which meant they'd met before. They knew each other. And the boy had been foolish enough to think, that he could help Sparrow escape and escape that way himself too. And now he spoke to Rhett in a rather... annoying tone, as if it was all Rhett's fault. "... do you know what happens to people who kidnap helpless children and find delight in torturing them to the point of emotional scarring, if not death?" Rhett didn't kidnap anyone! If anyone was to blame for that, it was Beckett. He stared at Keegan, feeling the irritation with the boy's voice and the way he still sat on the floor, grow bigger. It seemed like the boy had more to say though, and he did. "They certainly aren't noted for their pirate-catching, I'll tell ya that much, you demented piece of tripe." He shook his head. "You may think you're being very clever, but you're not, young McAllister." Rhett stared at Keegan, it was impossible to hide the fact that Keegan had indeed angered the pirate hunter. Not that it was a thing Rhett should be proud of, that he was angered so easily, but it did come in handy when hunting and fighting pirates. The more furious they made him, the easier it was to just kill them. Did McAllister know that? Probably not... "I admit, that maybe I do find pleasure in torturing you, as you put it. But... it's only because you must be the most infantile young boy I've ever met. What were you thinking, that you could just escape and run back to your family?" he rolled his eyes. "If you'd done what was asked of you, we would probably be on our way back to Port Royale now. But you just had to complicate things..." really, it was Keegan's fault that Rhett wasn't going back yet. Away from this filthy place of pirates that he couldn't possibly destroy on his own. Away and on the way back to Port Royale and the woman he still hadn't gotten the way he wanted. Rhett continued to play with his knife, now beginning to picture how it would be to slice the only other throat present in this cabin. Beckett only said 'try' to keep the boy alive. He didn't say it had to happen. He glanced evily back at Keegan, hoping for the boy to give Rhett an excuse to just do something. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:00 PM Post #40 |
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Keegan: "You may think you're being very clever, but you're not, young McAllister." Keegan rolled his eyes. Of course he wasn't being clever; he was being smart, as in smart-aleck. He was, as Morgan had said, young, and so these tendencies to go against what was expected and (especially) ordered of him were only inherent in every other child on the planet. The only people he obeyed without question were those he respected and liked, and Morgan was neither of those. "I admit, that maybe I do find pleasure in torturing you, as you put it. But... it's only because you must be the most infantile young boy I've ever met. What were you thinking, that you could just escape and run back to your family?" He couldn't help but smirk. "Another thinking question. Do you not do it enough on your own that you're amazed when others do? I can see now why you associate with pirates, who are usually equally dense." Keegan dropped his head against his chest to hide the grin that grew on his face, and also took a moment to adjust his position on the floor. Sitting with a sheathed dagger almost tucked between your buttocks wasn't very comfortable. "If you'd done what was asked of you, we would probably be on our way back to Port Royale now. But you just had to complicate things..." Keegan lifted his head again and looked at Morgan with a pitying expression, like he looked at his younger brothers who didn't understand the strategies involved in a fistfight and yet wanted to be in one. He sighed dramatically. "If I had done what you asked of me, I would probably still be here being lectured at." He looked at Morgan again, this time his expression blank. "To put it so a simple mind can understand, I went with the lesser of two evils. Sparrow might be a pirate, but so are you and Beckett, in your ways. Bloodthirsty and murderous and insatiable for treasure in all its forms." He shrugged his shoulders and tilted his head to the side. "And if I'm outnumbered by pirates, the only thing to do to survive is to become one. When in Rome, after all." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:02 PM Post #41 |
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An entire page of posts was lost between the previous post and this one. Essentially Keegan taunted Rhett, Rhett almost killed him but was interrupted when Sean showed up. Keegan was thrown in the brig with Jack and the two of them began talking about his magic compass. Jack: Things were going pretty well, as far as Jack was concerned (if one could ignore for a moment that he was captured, and presumably not far from baneful Beckett); Keegan hadn't expressed any sort of disbelief yet, nor had he asked any questions that Jack didn't care to answer. "Where did you get this?" It had been too good to be true, of course... Still, this was not the worst question imaginable. "A woman," said Jack, trying to keep things nice and vague. "Where she got it from, I don't know." That was certainly true; and, considering Tia Dalma's usual methods, Jack wasn't sure he wanted to know where or how she had procured the compass. It worked, and that was all that mattered. Suddenly Jack was feeling ill at ease. It took him a while to realise why, as he first attributed his discomfort to his less pleasant memories of Tia Dalma; that was not the reason, however. It was the sounds up on deck, just audible in the background, that were causing the feeling; that and the slight changes in the movement of the ship. When Jack realised what was going on, one of his hands pointed up (or rather, it stayed in a somewhat upright position after moving around as usual). "We're getting underway, son... I suggest you hide the compass before anyone comes to visit." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:02 PM Post #42 |
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Keegan: "A woman," said Jack. "Where she got it from, I don't know." Keegan barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. He supposed he couldn't expect much more from Jack, and he was still doubtful about the whole situation. It was all a little far-fetched, and the only thing anchoring Jack's story was the fact so many people wanted this compass. Not only Beckett, but Norrington too. Having it was some kind of bargaining chip, though he didn't know exactly how it would help. And what would happen if he and Jack got separated? Or if Jack actually died? He turned the compass over in his hands, biting his bottom lip. At the very least he would try to keep it safe. After they got out of this mess, he would just have to figure it out. One step at a time. When the ship began bustling, Keegan almost didn't notice. He only thought of it once Jack brought it to his attention, then he stood still and listened intently. Sure enough, they were underway. This made Keegan grimace, since if they were leaving then the man from the tavern who'd been talking to Jack must have left. Keegan hadn't heard any shots fired, so he didn't think any sort of altercation broke out. Whoever that guy was must have gone away all right. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. "I suggest you hide the compass before anyone comes to visit." "Right," Keegan said, looking down at his shirt. Putting it in his pockets would be too obvious. That only left his shirt, so he pulled it out a bit further from his breeches. There was still a good deal left tucked into his breeches, but after dropping the compass into his shirt and tucking it a little bit into the waistband, it wasn't easily noticed thanks to all the folds. His shirt was also terribly grimy now, and a little stiff from dirt and sweat. The compass went overlooked as it rested just at Keegan's stomach. He arranged his shirt a little bit more until he was satisfied. "That'll have to do," he murmured, looking down at it for a moment. Then he thought of one last thing and lifted his head to look at Jack. "How do you and Beckett know each other?" he asked. "The dislike for the other seems to go beyond mere word of mouth." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:02 PM Post #43 |
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Jack: Jack nodded a little to himself as Keegan hid the compass in his shirt. He was trying to convince himself that this would work. If any hiding place was going to keep the compass safe, it was certainly Keegan's shirt; the compass was barely noticeable there, while anywhere else it would be painfully obvious. Still, it was just a shirt. Shirts tore, came undone... were removed, even, if one wasn't lucky; that was the main reason why Jack had moved the dagger to his boot. But Keegan's shirt was the only chance to keep the compass safe, and Jack tried to be happy with it. After all, it was possible that it would work... "How do you and Beckett know each other?" he asked. "The dislike for the other seems to go beyond mere word of mouth." Jack smirked without amusement. "A keen observation, Master McAllister... Beckett and I have indeed had dealings in the past. I stole something of his, and in his infinite gratitude, he burnt my ship. And he gave me this." Jack rolled up his sleeve to reveal his pirate brand. All these years, and the bloody thing still itched whenever he thought back to when he got it. Jack refused to scratch it in front of Keegan, though; he refused to even look at it. It wasn't as if he didn't know what it looked like. "Beckett doesn't take kindly to anyone who gets in his way. But then, you've experienced that a little for yourself already." The boy probably had no idea how lucky he'd been so far, and Jack hoped to plant that knowledge firmly into his head. Scaring Keegan was not the point, but it was essential that he realised how badly he needed to not screw up his task of safeguarding the compass. Jack let his sleeve fall down again. "Still, the mere fact that I'm alive and..." Jack glanced around the brig. "... reasonably well proves that it is not impossible to escape Beckett. But do not try to play games with him that you can't win. Do nothing, and hope that he'll forget about you." Jack turned to Keegan again, staring into his eyes earnestly, and said softly but emphatically: "Keep it safe. Don't talk of it to anyone." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:03 PM Post #44 |
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Beckett: The Endeavour rested steadily as the Ocean's Blood came up alongside it. As had occurred during their previous meeting, the large ship-of-the-line's crew went about preparing various boarding planks, including a large ornate looking one complete with railings to make sure those who walked across it did not fall off, ready to throw down onto the main deck of the other ship and allow a safe path between the two vessels. Lieutenant Greitzer stood near the helm of Endeavour, Lord Cutler Beckett stood next to him, his hand gently resting on the top of his cane as he watched the men go about doing their tasks. The officer kept his eyes on the Ocean's Blood, but asked Beckett carefully, "Do you wish to go aboard personally, sir?" "Yes, Lieutenant." Was Beckett's short reply, and the Lord did not even bother to look at the other man either. "Shall I accompany you sir?" Greitzer prompted. "That won't be necessary. Make sure there is fresh tea prepared in my office by the time I return with Sparrow." Beckett replied emotionlessly, drawing a frown from Greitzer which was fortunately not seen due to His Lordship's refusal to waste his gaze upon his lieutenant. "Yes sir," Was all the officer would in response before making his way down the stairs towards Beckett's office, a distasteful and irritable expression on his face as he did so. *** Beckett himself, meanwhile, merely smiled slightly as he watched Greitzer disappear from view, before making his own way down the central stairwell from the helm briskly but majestically, and arrived at the side of the main deck just as the ornate boarding plank was being lowered down towards the Ocean's Blood. Several other normal planks had been lowered also and, as was routine, marines began to hurry across, muskets in their arms, down towards the deck of Morgan's ship, fanning out and securing a protective perimeter on said deck in time for their Lord and master as he made his way across the gap between the two ships. From halfway onwards, the Chairman caught sight of both Captain Morgan and Mercer stood awaiting him with several members of Morgan's crew. Stepping down from the end of the plank and onto the deck, his decorated cane making a small thud as it hit the wood, His Lordship spoke to Morgan in an outwardly warm but inwardly cold voice, "Ah, Captain Morgan. You have succeeded I trust?" "We have," Mercer broke in here, Beckett guessing because he did not want Morgan hogging all the glory, "Sparrow and McAllister are in the brig below." "McAllister?" Beckett asked curiously, though he paid minimal attention to his clerk's reply as the news of Sparrow captured was enough to put him in warm spirits regardless. "He betrayed us," Mercer began, "And tried to assist Sparrow's attempted escape." However, Beckett simply waved his hand dismissively and ordered Mercer to go fetch the two from the brig, to which the clerk nodded curtly before spinning on his heels and, pistol in hand, made his way below deck towards the Ocean's Blood's brig. The Chairman, meanwhile, turned his attention back to Captain Morgan and asked sharply, and with no tell-tale signs of wanting to discuss anything other than the business hand - including small-talk, "Sparrow does have the compass doesn't he? When you captured him, you did check that he had the compass didn't you?" The last thing Beckett needed was to be told that Sparrow had not been in possession of the compass at the time of his capture - if the Chairman knew anything then it would be that Sparrow would not divulge where he had hidden the compass prior to being captured unless he was promised something in return - an attitude to business that both aggravated and impressed Beckett at times in the past. But now was not the time for reminiscing, now was the time for, indeed, business. Waiting for Mercer, Beckett also gestured for one of the junior officers that had gone over with the marines to approach him, and when he did so, the Chairman ordered quietly, "Bring over the money - use my boarding plank - we don't want any accidents now, do we?" "No sir," The officer replied before making his way back towards the Endeavour to do what had been required of him. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:03 PM Post #45 |
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Rhett: It wasn't long before the Ocean's Blood met the Endeavour, and Rhett watched as the same happened like last time - boarding planks were prepared aboard the other ship, complete with railings, and marines ran around everywhere. Soon also boarding the much smaller Ocean's Blood, and Rhett watched as Lord Beckett stepped down from the helm to meet a pirate hunter. Rhett himself also stepped away from his wheel and down to await the arrival of his superior for the time being. "Ah, Captain Morgan. You have succeeded I trust?" "We have," Mercer broke in here, Beckett guessing because he did not want Morgan hogging all the glory, "Sparrow and McAllister are in the brig below." He was just about to answer, but Mercer didn't give him the joy. We have caught Jack Sparrow? He glanced at Mercer. He didn't do a thing, he came running shortly after the catch, when Sparrow was already safely in the brig! And from the sound of it, Mercer had a quite unpleasant meeting with Brice as well. But he hadn't caught Jack Sparrow. Rhett Morgan caught Jack Sparrow. The two continued to talk though, nearly as if ignoring Rhett. "McAllister?" Beckett asked curiously, though he paid minimal attention to his clerk's reply as the news of Sparrow captured was enough to put him in warm spirits regardless. "He betrayed us," Mercer began, "And tried to assist Sparrow's attempted escape." That was true though... why did Beckett seem so surprised? There was no way the boy had come willingly on this journey to catch a Sparrow. He had been irritating from the very start, it was nearly obvious he would betray them. Although it would of course have been better, if the boy had a brain and had thought about how stupid it would be, to betray Lord Cutler Beckett. Mercer was now ordered to fetch the prisoners, and Beckett returned his gaze to Rhett. "Sparrow does have the compass doesn't he? When you captured him, you did check that he had the compass didn't you?" Compass? Right, there was something about a compass, Brice mentioned it too... and Rhett was pretty sure he had seen it dangling from the pirate's belt. "I am quite certain it was on Sparrow's person, when I caught him..." he trailed off, thinking. Then he felt like beating himself up for once. Some of his less clever men had probably placed Sparrow and McAllister in the same cell. Making it all the more possible for them to discuss things, and trade things... When he heard Beckett talk to one of his officers, he also glanced at his own crew. Even if it wasn't Rhett who put them in the brig, and ensured that there would be trouble, he would be to blame - for he was the captain of this vessel. He looked at Beckett again. "Just in case, I think it'd be wise if you examine both the pirate and the boy for that compass. They do seem to share a strange bond of trust." he then said. Not that he expect Lord Beckett to be stupid, but it just seemed best to remind him that something might have happened. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:04 PM Post #46 |
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Keegan: "Keep it safe. Don't talk of it to anyone." Keegan nodded and swallowed. Jack's own personal earnest about the situation was beginning to rub off on the boy, much like the pirate's easygoing nature had just an hour or more before. This was all very serious now, the compass was extremely important and somehow powerful. It was still hard for Keegan to understand, but he knew enough. He had to keep it safe. This meant not bringing attention to himself like he'd so easily done before with quips and jabs. He would have to be meek and quiet. That could be arranged, and he could do it, but it would be hard to explain. He felt the ship start to slow as they neared the harbor as well as the Endeavor. Keegan felt that time was running out, but time for what? Time to make up a plausible excuse. For a few moments his mind was blank, and then he thought of something right as he heard the boards crossing across the ships. He turned to Jack and whispered, "Punch me!" After a few moments he realized that probably sounded strange, so he continued on in a lowered voice. "I betrayed them for you, so they know we're together on this. If they think you're mad at me, they might not think of our exchanging the compass or thinking up an escape plan." He tapped his cheek and turned it toward Jack. "So punch me, and call me names. That way I can be quiet and depressed and it would be understandable." Then another thought crossed his mind and he looked at Jack with a frown. "Also...would it be better if the compass was broken than in Beckett's hands, if it came to that?" He heard thumping far up above as people began moving around. Beckett was there, and soon someone would be on their way to retrieve them. Keegan turned to Jack and waited for the pirate to hit him, trying to think on all the times he'd acted hurt and injured to earn free sweets from his sister Priscilla. Thinking of his sister brought a pang of homesickness, but he pushed it away and focused on the task at hand. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:04 PM Post #47 |
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Jack: "Punch me!" Jack's eyebrows shot up in surprise, the rest of his expression remaining remarkably blank. He had expected several possible reactions to his entreatment to keep the compass safe, but a request to be beaten was not one of them. "I betrayed them for you, so they know we're together on this. If they think you're mad at me, they might not think of our exchanging the compass or thinking up an escape plan." He tapped his cheek and turned it toward Jack. "So punch me, and call me names. That way I can be quiet and depressed and it would be understandable." Jack had to admit, the boy had a point. It was a dramatic step to take, but 'desperate times' and all that. And if the boy wanted it, Jack was not above doing his small part in the exchange. "Also...would it be better if the compass was broken than in Beckett's hands, if it came to that?" Jack's mouth twitched a little, and he looked around, indecisive. Logic dictated a whole-hearted yes for an answer, but the idea of the compass being broken - especially now that Jack needed it so much - was distinctly unpleasant. Still, he couldn't risk it. And it was not as if the compass worked for him anymore - a condition that Jack had hoped would be temporary, but by now he was beginning to doubt that. And if the compass didn't work for Jack, what point was there in keeping it around for his enemies to use? "Yes. Yes, it would be better broken than in Beckett's hands," replied Jack reluctantly, a barely noticeable trace of defeat in his voice. Jack was still pouting a little, staring at the floor, when suddenly his fist shot out and connected with Keegan's cheek. Thing like that were slightly less horrible when they came unexpected, in Jack's opinion, and he didn't want to make this worse for Keegan than it had to be. Not that the boy could be said to not be expecting it at all, the whole idea being his, but it was the thought that counted. "You... son of a sea slug!" Jack almost cringed; surely he could do better than that. It was difficult, though; Keegan was so unimpressive that doing anything to him seemed pointless, as there couldn't possibly be anything to be gained by belittling someone who was already so much weaker. Also, violence in both physical and verbal form had never been Jack's particular style. Considering how much depended on it, however, he was determined to make a good attempt. "You despicable collection of flesh and bones... You rotting vomit of a rum-soaked weevil!" Was that the sound of footsteps approaching? Jack couldn't pause to listen and make sure, but he increased the intensity of his little performance anyway, just in case. It wasn't difficult; with every second he got more into his part, until he almost believed it himself. Jack was tempted to grab Keegan by his shirt, but obviously that would not have been good, so he contented himself with pointing a threatening finger at Keegan, his other hand balled into a fist and ready to hit should he feel so inclined. As he continued verbally abusing Keegan, only half aware of what he was saying, his voice became softer, more realistic; hopefully still loud enough to be audible to potential eavesdroppers, but Jack had almost forgotten about those. He glared at Keegan as if he loathed the boy with every fiber of his being; for all that the pirate was easy-going and not likely to bear a grudge, hate was remarkably easy for him to act, as if all the times in Jack's life when he had not shown his anger and contempt, the emotions had been saved up to be let out at this precise moment. "It's your fault that I got captured, you little maggot!" he growled. "You wanted us to get caught, so Beckett would return you to whatever oversized shack in Port Royal you call home." Jack's hand shot out again, but instead of hitting Keegan, it grabbed him by the neck and lifted him just a little bit from the ground. "If you'll be spared an easy death at Beckett's hands, I will cut you into little pieces and feed you to the sharks. And should I be hanged before I get that chance, I promise you, I will return from hell itself just to drag you back there with me." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:05 PM Post #48 |
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Beckett: Mercer stepped down the stairs that led from the deck above to the brig quickly and sharply, drawing his favoured pistol as he did so and heading straight for the cell that held Sparrow and McAllister. The two guards that had been assigned to watch them did not appear to have been very attentive, yet managed to not allow Sparrow to escape, and that was all the clerk could ask for, he supposed. As he reached the final step, however, he heard the familiar ring of the damned pirate's voice, though it had strangely contorted into one, not of arrogances and self-confidence, but one of anger, loathing and hatred. As the words rang into his ears, Mercer felt the edges of his mouth curl into a nasty sadistic smirk. "It's your fault that I got captured, you little maggot!" The voice of Sparrow was growling, "You wanted us to get caught, so Beckett would return you to whatever oversized shack in Port Royal you call home." So, it appeared that Sparrow had decided to take his anger out upon McAllister. The clerk was not at all obliged to stop him just yet, though he did envy the pirate somewhat at having such an open opportunity to truly show the boy pain, and was pleasantly surprised to find the pirate himself grabbing the boy by the collar and lifting him from the ground as he reached the cell door and coming into their view. Sparrow did not seem to have noticed, however, as he continued with his threats and angry outbursts at the young boy's expense, and the clerk was half-tempted to not draw attention to himself and allow McAllister to suffer a little longer, "If you'll be spared an easy death at Beckett's hands, I will cut you into little pieces and feed you to the sharks. And should I be hanged before I get that chance, I promise you, I will return from hell itself just to drag you back there with me." Smirking a little longer, and watching the way Keegan's body reacted to Sparrow's forceful actions, Mercer remembered that it was Beckett's orders that mattered more than his own sadistic appeals, and so he cleared his throat before placing a key in the door's lock and letting it swing open, his pistol appearing where the lock previously had been pointing directly at Sparrow as the clerk said menacingly, "Someone wants to see you, Sparrow. To the main deck, both of you, and don't try any sudden movements." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:05 PM Post #49 |
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Keegan: "Yes. Yes, it would be better broken than in Beckett's hands," replied Jack reluctantly. Keegan nodded, carefully observing the man and wondering again how he'd come to acquire the compass. Was it a gift from a loved one? Keegan doubted Jack had the sentimentality. There was probably a trade involved, bartering one thing for another. But what could Jack had given that would allot him that compass? Any further thought Keegan might have had was painfully interrupted when Jack suddenly lashed out and punched him. Even though he had asked the pirate to hit him, it was unexpected and stronger than he would have thought from the drunkard. It was enough to propel him to the ground with a thud. Keegan lay there for a moment, reaching up to carefully touch his already swelling cheek. He hadn't been punched in a long time, and he'd never been punched by an adult. Needless to say, it really hurt. It hurt enough for tears to start welling in his eyes, but he squeezed them back and focused on what Jack was saying to him. "You... son of a sea slug!" Oh my God, Keegan mentally groaned. Surely a pirate could come up with something better than that. As he thought about it, though, he realized Jack didn't seem quite the type to be so abusive. Keegan always assumed the man would rather run from a fight or talk his way out of it rather than actually confront and insult someone. He proved he could fight, but that didn't mean he normally did. Keegan listened as Jack continued berating him, looking quite pathetic curled up in a little ball on the floor. His face was covered to nurse his hurt cheek, and he made sure to wince and cringe whenever Jack spat a particularly nasty epithet. Inwardly he was listening for the door, waiting for someone to arrive like he knew someone would. Who he wasn't sure, but someone would be coming to get them now that Beckett was there. His attention was slowly drawn from the door as Jack's tone began to change. It wasn't loud and aloof now. It began to lower and sounded all the more real and serious. Keegan chanced a peek from under one of his arms to look at Jack with a frown. The pirate was still just standing there looking menacing, but his entire demeanor had changed now. He looked genuinely livid and hateful, and it was all directed at Keegan. The boy wasn’t sure if Jack was acting now or not, and he began to think this entire charade was a bad idea. "It's your fault that I got captured, you little maggot!" he growled. "You wanted us to get caught, so Beckett would return you to whatever oversized shack in Port Royal you call home." Keegan couldn't stop his confused face from changing. At first he had only looked perturbed at Jack's ferocity, but now he began to think the pirate wasn't acting. Maybe he was truly mad at him. Suddenly Keegan felt afraid, and his expression showed it. When Jack snatched out and grabbed him around the throat his panic only increased tenfold. He latched onto the pirate's grabbing hand and continued to stare at him in shocked terror. "If you'll be spared an easy death at Beckett's hands, I will cut you into little pieces and feed you to the sharks. And should I be hanged before I get that chance, I promise you, I will return from hell itself just to drag you back there with me." Keegan's hands went about scratching and scrabbling all over Jack's grasping hand, a choked curse gurgling out from his mouth. Then he remembered his legs were free and he began kicking at Jack as hard as he could. However his hits were wild and never touched the pirate. Then there was a sound at the door, a key being inserted, then the lock opening. Keegan felt his neck freed and he collapsed onto the floor, shaking and placing his own hands around his neck. He heaved great gulps of air to fill his lungs only to realize he hadn't lost much air to begin with. He'd just been on the brink of panic. Keegan glared quickly at Jack, coughed, then lowered his head as Mercer entered their cell. "Someone wants to see you, Sparrow. To the main deck, both of you, and don't try any sudden movements." Looking as dejected and pained as he could, Keegan lifted himself to his feet and hurried on ahead of Sparrow. He whimpered quietly and hugged his arms to himself, keeping his head drooped against his chest. His hair hung in front of his face as he climbed the ladders and steps to reach the main deck, looking as broken and pathetic as he could. He stopped moving once he reached the deck, looking up just enough to spot Beckett nearby. Then he dropped his head again and sniffed loudly. Then he pushed out his belly enough to check the compass was still there in his shirt, hidden among the folds. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:05 PM Post #50 |
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Jack: The sound from the cell door caught Jack by surprise, and his head swung around to spot the source of the noise. Mercer - hardly surprising, but still not agreeable. Jack's lips trembled with the ghost of a snarl, and he let go of Keegan, trying to seem annoyed at the interruption, and at giving up his prey. "Someone wants to see you, Sparrow. To the main deck, both of you, and don't try any sudden movements." Jack decided that saying whatever he could say right now would not help him in the least, and so he remained quiet. He wasn't sure he could form a coherent sentence anyway; his revilement of Keegan had left him feeling strangely numb. His mind, however, was as clear as ever; feeling clearer, if anything, after allowing his anger to be at the helm for a while. Jack wasn't sure if that was good or bad, but since so far his little show seemed to have been effective, he decided that the rest didn't matter. As Keegan scurried on ahead of him, Jack glanced at the boy, but he was careful not to do anything else. To continue abusing Keegan now would be pushing matters too far; the slightest wrong move might blow their credibility and make it obvious that it was all an act. And so Jack completely ignored Keegan from then on, reverting to his usual phlegmatic self. As he slowly made his way up the ladders, he felt refreshed - comfortable due to being back in his own skin, perhaps - and not as worried as he probably ought to be. Still, worrying was of very limited use, and Jack was happy to keep it to a minimum. He was Captain Jack Sparrow, and he would make this work. The first thing Jack noticed when he came on deck was how dark it had become since he'd been locked up below. Judging by the shadows visible in the distance, they were at the mouth of the harbour. Jack resisted the urge to look back and see if the Pearl was all right. He also avoided looking at Beckett and Morgan, though the both of them were impossible to miss; that was why it was fun to ignore them. "Someone wanted to see me?" Jack asked, all innocence, while deliberately looking at everyone but Beckett, staring just over the man's head when his eyes passed him. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:06 PM Post #51 |
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Beckett: The sight of a dejected Keegan McAllister emerging from below deck was a sight to bring a faint smile on Lord Cutler Beckett's features as he stood, cane in hand, watching the boy make his way onto the deck, shortly to be follow by the bumbling, yet ever oblivious, main prize of the day's catch - Jack Sparrow himself. The slight smile remained on Beckett's lips as he watched Sparrow, followed in turn by the pistol-brandishing Mercer, make his way onto the deck beside Keegan, giving a brief once-over of the assembled pirate-hunters and Company marines gathered about, though making a point of simply looking past Beckett when he his eyes fell upon it. Remember such behaviour vividly, yet maintaining his smile because he was confident he had finally managed to get Sparrow exactly where he wanted him, Beckett remained stood where he was, not making any reaction to the pirate's peculiar behaviour other than to continue staring, smirk at hand, until Sparrow himself spoke first, "Someone wanted to see me?" Beckett continued to show no reaction to Sparrow, instead going as far as to redirect his attention to Captain Morgan and speaking casually, as if Keegan or Sparrow had not yet turned up and were still in the cells below, "Your reward will be here shortly, Captain. I assure you it is all there." And sure enough, the sound of footsteps travelling across the boarding planks linking the Ocean's Blood to the Endeavour was heard, and turning his head half-heartedly to check, Beckett was met with the sight of two marines, led by the officer he had dispatched, carrying a small, but apparently heavy, chest between them towards the two senior men on the deck. Laying the chest down just in front of the Chairman, one of the marines placed a key in it and turned the lock, unlocking it and opening the lid to reveal the contents inside - a large amount of golden coins arranged neatly into various slots within the velvet-rimmed interior of the chest. Tapping the side of the chest with the end of his cane, Beckett asked rhetorically to Morgan, "I trust this shall suffice?" The Chairman then turned to look at Mercer, who had made his way over to his boss, and listened carefully as the clerk whispered quietly into his ear, "Sparrow didn't seem to appreciate McAllister betraying us for him. He gave 'im a nice beating down in the cells." "I see," Replied Beckett, though he spoke loud enough for others to hear him, "I'm sure that will be useful to know, Mercer." He then allowed himself to turn his attention to the prisoners, first directing his gaze to the young Keegan McAllister. His smile returning, though carrying with it a sadistic curl this second time round, Beckett allowed himself a moment or two to simply stare at the boy, hoping to strike more fear into him, before saying casually, "We had a deal, McAllister. You were to deliver me Sparrow." He made a gesture to said pirate without taking his gaze away, "And you did. I admit, convincing Sparrow that you were on his side and then leading him straight to Captain Morgan's men must have taken a huge amount of acting talent. Congratulate yourself." "As for you," Beckett now registered Sparrow's presence, as he turned to look at the pirate himself and stepped closer to him, "I do feel sympathy for you, Jack. After all those important men you've manipulated, fooled, and deceived over the years - outmanoeuvred by a mere boy? You've been slipping in your old age?" Turning his back on Sparrow and walking away from the pirate back towards Captain Morgan, Beckett then added casually, "Don't worry, Jack, we'll talk more soon. Take him to my office." Two marines swooped down upon the pirate with the intention of dragging him off to Beckett's office, as Beckett kept his back turned, casting a gaze to Mercer as he did so and adding, "Take the boy to the cells. He'll be dealt with later." Mercer nodded and imitated the marines, as he too swooped down upon his assigned target, ready to carry him off to the cells, with the Chairman looking at Captain Morgan and asking, "If that is all? It was a pleasure doing business with you, Captain." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:07 PM Post #52 |
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Rhett: Mercer soon appeared on deck again, with both Sparrow and McAllister. Rhett noticed how it made Beckett smile, but gained a serious face himself. It wasn't entirely over yet... or nearly... for now a chest was carried aboard the Ocean's Blood, and opened to reveal a fair amount of shining gold. Rhett had never been one to care much for shiny things, he was no pirate, but this still made his eyes twinkle just a little bit. He had caught Sparrow, he had earned this. It had to be the largest amount of gold he had yet received from catching or killing any pirates. "I trust this shall suffice?" "It most certainly shall." Rhett replied before Lord Beckett turned to Mercer, and the two spoke. He listened, and decided not to trust McAllister even if he was being paid for it! So Sparrow had beat up the boy, done the thing that Rhett never got around to do? No, he most definetly didn't believe it, not after the little talk he himself had with the boy before he was sent to join Sparrow. But it appeared that Beckett believed Mercer's words to be true, and now Rhett had his reward he was not going to argue. He merely hoped that Beckett would remember what he said, that both the pirate and the boy should be examined for said compass. Soon the two were being sent to the Endeavour. They no longer belonged to Rhett, and so he decided it was none of his business anymore. He was still merely a pirate hunter captain, and had hopes that Lord Beckett could not be fooled by a pirate such as Jack Sparrow. Said Beckett returned to speak last words with Rhett. "If that is all? It was a pleasure doing business with you, Captain." "I believe it is all... and the pleasure has been all mine, Lord Beckett." he said and made a slight bow with a little smile. He then nodded to some of his men, who took the chest with gold and carried it to the captain's cabin to begin with. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:07 PM Post #53 |
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Keegan: Keegan continued to look miserable and meek, inching slightly away from Jack like he was afraid to be struck again. He kept his face turned to the ground and his hands began wringing each other in anxiety, something he'd seen John do whenever he was nervous. Soon Keegan would be home, one way or another, and he could talk to John and his whole family. He was determined to tell them everything that happened with Sparrow, no matter how much trouble it got him in. His mother and father had always valued honesty and never sugar-coated anything for their children. Keegan could only return the favor. "We had a deal, McAllister." He winced at his name and slowly looked up, his eyes red from crying and the bruise on his cheek already turning blue. Beckett was staring at him in a most menacing way, and Keegan pretended to cower under its glare. Normally he would have glared right back, but this was no time to be challenging. He didn't want to do anything that might earn him a physical reprimand and send the compass into light. "You were to deliver me Sparrow. And you did. I admit, convincing Sparrow that you were on his side and then leading him straight to Captain Morgan's men must have taken a huge amount of acting talent. Congratulate yourself." Keegan blinked at Beckett, but maintained his morose stature and expression. Didn't Beckett know his betrayal was no act? Or was he just saying that to bother Jack? Keegan glanced at the pirate for a moment, then whimpered and cowered in shame. Hopefully Jack wouldn't take the bait, and he'd remember whose side Keegan was really on. He listened as other exchanges and insults were thrown from one man to the other, but said nothing. His hands continued fiddling with each other and his shoulders stayed slouched and stooped. He was staring at his feet, dirty and bare and scratched up a tad from the running and shoving he'd endured. He hated to think what his face must look like, smeared with dirt with an awful bruise forming. His family might not even recognize him. "Take the boy to the cells. He'll be dealt with later." Keegan glanced up for a moment and saw Mercer approaching him. At first he was tempted to squeak in fear and cower as much as he could, but realized that might be too drastic a change. Instead he gritted his teeth and tried to hold back any sounds that might want to escape his mouth. He let himself be led down to the brig, hardly putting up a fight. He tried to go with dignity, and wanted to give the impression that he was more afraid of Jack than Mercer or Beckett. Since Jack would be in Beckett's office, he'd have little to fear in the brig. At least until Jack joined him. Once he was left alone, he plopped himself on the ground, folding his legs and burying his face in his knees. He wiped his eyes of their crocodile tears, then hissed in pain when he pressed too hard on his hit cheek. After a moment of assessment, he realized he had stepped away from Tortuga alive and with a bruise on his arm (from Morgan), his face, and most probably his neck (from Jack). All in all, he couldn't have hoped for a better outcome. There was still a two day journey left to Port Royal, and who knew what would happen in that time, but for now he would count his blessings. And take care of the compass for that bloody pirate. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:07 PM Post #54 |
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Jack: Jack wasn't bothered by Beckett ignoring him; it was only to be expected, and besides, he had ignored Beckett first, so he was still the winner, if a winner there was. Of course, how long he'd be alive to enjoy this tremendous moral victory was uncertain, but his chances were as good as they could be. It would be interesting to see how everything would turn out. As Morgan's reward was brought from the Endeavour, Jack studied it closely; he liked to know his worth. He was not disappointed. Rows and rows of gold coins... The sight was almost hypnotising, and it took Jack a while to draw his attention away and focus on what Beckett was saying to Keegan. "I admit, convincing Sparrow that you were on his side and then leading him straight to Captain Morgan's men must have taken a huge amount of acting talent. Congratulate yourself." That wasn't true. It couldn't be. It was very unlikely, at any rate; Beckett probably intended it for effect, and Jack would have to give him what he wanted. He waited as long as he could, then glanced at Keegan ever so shortly. Then he looked at Beckett, raising his chin a bit higher than before, as if he knew he was betrayed and beaten but refused to acknowledge it. "As for you," Beckett now registered Sparrow's presence, as he turned to look at the pirate himself and stepped closer to him, "I do feel sympathy for you, Jack. After all those important men you've manipulated, fooled, and deceived over the years - outmanoeuvred by a mere boy? You've been slipping in your old age?" Jack was tempted to ask whether the 'boy' was Keegan or Beckett himself, but this was not the time for such frivolities. He was supposed to believe himself recently betrayed and humiliated, and would display the appropriately sulky attitude for now. "Don't worry, Jack, we'll talk more soon. Take him to my office." The two marines addressed grabbed Jack's arms and led him in the direction of the Endeavour, pushing him onto a boarding plank - not Beckett's fancy one, naturally. Jack considered the possibility of jumping off and trusting himself to the sea, but decided that getting shot did not rate high on his list of priorities. So Jack kept walking, and was grabbed once again by the marines when he reached the Endeavour. They dragged him to Beckett's office, giving him an extra push as he went through the door. Jack staggered in, then looked back with contempt at the marines, who took up positions on either side of the still open door. As they seemed to be ignoring him now, Jack strolled around the office, getting a good look at everything. Nothing of any interest lay in sight, however, and Jack figured it would be best to not tempt the marines by opening drawers and the like. He would just have to wait for Beckett to show up. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:08 PM Post #55 |
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Beckett: Granting Captain Morgan a nod, Lord Beckett then turned on his heels and made his way across the ornately-decorated boarding blank with Mercer right behind him. The rest of the remaining marines on board the Ocean's Blood made their way back to the Endeavour via the various other planks as well, and it was not long before said planks were being gathered up and pulled away from the smaller pirate-hunter's ship, and placed neatly in their assigned places. Beckett, meanwhile, made a bee-line directly for his office, arriving at the door just as Lieutenant Greitzer did from another direction, a tray bearing a pot of tea and several cups sitting serenely in his hands. Standing back to allow Beckett to enter first, followed by Mercer, Greitzer then made his way into the office with the two superiors to find, as they did, Jack Sparrow stood inside awaiting them. His eyes fixed upon the pirate, who had surprisingly left the office thus far unmolested, Beckett gave a short wave of his hand in Greitzer's vague direction, beckoning for the officer to set the tray down on a nearby table, before arching an eyebrow slightly at Sparrow and asking in a courteous voice, "Tea, Jack?" Regardless of the pirate's response, Beckett made his way over to the small table bearing the tea-tray and, having waved off Greitzer dismissively and sending the visibly disgruntled lieutenant out of the office, lifted the teapot up and poured a single cup of the finest tea around, before placing the china cup on a fine matching saucer and holding it up in a true gentlemanly fashion and turning to face Sparrow once more. A sip was taken from the tea before it was deemed unsweet, and Beckett made a quick adjustment of adding a small sugar-lump to the drink, before taking a second sip and deciding that it was indeed perfect. Now content with his beverage, the Chairman of the East India Company glanced briefly towards Mercer, before gesturing towards the clerk for Sparrow's benefit, the cup and saucer resting in his other hand as he did so and said, "Mr Mercer tells me that you and Master McAllister had something of a hostile relationship down in the brig. Certainly seems unlike you to get your own hands dirty, Jack, even with a boy," Another brief pause dedicated to tea-drinking, before he added, "A shame, really. I always saw you as a man of manipulation. Of cunning. Even of, dare I say it, intelligence. If I'm honest, I could go as far as to admit you to be the only man other than myself that I have ever encountered who has truly grasped the benefits to be gained from having others do our bidding for us. Yet here you are, your knuckles bruising from beating a child - a bitter disappointment, as always." Lord Beckett then allowed another pause, before looking at Mercer and giving a short nod and sending the clerk to wait outside, and then turning his attention back to his prisoner and continuing, "I wonder why you would choose to lose your temper, to fall to the level of violent drunkards and scum, over a mere boy? Would it be, by any chance, because you know that you have finally lost? That you, Captain Jack Sparrow, have finally found yourself outnumbered, outmaneuvered and, of course, outmatched?" Beckett's tone then grew back to a normal volume as he turned his back on the pirate and walked, tea in hand, towards one of the office's windows, which he stared out of as he continued in a more casual tone, "Of course, it was only a matter of time before you were finally brought before me. You must have known that, surely? The world is shrinking after all.....the blank edges of the map filled in.....you had a chance to find your place in this New World or perish, and yet here you are - your choice made." Beckett then turned to face Sparrow again, before adding in a far darker and more menacing tone, "Now give me the compass." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:08 PM Post #56 |
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Jack: "Tea, Jack?" I wouldn't be surprised if it was, thought Jack. The least Beckett could do was offer him a proper drink, as this was close to a last supper, if Beckett got his way. Jack glanced around and spotted some promising-looking carafes some distance to his right. Then he looked at Mercer. Jack would trust Beckett not to shoot him over grabbing a drink, but he wasn't sure that Mercer was that smart. Still, as long as Beckett was around to keep his lapdog in check... Jack casually began moving towards the carafes. "Yet here you are, your knuckles bruising from beating a child - a bitter disappointment, as always." Jack opened one of the carafes and sniffed at the opening. "I do try to be consistent," he said without even looking at Beckett. Jack was more vain, perhaps, than he cared to admit, but Beckett's insults fell flat, just because they came from Beckett; it was like a man who'd just cleaned out the stables calling another who'd just gutted some fish smelly. Jack paid little attention to the rest of Beckett's criticism; he knew how much the man enjoyed the sound of his own voice, and if Beckett wanted to wallow in his supposed victory, Jack was content to let him. It would merely make for a greater disappointment once they finally got down to business, and Jack couldn't in good conscience prevent Beckett's ego from getting the biggest kick in the tight-fitting breeches as possible. So Jack let Beckett talk while he discovered a glass and poured himself a drink. "Now give me the compass." Jack looked at Beckett, meeting his gaze. Then he looked away, his mouth twisting as if in embarrassment, and said: "Ah... I'm afraid that's going to be a bit of a problem. I would love to give you the compass, of course..." Jack looked back at Beckett, shaking his head apologetically. "... but I don't have it." Jack emptied the contents of his glass in one big gulp, and began pouring himself another drink. "I know where it is, of course," Jack hastened to add, hoping to keep Beckett from getting upset enough to do something stupid, "and it stands to reason that I'm the only one who knows where it is. So I'm afraid the best thing you can do is to let me go on my merry way once again, and hope you'll have better luck next time." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:10 PM Post #57 |
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Beckett: "Ah... I'm afraid that's going to be a bit of a problem. I would love to give you the compass, of course..." Beckett braced himself at this point, "... but I don't have it." The Chairman watched as the pirate helped himself to another drink, and could do nothing but curse Captain Morgan for not searching Sparrow as soon as he was apprehended, all whilst considering whether or not to shoot the pirate then and there. Deciding that it would not be at all a loss to do so, Beckett was about to call Mercer back inside the office to do the deed for him when suddenly Sparrow began speaking again, "I know where it is, of course," This was enough to halt Beckett ordering his immediate death, for it seemed as if Sparrow was about to propose some kind of deal, "and it stands to reason that I'm the only one who knows where it is. So I'm afraid the best thing you can do is to let me go on my merry way once again, and hope you'll have better luck next time." Not as beneficial a deal as Beckett might have hoped for, though it was enough for him to take a sip of his tea before replying to the pirate in his businesslike yet always half-casual voice, "I propose a counter-offer, Jack. You tell me where the compass is, and I will not have your own precious ship blown from the water where it currently rests in Tortuga harbour." Immediately after speaking, Beckett's mind began racing as he tried to come up with all the possible hiding places that Sparrow could have 'stashed' his compass between meeting McAllister and being pushed into this very office. Someone in a Tortugan tavern or brothel, where he was likely to have been found? Had it been left on the Pearl? Had he given it to McAllister? Such questions ran through the Chairman's mind, and all seemed more unlikely than the last. It was unlikely that McAllister had it, because after all, hadn't Mercer told Beckett about Sparrow beating the boy to a pulp in the cells? Yet, even as the Chairman thought of this, he realised how very un-Sparrowlike that was. Lord, he had even made a point of it being out of character for the pirate during his brief taunting of him! But no, Sparrow wouldn't have entrusted McAllister of all people with his precious compass would he? It would have been reckless, and a risk. Though admittedly McAllister was more likely to do as Sparrow wished than Beckett was, so perhaps the pirate had merely settled for the lesser of two potential evils? It sounded utterly preposterous to His Lordship, yet that alone was enough to begin to convince him that it sounded like something Sparrow would do. Regardless, the Chairman would have to wait for Sparrow's reply to his 'offer' before pursuing any further lines of inquiry. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:10 PM Post #58 |
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Jack: "I propose a counter-offer, Jack. You tell me where the compass is, and I will not have your own precious ship blown from the water where it currently rests in Tortuga harbour." "Is burning out of fashion nowadays then?" inquired Jack, not without a trace of venom. He didn't know if Beckett had ever taken a good look at the Black Pearl and had noticed the stunning similarities between it and the late Wicked Wench, but he doubted it. Either way, Jack made his point; Beckett had destroyed his ship once before, which had, instead of stopping him from being a nuisance, launched his brilliant (perhaps 'unique' was a better word) career in pirating. There was no telling what might happen if Beckett destroyed the Pearl, but it would not constitute a definite victory over Jack. Jack leaned back against the table with the carafes and stared at his drink, twirling the glass in his hand. "I don't much care for that offer, and neither should you. What if the compass is on the Pearl, and the two go down together?" He looked at Beckett again. "Not that I'd pick so obvious a hiding place, of course - but do you really want to take that risk?" Jack was almost beginning to enjoy himself; the sherry may have had something to do with that. (It wasn't Jack's favourite, but the end justified the means.) And while Jack generally got no abnormal pleasure out of making people do what he wanted, when it came to people like Beckett, who always got what they wanted, by bribe or bludgeon, Jack did like it just a little more than he should. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:10 PM Post #59 |
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Beckett: "Is burning out of fashion nowadays then?" Such words prompted a brief hum of amusement to emanate from Beckett's features, which remained in a slight smile - though in now way did it give an ounce of warmth. The Chairman did, of course, remember very clearly the sight of Sparrow's old vessel, the Wicked Wench, burning at his command when the damned man, then an employee of the East India Company, went directly against Beckett's own orders and freed a shipment of slaves that he had been instructed to transport to the New World. As far as Beckett had been concerned, it was not in the Company's interest to do anything other than burn his ship and dismiss him from duty, though if at the time he had known the amount of trouble Sparrow would then go on to cause, then Beckett might have considered alternative forms of punishment for his former employee. Such as an execution, perhaps. "I would hate you to think I was being bland and repetitive when it came to making your life a misery, Jack." Was all the Chairman would say in reply as he drained the remaining tea in his china cup and set the crockery down on the table which bore the tray it had been brought in on. "I don't much care for that offer, and neither should you. What if the compass is on the Pearl, and the two go down together?" Sparrow went on to say, and Beckett found himself broadening his smile just ever so slightly as he turned away from the tray to face the pirate directly, who then added, "And you would be willing to stand by and watch me send your two most precious obsessions to the bottom of Tortuga harbour, would you? You wouldn't make one of your far-fetched attempts to defy the Company and rescue your darling ship and your even more valuable compass?" Admittedly, Beckett was doing something that went against the principles of good business - he was revealing to his 'business associate' that what he possessed was greatly desired by the Chairman, yet he decided it did not matter much considering that Sparrow wasn't so much an associate as he was a prisoner. "Not that I'd pick so obvious a hiding place, of course - but do you really want to take that risk?" "Of course not," Beckett replied curtly, "You know me, Jack, I usually only act upon facts and certainties....yet, here I am, following the testimony of a mere cabin boy, travelling on a single ship to the worst pirate haven in the Caribbean, and all so that I could benefit from the rare chance that you would be here at the appropriate time. Funny how men change to fit the situation isn't it?" "So let me tell you now, Jack - I am fully prepared to take 'the risk', because I know you. Have you forgotten exactly how many years I spent dealing with you? Your a stickler for possessions, just like any other pirate. You simply do not have the willpower to watch me destroy your entire world - your guide to what you want and your means of getting there - without revealing to me what I want to know." "Unless, of course, you believe you do have such willpower?" Beckett slowly placed a hand behind his back as he spoke, "In which case, you really would never reveal the compass' location to me, and so..." He pulled his hand away from his back and held it out towards Sparrow, a small pocket-sized pistol clutched in it as he added, "...why do I still need you alive?" |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:10 PM Post #60 |
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Jack: "You simply do not have the willpower to watch me destroy your entire world - your guide to what you want and your means of getting there - without revealing to me what I want to know." Jack thought it was funny that Beckett, of all people, would accuse him of being possessive. Well, perhaps 'funny' wasn't the word for it... Even from Beckett, who was undoubtably well-versed in cold and businesslike negotiations, Jack had expected a slightly more positive response to his suggestion. Beckett had made his ridiculous offer, and Jack had made his own, and then each should give in a little to the other; that was how these things went, wasn't it? Yet Beckett wasn't giving in at all, and Jack was beginning to wonder if Beckett knew something he didn't. Perhaps Beckett didn't really want the compass that much, having found something else that would serve his needs, and all this was staged just to make Jack squirm before his inevitable death? Perhaps Keegan really was secretly on Beckett's side, and he had already given Beckett the compass after Jack had been dragged below? No, both of those ideas were ridiculous... but somehow something was definitely wrong. The fact that Jack couldn't figure out what it was probably made it seem worse than it was, though. At least, Jack was clinging to that hope. "... why do I still need you alive?" Well, there could be little worse than this. Jack looked displeased at the little pistol Beckett had produced, trying to disguise his very healthy fear of the object in question with annoyance. He cleared his throat. "Because you desperately want the compass, or you wouldn't have come all this way on the barest of leads, as you so observantly pointed out. And I am still your only way to said compass, whether you like it or not." Jack quickly held up a hand to stop any forthcoming comments concerning his last words. "And I know you don't. Now, what I don't like, is being held captive, likely to be killed. Funny thing is..." Jack raised his drink, letting it move through the air casually with his always moving hands, the archetype of calm self-confidence once again. "I can help you with your little problem, and you can help me with mine. So why don't we dispense with the threats, and talk business? You have nothing to gain from killing me - apart from a momentary gratification, perhaps. Besides, as I recall, you were extolling the virtues of not doing your own dirty work not so long ago." It was the world turned upside down; the chairman of the EIC resorting to violence, while a pirate pleaded to keep things businesslike. Looking at it like that, Jack's plea was an insult of sorts to Beckett, though that was not how Jack intended it. He was simply trying to stay alive - and still feeling that he was not completely getting through to Beckett, whatever the reason. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:17 PM Post #61 |
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Another page of posts was lost! These were rather important too. Either way, after Jack and Beckett stopped talking they went back out and it was finally suspected Keegan had the compass on him, so they were about to search him. Keegan took out an old apple and tossed it overboard before anyone realized what it actually was, so everyone thought he'd tossed the compass. Jack then took out a knife and threatened Beckett with it, who told everyone to go below deck. They did. Mercer didn't like this one bit and then dragged Keegan back up, putting a gun against his head. Jack showed no signs of remorse but there was enough of a window that Beckett got out of his grasp and Jack was recaptured. He was on his way to being taken below, and then Keegan was pegged for a flogging. Grietzer, one of Beckett's men, didn't like this turn of events and walked into the "line of fire" as it were, catching the whip on his face. Jack: After Jack's little speech, Beckett continued to stare at him, and with every second that went by, Jack's hope of success increased. Unfortunately, his hope proved false, as Beckett had him dragged off without so much as a word. Jack didn't look at Keegan; Beckett's preposterous idea that he truly cared for the boy shouldn't get any support. Moreover, he didn't know what Keegan himself had thought of his plea - not very much, most likely - and he didn't want to know. There was no point in looking at the boy anyway; the next time Jack saw him, he wouldn't be the same. "No, Mercer, no!" Jack looked over his shoulder to try and see what was going on. He got a glance of a bloodied face, but nothing more; then the man fell, and men swarmed about him, blocking Jack's view. The marines holding him were not as distracted as before either, perhaps afraid to get flogged themselves after the sight of blood - or perhaps the sense of battle that the blood gave them reinforced their 'us against them' mentality, Jack being very much 'them'. Then Keegan was being led to the brig, and the marines with Jack followed, reminded of their duty. The marines had hardly left before the boy collapsed to the floor. It made Jack feel very awkward. Surely Keegan should be happy to have avoided punishment? Or he should... do something else that wouldn't make Jack feel awkward. Jack sighed softly as he sat down on the bench, ignoring Keegan as best he could. He might have said something, but he wasn't sure what to say. What had just happened - well, that was simply the way the world was, wasn't it? If Keegan didn't know that before, he knew it now, and for Jack to point it out wouldn't make anything any better. And so Jack left Keegan to his own devices for a while, letting him come to grips with everything himself, while Jack leaned back and thought about his own affairs. After a while, however, Jack had had more than enough of pondering his fate, and the continued silence began to get on his nerves. Keegan was just lying there, which didn't improve matters; if not for his breathing, Jack might have thought him dead. At least he wasn't shaking anymore, which was presumably a good thing. "Feeling better?" asked Jack conversationally. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:17 PM Post #62 |
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Keegan: "Feeling better?" Keegan started. His body flinched at the sudden sound that had intruded upon the silence of the cells. For a moment or two he wondered if he'd fallen asleep at all. Now that they were guaranteed not to be looked at until they arrived in Port Royal, Keegan's body had easily lapsed into exhaustion once he let himself fall on the floor. However he doubted he actually did fall asleep, but Jack had startled him nonetheless. He slowly blinked his eyes and then reached out to latch his hands onto the overturned bucket. With a deep grating sound he dragged it from under the shadows of the bench and wrapped his arm around it. He hugged it against his arm like a precious doll, silent and still for a few moments, his head still on the floor. Then he hauled himself to his feet, stumbling a little as the ship rocked and the events of the day weighed upon his nerves. "I can't believe you did that," he grumbled. His voice was hoarse and thick from the effort it had taken to hold his earlier emotions. He turned his back on Jack and used his foot to push the bucket to the other side of the cell. He hadn't turned it over yet, and he could hear the compass rattling against the wood. "I can't believe you threatened Beckett. Can't believe you were gonna leave me. How stupid can a man get," he muttered rhetorically. He leaned over and picked up the bucket, scooping the compass into it. For a few moments he was perfectly still, the bucket and its precious cargo held close against his chest. He stared at the compass and wondered if he should really give it back. If he wanted to he could hide it further, put it back in his shirt, take it to Port Royal and use it as his own bargaining chip. Perhaps give it to Norrington, apologize for taking it in the first place. Or maybe he'd just keep it. But then another feeling came over him. He was tired. He didn't want to deal with the compass anymore. He didn't want to deal with Beckett or Sparrow or even Norrington anymore. He wanted it to be over with. He wanted to go home, see his family and friends, go back to how it all used to be. Of course it could never be that way, not with Beckett around. He would probably always hold this over the boy's head as a means of coercion. If Keegan kept the compass, there was no way to get out of it. And he just wanted out. Then the close calls of the day repeated in his mind. The ship lurched again, and he stumbled sideways. He would probably never be out. Not completely. With a frustrated exclamation that was far too loud for their tiny confines, Keegan whirled around and chucked the bucket at Jack as hard as he could. "JUST TAKE IT!" he screamed. "I don't want anything more to do with it! You take that damned thing and just...and...." He fell against the wall with a groan, his anger gone as soon as it had bubbled up. His hands snaked up to grab his hair and he crumpled on the floor again. This time he continued to sit up, his face buried in his knees and his hands pulling at his greasy black hair. He was so tired. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:19 PM Post #63 |
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Jack: Seeing Keegan moving was somewhat reassuring. Seeing him drag a bucket nearer, however, was not. Jack's face couldn't hide his disgust - the boy wasn't going to throw up, was he? Not that the other uses that Keegan might have in mind for the bucket were more attractive... especially since the journey would take a few days, and Jack doubted that he'd be let out of the cell at any point. Eventually Keegan got up and kicked the bucket to the far side of the cell. No vomiting then, Jack decided; must be the other thing... There was a strange sound, but Jack didn't pay it much attention, focusing on Keegan instead; he wouldn't be surprised if the sound was simply the bucket falling apart. A leaky bucket... That was promising. "I can't believe you threatened Beckett. Can't believe you were gonna leave me. How stupid can a man get," he muttered rhetorically. Jack rolled his eyes. All the things he'd done after being captured, and the boy had to pick out that one event... Would he rather have turned pirate than be left behind? Jack doubted it. But he was not in the mood to justify his actions to a petulant little boy. If Keegan had to let out his frustrations, so be it - but if he intended to keep it up throughout the voyage, Jack was going to give him a piece of his mind sooner rather than later. Suddenly the bucket came flying towards him, and Jack was only just able to catch it, arms clutching it against his body. Jack was about to start shouting at Keegan concerning what the blazes he thought he was doing throwing hard objects at his one and only ally (or sorts) - and a bucket, of all things! Who knew what it had contained and might still -... Jack's eyes drifted to the inside of the bucket, finding a very familiar pattern of light lines in the darkness, and promptly widened to about twice their normal size. He looked up at Keegan, completely speechless. "JUST TAKE IT!" he screamed. "I don't want anything more to do with it! You take that damned thing and just...and...." Jack looked back at the compass, snatching it out of the bucket, which was quickly tossed aside. Jack opened the compass as if to make sure it was the real thing, and was immediately reassured. What on earth had the boy thrown overboard then? Well, that didn't matter... He still had the compass; that was what mattered. True, he wouldn't be able to use it in bargaining with Beckett anymore, but that had only been a game anyway; it wasn't like he'd ever have given Beckett the compass. And now Jack had it, more safely than ever, because Beckett and everyone else on the ship thought it was at the bottom of the ocean. At that thought, Jack glanced at the entrance to the brig; the last thing he needed was for anyone to see the compass. Standing up, he laboriously stuffed it down the front of his breeches. It was uncomfortable (not to mention cold), but things would have to go very strangely if anyone was going to find the compass there, least of all now that he and Keegan seemed more or less abandoned. Only after dealing with the compass did Jack realise he hadn't yet said anything to Keegan, and he looked at the boy to rectify that. "That was a brave thing you did, son..." Jack didn't think he'd ever said something like that before in his life - at least, not sincerely - but there was little else he could say. "Thank you." Jack was well aware that his thanks, after all that had happened, were unlikely to impress Keegan - and then he got an idea. He fiddled with his vest, putting a hand into the left pocket and poking a finger through a hole in the lining there to feel around in the space underneath. Not much later his hand appeared again, triumphantly holding up a silver coin before swooping forward, presenting it to Keegan. "This is for you. Take it and keep it." Jack pulled the coin back. "Keep it; do not spend it. Much like my compass, it is not exactly what it seems. It has the drawback of being slightly less useful, but the good thing is, no one knows its value - not even Beckett." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:19 PM Post #64 |
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Keegan: Keegan still had his head resting against his knees as Jack went about observing his compass. The boy wasn't clutching his hair anymore at least, and he had let his arms drop limply to the floor. His palms rested upwards and his feet were planted right beside each other. It wasn't a particularly balanced position, and as the ship rocked back and forth his body threatened to topple. "That was a brave thing you did, son...Thank you." His fingers twitched at the pirate's voice, and despite the exhaustion, his curiosity got the better of him. He looked up and rested his chin on his knees, staring blearily at the man across the cell. Keegan couldn't really tell the difference between Jack telling the truth and Jack lying, but at least the guy had enough sense to show some gratitude. A few irritable responses came to Keegan's mind as he stared at the pirate and watched him hide the compass again, but they died on his tongue. It wouldn't do to further drudge up the past when they still had a couple of days of solitude between them. So instead of snapping as his instincts and general nature wanted, he only grunted in response. Jack seemed perfectly content to have his compass back, and Keegan didn't expect anything more from him, but once again he was surprised. The pirate fumbled through his clothes and took out a silver coin. He offered it to Keegan, and the boy raised a doubtful brow. "This is for you. Take it and keep it." Jack pulled the coin back. "Keep it; do not spend it. Much like my compass, it is not exactly what it seems. It has the drawback of being slightly less useful, but the good thing is, no one knows its value - not even Beckett." Keegan blinked very slowly, then sat up straight and crossed his legs on the floor. He made no move to take the coin, but continued to stare at it curiously. The compass' strange effects had been real enough, and it was true Beckett sorely wanted it. He was more inclined to believe what Jack said, but only slightly. It was still just a coin, and not even an English coin, and not even one he could spend. How much "less useful" could it be from the heart's-desire-finding compass? Dubious but curious, Keegan drummed his fingers along his knee. "What is its value?" he murmured, looking up at Jack. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:19 PM Post #65 |
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Jack: "What is its value?" "Technically, eight reales." As Keegan didn't seem to want to take the coin just yet, Jack held it up to look at it himself. He knew a piece of eight as well as any pirate, of course; he wondered if this one really did what it was said to do. It was far from impossible - Jack had seen many things a lot stranger than that - but, as it had never been used, one just couldn't say for sure. No particularly bad things had happened to the Brethren in some time; the Court hadn't gathered for decades, nor was it likely to do so anytime soon. Frankly, Jack didn't care much whether it would ever reconvene; he wasn't planning to go if it did. It was all nonsense; pointless chatter about trifling affairs. Jack preferred handling things his own way, and he had to do enough bargaining for that in daily life; he didn't want to have to convince the most stubborn and stupid collection of pirate captains known to the world. Being a pirate lord was all well and good, but Jack didn't want to work to earn the position. Jack finally looked back at Keegan, deciding that his issues with the Brethren Court were probably academic: Barbossa was dead now - without a successor so far as anyone knew - and chances were strongly in favour of Hector not being the only one of the Pirate Lords to have gone that way. There might well not be a Court to gather. "Also, it's supposed to function as a warning signal of sorts, when the pirate community is in trouble." Jack held out the coin again, looking earnestly at Keegan; he had an idea of what the boy might say in response. "And if you think that what affects pirates doesn't affect you, I would like to take this opportunity to gently remind you of the past few days." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:19 PM Post #66 |
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Keegan: "Technically, eight reales." It took a few moments for this reply to process through Keegan's tired mind. He had been expecting a better answer than that, something else equally as supernatural and dramatic as the explanation of the compass. Perhaps the coin was a component of the compass in some way, or a piece of fantastic treasure, or some other kind of mumbo jumbo. Instead he got its actual value, and he didn't appreciate the joke once he realized it. He snorted through his nose, glowering. "Also, it's supposed to function as a warning signal of sorts, when the pirate community is in trouble." Jack held out the coin again. "And if you think that what affects pirates doesn't affect you, I would like to take this opportunity to gently remind you of the past few days." Keegan had been on the verge of a rebuke after Jack first spoke, but it was strangled back as the pirate finished. The past few days had been rather hellish, and he knew now that he was entrenched more in the "pirate community" than he would have liked to admit. The entire thing had been accidental, and if Robin hadn't fallen into that sinkhole on the beach, Keegan's relationship with Jack would have never started. They wouldn't have had to save the younger boy, Jack wouldn't have been left alone with John, the dagger wouldn't have been stolen, and that would have been the end of it. It would have, but it wasn't. And now that Beckett had full knowledge of Keegan's involvement with pirates, it would probably never end at all. It was no use looking at what could have happened. There was only now, after everything had done. With a disgruntled huff Keegan reached out and snatched the coin from the pirate's hand. He looked at it curiously, twirling it around in his fingers and rubbing the emblem of Spanish royalty. It looked ordinary and worthless, like any other piece of eight would look to an English boy. How could this be a warning device? "I would think this would have gone off already," Keegan said blandly, flipping the coin in the air with his thumb and catching it again. "Beckett plans to get rid of every last pirate in the sea. I think your pirate community already is in trouble." He looked up with a guarded expression. "Why are you giving it to me?" |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:20 PM Post #67 |
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Jack: Jack experienced a strange sense of relief when Keegan took the coin from him. Could that be because he would no longer have to carry the responsibility himself? No, that was ridiculous. The gift would hopefully keep the boy relatively quiet for the duration of the voyage, that was all - and enough reason for relief it was. "I would think this would have gone off already," Keegan said blandly, flipping the coin in the air with his thumb and catching it again. "Beckett plans to get rid of every last pirate in the sea. I think your pirate community already is in trouble." "That sort of trouble is not exactly unique, mate..." Having completed the coin-giving ceremony, Jack sat down on the bench again, trying to find a way to slouch that didn't put his backbone into painful contact with the wood behind him. "As long as there have been pirates, there have been people trying to eradicate piracy. Many pirates have died. Many pirate hunters have as well. It's all in a day's work." Not that Beckett wasn't dedicated, but Jack doubted that he would do more damage than anyone else had so far. In fact, Jack sometimes entertained the notion that Beckett was only after pirates because he wanted Jack dead, and his intention of ridding the seas of all pirates was just an excuse that allowed him to hunt down Jack. There were good reasons why piracy persisted: it was the only career available to some, and it was (or could be) profitable for the pirates themselves - as well as to the inhabitants of certain ports that couldn't afford the taxes on imported items. Contraband sold well there, improving the economy, which in turn made the local government happy, and willing to let the pirates sell whatever they had to sell. It was a logical quasi-legal system, and a lot would be needed to change it. "Why are you giving it to me?" Jack considered the 'eternal gratitude' routine, but quickly dismissed it; he doubted that Keegan would fall for something so cliche. Still, the plain truth - that Jack had no use for the coin himself, and for all he knew it didn't work - wouldn't make the boy like him any better. A half-truth then; those tended to work better than pure lies anyway. "It seemed like a good idea at the time," Jack half-sighed, his fatigue not entirely feigned; so much had happened in the past few hours. "You did me a good turn, I give you something in return. However, if you don't appreciate my appreciation, you're more than welcome to give the coin back to me." |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:20 PM Post #68 |
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Keegan: "That sort of trouble is not exactly unique, mate...As long as there have been pirates, there have been people trying to eradicate piracy. Many pirates have died. Many pirate hunters have as well. It's all in a day's work." Keegan raised a brow as he supposed that was true. Pirates had been around for ages, probably since sailing began, in one form or another. Then there were always those who sought to bring those pirates to justice. Once upon a time, Keegan was supposed to be one of those people, but things had changed. Everything wasn't black and white anymore; there was no clear delineation between right and wrong. It was harder to understand where he was supposed to look to when things got complicated. Under normal circumstances he would have guessed Beckett, but Beckett had done so many "wrong" things that Keegan found himself looking more toward a pirate for assistance. But the pirate did just as many "wrong" things as Beckett, and was just as untrustworthy. The more Keegan thought about it the more he was surprised he'd gotten through everything alive. Though a lot of his journey had been made up of near-misses. Almost getting stabbed, shot, and flogged. The biggest injury he'd sustained was one he asked Jack to give him. He reached up to touch his cheek, his eyes narrowing as he pressed against the bruise there from the punch. He found it terribly ironic. Then his mind snapped back to the issue at hand, and he looked down at the coin again. "It seemed like a good idea at the time," Jack half-sighed. "You did me a good turn, I give you something in return. However, if you don't appreciate my appreciation, you're more than welcome to give the coin back to me." Keegan scoffed, twiddling with the coin for lack of anything better to do. It still looked like an ordinary coin to him. He thought back to the answer Jack had given him before. "If pirates being hunted is a normal threat, then what would set off the coin?" he asked, hoping he could get some decent answers out of the pirate before he slipped away into sleep. Sleep was looking terribly good to Keegan also, but he was too curious to sleep now. He even sat up in earnest as he continued to barrage the pirate with questions. "What could be a bigger threat to pirates? And does it just sound automatically? Does it know the danger on its own? Like your compass knows things?" |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:20 PM Post #69 |
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Jack: "If pirates being hunted is a normal threat, then what would set off the coin?" Jack had been afraid of that question. He considered taking the coin back, just to avoid explaining how it worked, but it was a little late for that. One hand slipped down to feel the compass in its new hiding place, as if to reassure Jack that he wasn't about to put himself through the gruesome act of explaining the workings of the coin for nothing. He had the compass, and as long as he kept on Keegan's good side the tiniest bit, the boy wouldn't go crying to Beckett, and Jack would be able to keep the compass. It would only be a few days... "What could be a bigger threat to pirates? And does it just sound automatically? Does it know the danger on its own? Like your compass knows things?" "No," said Jack firmly. That was the easy part. The rest of his answer was stated with considerably less conviction. "You're supposed to sing to it." Jack tried to hide how ridiculous the concept sounded to even himself, but he wasn't doing a good job at it. An unhappy, almost embarrassed expression flashed over his face, and he refused to look at Keegan; he didn't want to see the boy's reaction. "There is a song," continued Jack, trying to swallow his embarrassment and get through this awkward moment already, "which, if enough people sing it to one of nine such special coins, will be carried by said coin to all the other ones, thus warning the pirates who own them." Or, in your case, the annoying little whelp who owns it, added Jack privately. It was funny; he could have given this explanation to any adult without being the least bit worried about how daft it made him seem. In fact, he would have been happy to add dramatic examples from a mythical past, and generally embellish it a little. Why it should be different with a mere child, Jack couldn't figure out - but it was. |
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| Aztec Gold | 20 Dec 2007, 07:20 PM Post #70 |
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Keegan: "No," said Jack firmly. "You're supposed to sing to it." That was not an answer Keegan had been expecting. He could swallow the idea that touching or rubbing or flicking the coin a certain way would set it off. He could even accept the idea that it just did it on its own. The idea that he was to sing to it, this little silver Spanish coin, made him laugh the slightest bit. However he said nothing, and hoped that Jack would explain a little more. "There is a song," continued Jack, "which, if enough people sing it to one of nine such special coins, will be carried by said coin to all the other ones, thus warning the pirates who own them." Keegan couldn't help but notice that Jack refused to meet his eyes. He looked rather flustered, all his swaggering confidence gone. Was he lying? Keegan had lied enough to know the obvious signs of the act, one of which was refusing to look the person you were lying to in the face. But through Keegan's entire acquaintance with this pirate, he'd never seen him act so strangely. He knew he'd been lied to numerous times, so perhaps Jack's odd behavior was from actually telling the truth. At first Keegan wondered if he'd been lied to so he would sing at the coin and Jack would laugh at him, but if the pirate meant to be malicious, he would probably be more serious about it. He took a deep breath and leaned against the wall behind him, twirling the coin around and around in his fingers. "So it's like a relay beacon. One sets off another, sets off another, and so on," he murmured calmly. Curious as he was to learn this special song, the ramifications of it dwelled foremost in his head. "So...if I were to sing this song, or get enough people to sing the song, and the coin reacts and sends a signal to the other coins, what happens? The pirates who have those coins, what do they do?" He looked up at Jack, tilting his head to the side as he continued twirling the coin. In the back of his mind he wondered what Jack was going to do. The coin seemed valuable enough to keep with him. He was the cowardly type for the most part, so Keegan was surprised he wouldn't keep any sort of contraption with him that would help keep him safe. |
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