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| Return Triumphant | |
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| Topic Started: 16 May 2008, 08:24 PM (615 Views) | |
| Jack | 16 May 2008, 08:24 PM Post #1 |
selfish desire cloaked in romantic fictions
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Getting aboard the merchant ship in Port Royal had been easy enough, as had purchasing passage. Jack, who had taken possession of the purse for the occasion - after all, it would have been weird if Keegan had paid - had ended up paying the captain just a little more than reasonable, yet not so much that it was suspicious. He had been very careful to make the price a result of his clumsy negotiation technique, finishing with a seemingly pointless demand, born from frustration, that he only pay half now, the rest upon arrival. The captain, after verifying that all the money was indeed there, acquiesced to this strange vindictive whim of his passenger, and felt he had made a damn good bargain. Jack smirked the moment the captain's back was turned - and conveniently forgot to give Keegan back his purse. Aboard the ship, Keegan followed him like a homeless puppy - or that's how Jack felt, having to put up with the lad for so long. It was nice having a lackey, though; there was no denying that. Keegan wanted to be in Jack's crew, while Jack could take him or leave him. Jack rarely found himself in such a position of power, and he enjoyed it tremendously. He even did his best to keep his plans to himself, under the pretense (not entirely false, but mostly used for convenience) that if he talked about these things, they might be overheard. Well, he couldn't not take advantage of the possibilities that this new power balance offered, could he? Nothing was forever, nor would this last, and he would never forgive himself for not annoying Keegan while he had the chance. Everything was easy. Too easy. The first day it was nice enough just to be at sea (though the quality of the ship left something to be desired, in Jack's opinion), but after that things quickly went downhill - which might be an additional reason for his random quasi-cruelty to Keegan; after all, he had to do something. Fortunately, by day three, it was time for action. Water supplies were found to be tainted - and a good thing it was that Jack discovered them to be so. Now, there was the opportunity of going to Port-de-Paix and get new kegs of water cheap; refilling clearly wouldn't do the job if it only took three days for the water to become as bad as it was in the kegs they had. Bloody East India Company, eh? Never did know how to take care of the men who earned the big wigs their money. Having made port as planned, it was easy again to borrow a dingy in the middle of the night and and row it (well, have Keegan row it) away from its parent ship, out into the open ocean - but now Jack was not complaining about how easy it was anymore. He could practically smell Tortuga, and he was confident that the Pearl would be there waiting for him - or he tried to be confident, and he was managing well enough. Worrying was a man's last resort, and not much of a resort at that; it equalled giving up, plain and simple. Jack was pretty sure she would be there. It felt like she was. Jack was getting thirsty - watching Keegan row was exhausting, the way that boy was sweating - but it would be a few more hours before it would be all flowing rum and draping wenches. Which reminded him... He bent forward and shifted something, pulling away a tarpaulin to reveal the dingy's mast and sail. They were well out of sight now, so they could be as visible as they wanted if it helped them move faster. "Oy! Stop your lollygagging and help me put this up." ((Feel free to skip ahead to Tortuga. I just wanted to keep that thing with the sail in. And say 'lollygagging'.)) |
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| Keegan McAllister | 17 May 2008, 01:43 AM Post #2 |
Foot-in-Mouth Disease
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Keegan noticed Jack stealing his money, but figured it couldn't be helped. All throughout the journey he stuck close to the pirate, mostly in fear that the man might try to lose him. Then again there wasn't anywhere to go on the ship. Keegan could tell Jack was teasing him, messing with him whenever he got the chance. For once Keegan didn't bite back as much as usual. He was in Jack's service now, and one smart remark could get him stranded in the middle of nowhere. Jack was a horrible, despicable, snake in the grass, but he was better preferred over other pirates. Even over other people. As much as he hated the phrase, his fate was sealed by this point. Rowing the boat all the way to Tortuga was something he almost didn't tolerate. Jack waved the boy's request over his head once more, and Keegan angrily took up the oars. He hadn't realized how weak and out of shape he was until he was rowing for over an hour. With all the sprinting and running he'd been doing recently he thought he was all right, but this was torture. Not long after he started his arms were sore and each pull felt like fire going along his muscles. And of course Jack wasn't going to help at all. Keegan hoped he knew the direction they were going, since it was all he could do to keep moving forward, let alone steer. "Oy! Stop your lollygagging and help me put this up." Keegan let out a very hoarse grunt. "Lolly...!" he panted. "Yer not even...." He looked up at the pirate between his rattling gasps, and nearly fainted away when he saw the sail. A sail that would certainly help their movements, and perhaps prevent Keegan from dying at overexertion. The boy grit his teeth and struggled to take one of the oars out of its lock, perfectly prepared to whack the damned pirate. "You sonuva--gack!" He got the oar as high as his shoulder before falling backwards out of his seat. The oar rested on the side of the boat, and Keegan slipped it back into its lock, heaving great deep gasps. "Put it up your...bloody self!" he managed to croak from the floor of the boat. One way or another, they made it to Tortuga. Dawn was just beginning to break as they sailed into the little port. Keegan, who had managed to rest during their sail, looked at the boats and buildings with dread. He never thought he'd be back there again, let alone of his own volition. At least his parents didn't know, though John probably suspected Keegan wasn't going to Boston. And then if he ever showed up again, he'd probably have to explain everything anyway. Plus they expected letters. That was going to be a pain. Keegan jumped onto a small dock made for little boats and tied the dingy. He looked around again at the buildings and ships and let out a sigh. It was almost peaceful in the dawning light. There were few people around, but those that were were cleary drunkards. Everyone looked rough and dangerous. Only the few women peddling their "wares" looked any friendly. "I can't believe we made it," he muttered, reaching down to pull his bag from the boat. |
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| Jack | 18 May 2008, 09:57 PM Post #3 |
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selfish desire cloaked in romantic fictions
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"I can't believe we made it." "Of course we did," said Jack. He wasn't as ecstatic about it as one might expect - the downside of presuming success being that one is never pleasantly surprised - and what happiness there was, was hidden. Couldn't seem surprised at his own success, now, could he? It had been a given from the start that everything would work out. Was there even the slightest chance that Captain Jack Sparrow would not have escaped from a Port Royal cell yet another time? Of course not. Nor indeed should there have been any doubt that he would get his ship back - but Jack couldn't help feeling at least a little relieved and glad on that account. He'd seen her already and had considered going there direct, but decided against it. There'd be more mystery if he simply came walking aboard, and it would probably make for more positive stories as well. Maybe he could hint that one of the town's resident ladies had simply refused to let him go. While Keegan tied up the boat, Jack halfheartedly furled the sail. There was little point in doing it with care; he wouldn't be using the boat again, and he wasn't out to leave things in perfect order for its next owner. Hopping onto the dock, Jack nearly stepped on Keegan's hands as the boy retrieved his bag. Jack pretended not to notice, and continued ignoring the boy as he began walking along the docks to where he had seen the Pearl. If Keegan still wanted to be in Jack's crew, he'd just have to follow. There were a few crewmen up and about, which reassured Jack that his crew didn't consist of complete idiots; they could indeed manage on their own - for short periods of time, of course. Confusion reigned as he stepped aboard, the first sound made by Cotton's parrot as it exclaimed: "Shiver me timbers!" "Captain!" added another sailor. "Where -" "Where is Mr. Gibbs?" interrupted Jack, not having any intentions of explaining his absence just yet, if ever. It would be far more interesting to see what the crew would come up with first. "Gone ashore, Sir." Jack groaned. That figured. Well, he supposed he could see the man later. It wasn't as if there was any urgent business to discuss, though they'd need to get a new venture underway in a few days; the crew would be running out of money at this point, and one had to keep them entertained to keep them around. Jack felt the weight of Keegan's purse. He'd have to work hard if he wanted to spend all that money so soon, but a few options came to mind. With the ghost of a smirk on his face, he turned to head to his cabin, to his desk and his cot and to rum - but suddenly Keegan was in his path. "Oh," Jack said. He had almost forgotten about the boy. "You... go find me some food and bring it to me cabin." |
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| Keegan McAllister | 19 May 2008, 09:39 PM Post #4 |
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Foot-in-Mouth Disease
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"Of course we did," said Jack. Keegan decided to save himself the effort of glaring at Jack's presumptuous comment and just sighed instead. He was just going to have to bear whatever the pirate threw at him. He'd already had a good taste of it on the voyage over, and a lifetime of teasing from older siblings had prepared him for anything Jack might try to taunt him with. Still, his sisters were a lot less...piratey, and they did care about him. Jack couldn't care less. He barely resisted saying anything when Jack's boot missed his pinky finger by half an inch, and he barely resisted saying anything when he followed the pirate along the docks toward a big black ship. By the time he reached the ship he was ready to say something. Unfortunately the first thing to come out of his mouth wasn't a real word. "Shiver me timbers!" "Ah!" Keegan gasped, jerking away from the strange voice. He quickly noticed the bird sitting on one of the men's shoulder. A pirate with a parrot? All things considered, Keegan felt he should have expected that. Was there someone on there with a peg leg? He grimaced at the bird that scared him and turned his attention to Jack as he asked about someone named Gibbs. He wondered who that was....An officer? Or as much of an officer as a pirate ship gets, he supposed. "Oh," Jack said. "You... go find me some food and bring it to me cabin." Keegan pressed his lips together to prevent some kind of retort and wordlessly ambled away. For all his land-based adventures, he knew his way around ships, though each one tended to be different in different ways. Not to mention he was used to Navy ships, which were polished and organized and clean. The Pearl, for all its name implied, was not that pretty. Keegan checked for his dagger as he moved about the ship, and came across different people. Jack certainly had a colorful crew. They all looked at Keegan in confusion, but didn't bother him. When he finally reached the galley saw a man lazing in a chair asleep. He looked fairly grungy for a cook, but Keegan supposed that was what he was anyway. He'd have to inspect his food carefully before eating it. The boy quietly ambled in and scrounged around for something to eat. He was pretty hungry too, especially after all the blasted rowing Jack had made him do. After searching he managed to dig up some biscuits and apples. They looked all right, surprisingly. Keegan guessed the ship must have restocked recently, perhaps before Jack's kidnapping. They might have to restock again before...leaving. He inspected one of the apples and forced thoughts of home from his mind. He didn't want to think about the people he'd left behind, and the state of the town. Things would be all right in the end. He let out a sigh and began to leave the galley when the cook let out a grunt and stopped him. "Who're you?" he slurred. Keegan wondered if he would attack, but the man was barely lifting his head. He didn't appear confrontational, just confused. Keegan figured most of the crew was permanently confused. "A new crew member," Keegan grumbled. "Sparrow brought me." The man blinked. "The cap'n brought ye? He's back? How?" Keegan turned and ambled out of the galley. "Mermaids," he said with a wave of his arm. Once finding the main deck again Keegan wandered toward the captain's door. His arms were full of food but he managed to finagle the door open and stepped inside. He paused for a moment to look around. There was a lot of stuff cluttering the cabin, another blatant difference between the Pearl and the Dauntless. He placed the food on a table and began scarfing down a biscuit. It wasn't terribly appetizing, but his hunger was beyond the capacity to taste right then. He took a moment to breathe and ask a question. "Who's Gibbs?" |
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| Jack | 21 May 2008, 06:44 PM Post #5 |
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selfish desire cloaked in romantic fictions
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The cabin was just as Jack had left it - and a good thing that was too, because had anyone decided to take up residence there, even temporarily, they'd find themselves marooned. Granted, that was not much punishment if it happened in a place like Tortuga - but it was the thought that counted. Not even the maps on the desk seemed to have been moved, which suggested that the Pearl hadn't strayed far before returning to Tortuga, waiting for her captain. Jack ran his fingers along the edges of the maps, thinking. No, this was not the time for new ideas. He had to eat, drink, and preferably be merry. He had just escaped a nasty fate yet again, after all; planning new ventures could wait a while. Jack sat down, putting his feet on the desk. For now, it was enough to enjoy being back. Keegan entered with some food. After putting it down, he stole a biscuit before Jack had so much as touched anything. Jack gave Keegan a scathing look. Was this not the food that he had especially ordered for himself? Well, he supposed he had to feed the boy anyway, now that he was part of the crew. He would teach him to eat with the rest of the crew, but that could wait. Jack was a little surprised that Keegan hadn't abandoned his company the first chance he got, though. Clearly the boy was still frightened of this new, improved life he was to lead. Jack couldn't decide whether he was disappointed or pleased. Returning his attention to the food, he chose an apple for himself, just to be different. "Who's Gibbs?" "My first mate. He was running things in my absense," Jack explained, as if being captured had been part of his plan - whatever that was. He took a bite from his apple, munching thoughtfully. Truth be told, Gibbs did a good deal of running things when Jack was present as well. But that was part of a plan: the plan of Jack doing only what he wanted to do. It was probably his best plan to date; not the most successful, but yielding reasonable results in the long run. "Fine man he is, too. Brilliant sailor, years of experience. Unparallelled navigational skills." Jack bit into his apple again, then raised it with a 'hmm' when something occurred to him. "Served a stint in the Navy once - you two'll get along famously." Jack had no idea why he was praising Gibbs so highly, but it was something to do, and for some reason it amused him. He hadn't forgotten, though, that Gibbs could be back at any moment, at which point Keegan would probably be somewhat unimpressed after hearing Jack's stories. Maybe that was the point, then: seeing how far he could warp Keegan's opinion of a man he hadn't even met yet. Either way, he was happy to run with the idea. Perhaps some heroic stories just likely enough to make Keegan wonder if they might not be real after all... |
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| Joshamee Gibbs | 29 Jun 2008, 03:29 AM Post #6 |
First Mate
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As soon as Gibbs set foot on the deck of the Pearl, he sensed a certain energy in the air that hadn't been there before. He stopped and looked around for a moment to see if he could gauge the matter. In the evenings, his men were normally either working lackadaisically or asleep altogether, but for some reason, they were scurrying about the place as though they were tending to some urgent matter. "What's got you men a-clamorin' at such an hour?" he shouted. A voice came out of the rigging overhead belonging to a man that Gibbs couldn't quite identify in the dark. "It's the captain! He's here! Captain Sparrow's come back!" A burst of excitement shot through him. "I'll be damned, Sparrow's done it again!" he said out loud to no one in particular. But then he suddenly remembered the reason he had returned to the Pearl in the first place, instead of spending the night with his dear Eunice, and the smile quickly dropped from his face. If Jack was in fact a Pirate Lord as he once confided in Gibbs to be, then Gibbs just blew one of the best kept secrets in piratedom. And to a former Navy commodore, no less. He turned to Norrington and said nervously, "Looks like the Cap'n's decided t' call it a night, afterall. Maybe we shouldn't bother him 'til mornin'." |
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| James Norrington | 3 Jul 2008, 07:40 PM Post #7 |
Norrington, James Norrington
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"Looks like the Cap'n's decided t' call it a night, afterall. Maybe we shouldn't bother him 'til mornin'." Norrington raised his eyebrow, other than that movement keeping his face neutral. He'd come all this way just to wait more? And what was he supposed to do while he waiting? Sleep on the Pearl and pray that no one other than Gibbs recognised him and chose to put a knife in his back? What a wonderful idea. Of course, it had to be said that waiting might also prove to bear much fruitful results. If Sparrow was busy, it wouldn't be hard to believe that he might be more than a bit put off by Norrington's insistence to see him that night. Decisions, decisions...but assuming, hypothetical all this, that he really were on the run from the law, and did have reason to fear that the Navy or agents of the EIC were after him, what would be the most likely reaction? Fleeing for protection? And Sparrow, as inept as he was at staying out of custody, was at least a thorn in the side of Beckett, and thus someone who should be considered an ally. Hypothetically...and there were a lot of ifs in all this too, that made him feel more than a tad uneasy. "No thank you," Norrington said to Gibbs, "I'm afraid this can't wait. Either he speaks with me, or he throws me off his ship. I cannot afford to sit around idle. Not waiting for Gibbs reaction, he strode forward to the door of Sparrow's cabin and knocked on it. It was odd to stand aboard a ship and have to wait for another to grant permission to enter the cabin. Odder still not to see any scarlet-coated men standing by the door. No watch on duty as they would be on a Navy ship. Here it all seemed to just be a mess where anyone was able to do as they wished. It was a wonder that without such discipline ships were able to sail at all. Unfortunately though, they did. |
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| Keegan McAllister | 3 Jul 2008, 10:23 PM Post #8 |
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Foot-in-Mouth Disease
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"My first mate. He was running things in my absense. Fine man he is, too. Brilliant sailor, years of experience. Unparallelled navigational skills....Served a stint in the Navy once - you two'll get along famously." Keegan picked smushed biscuit pieces from between his teeth with a fingernail, sending Jack a dubious look. A man who had been in the Navy? He was sure there was a great deal of people who had once been in His Majesty's service who had defected to a seemingly simpler life. Keegan suspected Jack spoke with a hint of provocation, but he was probably just being paranoid. All the same, he was surprised Jack actually complimented his first mate. Now he just had to figure out whether or not to believe it all. He plucked an apple from the pile of food and began gnawing on it. His initial hunger was sated so he wasn't as voracious. Whoever Gibbs was, Keegan hoped he had a high tolerance for snappish children. He knew he was walking a thin line between (relative) safety and danger. It wouldn't take much for Jack to kick him off the ship. It probably wouldn't take anything at all. As much as Keegan disliked Jack and loathed the idea of the pirate being his boss, he would have to be a proper little cabin boy. And then there was a knock at the door. Keegan hesitated only a moment before stepping away from the table and walking over to the door. He was surprised someone had knocked, actually. Even if Jack was the captain, the ship wasn't exactly bursting with strict discipline. Keegan took another bite of his apple as he pulled open the door and looked at the man in front of him. Another degenerate pirate. Funny how they all started to look alike despite being all shapes and sizes and colors. "May I 'elp you?" he garbled around the apple in his mouth. |
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| Jack | 4 Jul 2008, 09:05 PM Post #9 |
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selfish desire cloaked in romantic fictions
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"Ah, that will be him now," Jack said when there was a knock at the door. It was a reasonable asssumption that it was Gibbs; few others would bother him so long as the Pearl was docked in Tortuga, and Gibbs would certainly want to speak to Jack. As it happened, Jack wanted to speak to Gibbs too. Keegan hadn't brought any rum, presumably unaware of where such treasure was hidden. Gibbs would need to enlighten him. Setting up that particular order (and not feeling like waiting for rum any longer - after all, he was only gathering strength before heading into town), Jack got up to retrieve his emergency bottle from its current hiding place. Not that he thought anyone would have the balls to steal his rum, but it wouldn't do to tempt fate. After picking up a small chest perched precariously on top of a larger one and putting it aside, Jack opened the larger chest and rummaged through the contents. Inside, there were a variety of garments, mostly for emergency and/or disguise purposes, all with good memories. A corset too, speaking of good memories; Jack would never forget that day when - Too soon, Jack's search came to an end. Finding the bottle, he lifted it triumphantly, only to find it remarkably light and transparent. Empty. His first instinct, naturally, was to blame Gibbs - but Gibbs didn't know about the bottle as far as Jack knew, nor about the hiding place, and even Gibbs was probably not so stupid as to put back an empty bottle... probably. Thinking back, Jack couldn't be sure he hadn't emptied the bottle himself. It made no sense to hide it after that, but then, with the whole bottle drunk... "May I 'elp you?" came Keegan's mumble from the door. Frustrated with the lack of rum, Jack set the empty bottle on the deck and gave it a push, causing it to topple and roll away, describing a perfect half circle around the desk as if Jack had planned it that way. Still bent over the chest, Jack unceremoniously dumped the clothes back into it, then closed it by kicking it just hard enough to make the lid fall back down. Figuring it was as well to threaten Gibbs a little on the off chance that he was responsible, Jack growled: "There had better be a reason why the rum is gone. Otherwise, I may as well go back to Port Royal and tell them to hang me properly for a change," he finished as he turned around. |
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| Joshamee Gibbs | 10 Jul 2008, 04:09 AM Post #10 |
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First Mate
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"No thank you," Norrington said to Gibbs, "I'm afraid this can't wait. Either he speaks with me, or he throws me off his ship. I cannot afford to sit around idle." "But Com...Norrington, he'll be very upset if y'..." but Gibbs trailed off there, realizing it was too late to try to stop him. Norrington had already knocked on Jack's door. He let out a moan that bordered on a whine and contorted his face in frustration before following behind him. The door opened momentarily, and although Gibbs couldn't quite see who was on the other side of it, it sounded nothing like Jack. "There had better be a reason why the rum is gone. Otherwise, I may as well go back to Port Royal and tell them to hang me properly for a change." That was Jack. Now Gibbs was more nervous than ever. He shoved his way past Norrington and some kid that was standing there to find his captain standing near a chest looking not at all pleased. Criminy, how he wished he had stuck with his original plan and gone to see Eunice. Perhaps he could change the subject. "Good t' see y' Cap'n! I see y' pulled one over on 'em again, ey? Wait 'til I tell everyone how y' escaped the clutches o' Beckett. Yer a legend, I tell y'!" He noticed the empty rum bottle on Jack's desk and tried to block his view of it by standing between it and Jack. Maybe he would forget about it. Out of sight, out of mind, afterall. |
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| James Norrington | 10 Jul 2008, 09:27 PM Post #11 |
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Norrington, James Norrington
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"May I 'elp you?" Norrington squinted as he looked at the boy. McAllister? What the devil was the boy doing here? Clearly he had not tired of spending time in the company of pirates, and went to the other side--just like Gibbs did once he was out. Of course, as far as anyone was concerned, that now made three of them in that position. And all had ended up on Sparrow's ship. That did sort of say something about Sparrow then, didn't it? Whether or not that was good or bad was not something Norrington knew. "There had better be a reason why the rum is gone. Otherwise, I may as well go back to Port Royal and tell them to hang me properly for a change." Norrington had to bite his tongue to keep from replying, 'I'd be happy to oblige, Sparrow.' If one was looking for information, threatening to assist a man with his hanging just didn't strike him as one of those comments that would be helpful to his cause. "Good t' see y' Cap'n! I see y' pulled one over on 'em again, ey? Wait 'til I tell everyone how y' escaped the clutches o' Beckett. Yer a legend, I tell y'!" Norrington rolled his eyes. There was only so much of this he was going to be able to put up with. If this entire reunion of sorts just turned into one spectacular 'praise Sparrow' fest, he was going to leave Tortuga and go seek his information elsewhere. He didn't want to be within a hundred miles of something like that. Whether or not he could acknowledge his employment status, he was not about to tarnish his reputation any further by playing to Sparrow's ego. Not unless he absolutely had to. Which, he had to admit, he would eventually have to do. But he wasn't going to until the very last possible moment. This seemed as good a moment to interrupt as any, "I'm surprised to see you in Sparrow's company once again, McAllister," Norrington said, turning to look at the boy, "I hope for your family's sake, that Lord Beckett doesn't know the company you are keeping." |
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| Keegan McAllister | 12 Jul 2008, 03:40 AM Post #12 |
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Foot-in-Mouth Disease
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Keegan had assumed that the grimy man in front of him was Gibbs, but when Jack had finished griping about the rum, another man, even more scraggly than the first, stepped into the room. Keegan moved away to let him in with a frown, then glanced at the other man as he took another bite of his apple. "Good t' see y' Cap'n! I see y' pulled one over on 'em again, ey? Wait 'til I tell everyone how y' escaped the clutches o' Beckett. Yer a legend, I tell y'!" The boy hastily swallowed his food and turned to point with his apple hand at the first mate. "I'm the one who got him out," he interjected. "If it weren't for me he'd be strung up dead with the rest of the pirates." He jutted his chin at Gibbs and Jack. He didn't want Jack to get a swelled head. More than it already was. Plus, since this was the first time he met Gibbs, he felt he should make an impression of some kind. Then the other man in the door spoke and made a far larger impression. "I'm surprised to see you in Sparrow's company once again, McAllister." Keegan paused in his apple munching and turned to stare at the strange man in front of him. McAllister? That version of his name sounded downright foreign. He hadn't heard it in several days. Jack didn't usually call him that (Jack didn't really call him anything ). The moments ticked by as Keegan stared at the man and studied whatever bit of his face he could clearly see. Then suddenly it all clicked. "I hope for your family's sake, that Lord Beckett doesn't know the company you are keeping." Funnily enough, the mention of Beckett from this man created such a surge of uncontrollable, and irrational, anger that Keegan's absolute shock at the commodore's sudden appearance completely drained away. His slack jawed expression snapped to a scowl, and it took all his self-control not to hurl his half-eaten apple at Norrington. "Beckett knows very well the company I keep," Keegan growled. "It's practically his fault I keep it!" He was silent for a few moments, then held up a pointing finger. "And yours, actually, you traitor, taking that bastard's side." He was quiet for another minute, too mad to form words into coherent sentences. Then another thing occurred to him. Norrington, the commodore, was there in Tortuga looking like every other pirate. The past few moments Keegan had seen him as the man had been before, specifically the last day he'd seen the man dressed up in his uniform, a day that ran through Keegan's mind several times a day. But here he was, looking like anything but a naval officer. Perhaps he was a former officer now? Keegan suddenly laughed in a very mean way. "Oh! How the mighty have fallen!" He turned away from Norrington and ambled over to the table he had placed the food on, chuckling all the way. "Fantastic..." ((lemme know if I need to edit, I'm not sure if that's too much....)) |
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| Jack | 13 Jul 2008, 10:34 PM Post #13 |
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selfish desire cloaked in romantic fictions
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Jack only got a glimpse of whoever was standing in the door, vague recollections of feelings associated with the man surfacing before Jack truly recognised him. Then Gibbs jumped in, interrupting Jack's chain of memories. "Good t' see y' Cap'n! I see y' pulled one over on 'em again, ey? Wait 'til I tell everyone how y' escaped the clutches o' Beckett. Yer a legend, I tell y'!" "I'm the one who got him out. If it weren't for me he'd be strung up dead with the rest of the pirates." "Nevermind my cocky new cabin boy," Jack said to Gibbs, glaring at Keegan's back. "He's not all there, but if he doesn't learn soon, he's fortunately highly replaceable." Jack had hoped for some sort of reaction from Keegan, maybe even an apology (all right, unlikely), but then the fourth person in the cabin spoke. Hearing that voice, Jack's eyes shot to the newcomer, confirming what he already knew. Norrington?! That certainly required a reaction, but Jack wasn't sure how to react. Was this a trick? Was the Navy at his doors - had they caught up with him already? No, they wouldn't risk sending Norrington ahead; an officer, especially one that high in rank, wasn't so easily sacrificed. But then, what on earth was Norrington doing here? It was most unsettling, and frankly felt like an invasion of personal space. Jack had just returned to his ship, to his cabin, and now one of his main antagonists was there, raining on his parade. Jack was prepared for the worst, but Norrington didn't speak to him, focusing instead on Keegan. That was odd... It should be insulting, perhaps, but it felt anything but. Something was wrong, uncomfortable; Norrington should have spoken to Jack first, no matter what his purpose was. Perhaps Norrington was as weirded out by the situation (whatever said situation was) as Jack, then. The thought was a pleasing one. "Oh! How the mighty have fallen!" "Don't tell me, Commodore, that young McAllister is right in his assumptions?" It was a rhetorical question; Keegan certainly seemed to be right. No uniform, no white wig... Norrington was meant to look out of office, if nothing else. "If you've come to invite me to return to Port Royal, I'm afraid I must decline. I have prior engagements." |
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| Joshamee Gibbs | 15 Jul 2008, 04:15 AM Post #14 |
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First Mate
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"I'm the one who got him out," he interjected. "If it weren't for me he'd be strung up dead with the rest of the pirates." "Nevermind my cocky new cabin boy. He's not all there, but if he doesn't learn soon, he's fortunately highly replaceable." Gibbs looked at the boy for the first time since he arrived. Had he not spoken up, Gibbs probably would have overlooked him altogether. But now he was suddenly very interested to know who this freckle-faced whelp was. If Jack wanted Gibbs to ignore him, then he had little doubt that what the boy said was true. And if Jack somehow felt obligated to take him aboard, it had to be a doozy of a story for sure. He was about to ask about it when Norrington spoke up. It seemed a little odd that he and the boy knew each other. It almost made Gibbs wonder if he should know him as well. He studied his face a little harder to find a spark of recognition, but none came. Then the boy said something that almost made Gibbs choke. "And yours, actually, you traitor, taking that bastard's side. Oh! How the mighty have fallen!" Gibbs' eyes grew wide as he looked at Norrington. "Y' sneaky son of a sea hag! You didn't mention anything 'bout joinin' Beckett," he said to him. He started to lunge toward him with his fists clenched when his captain spoke up. As usual, Jack was calmer about these things than he was. Gibbs had learned over the years that it usually worked out for the best that way, so he decided to back off and let Jack say his piece. But he didn't take his eyes off of Norrington for a second, making no secret that he would like nothing more than to take him down like a man. |
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| James Norrington | 15 Jul 2008, 04:28 PM Post #15 |
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Norrington, James Norrington
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"Beckett knows very well the company I keep. It's practically his fault I keep it!" Norrington was not entirely disbelieving of that statement--Beckett certainly had a way of making one keep company one would not normally keep, however...given Keegan's previous actions--theft of Royal Navy property (for that was what the compass was once it was seized from Sparrow), and assisting prisoners to escape, the boy certainly was not blameless in his situation. Everyone had a choice. "And yours, actually, you traitor, taking that bastard's side." Going on a roll, are we? Norrington shook his head, the boy was clearly in denial about his situation, and looking to cast blame everywhere he could. Like before--Keegan was not certainly all to blame for where he found himself, but the sooner he came to terms with his fault, the better it would be. Although...Norrington knew he certainly was not blameless in Keegan's position either--and not for the reasons Keegan would give. If he never had taken the lad as his cabin boy, then he never would have been in a position (hopefully) where he'd be of any value to Beckett. He could right now have been back home with his family, learning to run their store, or apprenticed, or something other than a fugitive from the law now, who named his allies as pirates. "I'm so sorry," Norrington said softly, his regret for the boy's position genuine. "Y' sneaky son of a sea hag! You didn't mention anything 'bout joinin' Beckett." And...there was a good reason not to apologise for something where others may read slightly more into it than there was. He stepped back, giving himself some room to maneuver should Gibbs follow through with his threatened attack. He certainly wasn't in the mood for fighting, but mood was for women. Men fought because they had to. "Oh! How the mighty have fallen!" Norrington stiffened, and dug his nails into his palms. He would not answer to that. Not because it was unhelpful now to engage in a verbal battle with a boy who was less than half his age, and also unbecoming of a gentleman (which he still considered himself, regardless of his present circumstances), but because it was true. And no less than he deserved. Of that he was convinced. "Don't tell me, Commodore, that young McAllister is right in his assumptions?" Of course, this would all have to be great fun for the tame pirate, wouldn't it? A chance to lord over him the loss of his position (no matter how temporary), and the humiliation that went with it. He might've just as well handed over a bucket of salt water for Sparrow to throw while he was at it. And now, between McAllister's dismissal of him, Gibbs' all too apparent rage for misleading him, which was completely justified, not that he should encourage that opinion, and Sparrow's measuring up, he didn't think that he could have managed to pick a worse place to try for information. It'd probably be best to simply take his leave of the Pearl and go back into Tortuga and hope that there was someone else who might know the information. But he doubted that that would even work. "If you've come to invite me to return to Port Royal, I'm afraid I must decline. I have prior engagements." "Do you think, that if I had any choice in the matter that I would choose to be here? That I'd willingly walk into the den of the same people that not a week ago I would have hung?" he looked at Sparrow, "you're cleverer than you let on, and you know full well what I risk even being here, so there'd have to be a good reason I'm here, wouldn't there be? And maybe in your time impersonating a Navy officer some of those Articles sunk into you. I'm sure you can put two and two together." He threw a quick glance at Gibbs before he continued, "Even if, apparently, some of your associates cannot, even when it is spelled out to them." (OOC--if there are any issues with any of this, I'll gladly edit) |
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| Keegan McAllister | 17 Jul 2008, 10:43 PM Post #16 |
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Foot-in-Mouth Disease
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"I'm so sorry," Norrington said softly. Keegan scoffed through his nose as he munched on his apple. "Bollocks," he muttered. At the same time, he couldn't stay angry at the man. He had admired him even before he joined the navy, and it was a hard feeling to just shove aside. However, he would be bitter and vindictive. He was good at that. "You're cleverer than you let on, and you know full well what I risk even being here, so there'd have to be a good reason I'm here, wouldn't there be? I'm sure you can put two and two together." Keegan turned around at the table and looked between the two men, his chewing slowed so he could hear. Articles? He couldn't recall them very well, if any at all. Rules were important, of course, but at the moment he couldn't find the connection between it and Norrington's appearance. "Even if, apparently, some of your associates cannot, even when it is spelled out to them." The boy glanced at Gibbs when the commodore did. Now that he thought of it, Gibbs had been the one to bring him to the ship. He even burst out an accusation when Keegan mentioned Norrington being in league with Beckett. It sounded like they had already talked beforehand. Keegan twirled the apple around in his hand. "I can't imagine he got you sacked," he mumbled, thinking. "I thought he needed you to help keep things in line with the navy. If you're not there, the town's gonna fall apart even further...." He stopped twirling the apple and suddenly realized what that meant. Norrington, despite his faults, was still a good person. He didn't resort to blackmail and threats to get things done. Beckett was the opposite. Things were already shaky at Port Royal, and Beckett could conceivably just...take over. The boy's face had lost all of its glower. Now he only stared at the half-eaten apple in worry. How was his family doing? He'd been gone a couple of days already. They would think he was on his way to Boston at that very moment (except perhaps John, who was more suspicious of Keegan, and rightfully so). How had things changed there in just those days? "How long have you been here?" Keegan asked, looking at the commodore. |
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| Jack | 19 Jul 2008, 11:23 PM Post #17 |
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selfish desire cloaked in romantic fictions
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Beckett... Jack had only just escaped the man, and already the name popped up again. And again. And even more negatively. Clearly Norrington was (or had been) a close ally of Beckett's, which did nothing to make Jack feel better about his sudden appearance. He might have suspected that Norrington had been sent to retrieve him, but it was highly unlikely that someone would have made it to Tortuga before Jack and Keegan. Unlikely - but not impossible. Either way, it was clear that, as Norrington said, he wouldn't be here without a good reason. The question was: what was that reason? When Norrington said that Jack was smarter than he made himself out to be, Jack's mouth curled ever so slightly, the smile not quite reaching his eyes. He couldn't decide whether to feel flattered or wary, but leant strongly towards the latter. Still, it was a refreshing change to meet someone who was almost as intelligent as himself. It would have been even better if said person wasn't after his head. Norrington had suggested that he wanted Jack hanged no longer, but it would take more than a surprise visit and assurances that were hardly worth the name to convince Jack of that. "And maybe in your time impersonating a Navy officer some of those Articles sunk into you. I'm sure you can put two and two together. Even if, apparently, some of your associates cannot, even when it is spelled out to them." "Arithmetic was never my strongest suit... Two and two doesn't make twenty-nine, does it?" Now there was an interesting mental image - not real, probably, but Jack didn't make a habit of letting reality get in his way. Frankly all Articles that he remembered (and those weren't that many, but they tended to agree with the law in most cases; pretty predictable), he couldn't for the life of him see Norrington breaking. Not that Jack would think less of Norrington if he had broken any Articles. Things probably happened on navy ships every day that according to the Articles should result in the death of the perpetrator - and not just the lesser 'crimes' either. Frankly, Jack didn't care what Norrington had done. What mattered was what he was doing now. "How long have you been here?" Keegan asked, looking at the commodore. A good question - but Jack had a better one. "And what exactly is this 'good reason' why you're aboard a ship full of pirates, the majority of whom would as soon keelhaul you as look at you?" Jack looked at Norrington hard, deliberately including himself in the murderous mob. He had no wish to see Norrington dead, but the man had some nerve showing up like this and presuming that Jack wouldn't kill him. It was almost an insult, but Jack wasn't truly offended; he wasn't the type who earned respect through fear, by hacking everyone in sight to pieces at the slightest incentive - but that didn't mean he wouldn't have Norrington thrown overboard if he didn't explain himself in a satisfying manner. After all, had the situation been reversed, Jack would be dangling from a gallows right about now. It was only fair. ((All right, you may kill me. Or you may try. Alternatively, I can always edit.)) |
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| Joshamee Gibbs | 24 Jul 2008, 04:14 AM Post #18 |
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First Mate
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"Do you think, that if I had any choice in the matter that I would choose to be here? [...] I'm sure you can put two and two together. Even if, apparently, some of your associates cannot, even when it is spelled out to them." Oh, Gibbs knew very well that Norrington had fallen from grace. His very appearance, as well as the "spelling out" in the tavern, was enough to tell him that. But Gibbs was wary of the man, all the same. He always saw him as one of those types that regardless of what position he held in life, he would always gravitate toward law, order and justice. It was just his way. So even though he was seeking help from pirates today, if given an opportunity, he could just as easily turn on them tomorrow. As a former member of the Royal Navy, this little meeting was dangerous enough. But in with Beckett? Now the stakes were too high. Gibbs had made a mess out of things this time, that was for sure. "I can't imagine he got you sacked. If you're not there, the town's gonna fall apart even further...." It was apparent on the boy's face that he had realized the gravity of the situation. Gibbs was also very aware of it. Without Norrington to stand between the Navy and the EIC, there was nothing left to stop Beckett from doing whatever he had a mind to do. Gibbs turned to the boy. "Looks like that dark day y' had was only the beginnin'. There'll be more of 'em ahead, you mark my words." Then he turned to Norrington again when Jack asked why he was there. He was very interested to hear the answer. |
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| James Norrington | 29 Jul 2008, 03:48 AM Post #19 |
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Norrington, James Norrington
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"Arithmetic was never my strongest suit... Two and two doesn't make twenty-nine, does it?" Norrington rolled his eyes. Of all the articles he could get in trouble for, of all the articles they had--that naturally had to come up. Not that it hadn't been violated--he knew of happenings going on on his ship that he had deliberately ignored. As long as the men were fit for duty, kept themselves fit for duty, reported for duty on time, and sober, didn't steal, kill, or cause trouble, then he didn't care what they chose to engage in below decks. ...as long as it wasn't with the animals. Of course, with Sparrow, that would have to be the first thing he thought of. Did Jack Sparrow ever think of anything other than drinking and sex? "Contrary to popular assumption, I'm not actually bedding my first lievtenant. I do hope that that satisfies your curiosity, Sparrow," he said, very much sarcastically. "I thought he needed you to help keep things in line with the navy. If you're not there, the town's gonna fall apart even further...." Keegan was using his mind, for once. An improvement. Now if only the lad would exercise it more, he may not end up as a pirate for the rest of his life. However, that still wasn't the two and two he wanted them to put together, though it was nice for once for people to appreciate the role that he played in Port Royale--the glorified peacekeeper, now between the Royal Navy and Company. He was sure that Gillette and Groves would manage fine in his absence and keep the men from getting at the throats of the Company's men or at least killing them...but with St Montgomery in charge they were going to have their hands full with him. There'd be little time to keep an eye on Beckett's dealings. "Looks like that dark day y' had was only the beginnin'. There'll be more of 'em ahead, you mark my words." Norrington looked at Gibbs strangely. He knew the man had a bit of a reputation for storytelling, and metaphors were all good and well with stories and poems, but what the devil did any of this have to do with current events? Yes, for himself he would definitely call it a dark day--one of the darkest and bleakest he's seen in years, decades even, but that was really today...not...too many days ago. He dismissed it from his mind quickly--there were other questions to be answered. "How long have you been here?" Keegan asked, and Norrington was about to answer when Sparrow hopped in with his own question. "And what exactly is this 'good reason' why you're aboard a ship full of pirates, the majority of whom would as soon keelhaul you as look at you?" Oh, that was it. Sparrow bloody well should have been able to put together two and two and figure out four, but no...either he had greatly overestimated the man's intelligence and what happened truly was a product of dumb luck, or the man knew full well, and chose to ask anyway if only to make the 'humiliation' all the more complete. Bastard. "Perhaps you remember the Interceptor?" Norrington said, his voice hard. He was unhappy, even with it all being a ruse that he had to abide by the lie anyway, "she was lost to pirates, destroyed. There are standard rules and procedures for instances such as that..." he trailed off, not wanted to finish it off with, 'that end with a trial that would decide whether or not I was at fault, but I fled it because I very well couldn't allow anyone else to take on the damned assignment.' Best that he didn't. |
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| Keegan McAllister | 30 Jul 2008, 12:19 AM Post #20 |
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Foot-in-Mouth Disease
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"Contrary to popular assumption, I'm not actually bedding my first lievtenant. I do hope that that satisfies your curiosity, Sparrow," he said. For a few moments Keegan was confused and a little disturbed. How in the world had this conversation taken such a drastic turn? He went over the interaction between Sparrow and Norrington in his head again, trying not to frown too much as he figured. Eventually he understood, was momentarily dumbstruck, then grimaced. Article 29? He remembered it now, but hadn't thought of it much while actually in service. Luckily, any sort of breech to its rule had never happened to him. Actually no one had ever placed a hand on him in any sort of peculiar manner.... Am I not cute anymore? he idly wondered. "Looks like that dark day y' had was only the beginnin'. There'll be more of 'em ahead, you mark my words." Keegan glanced up to look at the crusty old man. So this was Gibbs. The ex-Navy man himself, the one Jack had been gushing over minutes before. He had heard of the Dark Day in Port Royal? Well, it had been a couple of days, and no doubt tales of the event had wandered well beyond Jamaica. He would imagine superstitious pirates and sailors would be especially interested in the story. Still, Gibbs' premonition didn't bode well. Keegan turned to look at the ground with a frown. If there was going to be another Dark Day, he hoped it wouldn't be in Port Royal again. He wouldn't mind going through it again if it meant leaving the light for his family. He would even be willing to put up with Beckett. Perhaps it was time to start his nightly prayers again.... "And what exactly is this 'good reason' why you're aboard a ship full of pirates, the majority of whom would as soon keelhaul you as look at you?" "Perhaps you remember the Interceptor?" Norrington said, his voice hard. "She was lost to pirates, destroyed. There are standard rules and procedures for instances such as that..." Keegan looked up. The Interceptor? Keegan hadn't been in Norrington's employ at the time the Interceptor was stolen and destroyed, and had completely forgotten that it was Sparrow who had stolen and destroyed her. Norrington would have plenty of reason to be sore to the pirate right then, especially if the ship's ruin was the reason for Norrington's apparent discharge. He looked at the commodore with a furrowed brow. "They're just now punishing you for that? That happened a year ago..." He frowned again. "How long have you been here?" |
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| Jack | 2 Aug 2008, 09:48 PM Post #21 |
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selfish desire cloaked in romantic fictions
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"Contrary to popular assumption, I'm not actually bedding my first lievtenant. I do hope that that satisfies your curiosity, Sparrow." Jack gave Norrington a fake smile. "Completely." Which was probably more than could be said for the lieutenant's - or even Norrington's, perhaps. It was interesting that the Commodore - former Commodore, Jack corrected himself - admitted the existence of those rumours, especially to people who couldn't possibly know anything about them... "Perhaps you remember the Interceptor? She was lost to pirates, destroyed. There are standard rules and procedures for instances such as that..." "Ah," Jack said noncommittally. He had almost forgotten about that; he'd had bigger concerns when the Interceptor had been blown up. He supposed a court-martial made sense, but it was odd that Norrington would take the fall. From what Jack knew, Norrington was second only to the governor, locally, and the loss of the Interceptor could easily have been glossed over, or blamed on someone else - that lieutenant, for example. But then, Beckett was on the scene now. If Norrington had outlived his usefulness, this would be a convenient way to get rid of him. That about explained everything, though it didn't seem like Norrington to run... The man was just stupid enough to wait and suffer whatever was in store for him. Still, there could easily have been a reason for him to flee. After all, everyone had his fears. Jack was suddenly intrigued by what Norrington's fears might be, but that was as much because he knew it would be nigh impossible to find out as anything else. "That settles why you're on Tortuga then. What it does not, is tell me why you came to me." Jack glanced at Gibbs, who'd seemingly had something to do with it. Turning back to Norrington, he couldn't resist adding: "Perhaps I was mistaken, but I was under the impression that you didn't care for my company." |
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| Joshamee Gibbs | 9 Aug 2008, 11:35 AM Post #22 |
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First Mate
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"Perhaps you remember the Interceptor? She was lost to pirates, destroyed. There are standard rules and procedures for instances such as that..." Gibbs did remember the Interceptor. A fine ship she was. He chuckled quietly to himself. They sure made a mess of her. There was nothing left by the time Barbossa's men got hold of it. Then Gibbs remembered himself and wiped the smirk off of his face. He didn't want Norrington to think he was laughing at his current condition. He cleared his throat and listened in earnest to the rest of the conversation. "That settles why you're on Tortuga then. What it does not, is tell me why you came to me." The look Jack gave him made him uncomfortable all over again. To think, he had led a former commodore, who had been in with Beckett, no less, straight to Jack. And all over a couple of mugs of rum. One might think he wanted Jack to get caught again. Gibbs decided it would be best if he was the one who explained. It was always best to put his own spin on a situation when it didn't bode well for him. "Well, y' see, Jack. That would be my doin'. Norrington here was wonderin' about the Pirate Lords, and I said you might know somethin' about 'em. The man's just interested in an old sailor's myth is all, and wanted to hear it from someone who had some first-hand knowledge." In and effort to make light of the situation, he laughed somewhat nervously. "I suppose m' story tellin' ain't what it used to be." |
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| James Norrington | 11 Aug 2008, 12:11 AM Post #23 |
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Norrington, James Norrington
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"They're just now punishing you for that? That happened a year ago..." Norrington shot an annoyed glance at Keegan. He was full well aware of how long ago the Interceptor had been lost. It had been on his watch after all, and he had been there watching it as Sparrow and Turner sailed away on his boat. Besides, some sort of delay for a court martial was only to be expected. It had taken a while for the news of her loss to get to Heyworth, then on to England and the Lords of the Admiralty. And Norrington had not been in any sort of a rush to send the news of the lost Interceptor onto Kingston anyway. He had been quickly sidetracked by...other matters. Namely manning the Dauntless and dealing with pirates who wouldn't kindly give up and die. "How long have you been here?" "Long enough," he answered. "That settles why you're on Tortuga then. What it does not, is tell me why you came to me." Ah...Norrington had hoped that he would be able to bypass spelling out that answer to Sparrow. Or rather, having to come up with a convincing enough untruth that sounded plausible enough as an answer because simply coming out and saying, "Lord Beckett desires to know about the Pirate Lords and the Brethren Court, and if I don't tell him God only knows what he's going to do with my men," was not going to endear himself to the pirate. Not that he wanted to endear himself to the pirate, but you often had to do things you don't like to do. Whomever said that it built character, though, was dead wrong. And high up on his list of people who if they were presently alive, should not be in that state much longer. "Perhaps I was mistaken, but I was under the impression that you didn't care for my company." "'Don't,'" Norrington corrected, "I don't care for your company; Present tense." "Well, y' see, Jack. That would be my doin'. Norrington here was wonderin' about the Pirate Lords, and I said you might know somethin' about 'em. The man's just interested in an old sailor's myth is all, and wanted to hear it from someone who had some first-hand knowledge. I suppose m' story tellin' ain't what it used to be." That...was not helpful. Norrington backed up as slowly as he could during the speech hoping to not draw any further attention to himself. Now was starting to seem like a good time to bugger out and spend long weeks...or months trying to find another source from which he could procure the information he needed. "Amnesty," Norrington said quickly, "I must know who they are so that I might request amnesty from the Royal Navy and the British Empire," hoping that by confessing he was out to save himself that Sparrow might not question his motives or reasons for being here any further. (ooc -- hope that this is all right and works for everyone, if not I'll be happy to edit) |
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| Keegan McAllister | 13 Aug 2008, 11:17 PM Post #24 |
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Foot-in-Mouth Disease
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"Norrington here was wonderin' about the Pirate Lords, and I said you might know somethin' about 'em. The man's just interested in an old sailor's myth is all, and wanted to hear it from someone who had some first-hand knowledge." Keegan turned to stare at Gibbs. Pirate what? Who the devil were the Pirate Lords? That implied they were...organized or something. Pirates were just renegade sailors out for themselves without any loyalties to anyone but themselves and maybe the members of their ship. Keegan had heard stories about pirates sharing a "code" of conduct, a list of regulations and rules, but he doubted any of them actually followed it. He especially doubted Jack followed it. The pirate was comparatively harmless compared to other pirates, but Keegan knew he at least had a certain distaste for rules. But Gibbs also said it was some kind of myth. That would make more sense. Sailors told stories about rubbish all the time. "Pirate Lords" were probably just another ploy to appear powerful to their enemies, like Beckett. They weren't common enough for Keegan to have heard of them though. At least not in recent memory. "Amnesty," Norrington said quickly, "I must know who they are so that I might request amnesty from the Royal Navy and the British Empire." Keegan turned his wide-eyed stare to the commodore. Well, he was a former commodore now, but Keegan couldn't think of anything else to call him. It was obvious Norrington took some stock in the notion of Pirate Lords, and thought they were real. Not only that, he thought Jack knew something about them. "Who, or what, are Pirate Lords?" Keegan asked, glancing at each man in the room. When his gaze stopped at Jack it was particularly accusatory. If Jack was his captain, shouldn't he have said something about this before? Especially if it was important, which it seemed to be. Suddenly the notion of an organized pirate community made Keegan's eyes glaze over as the wheels in his head began to turn. He remembered his coin, the one Jack had given him not too long ago. At first Keegan had doubted the idea the coin could be a beacon, but it had proved true. Jack used it to call him that night. The coin was true, and Jack's compass was true too. Perhaps a group of Pirate Lords, whatever they actually were, wasn't out of the question. They sounded like pirate nobility. Actually...the coin Keegan had received surely wasn't something every pirate had. The compass Jack possessed was probably one of a kind. That Norrington would go to Jack and ask about the Pirate Lords, combined with everything else, made Keegan suspect Jack was directly connected to them somehow. Of course, he couldn't be one...could he? |
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| Jack | 15 Aug 2008, 10:58 PM Post #25 |
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selfish desire cloaked in romantic fictions
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((*imagines what Beckett might do to Norrington's men* *smirks* Also: OOC thread)) Jack didn't have to feign how little he cared about Norrington's not caring for his company. He had to question Norrington's wisdom in emphasising his personal dislike of Jack's person, though. Whatever it was he had come for, his chances of getting it were dwindling every second. Jack's patience in discovering Norrington's purpose was running out - but then Gibbs provided the answer. "Well, y' see, Jack. That would be my doin'. Norrington here was wonderin' about the Pirate Lords, and I said you might know somethin' about 'em. The man's just interested in an old sailor's myth is all, and wanted to hear it from someone who had some first-hand knowledge." There were times when Jack wondered why he put up with Gibbs. This was definitely one of them. There was no point in trying to come up with an explanation for why Gibbs would do this; Jack had a sneaking suspicion that he didn't want to know anyway. Time for some damage control - but where did the damage lie? It was difficult to say without a better idea of what Norrington was after exactly, but for now a full-out denial seemed reasonable. Bonus points to Gibbs for calling the Pirate Lords a myth; more points deducted for Jack's proclaimed 'first-hand knowledge'. Frustrated as Jack was with Gibbs, he didn't stop to ponder why Norrington would want to know about the Pirate Lords until the former Commodore proclaimed, a little too quickly, that he wanted to trade the information for amnesty. Not what Jack would have expected, but it made sense. It supported Jack's opinion that the most moral people were mere hypocrites, and yet Jack was strangely unpleased by being proven right. Of course truly good men (whatever 'good' was supposed to be) didn't exist - but that was why it would be so interesting to meet one. Jack's sense of curiosity was rather perverted sometimes. Saying nothing, he smirked at the Commodore, subtly but unashamedly showing his amusement at Norrington's fall from glory. If Norrington still thought himself of superior morality now - if, in short, he thought he was any better than Jack - he was a dumber man than Jack thought he was. "Who, or what, are Pirate Lords?" It might as well be Jack who answered; if he didn't say anything now, he would only look suspicious. The key was to give out enough information not to seem tightlipped (and correct information too, at least for the most part, since he didn't know what Norrington had already heard from Gibbs and others), while remaining vague enough to keep himself safe, and hopefully put the subject behind them quickly. "Supposedly there are nine Pirate Lords, each with a particular corner of the world under their nominal command. All nine are eligible to become Pirate King, but only the Lords themselves can vote, and surprisingly they never seem to be agreed on who most deserves the position. Every Lord has a -..." Suddenly Jack noticed that Keegan was pondering, thinking too hard for it to be harmless. Had he said too much? He had been about to menti |