OCEANO NOX
By Rose de Sharon
Disclaimer: all recognizable characters belong to Mickey Mouse.
Author's notes:
- This is the sequel to "A cry in the darkness". I had intended to write a Will-and-Elizabeth-after-ten-years story afterwards, but my muse whacked me over the head with this new plot and I know better than to contradict her (she can be very persuasive… *ouch*).
- The title is borrowed from a quote by Virgil: "Et ruit oceano nox", which means "The night soared from the ocean".
- English isn't my native language and all mistakes are mine.
- Adventure, angst, smarm and brotherly love: drink up, me hearties, yo ho!
Feedback: flames will be ignored.
Chapter 1: The China syndrome
It was night and the full moon had arisen above Tortuga in a display of glorious light. However, the satellite's crater-covered face looked like as if it was staring in stupefaction at the display below: the Island of Tortuga was in a great state of rioting. Pistols were fired in the air or at people, a tavern was burning down, merry jigs were played, barrels of rum had been smashed open and the liquid was flowing freely down the muddy streets. Everybody was abominably drunk: the men, the women, even the pigs after they had lapped at the rum spilled in the mud, and nobody gave a damn about it. The philosophy prevailing in this scrap of land was to spend money, drink and carouse with the ladies as if there was no tomorrow.
However, these people were more excited than usual – if possible – because of the upcoming "Grand Boucan", the annual feast where the worst rogues of the Caribbean - pirates, buccaneers, smugglers, crooks, escapees – would drop anchor in Tortuga's Goats' Bay, eat smoked meat and plan their strikes against vessels loaded with gold or merchandises from the Americas. For gentlemen of fortune, it was also the yearly opportunity to end past grudges with treaties or alliances, even thought it would mostly end in betrayals and some more accounts to settle. However, no pirate worth his salt would miss "Grand Boucan" for all the treasures in the world, meaning a lot of good business for the Tortuga inhabitants. It explained why they were celebrating, a bit too early but with a lot of enthusiasm, the impending arrival of their best customers.
The insulars were so busy drinking and fighting that no one noticed a Dutch fluyt which had been discreetly brought to near the coast of Tortuga. Unlike the other ships secured in the harbor, this one didn't come to offer its crew a rout of drunken debauchery. Nine years ago, this ship had been commanded by a creature whose name would strike terror in every seaman's heart. But after a battle of epic grandeur involving the Brethren Court, the East India Trading Company fleet and a maelstrom, it had acquired a new leader who had been working very hard ever since to right the past foul actions of its former captain.
It was Flying Dutchman, commanded by William Turner the Second. Tragic events during the maelstrom had forced him to acquire the captaincy of the ghost ship, which included a ten-year-old supernatural duty of ferrying souls of people who had died at sea to the Other Side. It had been a terrible twist of fate for the young man, since this uncompromising duty had separated him from his wife, Elizabeth Swann. Will couldn't step foot on land for the duration of his duty and Elizabeth, as a mortal, wasn't allowed to climb aboard the Dutchman. Only the promise of being freed after ten years by his wife's faithfulness had helped Captain Turner to remain strong and caring during his long absence. He ferried souls to the Other Side with an endless altruism and over the years, rumors had been spreading amongst the Seven Seas about "An angel piloting the ghost vessel".
But the Flying Dutchman wasn't approaching the coasts of Tortuga to provide transportation for dead people. This island happened to be the home of Joshammee Gibbs, ex-First Mate of Captain Jack Sparrow, the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean Sea. Gibbs had given up on piracy for settling down in Tortuga, but he hadn't forgotten his comrades-in-arms. After the young Turner couple had been separated, Gibbs had stepped up and offered to become their mailman.
Elizabeth was living on Shipwreck Island, raising their son William Turner III and managing an import-export business. She had renewed with her identity as the daughter of Weathersby Swann, late governor of Port-Royal, to claim her inheritance. It had had brought Elizabeth a nice amount of money, a much-needed capital to start her business but it had also destroyed her chances to approach Tortuga, since spies could report her to the authorities. The daughter of a former governor could hardly explain why she would visit an island reputed for being a shelter for pirates!
To avoid embarrassing questions, Elizabeth entrusted Gibbs with letters and packages for her beloved husband, since the old man visited Shipwreck Island once a mouth to buy supplies. Then Gibbs would leave the lot in a shallow cavern located in a small, quiet creek in Tortuga, knowing Will would come regularly to pick up his mail. This creek was ignored by the insulars – probably because there were no rum distilleries in that place - and it suited the Captain of the Flying Dutchman perfectly.
Will had sent one of his men, Rudy Thompson, in a longboat to retrieve his letters and he was waiting impatiently for his return. Since his departure, Elizabeth had penned him hundreds of love-filled letters and he had treasured every one of them, locked up in a drawer inside his cabin. Two years ago, their son William III (nicknamed "Will-Trey") had started to write to his Daddy and the boy's clumsy handwriting, so touching and sincere, had brought much joy to the young commander, renewing his hopes for a future where they would be reunited to live happily ever after.
A hand gently brushed his arm, and Will turned about to see his father standing next to him with a kind smile on his lips. "Bootstrap" Bill Turner, ex-pirate, ex-slave and First Mate of the Flying Dutchman, was a towering man with enough strength in his body to crush an anvil between his bare hands, and yet his blue eyes betrayed his good nature. As a First Mate, Bill had been a tremendous help for the young man; but it had been nothing compared to the indefectible love the elder Turner gave to his son, making up for the long years where he had been absent from Will's life.
"Worry not, son. Thompson will be here soon,' said Bill with a low voice. On deck the Turners had to respect etiquette and address each other by "Captain" and "Mister", but every time they were out of earshot they would use more familiar and affectionate names.
"I know, Papa," answered Will out of the side of his mouth. "It is just… This is our ninth anniversary and I can't wait to read Elizabeth's and Will-Trey's letters. One more year, Papa, and I will be free. Free! I will be finally allowed to step foot on land and hug them. God, this very thought is enough to make me shout in joy. It brings me so much hope, just like when I watch the sun appearing from out of a thick fog."
Bootstrap Bill glanced at his son and pride blossomed inside the old man's heart. Will truly looked magnificent under the moon glow: the silvery light enhanced his handsome features – high cheekbones, chocolate-brown eyes, straight nose, firmly-shaped jaw and strong chin – while his dark locks of hair floated gently in the night's breeze, escaping from a deep green bandana tied around his head. The front of his puffy-sleeved white shirt was opened, partially revealing tanned skin and a muscled chest. The tall young Captain was leaning on the hull's rail, clasping his hands as if he were praying and his whole frame was glowing from an inner light which appeared every time Will felt hopeful.
Bill wondered for the millionth time how he, of all people, had been granted the privilege to sire a man who had the face and the soul of an angel. Will was nigh on thirty-one but his boyish good looks had remained intact, untainted by time or duty, and his father thanked the Heavens day and night for this miracle.
"People keep on saying he's the spitting image of me," thought the elder Turner. "But he has inherited from Mary his heart and his brains, making him a man who is a thousand times better than plain ol' Bill, thanks goodness!"
But the Dutchman's First Mate grimaced unconsciously when he saw the jagged red scar Will sported on his left breast. His adored son had been fatally injured during the maelstrom battle by Davy Jones, monster and commander of the Flying Dutchman then, and the only way to save the young man had been to make him the new immortal Master of the Seas. To acquire this supernatural status, it had required to carve Will's heart out and lock it in the Dead Man's Chest. Only Bill had the courage to do this terrible operation but, even though it had granted his son a second chance in life, he felt like crying every time he saw this painful souvenir.
"To think he could have been happy with his family for nine years now if I hadn't had the stupid idea to go pirating… Fights, pillaging, narrow escapes, all this to end up as a slave aboard the Dutchman… my brilliant illegal career ending twice-cursed and covered with shells. But I couldn't be smart enough to shelter my son from this mess; no, I had to put him right in the middle of danger, and he almost died because of it… first by Davy Jones, and then by that bastard Red Hand Pete!"
"Papa?"
Will's soft voice shook the former pirate from out of his reverie and he feigned to look at Tortuga's shores, but the young Turner wasn't fooled. After years of sailing together, Will could read his father like in a book and he knew Bill had been silently blaming himself again for what had happened in the past. Knowing it would be useless to argue, Will simply smiled at the older man. Bill's blue eyes shone in joy at this sight and he grabbed at his son's hand to give it a reassuring shake.
Will answered with a firm pressure, and then he released his father's fingers before anyone from the crew would notice the gesture. Even though the Turners sometimes hugged each other on deck, Bootstrap was still self-conscious about being openly affectionate in front of the men.
"Thompson's coming back, Mister Turner", said Will suddenly out loud.
Bill looked up and the silhouette of a blond-haired man in a longboat appeared against the illuminated shores of Tortuga. Thompson was rowing back to the Flying Dutchman after having picked up a bundle hidden in Gibbs' cavern and the sailor seemed in a hurry to return, since he knew his Captain would be overjoyed to receive some news from his family. For the Dutchman's crewmembers, Will was nothing less but a hero and they were entirely devoted to the young man after his deeds had freed them from Davy Jones. They would climb a greased ladder straight to the moon if their commander ever asked them to do so!
"That he is, Captain, and it seems he has completed his mission!" said Bill, chuckling lightly at the sight of Thompson's enthusiasm.
The sailor quickly reached the ghost ship and he climbed onboard with the help of a roped ladder, while his comrades hauled the longboat back on its supports. He carried over his shoulder a heavy-looking box, which had been wrapped in oiled cloth to avoid deterioration from sea water and secured by several lengths of string. The name "WILL", written across a heart, had been penned at the top of the package.
Thompson handed out the precious item to his commander, who received it with a grateful sigh: news from his family, at least!
"Thank you very much, Mister Thompson."
"At yur service, Cap'tain," answered the blond sailor, a bit shyly. "Can I do sumthink else fer yu?"
Bootstrap Bill couldn't help but feel prideful again after hearing those words: a few years ago, Thompson had been an unrepentant boozer who didn't give a damn if Davy Jones' devilish oath was turning him into a hideous freak of Nature as long as he had enough rum to drink. And now, there wasn't a thing he wouldn't do for his young Captain!
"No thank you, Mister Thompson, you can go below deck and rest. We are leaving these waters, for Tortuga is a much too noisy place. Mister Turner, can you give the order to ready the ship?"
Only silence followed Will's question, and the young man turned around to see his First Mate standing still on the upper deck, staring at the distant rioting island. It looked like his father was reminiscing about his past as a pirate, when he visited Tortuga to spend some illegally-earned coins while Captain Jack Sparrow was thinking about another clever plan to rob more riches, but Will quickly dismissed the idea. Bootstrap Bill didn't have good memories of his pirating days and besides, he was never distracted from his unique goal in life – namely looking after his son.
"Mister Turner?" asked Will, a bit louder this time.
"Hunh? Oh! Er, I'm sorry, so… I mean, I'm sorry Captain, but somebody is coming!" answered the elder Turner.
Will looked up at the direction showed by his father's pointing finger, and indeed there was a small dinghy floating on the calm waters, obviously heading for the ghost ship. That was quite odd, since the Flying Dutchman wasn't the kind of vessel mortals would approach willingly. Even if Will's good influence had partially restored its reputation, the Dutchman was still a soul-ferry ship dealing with loss and sadness, things that people would rather avoid at all costs.
"You are right, Mister Turner. It seems we have a visitor!"
"But who would come to see us? And how in the world did that person know we would cruise near Tortuga tonight?"
Will set his package down on the main deck's planks while schooling his face to hide his deception; it seems he wouldn't read the missives of his dear family for the time being. Then he stood up and approached the rail to take a better look at the approaching dinghy. He sensed a movement behind him and he knew Bill had stepped closer with the idea to shield his son from any danger that could come out of the tiny boat.
"My lovable Papa," thought Will with affection, and then he turned his attention to the matter at hand. The dinghy was of a very common design: dark hull, a unique dirty white sail supported by a little mast, a narrow bench at the stern and another one at the bow. A man of small stature, clad in dark clothes, was holding the rudder with a great aplomb, as if sailing towards a ghost ship was the most natural thing in the world.
"Can you make out who is it, Mister Turner?" asked Will.
"I'm not sure, Captain. This cockleshell is quite low on the water and its pilot is hidden by the sail. But still, I cannot shake the feeling that I saw him before…"
Within minutes, the dinghy had reached the Flying Dutchman and Will was getting more puzzled by the minute. Usually, small boats would signal their presence by shouting "Ship ahoy!" to avoid being involuntarily crushed by much-bigger ships, but the strange pilot didn't seemed to be concerned about collision risks. As soon as the dinghy was positioned next to the fluyt's starboard side, its pilot moved from behind its sail and deftly tied a rope at the base of Thompson's ladder to secure his boat to the Dutchman. Then, he calmly looked up at the incredulous faces of the crewmembers, who were watching him from the main deck, until his almond-shaped eyes locked on the young Captain.
Will was as astonished as his men for the stranger's calm attitude, while being so close to a notorious ghost ship! But his surprise increased even more after the Asian stood up on his tiny boat… and bowed at him!
"Shiver me timbers!"
"Ya know dis guy, Mister Turner?" asked Joel McCarthy the carpenter, who was scratching his head in puzzlement.
The First Mate bent over the Dutchman's rail to get a better look, but he was already sure of the visitor's identity. Oh yes, he certainly recognized the stature, those features, the bald head which gleamed like a polished ball under the moonlight. A few years ago, Bill had led a desperate search-and-rescue mission and the stranger had been an unexpected, but not unwelcome, ally…
"Mister Wang Tao? How pleasant!" exclaimed Bootstrap Bill.
"Greetings, Honorable Lord First Officer of the Soul Vessel," answered in perfect English the Chinaman while addressing to the elder Turner. "I am grateful for the favor you grant me by remembering my name in spite of the long time which has passed since we have last seen each other. I give thanks to Cai Sheng, God of fortune, to have directed my modest person to your ship of a prideful reputation."
Will looked at his father and then at the visitor, back and forth. The young Turner had never met Wang Tao face-to-face but that name was familiar. Bill had told him all about how and when this Chinaman had interfered in the past.
"Mister Turner, is this man the same Wang Tao who has…?"
"Aye, Captain. He's one of the guys who have participated in the action of rescuing you from Red Hand Pete."
Bill's blue eyes shone again, but this time in anger. The recollection of Will's kidnapping was still a painful souvenir, even though four years had passed since this tragic event. Red Hand Pete, a megalomaniac pirate, had decided to become the new immortal Master of the Seas so he would be able to pillage with unlimited opportunity. To reach his goal, he had abducted and tortured Will to make the young man confess the location of the Dead Man's Chest containing his beating heart. A desperate Bootstrap had begged for Captain Jack Sparrow's assistance and the cunning rascal had succeeded in saving Will from Red Hand Pete's clutches with the invaluable help of Ammand the Corsair… and a stowaway named Wang Tao.
"You told me he had a family matter to settle with Shiao Long, Red Hand Pete's torturer," said Will, his handsome features hardening while remembering his captivity aboard The Conqueror, Red Hand Pete's ship.
"That's right, Captain. Mister Wang Tao had been ordered by his tribe's elders to deal with his renegade cousin; that was the reason why he asked Jack, Ammand and I permission to join us since we had a common enemy. Long got pulverized by a cannonball and after the battle Mister Wang Tao left with Jack aboard his dinghy, the Sparrow Hawk."
Will looked at the visitor again, eager to see the face of the spy/executioner who had fought alongside his father against Red Hand Pete. Grievously wounded by Long's torture devices, the young man had been barely conscious during his rescue and he never had the opportunity to show his gratitude towards those who had retrieved him from the Conqueror's bowels; apart from his father and Jack.
Wang Tao bowed at the Captain of the Flying Dutchman and this time, it was in a more formal and reverent manner. Then, the Chinaman spoke in calm tones:
"Greetings, Most Honorable Lord Master of the Soul Vessel, please allow me to present my insignificant person: my name is Wang Tao of the Red Dragon Clan. Your reputation as a just and fair Soul Guide precedes you, and I daresay it has even reached my homeland in China. Sailors of my humble province have talked many times about your kind actions towards the ghosts of the unfortunates who had disappeared within the depths of the ocean, explaining your goodness by your status as the protégé of Mazu, the Sea Goddess. But according to some other seamen, you are in truth the herald of the Pure August Jade Emperor, Monarch of all deities in Heaven, who has entrusted you with the mission to bring consolation and hope on our world's salty waters. Your very presence humbles me, Most Honorable Lord Master of the Soul Vessel, and I regret the lack of space aboard my ridiculous boat prevents me from prostrating before you, as custom requires."
Will was flabbergasted by Wang Tao's declaration; even after acquiring an immortal status since the maelstrom battle, he has never considered himself as a noble, a lord or the protégé of a deity, no matter how many times Bill had told him about Calypso's intervention during the fight with Red Hand Pete. And he certainly didn't want anyone to kneel before him! The young man had a quiet, modest nature and he would never repudiate his humble origins, so he was embarrassed by the Chinese's flowery phrases. At the same moment, Bootstrap Bill whispered in his ear:
"Don't worry, son. It is only his way of talking."
Will nodded, silently thanking his lucky stars for his father's steadfast presence at his side, and then he looked down as Wang Tao spoke again:
"I have the privilege to belong to one of the most powerful pirate families of China and, even thought I am unworthy of such a favor, my tribe's elders have entrusted me two years ago with the mission to search for lucrative activities in the Caribbean Sea. To accomplish this goal, I have approached a local man showing exceptional talent to acquire well-guarded riches and to speak using finely-chosen words. This man has accepted my contemptible offer for a partnership and since, we have succeeded in gaining a noticeable amount of coins. My admirable associate also happens to be a mutual acquaintance of ours…"
Will's eyes widened at the visitor's words. Surely Wang Tao didn't mean…?
"Most Honorable Lord Master of the Soul Vessel, my deepest wish is that you will forgive my incredible audaciousness for approaching your splendid ship. Unfortunately, terrible and recent events have reduced me to the role of a bird of ill omen requesting an immediate audience with you aboard my miserable boat. It is a matter of extreme urgency since I bear bad news about Lord Captain Jack Sparrow, undisputable leader of the proud vessel The Black Pearl II."
TBC…
