Commandeering Commodore
Chapter 3
"Mr. Gillette, you will cease and desist that disreputable and deplorable display immediately!" James roared in his most Commodore-ly tone.
Gillette had been so intent on what he was doing he hadn't realized the Commodore had come on deck until he heard his name and those words. He immediately jumped up, smartly came to attention, saluted, and said "Yes Sir!"
"Mr. Gillette, I would appreciate an explanation for this atrocious behavior from one of my officers no less, whom I would have thought was above such a shocking and objectionable display." James said still very Commodore-ly like.
"Sir! I was upholding our honor sir." Gillette replied.
"Please do go on Mr. Gillette, I am listening intently."
Jack stepped up behind James, leaned in swaying-ly, and said quietly in his ear, "I think you're takin this a bit too seriously mate."
"Captain Sparrow, the discipline of my men is my business not yours, and I do not feel I am taking the situation too seriously." James replied rather haughtily still staring at Mr. Gillette.
"Aye, you're right about that, the discipline of yer troops is yer business, I'm just trying to keep you from makin a horse's arse out o yerself here……in front of yer troops as it were." Jack said with a wave of hands and a shrug as he bobbed his head back and forth next to James' ear.
James looked at Jack then, "And just how, as you so eloquently phrased it, am I making a horse's arse out of myself?"
"Just a bit of fun between our crews Commodore, no harm done. And I'm thinkin some camaraderie betwix 'em can't be hurtin now can it?"
"You have not answered my question Captain, you called me a horse's arse." James said still a bit haughtily.
"Now Commodore, if you was listenin…..I did not call you a horse's arse, I said I wanted to keep you from making a horse's arse out o yerself, not that you were one, although arguments could be made for that I'm thinkin by more 'n a few people that have dealt with you no doubt, and not just a horse's arse for that matter, but all kinds of arses that might be used come to mind." Jack stopped and looked innocently as James let out a snort, and then continued, "Me exact words were keep……keep you from makin a horse's arse of yerself if I'm not mistaken….. which I'm not….. on this particular occasion."
"Thank you so much Captain for clearing that up." James said sarcastically, and then turning once again to Mr. Gillette, "I shall deal with this later Mr. Gillette. Do not make the mistake of believing this blatant disregard for naval protocol will be forgotten." With this James turned and headed back towards the galley.
Jack watched with a smile on his face as James marched off. It really was too easy to get to the man, too easy by half, but just so much fun he couldn't resist.
"So just what did bring this about Mr. Gibbs?" William said curiously.
"Well boy, best I kin figure it was the rum played a part, and throwin navy and scalawags together for any amount of time I suppose, bound to be difficulties, just ain't natural you see, and down right bad luck." Mr. Gibbs said as he threw a friendly arm around Will's shoulders. "See Mr. Gillette there wasn't imbibin at all, and Marty there was imbibin a bit too much. Now they bein who they are……..a bit gaudy in their respective attitudes and all you see, it was only a matter of time, them bein thrown together in close quarters and such, till something like this was bound to happen……challenges made…..challenges answered and all."
"So that's why they were arm wrestling?" Will said, thinking this was not the outcome he would have thought would have come about between the men if they had differences, swords or pistols seemed the likelier choice, but definitely not arm wrestling.
"Aye that's about it boy." Mr. Gibbs answered with a shrug and a smile.
"Well Mr. Gibbs, now that we have that little matter all cleared up I would assume we can get back to other matters, such as the runnin of me Pearl." Jack said as he flopped his hands around.
"Aye Cap'n."
"Good…. and you will see to that?"
"Aye Cap'n."
"Now William, perhaps we should see just where our dear Commodore has stomped off to in such a snit, and see if we can cheer him up a bit. After all we will be spending quite a bit of time with him, and a stuffy, upset, outraged, and thoroughly pissed off Commodore does not tend to make good company." And then as an afterthought, "Not that he's all that good of company to begin with."
"Most people find his company pleasant to be around Jack." Will said in James' defense.
"I highly doubt that William." Jack tossed back over his shoulder as he headed off in the direction James had gone.
Will looked after Jack for a moment and then determining it would be wise for him to be around as much as possible when James and Jack were within fifty yards of each other followed.
Jack and William found James sitting in the galley, a frown on his face, a bottle of rum sitting on the table in front of him, and a mug of rum gripped tightly in his hand.
"Really Commodore, do you think it wise to be partaking of strong spirits while you're in the state you presently appear to be in and for that matter without a doubt are in?" Jack said reprovingly.
"It came down to a choice between rum and hanging someone." James said snappishly as he glared at Jack. "As hard as it is for me to believe I chose the former."
"I take it by your apparent vexed tone you are……..perturbed with someone for some reason?……..me perhaps?"
"So it would seem." James said, the anger still dripping off each word. "Tell me Captain, what would your reaction be, if in the midst of disciplining your crew, and we will assume for the sake of this little discussion that there is such a thing as discipline on this bloody ship and you do actually engage in said discipline from time to time, another person, and here again just for arguments sake let us say that person was you…….and let us say this person interrupted…..in fact did more than interrupt….. in fact this person flagrantly subverted your authority in front of your crew. Now Captain, perhaps you would care to tell me what your reaction would be." James finished still glowering at Jack.
"So ya think I subverted you in front o yer crew? I'm not seein it in that particular light at all Commodore." Jack said a bit confused, and then after a thoughtful pause, and a rather loud snort from the Commodore continued, "However upon further ponderin of said matter I might could see how a stuffy and self-important person as yerself might interpret it that way." This statement brought another loud snort from James as he rose from his chair rather abruptly and advanced toward Jack, who was standing there in thought, tapping his finger on his chin.
William, who had been standing there observing decided this would be the opportune moment to intercede in the proceedings, and positioned himself so he was between James and Jack.
"Commodore, I'm sure Jack didn't intend to interfere with the disciplining of your crew." And noting the Commodore had stopped his momentum towards Jack, turned to Jack and said, "You do owe the Commodore an apology Jack, in front of his crew."
"What?" Jack said in a high-pitched squeak. "I am not the apologizin type William, and I definitely do not apologize to stuffy overbearin Commodores especially in front of said stuffy overbearin Commodore's crews."
"Well," Will said with a shrug, "I guess I'll just have to let the Commodore settle this his way then." and stepped out from between the two men.
To Be Continued
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