-Matters of Duty-

My most deepest and sincerest apologies for the long delay in posting. School and writer's block are so evil. Especially writer's block, which I have decided is actually a duct tape-armored cockroach. Very hard to get rid of.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.

Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Chapter 6

It was only a few hours before dawn when the gun crews had relaxed and began their post-battle procedures and repairs. Under James's care and watchful eye, the chaos enveloping the fort had been swiftly organized. The wounded were given first priority, as common sense dictated, followed by repairs and gathering the dead.

"Captain Pierce, I want you to take your men out into the town and see what can be done to help the people. Your horses might be able to help pull the heavier debris from those that may be trapped," James said to the commander of the local division of dragoons.

"Yes, sir," the captain of the mounted soldiers replied. With a salute, the man then turned sharply on his heel and left.

"Mister Dunn, Mister Harding, what are your current estimates on how long repairs will take?"

A thoughtful look crossed both faces. "Several weeks. Anywhere from two to four; more if the damage is more extensive. I'll know more once the sun rises," Harding, the fort mason, said.

"It'd be best if I could get a better look at what we're up against in sunlight," Dunn, the carpenter, answered.

James nodded. "See what you can do in the meantime. Please keep me posted as well. Sergeant Glasdon, I want you to check on the prisoners."

"Yes, Sir," the three replied.

"Gillette, I want you to-"

"She's gone!" Nathan and his commander both whirled around to see a frantic Governor Swann rushing toward them. "They've taken her! You have to do something! Now!"

"Your daughter?" James asked.

"Of course Elizabeth! Who do you think I mean? The queen of Sheba?"

"Of course not. I beg your pardon, I was merely making certain. Don't worry. We'll go after her."

"When? I hope you mean to go now."

"We will go after the sun has risen."

" 'After the sun has risen'? If you wait that long, perhaps I should simply start planning a memorial service!"

"Governor, with all due respect, I understand that you are upset—and rightfully so! I know you are very anxious to find her, but in order to do that properly, there are some things that must be done first. Not only will search routes need to be set and organized, but ships will need supplies, and I must ensure that the fort will be repaired as soon as possible. I cannot leave the town undefended," James said, his tone reasonable. "Are you absolutely certain she was taken? That she isn't merely hiding somewhere?"

"Estrella?" the governor called. Nathan stood by while the governor gestured for a maid to come forward from where she stood between Murtogg and Mullroy. "Please tell Commodore Norrington what you told me."

The maid gave a slight curtsy. "Th-the pirates, sir. The-they came into the house! The-they shot poor Mister Waddling! They sacked the house and the last I saw them, they were dragging Miss Swann with them! I-I told her to hide, sir, but she told me to, and to come here. I-I'm sorry. I should have-"

"Easy now," James interrupted, attempting to soothe the distraught woman. "You did what you could. That's far more than anyone might have been able to do. At least you had a chance to try, and you did get away unmolested."

"I suppose you're right," the woman answered. Nathan saw his friend give her a kind look.

"So what do you propose we do if we aren't going to go after Elizabeth right away?" the governor asked. Though he knew the man must be at his wits end with worry, the young lieutenant couldn't help but hope he would at least calm down a little soon. If he didn't, it might bleed into James's concentration and affect the manner in which he performed his duty.

The last thing they needed was for their commander to lose focus.

"Governor," James began gently, inadvertently catching the attention of nearly everyone nearby. "Would I be correct in my assumption that you've had no sleep tonight?" Apparently, he'd been thinking the same thing.

"You would, but I don't see how that has any importance at the moment. If you're suggesting I go home to a wrecked manor and try to sleep, knowing that my daughter is in grave danger, you're mad!"

Nathan glanced to his commander, who forced a very brief smile. He could see a great wealth of underlying worry, however, which he saw his friend push firmly away from his mind to focus on what needed to be done now. "I'm suggesting nothing of the sort. Rather I was going to offer you the use of my personal quarters where you might be able to gather your thoughts in solitude. It has been a long, eventful and trying day, after all."

The governor started a little, then appeared to contemplate the suggestion. "Yes. Yes, I think that idea has some merit. I think I shall. Thank you."

Gillette stifled the smile that threatened to erupt, and he was forced to redouble his efforts as he caught the rather smug spark in James's eyes that could only be seen by those who knew him fairly well. James gave a small nod, then turned his gaze aside slightly. "Lieutenant Stone, will you please escort Governor Swann to my quarters?"

"Of course, sir. Right this way, Governor."

"Mister Murtogg, Mister Mullroy, will you please escort…" he trailed off, looking in the maid's direction inquiringly.

"Miss Wood, Sir."

James smiled kindly. "Will you please escort Miss Wood to any place she would like to go?"

"Uh- Yes, sir," Mullroy answered for the both of them.

Finally, James returned his attention to Nathan. "As I was saying, Gillette, I need you to go check on the Dauntless and the Interceptor. I need to know if they were damaged in the attack and whether they will be sea-worthy by daybreak at the very earliest."

"Aye, sir," Nathan answered with a salute. He left James to his task of returning the fort to order. As he made his way down to the docks, he gathered some sailors and carpenters with whom he served aboard the ship of the line at the mouth of the bay.

He found the town, especially areas close to shore, to be more chaotic than the fort. It was something he attributed to their lack of military training and experience in such cases, but they were also pulling together to help each other. It was slower than at the fort, but it was getting done, nonetheless.

Stepping onto the docks where the Interceptor lay berthed, the sound of hammers and orders gave him pause. It seemed some of his fellows had had the same idea of checking on the ship. "Captain Reynolds," he acknowledged with a salute.

"Lieutenant Gillette," The man returned with a nod. "I assume you were sent to see if either naval ship were damaged?"

"Aye, sir. The governor's daughter was taken in the attack, and Commodore Norrington needs to know if we would be able to pursue them."

"Miss Swann?" Reynolds asked. "Well the Interceptor will most certainly be ready once she's been restocked. She came through unscathed for the most part. There was a bit of damage to the woodwork, but it's already being repaired."

"I'll pass the word along to the commodore if I see him first, then. I shall leave you to your task and see to my own." The captain nodded, and Gillette replied with a salute, then returned to the men further down the docks. The group then made their way out to the boats they'd use to row out to the larger ship.

Once there, the carpenters and sailors scrambled up onto the ship. Over the next hour or so, they covered every inch of the ship, searching for even the smallest evidence of damage while Gillette spoke with those on watch. Finally, as the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, Mister Langley, the ship's master carpenter approached him with his report.

"We've combed e'ry inch of 'er, sir, an' there ain't so much as a teeny scratch in 'er paint."

"You're certain?" Nathan asked.

"Quite, sir. It might 'ave been dark, but we could see well enough wif our lan'erns. No damage, sir."

Nathan gave him a quick nod. "Thank you, Mister Langley. We shall return to shore, then, and see if we might be able to help there for the time being."

The trip back to the docks was as quiet as the trip out had been. The only sounds were the oars entering and exiting the water, the creak of wood, what words were necessary to keep the men rowing together and the sounds of clean-up efforts echoing across the bay. In the increasing light, the damage to the town and ships in the bay was revealed. It looked bad, but Gillette knew it could have been far worse.

Arriving at the docks, he jumped out of the boat and hurried back to the fort with his own report. He was surprised that no one stopped him to ask if they planned to pursue the pirates as he'd thought they would. Normally, when a ship limped in after being attacked by pirates, the local owners or merchants the shipments were meant for would seize the first officer they saw and badger him until their concerns were seen to. Entering the fort, he immediately saw why.

What appeared to be every merchant, civilian ship captain and most of the wealthier residents had cornered James much like a pack of hunting dogs would a fox.

The fact that they were all shouting and demanding immediate action only sharpened that impression.

He caught Norrington's eye, and an expression of deep relief immediately spread across his face. He watched as James tried to excuse himself, but those surrounding him continued to ignore anything he tried to say that wasn't what they wanted to hear. The merchant captains were a slightly more polite and understanding, which only served to prove that the residents of Port Royal seemed to take the naval presence for granted.

When James began shouting, but still seemed to be largely ignored, Nathan pulled his pistol and fired. This finally caught their attention and silenced them. Seeing the dry, chastising look Norrington shot him, he twisted his expression into one of pure innocence.

"I know all of you are concerned, but rest assured the pirates will be pursued. The best thing you can do to help at this time is to return to your home, ship or business and assist with the clean-up," James said, his tone one of obvious dismissal, leaving no room for argument. "Now, if you will please excuse me, I've other duties to see to. Lieutenant?"

Nathan waited until some of the nearby marines had ushered the civilians out of the way before approaching his commander. "The Dauntless has no damage, though the Interceptor had a little—none of which will effect performance-"

"So Reynolds's lieutenant said."

Since he already heard that much, Nathan changed course. "The men aboard the Dauntless said they would have fired on the pirates had they had a clear shot. Merchant ships were in their way much of the time, and the fog and darkness obscured their vision when they did not. They did mention attempting a shot or two when the pirates left."

"Strange…I neither saw nor heard any shots that might have come from them," James mused aloud.

"I am only repeating what I was told, sir." Nathan stepped back, then, as a large table was brought in by four marines. Lieutenant Stone was right behind them carrying what he knew to be charts of the area.

"Commodore!" one of the watches called from his position on the battlements. "Implacable returning to port!"

Nathan's gaze jerked toward the marine in confusion. Roger Teasdale and his crew had just left port yesterday afternoon. He shouldn't have returned so early. Had he somehow detected the attack? Had something happened to the ship or crew that required them to return? Had they been attacked by the Black Pearl as well?

Beside him, Norrington nodded and returned to the charts to plan one of the search routes. Now that the Implacable was coming back—assuming she was still sea-worthy—they could have three routes instead of two. Though he hid it very well, Nathan could see James was worried for the governor's daughter, and he was as well—suspected all who knew of it were. Pirates were a dangerous sort, and were not to be taken lightly no matter what romanticized tale one was enthralled by. He saw, too, that there was a depth to that worry that went beyond the typical worry for a fellow subject of the crown. Don't worry, James, he thought. We'll find her.

Whether she would be unharmed was the question, however.

And the odds were against her.

Like it? Hate it? I'd like to know either way.

Again, I'm very sorry for the delay in posting this latest chapter.

Since it's been so long since I updated, I think I'll just post a general response to everyone to answer questions and concerns and such. I hope y'all don't mind. First off, I'm very glad everyone likes the story. It really means a lot that it's an enjoyable story and even it means even more that you review with such wonderful comments. Welcome, ellennar, Alteng, wyntre-rose, and Emx. I hope you continue to review.

I'm not sure if that's the same Samuel Beckett. To be honest, I get my quotes from a couple quotes books and from websites. Occasionally, I might find my quotes from other books I read.

My stories will always be clean. I personally can't see how bad language and more graphic scenes can help a story or a movie or even a conversation. In my opinion, they only get in the way of what's being said.

I know I've said it multiple times, but I'm glad everyone likes how I write the characters and the story itself. Your reviews motivate me to write. Even now, struggling with writer's block as I am, your reviews keep me wanting to finish this story. I can't promise when the next update will be, but I hope to get my mind back into this and get it finished in the way I originally planned.

- Gaeruil