Souls for Sale
"And what makes you think you're worthy enough to crew the Black Pearl?" Marana asked the sailor that stood in front of her at the Faithful Bride tavern in Tortuga.
"As you can tell, I've never sailed a day in me life. I figure I should get out and see the world while I'm still young."
"You'll do," said Gibbs, folding his hands on the table. "Make your mark." the sailor signed the paper on the table and walked away. "Next!" he called out.
The next man in the line walked up. "My wife ran off with my dog…" he began. "…and I'm drunk for a month…and I don't give an ass rat's if I live or die."
"Perfect! Next!" Marana exclaimed.
The next sailor approached. "Me have one arm and a bum leg," he said.
"It's the crow's nest for you." smiled Gibbs. "Next!"
The last man came up. "Ever since I was a little lad, I've always wanted to sail the seas…forever."
"Sooner than you think; sign the roster." said Marana.
"Thanks very much." he grinned as he signed his name.
As she sat next to Jack, he called out, "How're we going?"
"Including those four, that gives us…four." replied Marana.
Another man stepped up to the table. "And what's your story?" asked Gibbs.
Marana wanted to scream. She knew who the man was.
"My story…" began the man. "It's exactly the same as your story, just one chapter behind. I chased a man across the seven seas. The pursuit cost me my crew, my commission, and my life." He took a long swig from a bottle of rum.
"Commodore?" inquired Marana.
"No, no anymore, weren't you listening?" James snapped. He pointed a finger at Gibbs. "I nearly had you all of Tripoli. I would have, if not for the…hurricane."
"Lord," said Gibbs. "You didn't try to sail through it?"
"So, do I make your crew or not?" threatened James. "You haven't said where you're going, somewhere nice!" he flipped over the table. Marana helped Gibbs get up and glared at James.
James had everyone's attention now. "So am I worthy to serve under Captain Jack Sparrow…or should I just kill you now?" he pulled out his pistol and pointed it at Jack, who was trying to slip away.
Marana quickly stood between them. "James, don't shoot!" When he stared intently at her, she asked, "How's Julie?" she was referring to her older sister.
James answered sadly, "I almost proposed to her…but then I had to go after Jack Sparrow!"
Jack poked his head out from behind a pole. "You're hired!" he smiled.
James cocked the pistol. "Sorry…old habits and all that…" Just as he was about to fire, Marana grabbed his arm and pulled it away. His shot hit a mug of rum that a man was holding, and a huge fight broke out. Jack shouted to Gibbs,
"Time to go!"
Marana drew her sword and started dueling with a bunch of pirates. Then she crossed swords with Elizabeth.
"Elizabeth!" she cried out as she hugged her friend. Elizabeth was in sailors' clothes as well.
They couldn't say anything else, because there was so much fighting. Finally, the girls and James were all cornered at a pole.
James was flailing his sword around madly. "Alright, then, who wants some? Form an orderly line, and I'll have you all one by one! Come on, who's first?" Marana angrily grabbed the bottle of rum from his hand and smashed it over his head. When the crowd stared at her, she said proudly,
"I just wanted the pleasure of doing that myself!" The crowd cheered and saluted her. Then they all threw James into the pig sty.
Elizabeth approached him slowly and helped him get up. "James Norrington, what has the world done to you?"
