Sao Feng's men began to cheer when the rest of the captured crew was brought back from the island.
Barbossa climbed on board first with a dark look and Jack hesitated, knowing that Sao Feng might kill him when he was just back from the dead. He glanced around and he saw Katherine, Tia and Elizabeth standing side by side with their hands tied behind their backs, same as the rest of his crew. He just could not see dear William.
"Sao Feng, you showing up here, it is truly a remarkable coincidence", Barbossa said with an obvious fake smile. He rolled his eyes when Sao Feng went around him to where Jack was hiding behind him while biting his nails nervously.
"Jack Sparrow", Sao Feng called and Jack peeked at him with a stiff smile. "You paid me great insult once".
"That doesn't sound like me", Jack replied, knowing he would not get out of this one.
He did not see the punch coming and his abused nose made a loud cracking sound. He didn't even wince when he straightened it. "Shall we call it square, then?"
"Release these two", Will suddenly said as he came out of the crowd, pointing at his fiancée and her cousin. "They're not part of the bargain".
"And what bargain be that?" Barbossa asked as he began to understand what was happening.
"You heard Captain Turner", Sao Feng said turning to the two ladies and at the same time, making Jack's eyes go wide. "Release them!"
Katherine massaged her purple wrists and she unconsciously took a step in front of Elizabeth.
"Captain Turner?" Jack echoed in confusion.
"Aye", Gibbs replied from behind the girls. "The perfidious rotter led a mutiny against us!"
"I need the Pearl to free my father", Will explained grimly. "That's the only reason I came on this voyage".
Elizabeth side-stepped her cousin and she went up to Will, feeling betrayed. "Why didn't you tell me you were planning this?"
"It was my burden to bear".
"He needs the Pearl", Jack cut in. "Captain Turner needs the Pearl".
"And you felt guilty", he added to Elizabeth and then finally to Barbossa, "And you and your Brethren Court".
"Did no one come to save me just because they missed me?"
Captain Sparrow was irked when no one lifted their hands. Finally, Marty, Ragetti, Pintel and a few others did. He turned to Katherine and he froze for a moment.
The look in her eyes was worth much more than any raised hands.
"I'm standing over there with them", he said, breaking out of his thoughts. However, Sao Feng caught him around the neck and he pulled Jack back.
"I'm sorry Jack, but there's an old friend who wants to see you first".
"I'm not certain I can survive any more visits from old friends", Jack replied.
The crowd parted and everyone saw the naval ship making its way towards them.
Beckett.
"My men are crew enough", Sao Feng said with his arms crossed, not liking the fact that now the pirate ship had naval officers crawling all over her.
"Company ship, company crew", Mercer said sharply.
"Can someone punch his ugly face for me?" Katherine called out from next to the Pirate Lord.
Ian Mercer turned to her with narrowed eyes and he gave a mock bow. "Miss Knight, consider it your luck that we were asked not to harm you", he told her.
"And who gave that order? Lord Tiny-With-Huge-Ego?"
"That would be Admiral Norrington's order".
Just as Mercer had predicted, this was enough to shut her up. He saw a strange look in her eyes but it disappeared before he could understand what it was.
"The Black Pearl was to be mine", Will suddenly said as he appeared with Elizabeth behind him.
"And so it was", Sao Feng said and he motioned to his men who quickly took down Will. His hands were chained and Elizabeth found herself in a similar situation. Only Katherine was left untouched, by orders of James Norrington.
"Beckett agreed the Pearl was to be mine", Sao Feng said, holding Mercer back.
"Lord Beckett is not going to give up the only ship that can outrun the Dutchman, is he?"
Sao Feng kept his fury under control as he watched the man leave.
"You could have punched him, you know?" Katherine said nonchalantly. She nearly flinched from the look he gave her.
"Shame they're not bound to honor the code of the Brethren, isn't it?" Barbossa told the other Pirate Lord. He had it coming, he thought. Pirates working together with the EITC was never a good thing.
"There is no honor to remaining with the losing side", Sao Feng seethed. "Leaving it for the winning side, that's just good business".
"The losing side, you say?" Barbossa asked, strangely calm. However, Katherine and all other crew members caught the underlying threat in his tone.
"Is he turning against us?" She asked Barbossa while pointing at Sao Feng.
"You are not a pirate, Knight!" The Asian man growled. "They have the Dutchman. Now the Pearl! And what do the Brethren have?"
"We have Calypso".
Sao Feng stiffened at Barbossa's reply. Calypso was supposed to be a legend. Was he trying to bluff? But something in Barbossa's tone made him believe in the existence of the Goddess. He looked at Katherine who glared at him and then his gaze wandered over to Elizabeth standing next to William. Something in her eyes caught his attention.
"Calypso", Sao Feng repeated mockingly. "An old legend".
Barbossa seemed to understand what was going on in his rival's mind. "No. The Goddess herself bound in human form. Imagine all the power of the seas brought to bear against our enemy. I intend to release her. But for that, I need the Brethren Court".
Kate saw the way Sao Feng looked at her cousin and she realized that he was starting to mistaken Elizabeth for Calypso.
Barbossa grabbed the piece of eight that was hanging around Sao Feng's neck. "All the Court".
"What are you proposing, Captain?" The scarred Captain asked curiously.
"What be accepting, Cap'n", the other replied with a smirk.
"The girl".
Everyone turned to look at the one he was looking at.
Elizabeth.
"What?" Elizabeth asked flabbergasted.
"Elizabeth is not part of any bargain", Will said strongly.
"Out of the question", Barbossa agreed, in a way that reminded Katherine of her favorite pirate when he wanted things to go his way.
"It was not a question", Sao Feng said and a glaring match started between him and Turner.
"Done", Elizabeth decided and she glanced at her younger cousin who was frowning. This time, she could not understand what was going on in Kate's mind.
"What? Not done!" Will exclaimed.
"You got us into this mess", Elizabeth said hotly. "If this is what frees us, then done!"
"Elizabeth, they are pirates", Will tried to reason.
"'We' are pirates, Will, and let her go", Kate cut in. "She can handle herself, you know that".
"Then we have an accord?" Barbossa asked when Will remained silent.
"Let's do this", Katherine ended and she started the fight by running into one of Beckett's men and pushing him overboard. He fell into the sea with a cry and silence reigned over, all eyes on her.
"Oh, don't look at me like that!" She said, feeling a bit insulted. "And I expected some noise".
Right on cue, all pirates began fighting off the naval officers and Ragetti and Pintel loaded the cannons, firing at the yellow ship. Sao Feng grabbed Elizabeth and together with his men, they boarded his ship, leaving the Pearl to fight the Company.
Katherine threw a man off her and Will knocked him out. She went up on the stern and she grinned when Barbossa kneed Mercer's gut. She took a leap at him and her fist smashed against his nose.
"That felt good!" She said as blood poured out of the man's nose.
Barbossa swung his sword at him and Mercer countered the attack before jumping overboard.
The sound of Jack screaming caught everyone's attention and Kate's mouth fell open when he vaulted over to the Pearl. There was a splash when the rope he used fell into the sea and there was no sign of the mad Captain.
"And that was without even a single drop of rum".
They all looked up and found Jack leaning against one of the lanterns. He jumped down from his perch and he walked to Will who was being restrained by Ragetti and Pintel. "Send this pestilent, traitorous, cowhearted, yeasty codpiece to the brig", he said, looking at Will straight in the eyes.
Katherine helped to clean up the mess and after dinner, she stayed out on the bow. She was sitting on the railing with her legs swung on the outside and she was holding on to some ropes so as not to fall over.
The night was dark and the moon was partly veiled by some clouds. The ship was silent since everyone except for Cotton was resting in their quarters. The mute sailor, as usual, was at the helm.
Even with their separation, James was still looking out for her. He had regained his status and more in the EITC and was now, Admiral James Norrington. The title made his name sound powerful but truthfully, she thought that as title, Commodore suited him better.
And he was still protecting her.
The thought caused her heart to tighten and she suddenly felt like crying.
She missed him badly.
She often wondered if she should have gone with him back when he had run off with the heart of Davy Jones. They could have spent nights dancing under the moon and when he would be out on his ship, she would sneak onboard and he would scold her when he would find her. She would help him fight against the Dutchman and her crew, and he would finally acknowledge her fighting skills.
But then, she would have to live with the regret that she was not able to be there for Jack when the Kraken had brought the Pearl down. She wouldn't have been here to rescue him, to see that stupid smile on his tanned face.
She couldn't understand how she could love two men equally.
The sound of almost silent footsteps caught her attention and she gaped at seeing Will on the other side at the bow. He didn't seem to have noticed her presence and he dragged one of the many dead bodies they had yet to throw overboard. He tied the body to an empty barrel and he pushed it over the railing.
What was he trying to do?
It was several minutes later that he did the same thing to another corpse.
Kate glanced at a moving shadow and she realized that it was Jack, sitting on the bowsprit comfortably. The girl raised an eyebrow when the Captain nodded to her. She hadn't even seen him earlier.
"You escaped the brig even quicker than I expected".
William pointed his knife at the man and Jack pulled himself up. "Do you notice anything?" Jack asked. "Rather, do you notice something that is not there to be noticed?" He 'simplified' when Will struggled.
"You haven't raised an alarm", the young man realized.
"Odd, isn't it? Not as odd as this", Jack replied, motioning to the body tied to a barrel. "Come up with this all by your lonesome, did you?"
"I said to myself, 'Think like Jack'".
The pirate looked insulted and Kate could not help but laugh, revealing her presence to her old friend who shot her a curious look.
"This is what you arrived at?" Jack asked with a grimace. "Lead Beckett to Shipwreck Cove to gain his trust, accomplish your own ends? It's like you don't know me at all, mate".
That sounded exactly like what Jack would have done, Kate thought and she swung her legs inwards, jumping off the railing and she went down the stairs to catch some sleep. Whatever the two men were about to say seemed to be quite personal and so, she left them by themselves.
Admiral James Norrington glanced at the keys in his hands. He knew it was a bad idea but what Elizabeth had told him earlier made him think. He went down to the brig silently and he found the prison where the woman and her crew were being held. He unlocked the creaking door and he opened it.
"Come with me", he said hurriedly but no one moved. "Quickly".
The men looked at their new Captain who nodded and the men filed out, leaving Elizabeth and James behind.
"What are you doing?" Elizabeth asked him in distrust.
"Choosing a side".
James went behind Elizabeth and they all went out to the back where Sao Feng's ship was being pulled by a rope tied on the Dutchman. On James' command, the men climbed down on an outer ledge and they used the rope to get back on their ship.
"Do not go to Shipwreck Cove. Beckett knows of the meeting of the Brethren", the naval officer warned Elizabeth. "I feel there may be a traitor among them".
"It's too late to earn my forgiveness", Elizabeth said lowly.
James did not seem to understand what she was talking about and then he saw the grief in her dark eyes. "I had nothing to do with your father's death", he said. "But that does not absolve me of my other sins".
Elizabeth looked at the man who was undoubtedly in love with her cousin. "Come with us", she suddenly said.
James was surprised at the offer.
"Please come with me", she said softly. "I know you love Katherine. You made that very clear on the island. She'll be happy to have you back".
"Who goes there?!"
Both looked up at the voice and James unsheathed his faithful sword, pushing Elizabeth behind him. Turner was looking down at them.
"Go. I will follow", he urged her.
"You are lying", she realized.
"I will follow", he said firmly and Elizabeth saw something burning in his eyes.
The Admiral took out a small box from his pocket and he handed it over to the woman. "I had bought this for Kath. Give it to her and... Tell her that I love her".
Elizabeth barely looked at the box which was shoved deep in one of her pockets.
"Go now!"
She blinked the tears away and she climbed on the rope just in time.
James pointed his sword at Bill Turner. "Back to your station, sailor".
"No one leaves the ship", the cursed man said slowly, watching Elizabeth escape.
"Stand down. That's an order", James pressed on.
"That's an order", Bill echoed as if forgetting something. "Part of the crew, part of the ship".
James knew he would not make it out when the man's murmur grew louder. "All hands, prisoner escape!"
"Belay that!" James shouted and he took out his pistol. He looked back at Elizabeth and he lifted his weapon, shooting at the rope, releasing the captured ship and her crew. The moment he turned back, Bill made to pierce his chest with a piece of wood but he managed to dodge at the last minute. James wrenched the weapon from Bill and he mentally apologized as he whacked the man over the head.
"Who's this traitor?" The Captain's voice boomed and he appeared around the corner, his eyes wide and searching. He found Bill Turner hunched over with his arms cradling his head and Norrington was there with a piece of wood in his hands. "James Norrington".
"The prisoners have escaped, Captain", Turner said, throwing James a cold glare. "All because of him".
James knew he would either be killed instantly or he would be tortured. He didn't care, though. He helped Elizabeth and her crew to escape, he had given her the ring that he had bought for Katherine, and now he was facing death.
Davy Jones couldn't be any more impressed.
James looked at him fearlessly, as if he was prepared to die. And here Jones thought that he would do his best to go back to his beloved. Why wasn't he? Was this his way of protecting her? He couldn't understand what was going on in James' head.
"Why aren't you trying to escape?" he finally asked.
"Sometimes the best way to help is to sacrifice oneself".
Something churned in the Captain's guts.
"Lock the traitor", he muttered and he turned around, leaving a speechless Admiral with the equally speechless crew.
"Look alive and keep a weather eye!" Gibbs yelled. "Not for naught it's called Shipwreck Island, where lies Shipwreck Cove in the town of Shipwreck".
"How original", Kate muttered under her breath.
Jack glanced at her with a look that said he was about to say the exact same thing.
Jack walked off with Gibbs and Kate following him. "You know, for all that pirates are clever clogs, we are unimaginative when it comes to naming things", he said.
"Aye", Gibbs agreed with a shrug.
"I once sailed with a geezer who lost both of his arms and part of his eye", the Captain related.
"What did you call him?" Kate asked.
"Larry".
Gibbs and the girl looked at each other with raised eyebrows, not knowing whether to sigh or laugh. A commotion on the stern caught their attentions and they saw Ragetti and Pintel escorting Tia Dalma down the deck.
The anger on her face said it all.
"Why the brig?" Kate questioned and she looked up at a spooked Barbossa.
"It is better not to question such things, Miss Kate", Gibbs advised.
Night had fallen when the Black Pearl glided into Shipwreck Cove. Two very old and odd looking towers looked down at the various pirate ships docking in. It looked like the ones who built them had added on to the original building rather than bringing the whole thing down and then building it properly.
On closer inspection, Katherine found that it looked like ships had been piled on one another.
Well, pirates were impressive architects.
"Look at them all", Marty said proudly.
"There's not been a gathering like this in our lifetime", Barbossa added.
"And I owe them all money", Jack said nervously.
Katherine snickered.
As soon as the Pearl was docked, the sailors prepared to go out and Jack pulled Katherine back for a moment.
"Capitaine Chevalle will be there", he reminded her. "So will all other Pirate Lords. Do not get yourself killed in there".
Katherine was silent and Jack left her to her own thoughts. Truthfully, she had completely forgotten about her father's murderer. Had Jack not reminded her about it, she would have gone in there unprepared.
She pulled the chain out from under her clothes and the old ring glittered in the lights of the lanterns illuminating the cove. She left it dangling over her corset and straightened the hat on her head before joining Jack and Barbossa who were attending the meeting along with a few others.
The meeting room was nothing like Katherine had imagined.
A huge table took up most of the space and pirates from all over the world were crammed in the remaining area of the dimly lit room. There was a globe near the entrance and several swords were lodged in it.
The young woman stood a little bit behind Barbossa and when a French accent floated to her, she easily located the speaker and she nudged Barbossa motioning to the Pirate Lord wearing make-up. "Is that Capitaine Chevalle?" She asked in a dark whisper.
"That would be him", Barbossa replied with a subtle nod. He took the cannonballs on the table in front of him and he knocked one of them on the table several times to get everyone's attention.
"As he who issued summons, I convene this, the Fourth Brethren Court", he announced. He ignored Jack who was looking around behind him. The Pirate Lords sat down and Barbossa waved his hand at Ragetti who nodded. "To confirm your lordship and right to be heard, present now, your pieces of eight, my fellow Cap'ns".
However, the sound of a gun cocking had the room at a standstill. Barbossa rolled his eyes and he glanced at Katherine who was holding the pistol and there was a livid look on her face.
All eyes turned to Capitaine Chevalle who was her target.
"You look like someone I knew", he said in a heavy French accent.
"You knew my father, Captain Jonathan Knight of the EITC", she seethed.
"Barbossa, why is this girl here?" Jocard's voice boomed.
"She is part of my crew", Jack piped in and he stood behind her, not sure whether she would pull the trigger or not.
"You killed my father", Kate said and her voice cracked. Her throat constricted and the girl was greatly annoyed that she was about to cry in a room full of pirates. "You sunk the Blue Moon and what remained of her crew. You destroyed all I had left".
"Captain Knight was standing in my way, dear child", Chevalle said and he leaned back in his seat. "He had to be taken down after he defeated more than half of our force".
Katherine lowered her hand and murmurs filled the silence.
"You do not have the resolve to kill me because you know that it was all fair", the Pirate Lord continued with a light smirk dancing on his face.
Katherine closed her eyes for a moment, drowning out the noise around her.
Her mind brought forth memories of her father and her heart clenched on remembering his brightly lit eyes and the way his hair would sway in the wind as he would stand at the helm of his beautiful ship. She remembered the day he left her at Port Royal and how he had tried to comfort her crying self.
If only she could have stopped him from going.
If only he was not the one who had been chosen for that mission.
Almost eleven years later, and Katherine could still remember his warm hug, the way his lips would brush her temple soothingly, the gentle words he whispered to comfort her. She wanted to see him one more time aboard his beloved Blue Moon. She wanted to stand at the docks at Port Royal and watch the vessel sail back proudly with her crew cheering. Then her father would be the first to come down the gangway and she would leap into his arms as he laughed.
"...fought well", Chevalle's voice brought her back.
A sudden fury released the tension in her stomach and before she knew it, she shot the pirate twice in the heart. His eyes glassed over and his hand went limp, the old card that he was holding slipped from his fingers and it fell on the ground.
The whole room went into an uproar but Katherine could not register anything. Her eyelashes were moist from unshed tears, and she ignored the weapons that were pointed at her and the threats that came from all sides.
She suddenly wanted her father to hug her and tell her that she was alright. She wanted him to wrap her protectively in his arms.
She wanted to be eight years old once again.
She wasn't even fully aware when she stepped around the table and she was stopped by Chevalle's men.
Jack involuntarily shuddered at the frightful look in the girl's eyes. He was surprised when her very stable hand unsheathed her sword from her belt slowly and she let her arm hang down her side.
"Out of my way", she said softly but her tone held an underlying threat.
The men hesitated but they parted and Katherine walked along the path they cleared and she picked up the card. The room instantly quietened down.
Barbossa nodded at a nervous Ragetti and he took out a bowl to collect the pieces of eight. Mistress Ching handed hers over first and Ragetti looked at Kate who placed the card in the bowl, silently claiming her place as the new Pirate Lord of the Mediterranean Sea. Chevalle's men- now her men, did not look happy. However, no one voiced their discontentment out.
"Those aren't pieces of eight", Pintel said with a confused look as the collection continued. "They're just pieces of junk!"
"Aye", Gibbs agreed and he started his tale. "The original plan was to use nine pieces of eight to bind Calypso. But when the First Court met, the Brethren were to a one skint broke".
"So change the name", the pirate said as if it were the most obvious thing to do.
"What? To 'Nine pieces of whatever we happened to have in our pockets at the time'?" Gibbs replied dryly with an eyebrow raised. "Oh yes, that sounds very piratey".
Ragetti ended up next to Barbossa who extended his hand out. "Master Ragetti, if you will".
"I kept it safe, just like you said when you gave it to me", the nervous man said with a stutter.
"Aye, you have. But now I need it back".
Barbossa slapped the back of his head and his wooden eye popped out into the bowl.
Katherine squinted in disgust.
"Sparrow!" One of the lords called and all heads turned to the pirate who was standing far from the table.
Jack's hand traveled up to the string of beads resting over his bandanna on his forehead. He fingered the coin at the end hesitatingly and as if to stall, he said, "Might I point out that we are still short one Pirate Lord and I'm as content as a cucumber to wait until Sao Feng joins us".
He strolled next to Barbossa with his usual swaying gait.
"Sao Feng is dead".
Katherine looked up and she found Elizabeth standing at the door with Sao Feng's men behind her. She was dressed in Asian clothing and by taking in the picture, the raven-haired girl knew that Elizabeth was now the new Pirate Lord of the South China Sea.
"He fell to the Flying Dutchman", she continued, her voice rising over the murmurs.
"The plagued ship!" Mistress Ching cried out.
"He made you Captain? They're just giving away the bloody title now", Jack commented as Elizabeth buried her sword in the globe and she took her place of the other side of Captain Barbossa. Her eyes fell on Katherine standing with the French men and she tilted her head questioningly.
"Kate killed Capitaine Chevalle", Barbossa mumbled to her and to his surprise, Elizabeth lowered her gaze in grief.
The blonde-haired woman took a deep breath and the box in her pocket seemed to weigh her down. She was planning to tell Katherine about James immediately but it looked like it would have to wait.
"Listen to me!" She called over the noise. "Our location has been betrayed".
The pirates turned to attention.
"Jones is under the commands of Lord Beckett. They're on their way here".
"Who is this betrayer?" Jocard asked sharply.
"Not likely anyone among us", Barbossa's voice boomed to get some control over the situation.
"Where's Will?" Elizabeth asked, suddenly noticing the absence of her beloved.
"Not among us", Jack told her and realization dawned upon her.
"It matters not how they found us", Barbossa continued. "The question is, what will we do now that they have?"
"We fight", Elizabeth replied bravely. Her face reddened when more than half of the room laughed at her proposition.
"Shipwreck Cove is a fortress", Mistress Ching said with a smug look. "A well-supplied fortress! There is no need to fight if they cannot get to us".
"What makes you think that the Dutchman and the Company together would not have enough power to bring this fortress down?" Katherine asked over the agreements that rang out.
"Be careful, girl! This fortress has withstood-"
"That was then. This is now", she cut in and Captain Ammand scowled at her. "For the first time, the Dutchman and the Company has come together. They are powerful. More than ever".
"There is a third course", Barbossa suggested before a fight could break out, and he began walking around the table. "In another age, at this very spot, the First Brethren Court captured the sea Goddess and bound her in her bones. That was a mistake".
He nearly scoffed at the double takes he got from some of the pirates.
"Oh, we tamed the seas for ourselves, aye. But opened the door to Beckett and his ilk! Better were the days when mastery of seas came not from bargain struck with eldritch creatures, but from the sweat of a man's brow and the strength of his back alone. You all know this to be true!"
Katherine had to admit that Barbossa was very good with words. He was slowly pulling everyone to his side. She watched as he went back to his place between Elizabeth and Jack.
"Gentlemen, ladies, we must free Calypso".
The room went deathly silent and Barbossa frowned. This was not the reaction that he had expected.
From there, it went completely off the track he made and there was an uproar.
"Shoot him!"
"Cut out his tongue!"
"Shoot him and cut out his tongue!" Jack added. "Then shoot his tongue. And trim that beard".
"Sao Feng would have agreed with Barbossa", one of the men standing by Elizabeth's side said.
"Calypso was our enemy then, she will be our enemy now", Jocard spoke up.
"I will still agree with Sao Feng", Captain Eduardo said and he threateningly placed his pistol on the table.
Katherine turned to one of the French men questioningly.
"Capitaine Chevalle would have refused to release the Goddess", he said with a light frown. He was genuinely surprised that she was taking his previous Captain's decision into consideration.
"We will release Calypso!" Eduardo said firmly as he leaned across the table, baring his teeth at the tall French man.
"Do not threaten my crew member", Katherine told him coldly.
"I will silence him!"
The Frenchman was taken by surprise when his new Captain punched Eduardo hard and the man fired, the bullet going through the ceiling. A fight broke out and the crew member grabbed Katherine's arm, pulling her out of the way just in time before she could get hit by ricocheting bullets.
They nodded to each other, reaching a mutual respect and understanding.
"Leon Tonnerre", he introduced himself.
"Katherine Knight", the girl replied with an amused look. "This will have to wait, Leon".
She looked up at Barbossa, silently asking him to restore some order.
The pirate climbed on the table and he fired his pistol. Everyone stopped hitting each other and they looked up at him.
"It was the First Court what imprisoned Calypso. We should be the ones to set her free. And in her gratitude, she will see fit to grant us boons", he said.
"Whose boons? Your boons?" Jack questioned. "Utterly deceptive twaddle-speak, says I".
"If you have a better alternative, please share", Barbossa replied, annoyed that Jack was cutting through his speech.
"Cuttlefish".
Barbossa did a double take.
Jack waved his hands at the men who made way for him to walk around the table. "Let us not, dear friends, forget our dear friends, the cuttlefish. Flipping glorious little sausages. Pen them up together, they'll devour each other without a second thought. Human nature, isn't it? Or fish nature".
Katherine was confused but amused. She could not understand, as did so many others in the room, what Jack was talking about. She nearly laughed when he bent down to massage Mistress Ching's shoulders and her guards placed their hands on their pistols as precaution. "So yes. We could hole up here, well provisioned and well-armed, and half of us would be dead within the month", he explained and it was then that everyone understood his analogy using the cuttlefish. "Which seems quite grim to me, any way you slice it. Or!"
His voice took on a brighter note and he gingerly stepped around a bulky man. "As my learned colleague", he pointed to Barbossa, "so naively suggests, we can release Calypso and we can pray that she will be merciful. I rather doubt it.
"Can we in fact pretend that she's anything other than a woman scorned like which fury hell hath no? We cannot", he continued and he spoke another language.
"We are left with but one option", he translated. "I agree with, and I cannot believe the words coming out of me mouth..."
He struggled to get the words out. "Captain Swann. We must fight", he concluded.
"You've always run away from a fight!" Barbossa exclaimed over the murmurs, trying to get Jack back for making fun of him.
"Have not!" Jack replied childishly.
"Have so!"
"Have not!"
"Have so!"
"Have not!"
All heads turned in sync between the two men since they were at different ends of the table.
"You have so and you know it!"
"Have not. Slander and calumny", Jack said and he quickly added, "I have only ever embraced that oldest and noblest of pirate traditions. I submit that here now this is what we all must do; We must fight... To run away".
"Aye!" Gibbs instantly agreed.
His voting raised many others.
"As per the Code", Barbossa interrupted, "an act of war, and this be exactly that, can only be declared by the Pirate King".
"You made that up", Jack said accusingly.
"Did I, now?" His rival asked. "I call on Captain Teague, Keeper of the Code!"
Jack's face fell and at that very moment, he just wanted to disappear from the room.
"Sri Sumbhajee proclaims all this to be folly!" One of the Indian pirate's men spoke up. "Hang the Code! Who cares a-"
The rest of his sentence was lost when a gunshot was heard and the man fell dead.
All eyes turned to a man standing in the shadows and they watched as he blew the smoke rising from the muzzle of his weapon.
"Code is the law".
James did not die! I can't kill him T^T
~IcedLady~