Pirates of the Caribbean: Bloody Water

Disclaimer: Anything POTC does not belong to me. I'm just borrowing it for a little while…. I swear I'll give it back.

Rating: M

AN: Thanks for the review, QOTRS! Glad to hear from you again.

Chapter 16: A New Plan

Seven pirate captains and one first mate sat around one of the large tables in the Bloody Sunrise's galley, waiting expectantly for their commodore to begin the meeting. Most of them were holding up quite well, considering the fight they'd just been on the losing side of. There were a few cuts and bruises, but nothing too major – nothing, at least, that kept them from attending the meeting. The only captain in the fleet too injured to be a part of the congregation was Tanner Hartford, but his first mate Geoffrey was a good enough stand in. Although, Cecily had to admit she didn't particularly care for the glare Hartford's first mate was giving her.

Ronan was sitting at the table, hunched over with his arms crossed, staring into the scars on the wooden surface. He looked at no one, refused to speak, and quite frankly, adopted a manner that greatly spooked Cecily.

Everyone else looked rather grim, but not nearly as frighteningly depressed as poor Ronan. For once, all the captains maintained a surprising silence that impressed their commodore more than she'd ever been in her life.

"Today," Cecily announced. "Was not a good day."

No one bothered to comment. The statement was an obvious one. All of the assembled pirates had lost people they'd known and cared for, and many other people were severely injured. The day had been a bad one indeed.

"I would like to start this meeting," Cecily continued. "With an apology. The great loss we encountered today could have been avoided with a bit more planning. I accept full responsibility for the dismal outcome of the day's battle, and promise that the next one will be much better planned and much more successful… assuming, o' course, that all o' ye still want to be a part of what we started. If ye should decide otherwise, well, I'll still call ye a yellowbellied stinkin' coward, but I suppose I'll have to understand yer decision."

When no one appeared to have anything to say in response, Cecily continued. "It has become clear to me that unless we manage to recover the heart of Davy Jones extremely early on in the battle, we cannot hope to succeed. Exactly how we're going to do that, I have no bloody idea, but it's a start. If anyone has any suggestions, please, offer them up."

Her assembled committee continued to stare at her blankly. Cecily carried on. "My first action," she announced. "Will be to enlarge our fleet. It's time to call in the reinforcements, lads. Does anyone know of any pirate captain who would be willing to take on this venture?"

When she yet again received silence as her answer, Cecily got annoyed. "This is the part where one o' ye has to speak up," she said.

Geoffrey, still glaring at her, opened his mouth to say his piece. "Do ye really think anyone here is willing to continue with this nonsense?" he spat. "Today was much more than a bad day, O'Connor. Yer vigilante shit got a lot of good men killed today, as well as many more men injured, including me captain. I, for one, will be packing up my crew and taking back Captain Hartford as soon as possible, and then we shall wash our hands of ye and yer insanity."

Cecily rounded on Hartford's stand in. "Oh?" she asked. "Is that what ye intend to do? Yer captain is far from dead, boy, and when he gets back on his feet, which may very well be as soon as tomorrow, I daresay he'll be more inclined to take a different approach."

Geoffrey snorted. "Me captain is lying wounded in the next room as a consequence of yer actions, and ye dare to suggest he'd still support ye? Mark me words, we'll be gone by sunrise."

"Ye are not the captain o' the Savage Beauty, lad, and I've only allowed ye to sit in on this meeting out o' the goodness o' me heart," Cecily snarled. "I don't really care what ye think, or what ye have to say, because in the end, it's really not yer opinion that counts, is it? It's the opinion of Captain Hartford that matters, and I can promise ye, the two o' ye are not o' like minds."

"Fine!" Geoffrey exploded. "Ye don't have to listen to me. I'll wager the other men present will do enough talking in my stead. Ye can't honestly believe they'll take yer side on this, O'Connor."

"I will," Norrington spoke up decisively, rising up and taking his spot beside the pirate woman. "We all agreed once before that Beckett must be stopped, and now we must finish what we started."

Cecily didn't look at Norrington, but the slight relaxation he saw in her facial muscles told him that she was grateful for his support.

Geoffrey, however, was not impressed. "Ye would agree with her," he snorted. "This whole bloody mess is yer fault anyway."

"Watch yer tongue, boy," Cecily snarled at him.

"He's not the only one on her side," Matthews announced. "I will gladly support Commodore O'Connor in this, and will not rest until we have finished this fight once and for all."

An eye roll was the surly first mate's response. "What a surprise," he retorted sourly. "The Navy men stick together. Who cares what ye two think? Ye were never on our side, and ye're not now either, no matter what ye claim."

"Do ye think I do not realize that this has been difficult?" Cecily exclaimed, violently stalking around the table to Geoffrey's seat. She leaned over and got into the man's face. "I know as well as any o' ye the sacrifices we have made today for the sake of our kind. I was there when Tanner took that bullet, and if ye think I don't suffer for it, ye mistake me. Ye're not the only one on this ship that worries for yer captain. Ye're certainly not the only one that mourns. I have lost the two people I held dearest in this world today, and so have many others. Do not act self-righteous with me, darling, ye don't have a leg to stand on."

She stood up and began to circle the table. "Today was destructive for us, but that is no reason to turn back now. After we've lost so much, it just doesn't make sense to turn and run. If we have nothing left to loose, then why are we afraid to risk it? Important people lost their lives today, but tears and running will do them no justice. Revenge must be our motivator now." Here she stopped behind Ronan, who was still staring straight ahead, with tears in his maniacal eyes. One solitary teardrop tumbled down his cheek. Her hand rested on his large shoulder, and she said softly, "They would not forgive us if we turned back now. We must continue to fight, if not for the reasons we started, than for the people we lost today. Those we cared for must be avenged."

Slowly, she removed her hand from Ronan's shoulder, and continued her walk around the table. Ronan's eyes followed her, and he stood up. "Yes, they must be," he announced.

Cecily turned back to look at him. Ronan continued, addressing all of them. "We must fight again," he agreed. "If not for the sea, then for the people that died on the sea today. The Sea Bird will stand behind ye, Captain O'Connor. We will fight."

Cecily smiled softly at Ronan and nodded her head. "That's what I'm talkin' about, Captain Liberte. Glad to have ye aboard."

"I sure as hell ain't turning back now either," Skip announced. Cecily turned to look at him. He only shrugged. "Well, ye know me, I ain't never shied away from a fight before, and I sure as hell ain't going to start now. I'm in, and I'll be in 'til it's over."

Cecily gave Skip a smile.

"Me too," Easton spoke up. "I won't abandon ye, Commodore."

Cecily nodded at him.

"I stand by what I said," Geoffrey said, resolved on his course of action.

Cecily stared daggers at him. "I'll let yer captain have the final word," she replied. Then she rounded on Sparrow and Barboussa. "What about ye two?" she asked. "Ye still with us?"

The two captains exchanged looks, and then gave short nods. "We've got our own bone to pick with Mr. Beckett," Barboussa announced.

Satisfied, Cecily smiled at her loyal troops, and then continued strategizing. "Fine, then about those reinforcements. Anybody here know anyone willing to help?"

"I do," Ronan announced resolutely. Ever since the mention of revenge, he had become an active participant in the meeting, suddenly determined to destroy Beckett and his army. "Me old friend, Jim Sauder. He'll do right by us and the sea, I stake me life on it."

"Jim?" Cecily asked, wincing a little. "Uh…. Are ye sure ye don't know anyone else?"

Ronan met her eyes. "I am afraid he is the only one I can guarantee."

Cecil sighed, resigned to her fate. "All right, Jim Sauder it is." As if she didn't have enough exes in her fleet already.

"I've got a friend too," Skip put in. "Constantine Vontoya. I'm sure I can convince him to join up."

"Are ye bloody kiddin' me?" Cecily snapped. "Vontoya? That worthless, good-fer-nothin' doped-up waste o' skin? I beleive I've told ye be'ore that that man needs to maintain a hundred foot distance from me at all times. And ye actually think I'd invite that sack o' shite into me fleet? Damn it, Worchester, this is important!"

Skip looked mildly amused as he stared at her evenly. "Beggers can't be choosers, O'Connor."

Cecily glowered at him. Finally, she spoke. "Fine," she said tightly. "Vontoya it is. But ye will swear to me on yer life that ye'll keep him sober - and far away from me."

"Agreed," Skip smirked.

"Good," she nodded. "All right, that's two so far. Anyone else?"

The remaining men all shook their heads in the negative, except for Jack Sparrow, who refused eye contact with Captain O'Connor, and started fidgeting a lot.

"Captain Sparrow?" Cecily asked. "Do ye have something ye'd like to share with the class?"

"No," Jack replied.

Barboussa gave his co-captain a dangerous look. "Oh, now, Jack, I think ye do," he replied.

"No, I don't." Jack repeated.

"Well, which is it?" Cecily demanded. "Do ye two have a pirate ship to contribute or not?"

Jack continued to stare at the table. Barboussa continued to glare at Jack. Cecily began to get exasperated. Finally, Jack said, "Aye, I may know of someone who will be willing to help."

"Perfect. That makes three," Cecily announced. She didn't look as happy as she sounded. "No one else?"

It appeared not. Cecily sighed inwardly and resigned herself to only three extra ships. "All right, then. In the morning, ye three will set off in search of yer connections, and once ye convince them to join up, ye will meet us back here. In the meantime, the remaining ships will keep a close watch on Beckett's convoy, and ensure he does not have opportunity to gather reinforcements of his own."

"How do ye propose we do that?" Geoffrey asked sourly.

Cecily grinned, not the least bit put out. "Why, sabotage, o' course."