Beckett's Quarry

Chapter 21

"Anna luv!" Jack said with a glittering smile, his hands together in front of him in an appeasing gesture as he approached her at the wheel, then immediately rocked back on his heels as she spun around to glare at him. With a threatening jab of her finger she snarled, "You best keep him away from me Jack Sparrow!"

Jack fluttered his hands about, still leaning back out of her reach as he replied, "I swear on pain of death I shall do all within my power to keep Hector as far away from you as would be considered humanly…..or even un-humanly possible."

With another jab of her finger she snapped, "Ya better see that ya do!" with a jerk of her head she added, " 'n ya better be doin something bout that ship bearin down on us as well." then turned back to the wheel.

Jack, glad he'd been able to escape the slap he was sure he was going to get, smiled a bit, cocked his head to the side, and said to himself as he left the quarterdeck, "Not so bad." As he stepped down on the deck he looked in the direction Beckett's ship was approaching, made a face as he rubbed over the P brand on his wrist, and began shouting orders to the crew.

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Elizabeth, William, and James stood to one side of the companionway. Elizabeth put a comforting hand on James' arm although her tone carried a trace of pique, "It is in a safe place James, after all I'm not foolish enough to carry it around with me."

"I did not mean to infer that you were Elizabeth." James replied, "My apology if it sounded as such, though my extreme concern with the safety of that particular item is not unwarranted."

"We understand that Commodore… uh Mr. Norring…uh.. James, and have taken measures to assure that safety." Will interjected stumbling over just how he should address the man.

"Thank you Mr. Turner, I shall say no more on the subject. Now by your leave." James said with a nod toward William and a bow toward Elizabeth and walked away.

A few moments later William and Elizabeth left the companionway as well to ask Jack how they could best help in the upcoming confrontation with Beckett. A few moments after than a smiling Hector Barbossa stepped out of the companionway, held a rum bottle up in salute to the retreating backs, and said, "Now that's a very interesting bit of information to have I'm thinkin."

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"Mr. Mercer, make sure those men get aboard and are escorted directly to the brig." Cutler said as they came along side the launch.

Mercer gave a nod and a sinister twist to his lips as he walked over to the rail to wait for the men to climb on board.

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"You can find yerself a blade and a pistol below former Commodore n place yerself in a proper position ta defend me Pearl, I'm sure yer somewhat acquainted with how these things go….we blow the beejezus out o them or they blow it out o us, savvy?"

James rolled his eyes, "Yes I am somewhat acquainted with what goes on in these situations."

"Ah, good then," Jack said with a smile, then made shooing motions, "Well then off with ya… no need ta stand about jawing it over… ya have yer orders…" Jack hesitated a moment as James shot him a look, but smiled as James, paused for only a brief moment then instead of retorting turned to go arm himself. Jack pointed both index fingers at his back as he smiled and said, "Good man" then a moment later frowned as he turned to find Hector standing behind him, "What 'r you still doin here?"

Hector's reply was delayed as cannon fire from Beckett's ship sailed just slightly over their heads and landed in the water just the other side of the Pearl.

They straightened up and Hector smiled, "Thought I'd stick around and lend ya a hand."

"Somehow that don't fit ya Hector, yer never willin ta lend a helping hand less there'd be something in it for you." Jack looked at him with suspicion then down at the bottle of rum in his hand, "Like the appropriatin of goods that don't belong to ya."

Hector laughed, "You'd deny a comrade a wee bit o rum in circumstances such as these?" He took a drink from the bottle as he finished speaking.

Jack gave Hector a frown, "Well now that you've gone and drank from it go ahead and keep it."

With a snarky smile he said, "Why thank you Jack."

"Don't mention it." Jack replied with a sour expression.

To Be Continued

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