"The Adventures to Come"
Chapter 21
When Jack finally arose around sunset, he felt moderately refreshed. But quickly, the semi-relaxation he was feeling dissipated. His crew had been doing their jobs, but his family unit was all shouting at one another.
Rosemary and Will were shouting at Jack. Marie was scolding Andy for some reason or another and Dani was trying to console a sobbing Lizzie.
"What in the bloody hell is going on around here?" Jack's distinctive voice boomed. "I go lie down for a few hours and I wake up to anarchy."
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up to Jack. The only sounds were the waves crashing against the hull of the ship and Elizabeth's sniffling.
Jack looked to the only seemingly normal, sane person. "Danielle?" he asked.
She moved from behind Elizabeth. "Yes, Jack?"
"What happened?" he asked her once she was next to him.
"Well, William and young Jack here got into it and now Jack would prefer to sail on the HMS Edwards with James," she explained.
"That explains your reaction, as well as yours," he said as he pointed to Will and Elizabeth. "But," he turned to Rosemary, "why are you doing whatever it is you're doing?"
Rosemary blushed from the roots of her brown hair to the tips of her toes.
The whole crew strained to hear her response.
"I…I love him. And if he goes, I go," she answered her father.
Jack's face contorted into a shocked and moderately amused expression. His mouth opened and closed a few times, but no sound ever came out. Jack turned his eyes to Dani who shrugged as her only response. But Jack did notice that her normally red lips were pale and pursed, as if trying to keep herself from saying something.
He then looked around to his crew and they immediately went back to their end of the day duties. At least his crew never wandered around mooning over one another.
"Well, I am captain of this ship and I m the last word in who stays and who goes. If you leave my ship, you are guilty of mutiny," Jack said.
"But we aren't members of your crew. We never signed your articles," Jack (Turner) shouted back.
"Mr. Gibbs, the articles!" he called. Jack's next move was to step down and get into the boy's face. "You shout at me, or anyone else on board this ship and I'll feed you to the sharks, savvy? No one talks to my crew like that except me."
Jack (Sparrow) began to pace as he waited for the articles. He was only moderately certain of his next movie.
Gibbs returned a short while later, huffing and puffing, with an old leather-bound book in hand.
"You want to sign the articles and become your own man? So be it. But be sure to read them carefully," Jack smiled.
Jack Turner took the book and was surrounded immediately by the adults.
He parted the leather-bound covers and looked at the very neatly written words.
1. Lights and candles to be put out at eight o'clock at night. If any of the crew after that hour still remained inclined for drinking, they were to do it on the open deck.
Jack continued down the page. Under the first was written in chicken scratch:
Unless I want to do otherwise.
-Captain J. Sparrow
2. No boy or woman to be allowed amongst them. If any man were found seducing any of the latter sex, and carried her to sea disguised, he was to suffer death.
Underneath that was written:
Unless I say so.
-Captain J. Sparrow
3. No person to game at cards or dice, for money, but rum is considered fair currency.
4. No striking one another on board but every man's quarrels to be ended on shore, at sword and pistol.
5. Every man shall obey civil command; the captain shall have one full share and a half in all prizes; the Master, Carpenter, Boatswain, and Gunner shall have one share and a quarter.
6. If any man shall offer to run away, or keep any secret from the company, he shall be marooned with one bottle of water, one bottle of powder, one small arm and shot.
7. That man that shall strike another while these Articles are in force, shall receive Moses' Law (that is 40 stripes lacking one) on the bare back.
8. If any man shall steal anything in the company or game, to the value of a piece of Eight, he shall be marooned or shot.
9. That man that shall not keep his arms clean, fit for an engagement, or neglect his business shall be cut off from his share, and suffer such other punishment as the Captain and the company shall think fit.
10. No man to talk of breaking up their way of living, till each had shared 1000! If in order to this any man should lose a limb, or become a cripple in their service, he was to have 800 dollars, out of the public stock, and for lesser hurts, proportionately.
Two other things were added at the end in the same awful handwriting as before.
11. I, as the Captain of the Black Pearl, have every right and reason to be evasive when asked any and all questions. And I have the right to, on occasion, to act erratically without regard for others.
12. Any and all undead humans, animals, or any other organism is cleared to be used, expressly permitted and highly encouraged to be used as a target is to be treated as unwelcome. They must be destroyed at all costs.
Jack Turner looked up to the adults that surrounded him.
"If I sign these, I only have to listen to your orders?" he asked Captain Jack.
Jack (Sparrow) looked utterly confused and looked to Will and Elizabeth for a proper answer. Will nodded and Jack answered yes.
Jack (Turner) took the pen from Dani and signed his name underneath his father's. His eyes strained in the dim light, but he could almost make out 'Bill Turner' scrawled on the page.
"Yes, that's your grandfather's signature," Will said.
"All right, Captain," Jack handed the book and pen back to Dani. "What are my orders?"
Jack smiled an evil, devilish smile. "Your orders…are to report to your father. I've just put you back under his loving and caring jurisdiction. That is all."
"You all tricked me. That isn't fair!" he shouted.
"I told you to read carefully," Jack said, climbing the stairs to his wheel.
"I did!" he shouted again, moving to follow his captain.
"What did I say about shouting?" Captain Jack turned around and said into the boy's face.
"I…" the boy stammered.
Jack (Sparrow) was also at a loss for words. "Well…You have your orders. Now go before I have you locked in the hold for insubordination."
Jack (Turner) turned around on the stairs and everyone was looking at him. He retreated to his sleeping quarters and settled in for the rest of the night.
"Now that I've completely alienated my son, what are we doing now?" Will asked.
Jack turned and looked at Will.
"He'll come around, mate. I promise. And if he doesn't, we can somehow force him out. As for this evening, I suggest everyone thinks about getting some sleep. Someone get me…" he started, but was interrupted by the very thing he wanted. A green glass bottle touched his rough hands.
"You're going to need this after the conversation that we are going to have," Dani said and took a long swig of her own.
A/N: Please review. I like reviews.