Chapter 29 Battles avoided

The Spaniard had the advantage in the yardage of canvas could muster, and the number of crew to tend it, but she was heavy and slow to manoeuvre. Perhaps her captain did not know that his quarry was the only ship that could outrun the Flying Dutchman but he soon discovered that with the wind favouring her the way it seemed to she could outpace them, and that all he could do was stay between the fleeing ship and the Intrepid and try and keep his quarry in sight.

Hathaway could find it in him to feel some sympathy for the unknown captain, after all the sight of the black sails pulling away towards the horizon was one he knew well. Watching the heavily gunned vessel come about, looking clumsy beside her prey, he found that he was less concerned about this formidable Spanish lady catching the Black Pearl then he had been when first the chase had started. Now that the black timbered ship was beyond the range of the Spanish guns he did not think her in much danger, he didn't think she would come within their sights again and not only because of her impressive turn of speed. The wind had shifted slightly and with it in this direction the Pearl could out run Jones himself it was said. Hathaway had not been surprised when the wind moved to give the black ship the advantage. His suspicion that someone or something was at work to keep Sparrow's ship safe grew stronger with every passing day, there was no other reason that he could think of to explain her extraordinary fortune, nor her ability to disappear in places where it should not be possible for a ship to remain unseen.

Therefore he was not surprised when the squall sprang up, nor at how the mist of rain and spray obscured the fleeing Pearl from view. With a sigh he continued his course but with little expectation that the quarry would be there to be found by the time they emerged into good weather. He exchanged a rueful look with Groves as he passed the lieutenant's station, but the truth was that he was somewhat relieved; at least this time he would not have to go into battle to keep Sparrow's beloved ship from enemy hands. As he progressed down the decks, nodding to his officers as he went, he spared a moment of gratitude to whatever it was that was keeping that ship safe and in doing so sparing this crew the death and injury that any battle would have brought.

At least this time.

XXX

On the Pearl Gibbs watched anxiously as the Spanish ship fell behind having spat only that one round of canon fire in their direction and without the Pearl having to fire her own guns. He could see the navy ship too but he knew that she'd not catch them either, not now. As the distance between them increased he breathed more easily, looking up at the full bellied sails making the most of the favouring wind. But he felt unease as well as relief, for it was not the first time the wind had changed unexpectedly to their favour, nor the first time had that change had spared them the need to engage.

The sudden squall, with its shrouding mist, roused his worries from their day time half sleep. Deep within his superstitious soul suspicion and dread was stirring, for if Calypso was exerting herself in their favour it would be for some reason of her own, and Gibbs was beginning to wonder what game was being played, and how and when the debt would be called in.

As the mist thickened he strode to the wheel, watching in silence as Anamaria's small, strong, hands gripped it with authority, coaxing nearly as much from her as Jack himself would have done. Off to one side Cotton watched closely but with no sign of anxiety, a sure sign of the mute man's confidence in the ability and determination of the girl.

She cast him a short glance as Gibbs approached but decided he was no risk, for Cotton of all men knew how to keep his own counsel.
"More strangeness," she hissed, "weather like this coming this way is not natural, not here."
"Aye," Gibbs replied reluctantly, "Not earthly weather I'll be bound."
That earned him a sharp look from both Anamaria and Cotton, but he seemed not to notice.
"Naught to do with Barbossa though, not by my reckoning," he continued, "Something is takin' our part and I'd not think anything had that much regard for that treacherous dog."
"Seems unlike 'tis true." She stared at the pall of white before them, "let's hope that whatever is so inclined to be helpful extends that help to making sure we don't come across another ship in this fog. Best not toll the bell and betray ourselves to those that chase us, at least not for a while."
Gibbs nodded, his expression grim,
"Aye. But I've a mind that no harm will come to us, though can't tell you how or why it should be."
Anamaria gave a cold smile, her eyes still locked on the prow and the veil of mist beyond it,
"Jack Sparrow, that's answer enough. Whatever it is he's about there are those that want him to succeed, and will keep us whole to assist in that. Those that have the power to make it so."

Gibbs thought about it for a moment then nodded,
"That's how it is to my mind too. Though I'd sleep easier if there was some notion of who and why."
"Calypso you think?"
"Maybe, but that don't explain why, for she has no love of pirates and Jack be a pirate whatever else he is."
The girl chewed at her lip a moment then shrugged,
"True enough, nor does she have the even temper needed to put her anger aside for another good. But who else? Jones has not the power, even if Jack has the leverage there that some think he has."
He stared at her for a second or two, and got as far as opening his mouth to correct her, only recalling that she knew nothing of Jones fate, nor of Will's, at the last moment. Exchanging a wary look with Cotton he took a deep breath and practised a little, unusual, subtlety,
"Who says Jack has leverage over Jones?"
That earned him a sharp and knowing look,
"Was the talk of Tortuga. Sailors came looking for him and spoke of his hold over Jones in their cups, seemed to think he might hold Jones heart. I'd not put it past him neither, canny man is Jack Sparrow and if there is a way to escape the locker he would be the one to find it."

"Was it so?" He looked back at the ships still on their heels, though not snapping at them any longer, "well, that's as maybe, don't make it true. Clear enough that some believe it though. He shot her a sharp look,"Say ought else did they?"
She shrugged,
"Talk was that he would be well rewarded for working that leverage for others. Not that anyone believed that, who would trust the word of a kings man? No doubt there were those who would have handed him over to those with gold if they had known where he was though."
Gibbs nodded slowly, his eyes still fixed on the Spaniard,
"Aye, I'd not argue with that," his mind drifted to Sampson and his cudgel and boot knife, "though they might find that others become a mite unfriendly if they steer that course. Jack has friends as well as enemies, and there are plenty who would not forgive a man who sold anyone to the king, any king."
The distance between the Pearl and pursuers seemed to be increasing and he found himself thinking longingly of the rum barrel,
" But if that's what's in the navy men's minds they'll not be giving up any time soon, so lets hope that whoever is protecting us goes on doing so."

Anamaria looked forwards towards the thickening mist, something in Gibbs voice had told her that he was keeping something back, that there was some part of the story she did not know. It was not an idea she found to her liking and she set the back part of her mind to working out some way of discovering what it was, but for the moment she resolved to pretend she had no suspicion,
"Seems like they will for the moment," she said. "Let's hope that this business with Barbossa is resolved quickly and we can head for safer waters.
Gibbs muttered 'Aye' as he strode away but she could hear the uncertainty in it.

Heading down to the hold and the call of the rum Gibbs wondered if Jack knew what the navy men thought, and if that was why he had taken such pains to hide Mrs Turner away in so proper a place. With a navy or two seeking her nowhere known to pirates would be safe, and the Keeper would not have thanked him for taking her to the cove, not when the pair of them had brought battle to the doorstep once before. But Jack would not want Will to dance to their tune as Jones had been forced to. And look where that had led them all! He found himself hoping that Jack had covered his tracks well.

XXX

The sun was peeping shyly across the horizon when Jack woke, with a thumping head that was somehow both familiar and unexpected. He lay still for a moment trying to recall where he had been the night before, but all he could remember was a leisurely meal, a fish stew he thought, and a long conversation about tactics over a glass of rum. Well maybe two…or three.. glasses of rum. Nothing had happened to account for his present headache nor the sense of disorientation, at least not as he recalled it. Not that this was the first time, for there were plenty of other occasions where he had woken in a similar state to find the evening had been far from quiet. With a sigh he threw off the soft blanket and rolled onto his side, squinting down the decks towards the wheel; but the deck was as empty as the ocean and there was no sign of Elanor, nor sound of her ghost.
'Abandoned me in disgust no doubt,' he thought wearily as he rolled onto his back again and rubbed a hand across his bleary eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stave off the headache and remember how he came to be waking here rather than in his bunk.

'Did I do or say something I shouldn't have done?' was his next thought, as he pushed himself into a sitting position, 'not seen me to me cabin so I must have offended in some way.' He sighed to himself, 'How much have I got to make right with her this time?'
Carefully he eased his shoulders and stretched his neck, they ached from sleeping on the deck but it was no great pain or other sign of injury and only the sluggish pace of his thoughts, and the soreness of his head, betrayed his over indulgence of the evening before. Or did it? Odd if it did so, for it had been weeks and more since he had been so affected by rum. He had thought that the water of life had put paid to both the benefits and the consequences of over indulgence and, until this moment, he had assumed that state would continue indefinitely. Which posed the question why this time?

With another sigh Jack struggled unsteadily to his feet and stood, swaying gently, his brow contracted with a frown as he struggled to gather his thoughts. While it was a relief to think that rum might once again prove to be the friend of forgetting, some niggling thought kept on that it might not be as simple as that. Not on this ship.

He rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully; 'seemed a mite strange that his susceptibility, never as great as many thought, should come on him again so suddenly, and with no sign that anything else had changed. The mirror told him that the water continued to do its' work, though the changes were gradual enough to be nigh on imperceptible to one who saw them every day. Why then should their effect on his sobriety suddenly change?'

If it had.

But there might be other reasons for his fragile state might there not? Elanor had her own secrets to guard and she was an ocean away from being as simple and easily read as Elizabeth. Jack smiled wryly to himself, there might be things she wanted to be about without his eyes upon her, and if he were she and wanted to do something unseen what would he do? Why he'd do what he was thinking she might have done wouldn't he? Get his companion out of the way for a while. So if it weren't the rum, just if, then what might it have been?

His finger explored the back of his head carefully but it seemed whole, as did his neck, no bruise or swelling, so not a blow then. But why would she need to resort to something that crude when this ship was so well stocked with wondrous things that would do the trick? Those little white pills for example, the ones she had given him during his fever, they had certainly made him sleep. Her strong room too had held boxes of treasures that might do the necessary, and put them with rum and … he winced and rubbed his eyes again, well he couldn't cry' impossible' not when he'd done it himself, and more than once. What he could do then so could she, had he not admitted that some time ago? Pirate or not the lady captain was more than capable of making a frontal attack and doing so with ruthless efficiency; if she wanted him out of the way then out of the way he would be put.

Lucky for him that she didn't share Mrs Turner's lack of resource or imagination, for if she had then he might have been waking up in chains.

Question remained why? Jack crossed slowly to the rail, squinting against the early morning light as he stared towards the horizon. Nothing seemed amiss and as far as he could judge they were on course for their meeting with Pearl, so it was not that she sought to avoid. What, then, was it she had not wanted him to interfere with? Couldn't be anything to do with those fascinating weapons, not when she knew he couldn't get into the strong room; nor yet the gold for the same reason. The chest? That was as securely held as the rest so it was not likely to be that either. So what? The thought nagged at him like an unpaid tapster but his brain refused to rise to the challenge, it would have been maddening if he hadn't been too tired and rum…. well ….something… afflicted to become maddened.

With a grimace he turned his eyes to the sky. Looked to be an hour or two before they could expect sight of the Pearl so breakfast would be welcome he decided. At least his stomach seemed calm enough whatever the cause of his lassitude might be. On that thankful thought he turned towards the below decks hatch with some spring returned to his step, coffee, yes coffee would be good. Maybe a rasher or two if any remained. That brought a stray thought and a frown, seemed likely they would need to provision before they set off on this quest of theirs, for he doubted that Gibbs would have thought of everything needed, even with Anamaria's help. They were headed a long ways north where habitation was thin and food scarce, water too come to that, though he had noticed that water was never short aboard this ship. One day he would discover why that was the case but running out was a risky way to go about it.

"Jack, the Pearl is in some sort of trouble again."
Elanor's voice brought him up short as she appeared as from nowhere behind him, he span on his heels and glared at her,
"What do ya mean again," he demanded a sense of irritation taking hold of him, the way she talked it was as if she forgot he was a pirate and therefore expected to be in trouble as matter of routine.
The lady seemed unimpressed by the snap in his voice, just shrugging and giving him a jaunty smile,
"What I said. This time she has got two ships on her tail and some strange weather to go with it."
He turned and scanned the seas, before dragging his glass from his pocket and scanning to the horizon, the seas were empty.
"How'd you know? There no sight of the Pearl or any other."
Her smile widened slightly,
"Ariadne can see round corners, and over horizons. The Pearl is about three hours sail away, but as I said she is not alone."
Jack cast her a curious look, noting that three hours was a little longer then he had expected, but said nothing more as her smile died and her voice took on a serious note,
"We can't make the rendezvous until she has lost those ships."

He opened his mouth to protest, then squashed the words with a moue of annoyance.
"With that I must unfortunately agree. Can't set off on this matter with prying eyes on our tails." He frowned as the rest of her words came back to him, "What do you mean by strange weather, can your ghost see even that? What do you call strange weather anyways."
"Yes she can. Changing winds and sea frets where they shouldn't be is what I call strange weather."
She came closer, standing toe to toe with him, her face set and her eyes hard,
"What is going on Jack? This isn't the first time the weather has turned somersaults to save the Pearl. Who or what is behind it?"
He shot her a false smile
"Cant say luv, would be lying if I said I knew." His look became one of deep concern, "and you know I'd never lie to you." He said winsomely.
That brought a look of appreciation and slight snort,
"Of course not. How could I ever think such a thing?"
He grinned at her and she turned to look towards the sea,
"But on this occasion I'll believe you because Ariadne doesn't know either. However this is stretching co-incidence too far, there is something out there that seems concerned to keep your ship safe." She looked back towards him, "sooner or later we will need to discover what."

Jack spread his arms in an expansive gesture,
"As always I am in agreement with you darlin'." He stepped closer and put his hand on her arm, a wheedling note entered his voice and his eyes became watchful, "But not just this moment eh? Other things to be about for the moment and I for one am content to have something else on our side."
He watched her closely as she considered him, only relaxing when she shrugged,
"Can't argue with that." She said, "Help that doesn't ask questions is to be snatched at in the current circumstances." Her expression became troubled,
"I wish we knew a little more about what we face out there."
"The ships?" Jack gave a dismissive wave of the hand, "Navy no doubt and the Pearl can shake them without any eldritch help, though maybe not as quickly."
Elanor rolled her eyes,
"Don't play games Jack, I'm not in the mood. You know very well what I meant."
He save a sigh of mock sorrow and fixed her with an earnest look,
"Ah, well there I can't help you Captain Cavendish, for I'd be lyin' again if I said that I knew." He took her wrist and pulled her around, drawing her hand through his arm as they had walked as Mr and Mrs Norrington, he pulled her slowly towards the hatch,
"Map is no help, nor is the compass, will take us there, at least I think so, but will not tell us what faces us. Nor were the people of the temple much help on that, as well you know. They talk of swords of devils as I said, but I'm as one with you in hoping that was not to be taken as the literal truth. Swords of damnation are things I would like to keep at significant distance."
He raised a finger to forestall the acid comment he could see was coming, and smiled his most charming smile,
"But as we don't know, and can't know, there is no profit in more wondering, now is there? However there is profit in breakfast."

He pulled open the hatch and bowed her before him. As they began down the steps he reached forward and put his hand gently but firmly on her shoulder,
"and when we have eaten you can tell me what it was you wanted to be about all unseen last night."

XXX

The mist didn't clear for some time and when it did the seas behind them were empty. Anamaria heaved a sigh of relief and checked their course, they had made a slight detour but not as great as they might have needed to make if the weather had not favoured them in that way. She left Cotton at the wheel and hurried down to the great cabin to check the charts before making a course adjustment, well aware that these waters were strange to her, probably to Gibbs too. A far as she could see there was deep water and no hazard bar the possibility of other ships between them and where they would meet the Pearl. After so many weeks away from his beloved Pearl Jack was no doubts champing at the bit, watching the horizon for the first sight of them, but there was nothing that could be done about that. He would not thank her for risking the Pearl's precious hull to shave an hour or so off their delay.

She cast a wary look at the silent Barbossa, what was it that Jack thought to do for his old advisary, for she could see no way the man could be saved except through death, and his death did not look to be far away. She stepped hesitantly to the side of the bed, suppressing a shudder at the sight of wide pale eyes staring sightlessly heavenwards, the blanched shrunken cheeks. What horror was it that he walked in, and why was Jack stirring himself to save him from it? She cast a look towards the little monkey crouched on the pillow, keeping company with its silent master as it did for much of the day, only the pile of shells and discarded husks testimony to the fact that it didn't share his fate. A strange sense of sympathy stirred at the sight of the animals pinched expression, the worry and sorrow written large in eyes that had never been intended to show such feelings. Anamaria touched a hesitiant finger to the small bent head, smiling slightly when a tiny, leather lined, paw came up to grasp it,
"Jack says you have no time for him, nor he for you, " she said quietly, "but he'll do his best for the old devil whatever the reason, and his best is often good enough."
A short burst of soft chatter was the response and she smiled again,
"Let's hope this is one of those occasions for all our sakes."
The monkey gave a half hearted grin and another burst of chatter then snuggled down onto the pillow again, tail curled tightly around its little body as if to ward off the cold.

Anamaria nodded and gave the little creature one last caress, though she could not have said what moved her so,
"I'll set those lazy curs to fetch you a meal, " she said softly, "no reason for you to starve too, will not help him."
Then, clearing her suddenly constricted throat she before she opened the door, she returned to the wheel yelling an order to Raggetti as she went.

XXX

They had dropped anchor more than two hours ago, at the appointed place for the rendezvous, or so Anamaria claimed. Gibbs took one look her face, her mouth a tight line, and the set of her shoulder that clearly betrayed that she was spoiling for a fight, and decided to accept that as fact.

Not that he could blame her for her tetchiness not when his own nerves were wound as tight as a merchant's purse string. The rest of the crew were catching some of it too and he'd had to threaten one man with the brig already. As he watched the horizon he had to admit that he would be glad to see Jack back on board. Odd thing about Jack Sparrow, for all his vague airs and strangeness he was a captain when it came down to it, and while he was no sailors idea of a harsh man he could get instil respect in a crew faster than any other captain Gibbs had sailed with, at least when he wanted to. Gibbs had never figured out how he did it but he would be very glad when he was back aboard and doing it here.

As the sun rose higher over an empty sea he began to wonder if something had gone wrong. Somehow it had not occurred to him before now that the pair of them would not be here at the appointed hour, no hint of doubt that they would succeed in their venture had crossed his mind until this minute. But what would they do if it had gone wrong? Where would they go with the navies of Europe after them, and what would they do with Barbossa? Perhaps Jack's body was even now been committed to the sea, or a paupers grave, hung from a tree in some settlers backwater. A memory of that Turkish prison came back to him and he shuddered, Jack had said little enough about it but what he had said had turned the blood to ice. Maybe his friend was this moment being hauled to some ramparts somewhere to be hung in chains.

Anamaria, coming up behind him, saw his look and had little difficulty in guessing his thoughts, after all her own had been pretty similar this last night.
"They'll be here soon." She said with an ease she didn't really feel.
Gibbs cast a look over his shoulder,
"Aye course they will."
His words trailed away and he looked down at the rail, shoulders hunched fingers tight around the blackened wood, he drew a deep breathe then turned on her as if in anger,
"And what if they ain't, what do we do them, tell me that?"
"He'll come, slippery as a fish is Jack Sparrow and bright as the mid day sun. He'll be here, mark my words."
Gibbs turned back to stare at the horizon his brows drawn low in a frown,
"That's as maybe, but I've been remembering…" he drew a deep breath, "twice now she's near done for him and once succeeded, maybe this will be the second success."
"She?" Anamaria quieried.
"Miss Elizabeth that was, Mrs Turner now. Saving her was not a clever trick, not for Jack. More'n bad luck at sea she were. Maybe this time…" his voice died away.

"True enough." Anamaria replied after a moment of thought, "but he's not alone this time is he, there's the two of them involved and the lady will be no passenger to my mind. Captain Cavendish now, she'll not let him be taken; and I'd be betting that she is more than a match for the Governor's daughter."
Gibbs nodded but his frown didn't ease,
"I'd be in agreement on that right enough, if she gets the chance. But Jack…. Well, 'tis plain enough that the lass brings out the reckless streak in him."
Anamaria leaned on the rail and stared into his face with open curiosity, it was rare to get Gibbs to discuss Jack or Elizabeth Turner in this manner.
"Why?" She asked bluntly.
Gibbs slowly shook his head, still staring out to sea.
"Don't rightly know; other than he saved her life. That and the fact that her lad is the son of man he called friend. Maybe she reminds him of someone, or maybe she just reminds him of his past. Jack weren't always a pirate remember, even though he's the Keeper's get." He remembered Shipwreck cove and an item his friend had taken to wearing on his belt when they left, "mebbe she reminds him of his mama. Who can say? Reading Jack has never been easy and where Elizabeth and Will were concerned it were nigh impossible."
He turned and looked at her,
"I'd say that Miss Elizabeth ain't lost her taste or talent for trouble yet and there is a lot that can have gone wrong. They were on shore mind, and Jack and shore has never been an easy mix. Amongst respectable people no less, and you know what that means?"
"They'd hang him without a second thought."
"Aye, and then go home for tea. If they find out who, or what, he truly is…"

Anamaria put a hand on his arm, steadying him by the touch and the reminding of where they where. Gibbs was not an imaginative man, nor one given to thinking much about others thoughts, but he was not stupid and he was Jack's friend; that he had come to these doubts so late in the day did not make his worry any the less. He'd be fine once they caught sight of the white ship, and if they did not then she would need his strength as well as her own to take them forward. For the moment all she could do to help was tell him what she had told herself,
"No reason that they should, not unless he has the poor luck to meet someone who knew this Commodore whose name he borrowed. 'Tis not so rare that he couldn't get away with claiming it for his own even if they do, and Mrs Turner she'll support him in that, if only for the saving of her own neck. Jack, now, he's got fancy enough manners when he wants, and he's passed as a gentleman before now, you know that. "
For a moment he was silent then he nodded slowly,
"Aye." He cast one more look at the empty horizon then nodded again, "Aye," he repeated more strongly.
Anamaria removed her hand and turned towards the sea as he straightened up,
"Well, no time to stand her jawin' best see that everything is trim before he comes aboard."
Without another word he strode away.

But it was another four nervous hours before relief arrived and it was close on noon, and some time passed the appointed hour, when they first saw the Dawn Chaser on the horizon, sailing under full canvass and showing a turn of speed that the Pearl would struggle to match. Anamaria took a moment to wonder again how so large and powerful a ship could be crewed by a woman and a ghost, or why that woman would wish that it should be. The white ship dropped anchor some distance away, too far for the curious and superstitious crew to note the empty decks despite the spread of canvas. Jack crossed to the Pearl in a boat and his scowl as he clambered aboard sent Pintel and Raggetti, who had shimmied up in supposed greeting, scurrying back to their stations without a word.

His mood seemed to match his expression and Gibbs and Anamaria exchanged a look as he barked orders to weight and anchor and prepare to get underway even as he took his first step towards the wheel. With an impatient flutter of fingers he banished Cotton and took the wheel himself, compass open in his hand and the black look still in place. As the sound of rope and canvass told of their movement he looked up and back, the dark look suddenly tinged with uncertainty and something close to fear. Eyes narrowed he watched until the white ship unfurled her sails and prow rising against the swell started after them, then he breathed out with a heavy sigh some of the tension leaving his shoulders. With a jerk of his head he indicated the Cotton should take the wheel again and tossed the course setting over his shoulder before he sauntered off.

But the swagger didn't cover his tension and as Anamaria watched the white ship take up their course she wondered just what it was that had gone wrong.