As Gibbs entered Captain jack Sparrow's cabin he was forced to duck as a jewel encrusted snuff box went flying past at head height and landed on the sunny deck outside.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Jack! Watch where yer flingin booty!"
"Huh?" The pirate captain's head emerged from the cupboard he was rummaging in. "Oh... I'm terribly sorry mate, I didn't see ya there." Gibbs sighed and went to retrieve the box.
"Ah, cap'n. Ya shouldn't go flingin treasure 'tall over the place.-"
"Lemme guess, 's bad luck." Jack muttered under his breath.
"-Yer'll take the price down. Not ta mention 'tis bad luck." ('Aha!' Thought Jack.) Gibbs stared at the thing in Jack's hand. "I 'ope yer not thinkin of givin young William an Elizabeth that as a weddin gift."
Jack looked down and quickly threw the whip he was holding back into the cupboard. "'S bloody Barbossa's. I keep findin 'is bloody effects all over the place. Bastard. Ya know," Jack picked up a purse of gold coins. "I think I'll just give 'em this. Then they kin buy their own gift, humm?"
"Aye, cap'n. But..... Jack, are ye sure this be a good idea? Yer a wanted man in Port Royal an the Commodore an 'is men'll be watchin fer ya."
"But, my dear Gibbs, yer fergettin one important detail.... I'm Captain-"
"Jack Sparrow." Finished Gibbs wearily. "Aye sir."
"Scuse me, scuse me, commin through." The old, hooded beggar pushed his way through the crowd and elbowed a stately gentleman. "What's goin on 'ere mate?" He croaked. A distasteful expression crossed the man's face.
"They are hanging a pirate today, my good man." He replied.
"Well, 's nothin like a public execution to brin in the crowds. Whose the pirate?"
"A girl by the name of Sally Drake."
"A lassie eh? That's interesting."
"Indeed, quite unusual."
"Not really sir. 'S not uncommon fer a bored 'ousewife or a spirited young gel ta seek a life o' fun an adventure on that high seas aboard a pirate vessel. All they want is some freedom, 's right enough."
"And how would you-?" The man turned to find the beggar gone, along with his money purse.
The doomed Sally Drake was lead to the gallows through the early morning sea mist that enshrouded the entire of the port. The guards leading her all though she looked rather composed considering her situation, in fact she seemed board more than anything else, and also mildly annoyed with her handcuffs, which she fidgeted with. She obviously resented any restriction of her freedom. Once she reached the gallows Sally began to look around the crowd intently, as if she was searching for something. The official then began to read a proclamation.
"Sarah Drake-" he began, but was interrupted.
"Sally." The pirate had spotted what she was looking for.
The official paused, then began again. "Sarah Drake, be it known-"
"It's Sally!" The official glared at the she pirate, who gave him a sarcastic smile in reply as the crowd, soldiers included, all tittered.
"Sarah Drake," he tried again, "be it known that you-"
"Not Sarah, Sally! Me name is Sally! No one calls me Sarah, not even me dear ole mum!" She snarled. A laugh rang through the audience at this. Will, who was standing next to Elizabeth, poked her in the shoulder.
"Jack!" He hissed. The beggar, who was standing near enough to hear, froze.
"Pardon?"
"I've just realised who Drake reminds me of, it's Jack. See? She even looks a little like him." Meanwhile, a full blown verbal fight was errupting on the gallows between the condemed and the official, much to the delight of the audience.
"If you don't stay quiet we shall be forced to gag you!" Snapped the official. "This is a serious affair!"
"When ya get me name right, that's when I'll shut up!" Shot back Sally. The audience all laughed, they were defiantly getting their half penny entrance fee out of this public execution. Amid the entertainment no one noticed the two figures climbing up to stone stairs to the battlements and silently despatching the guards on duty.
The official rolled his eyes. "Very well. Sally Drake-"
"Thankee." She said primly.
"-be it known that you have for your wilful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature. The most grievous of these to be cited herewith: piracy, smuggling, murder,-"
As the charges where being read out the beggar stood, arms folded, staring intently at Sally. He seemed to be thinking hard about something, then came to a conclusion of: "Nah."
"-indecent exposure," this charge cause a hazy smile of nostalgia to cross Sally's face, "arson (she giggled), kidnapping, looting, sailing under false colours, poaching, pilfering, depravity and general lawlessness. For these crimes you have been sentenced to be on this day, hung by the neck until dead." The drumbeats became faster as the noose was put around Sally's neck. "May God have mercy on your soul." The official finished.
The executioner pulled the leaver and the trapdoor below Sally's feet opened. At the same moment something silvery flew through the air with a whumm and sliced through the rope, cutting Sally free. Only then were the two figures on the battlements discovered.
"'S bout bloody time!" Sally yelled to them. "Send up the signal!"
"It's them!" Yelled Norrington, after taking a moment to recover, pointing towards the battlements. "Shoot-" but before he could finish one of the twain through something into the crowd which, once it hit the floor, exploding with a blinding flash of orange light. An instant later the sound of cannons erupted in the air, along with most of the masonry from the battlements.
"Pirate attack!" Screamed Norrington. "Man the canons! Return fire! Get Drake and the two with the signal bomb! Where's Drake!?"
Drake, in all the confusion, had slipped past the panicking guards and over to her rescuers, who were lurking out of sight in a dark corner, for the moment. "Cuttin it a little bit fine, eh, ladies?" She greeted them. "Trish. Feng. Great ta see ya mates, now get these damn shackles off!"
"Aye lass, give us a wee tick." Said Trish, a woman in her mid late twenties with cropped flaming red hair hidden under a scarf, pulling a lock pick from one of her many pockets.
"The distraction worked perfectly Sally." Said Feng, a Chinese woman whose age was somewhere between Sally and Trish's. "Everyone is up here for the execution, leaving the town almost completely undefended."
"Aye, but 'twas a terrible risk lassie, this was 'ow we lost yer predecessor, Betsy, yer 'member?" Trish said as she finished with the lock pick and the shackles feel to the ground.
"Aye, I 'member. But I've got the devil's luck, I 'ave." Sally flashed them an impish grin whilst rubbing some feeling back into her wrists. "I'm all right, I'm always all right. So, ladies, what do ya say we go an do what we do best. Pillage, plunder and pilfer to our rotten black 'art's content?"
"Aye!"
"Aye!"
The town was in complete pandemonium, an entire army of pirates had emerged from the mists, all of them murderous, armed to the teeth and, even worse, all female. Quite obviously so. The citizens had fled from the bombarded fort right onto the points of the pirates blades. The soldiers were having problems, most of them had seen hardly any action in the peaceful port and had to think twice about shooting a woman, by that point the same woman had usually run them through.
Will grabbed Elizabeth's hand to lead her to safety, what he had in mind was to barricade her in some store room then go off to help fight the invaders, the only problem was that the fort was swarming with looting pirates. Unlike the soldiers outside, Will had absolutely no qualms with killing female pirates, especially ones who waved pistols in his betrothed's face.
"Lets hope these ones stay dead." He muttered, slitting the throat of the last one. "Come on," he motioned to Elizabeth, "it's obvious you won't be safe here." They were both knocked off their feet as another cannon blast rocked the fortress. "We'd better get out of here."
The town was even worse than the fort. It was sheer bedlam. Elizabeth and her fiancé stood routed to the spot in horror. Pirates were looting, breaking windows, setting fire to things, generally having a grand old time for buccaneers. Will spotted a couple of cornered soldiers fighting desperately against about fifteen pirates. He dragged Elizabeth to an ally way.
"Wait here. Stay out of sight." He commanded.
"But Will-" She began, but he was already off to fight the good fight. Elizabeth gave a snarl of annoyance and turned round only to come face to face with five pirates, lead by non other than Sally Drake herself.
"It's 'ere!" Sally pointed straight at Elizabeth. "The guv'ner's daughter. Get 'er!"
"Will! WILL!" Will turned from the dying pirate he stood over and saw a sight that chilled his bones. Elizabeth, captured by the she-pirates.
"Elizabeth!"
One of the pirates who was carrying a large chest of treasure turned at the sound of his voice. It was Drake. She blew him a kiss.
Will charged forward with the full intent of running his blade through the girl's heart when he abruptly found himself flat on his face.
"Yer know." Said the middle aged, female pirate who had tripped him up. "Yer look jus' like me first 'usband." Will looked up and she grinned at him with blackened teeth. "An 'e twas flat on 'is face when ah shot 'im to." She cocked the pistol she was pointing at him. "Aint that a coincidence?"
BANG!
The pirate fell over, stone dead.
"Well, this all seems rather familiar." Said Captain Jack Sparrow, pulling the hood from his face.