Show Me the Horizon
Chapter 12
"How long will it take to get to Tortuga?" asked Gwen.
"Hard to say - this tub doesn't go very fast." answered Jack, glancing apprehensively over his shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
"There's a ship behind us. I can't tell at this distance who it is," replied Jack. "Hopefully it's just a merchant ship minding its own business." As the ship drew nearer, Jack recognized it. "Bloody hell, it's the Dauntless."
"The Dauntless? Isn't that one of the Royal Fleet?" asked Gwen.
"Aye. The very crown jewel of the Caribbean fleet," replied Jack. "With any luck they'll pass us by. While they'd probably be willing to help you out, I'd rather not serve myself up on a platter to the hangman."
--
"Commodore!" called the watchman. "There's a small fishing boat ahead on the starboard, sir. There are two people aboard, and one appears to be Jack Sparrow."
"Sparrow? In a small fishing boat?" said Commodore Norrington incredulously. He looked through his telescope. "It appears you're right. Please pick them up and invite Captain Sparrow and his companion to meet with me in my cabin."
--
The Dauntless drew level with the fishing boat. "Ahoy there, Captain Sparrow!" shouted Lt. Markson. "Drop sail and tie up to the Dauntless. Commodore Norrington requests the pleasure of your company."
Jack scanned the rail, noting the soldiers with their rifles ready. "Blast it," he snarled as he dropped the sail and got out the oars. "Requests the pleasure of your company. He'd probably shoot us if we declined."
"Is the Commodore so dreadful?" asked Gwen apprehensively.
"No, not at all," said Jack as he started to row. "He's really a decent fellow - one of most scrupulously honest men I've ever met. Which is, of course, a problem for a man like me."
The reached the side of the Dauntless and tied up to a ring alongside. A rope ladder fell from the rail. Jack assisted Gwen up the ladder and followed her up. "Captain Sparrow, Ma'am, welcome aboard," said the young lieutenant. "The Commodore is waiting for you in his cabin. Shall I show you the way?"
"By all means, mate," said Jack, glancing sardonically at the soldiers on deck with their rifles ready.
They were escorted to the Commodore's cabin and ushered inside. "Ah, Captain Sparrow," said Commodore Norrington politely. "Do sit down. I remember that rum is your favorite, but I regret that I merely have brandy or sherry. Which do you prefer?"
"Brandy, thank you, Commodore," said Jack. He seated Gwen and took his own seat.
"Sherry for you, ma'am?" asked Norrington.
"Thank you, sir," replied Gwen a little mystified.
Norrington poured himself some brandy and sat behind his desk. "One wonders, Sparrow, what you are doing in a fishing boat off the coast of Cuba rather than at the helm of the Black Pearl."
Jack sipped his brandy. "Excellent," he approved. "One might wonder indeed." He turned to Gwen. "Miss Tracy, please allow me to introduce you to Commodore Norrington of Fort Charles in Port Royal. Commodore, Miss Gwendolyn Tracy."
"Your servant, Miss Tracy," said Norrington, bowing slightly. "Are you any relation to Captain Reginald Tracy of the Jamaica Star?"
"His daughter, sir," replied Gwen.
"Captain Tracy is listed as missing," said Norrington. "He is overdue in Jamaica."
"He is dead, sir," said Gwen, looking down. "And the ship has been destroyed."
"My condolences, Miss Tracy," said Norrington. He glanced over at Jack.
"Not by me, Commodore," said Jack. "By our mutual friend the unknown pirate."
"Is that so?" asked Norrington. "And what can you tell me about the kidnapping of Will and Elizabeth Turner from the Wave Dancer?"
Jack sat up in astonishment, spilling his brandy. "What on earth are you talking about?"
Norrington raised his eyebrows. "So you weren't there? The Wave Dancer was waylaid by the Black Pearl, Captain Sparrow. Apparently when Captain Darley refused to heave to, Will Turner pulled a pistol on him."
"Did he now?" asked Jack, settling back in his chair. "I've been a bad influence on the lad."
"Indeed," said Norrington coldly. "The Dancer was boarded by your second mate, Miss Simone and two other crewmembers. She said she had a message for the Turners, and they went aside for a few minutes. Then she apparently pulled out a pistol and forced the Turners to return to the Pearl with her. She told Captain Darley that he was free to go his way when they were back on the Pearl. He immediately turned around and headed back to Port Royal."
Jack looked at Norrington with narrowed eyes. "Did Annamaria disarm Will before taking him prisoner?"
Norrington smiled slightly. "An excellent question, Sparrow. No, she did not. Captain Darley thought it odd that Turner was allowed to keep both his sword and pistol."
Jack sipped his brandy again. "Then they weren't kidnapped. Annamaria knows perfectly well that Will Turner is one of the best swordsmen in the Caribbean. If she really intended to take him prisoner she'd never have allowed him to keep his sword. No, the kidnapping bit was a ruse to try and keep Darley from thinking Will was in league with me. Not that I was there."
Norrington nodded. "My thoughts exactly. So where were you?"
It's rather a long story, Commodore," said Jack.
Chapter 12
"How long will it take to get to Tortuga?" asked Gwen.
"Hard to say - this tub doesn't go very fast." answered Jack, glancing apprehensively over his shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
"There's a ship behind us. I can't tell at this distance who it is," replied Jack. "Hopefully it's just a merchant ship minding its own business." As the ship drew nearer, Jack recognized it. "Bloody hell, it's the Dauntless."
"The Dauntless? Isn't that one of the Royal Fleet?" asked Gwen.
"Aye. The very crown jewel of the Caribbean fleet," replied Jack. "With any luck they'll pass us by. While they'd probably be willing to help you out, I'd rather not serve myself up on a platter to the hangman."
--
"Commodore!" called the watchman. "There's a small fishing boat ahead on the starboard, sir. There are two people aboard, and one appears to be Jack Sparrow."
"Sparrow? In a small fishing boat?" said Commodore Norrington incredulously. He looked through his telescope. "It appears you're right. Please pick them up and invite Captain Sparrow and his companion to meet with me in my cabin."
--
The Dauntless drew level with the fishing boat. "Ahoy there, Captain Sparrow!" shouted Lt. Markson. "Drop sail and tie up to the Dauntless. Commodore Norrington requests the pleasure of your company."
Jack scanned the rail, noting the soldiers with their rifles ready. "Blast it," he snarled as he dropped the sail and got out the oars. "Requests the pleasure of your company. He'd probably shoot us if we declined."
"Is the Commodore so dreadful?" asked Gwen apprehensively.
"No, not at all," said Jack as he started to row. "He's really a decent fellow - one of most scrupulously honest men I've ever met. Which is, of course, a problem for a man like me."
The reached the side of the Dauntless and tied up to a ring alongside. A rope ladder fell from the rail. Jack assisted Gwen up the ladder and followed her up. "Captain Sparrow, Ma'am, welcome aboard," said the young lieutenant. "The Commodore is waiting for you in his cabin. Shall I show you the way?"
"By all means, mate," said Jack, glancing sardonically at the soldiers on deck with their rifles ready.
They were escorted to the Commodore's cabin and ushered inside. "Ah, Captain Sparrow," said Commodore Norrington politely. "Do sit down. I remember that rum is your favorite, but I regret that I merely have brandy or sherry. Which do you prefer?"
"Brandy, thank you, Commodore," said Jack. He seated Gwen and took his own seat.
"Sherry for you, ma'am?" asked Norrington.
"Thank you, sir," replied Gwen a little mystified.
Norrington poured himself some brandy and sat behind his desk. "One wonders, Sparrow, what you are doing in a fishing boat off the coast of Cuba rather than at the helm of the Black Pearl."
Jack sipped his brandy. "Excellent," he approved. "One might wonder indeed." He turned to Gwen. "Miss Tracy, please allow me to introduce you to Commodore Norrington of Fort Charles in Port Royal. Commodore, Miss Gwendolyn Tracy."
"Your servant, Miss Tracy," said Norrington, bowing slightly. "Are you any relation to Captain Reginald Tracy of the Jamaica Star?"
"His daughter, sir," replied Gwen.
"Captain Tracy is listed as missing," said Norrington. "He is overdue in Jamaica."
"He is dead, sir," said Gwen, looking down. "And the ship has been destroyed."
"My condolences, Miss Tracy," said Norrington. He glanced over at Jack.
"Not by me, Commodore," said Jack. "By our mutual friend the unknown pirate."
"Is that so?" asked Norrington. "And what can you tell me about the kidnapping of Will and Elizabeth Turner from the Wave Dancer?"
Jack sat up in astonishment, spilling his brandy. "What on earth are you talking about?"
Norrington raised his eyebrows. "So you weren't there? The Wave Dancer was waylaid by the Black Pearl, Captain Sparrow. Apparently when Captain Darley refused to heave to, Will Turner pulled a pistol on him."
"Did he now?" asked Jack, settling back in his chair. "I've been a bad influence on the lad."
"Indeed," said Norrington coldly. "The Dancer was boarded by your second mate, Miss Simone and two other crewmembers. She said she had a message for the Turners, and they went aside for a few minutes. Then she apparently pulled out a pistol and forced the Turners to return to the Pearl with her. She told Captain Darley that he was free to go his way when they were back on the Pearl. He immediately turned around and headed back to Port Royal."
Jack looked at Norrington with narrowed eyes. "Did Annamaria disarm Will before taking him prisoner?"
Norrington smiled slightly. "An excellent question, Sparrow. No, she did not. Captain Darley thought it odd that Turner was allowed to keep both his sword and pistol."
Jack sipped his brandy again. "Then they weren't kidnapped. Annamaria knows perfectly well that Will Turner is one of the best swordsmen in the Caribbean. If she really intended to take him prisoner she'd never have allowed him to keep his sword. No, the kidnapping bit was a ruse to try and keep Darley from thinking Will was in league with me. Not that I was there."
Norrington nodded. "My thoughts exactly. So where were you?"
It's rather a long story, Commodore," said Jack.