Aftermath
By: L'Morgan
Disclaimer: I guess I really do need to remind you all that anything and everything related to Pirates of the Caribbean, their characters and settings are all the property of Disney - Disney - Disney - nobody - but -Disney ---- I-just-borrowing-to-play-with-and-giving-back. Only Disney can make money on anything to do with Pirates of the Caribbean. NOT ME!
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Summary: Jack Sparrow once observed that apparently one good deed could be enough to condemn a man. After the earthquake destroys Port Royal, what part does a well known pirate figure in the aftermath? Action/Adventure/Angst PG-15 for violence and disaster setting. Mild W/E pairing, J/A pairings.
Chapter 3: Action.... And inaction
Gibbs and AnaMaria both frowned darkly as they watched Jack prepare the small rowboat to be lowered off the side of the Pearl. Night had fallen some time ago and there wasn't even a moon to guide by in the sky.
"Jack, Capt'n" Gibbs started, and the one paused to consider him.
"Something has to be done Mr. Gibbs. We can't keep all those people below decks, sitting in the crew's quarters, camped out in the holds, or wherever else we've managed to stash them all. They aren't our prisoners. What do ye propose instead?" he asked and Ana made a face of dismay.
"You don't even know if they still live at the last place that letter came from. And how is your going to see the young Mr. Turner and his lovely wife going to get that daft Commodore to stop shooting at us? That man must have a mountain of cannon balls on hand with the way he's been dropping them into the sea all day!" she said hotly and he smiled with a flash of gold.
"She is the governor's daughter. All we need to do is get close enough to let everyone off, and we're done." He said casually, with a wave of one hand and a confident grin.
"And all of the supplies and things you filled the hold with the other day?" she challenged and he grimaced as if caught, then shrugged.
"Aye, that too. No room for swag until we get rid of all that nonsense and clutter down there." He admitted with a dismissing gesture and she shook her head
"You are truly daft Jack," she told him and he grinned.
"Why thank you luv'. Now be a help and keep all of our nice passengers out of sight and I should be back before dawn. hopefully with a location we can deliver them to safely and soundly. Then we can be on our way" he said offering with an offhanded gesture and she rolled her eyes and looked resigned.
'You'd better be back Captain. The code doesn't say a thing about us being babysitters for a bunch of landlubbers forever and a day if you decide to 'fall behind'!" she warned as he climbed into the small craft. He grinned and gave her his usual hands together and brief bow of thanks, and the slowly the boat began its descent into the darkness.
Gibbs looked at her as the boat vanished.
"Jack Sparrow is a good man Ana. He's tryin' to help those people. You know that. Kinda' hard not to considerin' half the town is gone right from under them." He said and she frowned deeply.
"Aye! And tryin' to help is likely to get him killed one of these days! He may be daft, but I prefer he be daft and in one piece! She said hotly and stalked off, leaving him to raise an eyebrow after her.
"That lass certainly has an odd way of shown how much she cares for a fellow." He muttered to himself and seemed amused.
~ ** ~
Commodore Norrington wandered the courtyard of the fort restlessly. He hated to admit even to himself just how unnerving it had been to have the Black Pearl sitting in the bay all day. Harbored just out of reach - and doing nothing - not one blessed thing. At least his barrage had kept it from daring to come any closer.
"What kind of pirate sits in your waters and lets you lob shells at his ship the whole live long day?" he muttered to himself crossly.
'One who knows you can't reach him,' his mind answered quickly.
He scowled deeply and resisted the urge kick at something. He would not give in to his temper. He hadn't in years and the certainly wouldn't now.
"And of all the pirates who could possibly do such a thing, it has to be Sparrow?' he thought with annoyance. The last time when Sparrow had made a mockery of being hung, it had haunted him for a month. Why in the name of Heaven above hadn't somebody, someplace, managed to hang the man and rid the world of one more menace to society?
He stepped up to the battlements and looked out over the water. He couldn't even tell if the blasted ship was still there! He fumed furiously. It would be wonderful if he really believed that the next day would dawn to reveal a bay that was free of that cursed ship and it's ridiculous 'captain'. But somehow he was very certain that come first light that thing would be right where it had been. Taunting him - Sparrow was deliberately taunting him.
Suddenly an idea occurred to him. The ship was made of timber and caulking like any other. What if they tried to blow it out of the water in a more 'clandestine' way, say before sunrise? He stopped. Cannon balls they had mountains of on hand was one thing. But enough powder and a way to put a hole in that vessel large enough to sink it that was a much more rare commodity. It would take daring to somehow manage to find a hole in the Pearl and manage to get a lit grenade charge in there, and perhaps even death for the poor sailor who attempted it. He really should seek out the Governor's advice and agreement, but it sounded like a solid plan to him.
With that thought he turned on his heel and left the fort.
~ ** ~
Jack Sparrow stood half hidden behind a tree in the garden, watching the modest sized house before him. Aye - they still lived there on the Governor's property, but in a smaller separate house of their own. Unfortunately, what he was witnessing was not a scene of domestic bliss but one of stress and tension.
The young blacksmith had been pacing back and forth before the lady, obviously quite excited about something from all the gesturing and scowling he was doing. And somehow Jack had a feeling it was much connected to the Pearl's presence in the bay that day. Well at least no one could accuse them of starting it all! It wasn't the Pearl that had sunk 38 cannon balls into the beautiful waters of the Caribbean before darkness finally put an end to the effort.
He looked both ways and saw no evidence of anyone - but stayed where he was. He, the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, honestly wasn't sure what kind of reception he would receive if he went up those doors. Not that he was nervous. Nervous didn't exist in his vocabulary. He didn't entertain any thoughts of an overwhelming and loving greeting all around - but he really didn't relish the image of being greeted with open hostility either. And by the lad's mood, he wasn't sure which he would receive. He kind of expected it to be the latter.
Jack still hesitated. The lad looked so much like his father, and was like him in temperament as well it seemed. For a moment in his mind's eye he saw the boy's father and his dear friend William Turner pacing back and forth before him in a total fury over some completely daft scheme he'd pulled. But in those days he seemed to have better luck at getting away with it. Now, well after the events with Barbossa it was difficult to believe in being lucky. Cleverness yes.. luck - well, that was another matter entirely.
He folded his hands together in his normal way of saying thanks, but brought them before his lips and gathered his thoughts into the here and now. Not matter what, it didn't look like there was anyone around to come clap him in irons, and they really did need a way to rid the Pearl of her cargo - both human and otherwise. With that thought he crossed the walkway and tapped lightly at the French doors. Then he took several steps back and away from it, just in case..
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Disclaimer: I guess I really do need to remind you all that anything and everything related to Pirates of the Caribbean, their characters and settings are all the property of Disney - Disney - Disney - nobody - but -Disney ---- I-just-borrowing-to-play-with-and-giving-back. Only Disney can make money on anything to do with Pirates of the Caribbean. NOT ME!
*************************
Summary: Jack Sparrow once observed that apparently one good deed could be enough to condemn a man. After the earthquake destroys Port Royal, what part does a well known pirate figure in the aftermath? Action/Adventure/Angst PG-15 for violence and disaster setting. Mild W/E pairing, J/A pairings.
Chapter 3: Action.... And inaction
Gibbs and AnaMaria both frowned darkly as they watched Jack prepare the small rowboat to be lowered off the side of the Pearl. Night had fallen some time ago and there wasn't even a moon to guide by in the sky.
"Jack, Capt'n" Gibbs started, and the one paused to consider him.
"Something has to be done Mr. Gibbs. We can't keep all those people below decks, sitting in the crew's quarters, camped out in the holds, or wherever else we've managed to stash them all. They aren't our prisoners. What do ye propose instead?" he asked and Ana made a face of dismay.
"You don't even know if they still live at the last place that letter came from. And how is your going to see the young Mr. Turner and his lovely wife going to get that daft Commodore to stop shooting at us? That man must have a mountain of cannon balls on hand with the way he's been dropping them into the sea all day!" she said hotly and he smiled with a flash of gold.
"She is the governor's daughter. All we need to do is get close enough to let everyone off, and we're done." He said casually, with a wave of one hand and a confident grin.
"And all of the supplies and things you filled the hold with the other day?" she challenged and he grimaced as if caught, then shrugged.
"Aye, that too. No room for swag until we get rid of all that nonsense and clutter down there." He admitted with a dismissing gesture and she shook her head
"You are truly daft Jack," she told him and he grinned.
"Why thank you luv'. Now be a help and keep all of our nice passengers out of sight and I should be back before dawn. hopefully with a location we can deliver them to safely and soundly. Then we can be on our way" he said offering with an offhanded gesture and she rolled her eyes and looked resigned.
'You'd better be back Captain. The code doesn't say a thing about us being babysitters for a bunch of landlubbers forever and a day if you decide to 'fall behind'!" she warned as he climbed into the small craft. He grinned and gave her his usual hands together and brief bow of thanks, and the slowly the boat began its descent into the darkness.
Gibbs looked at her as the boat vanished.
"Jack Sparrow is a good man Ana. He's tryin' to help those people. You know that. Kinda' hard not to considerin' half the town is gone right from under them." He said and she frowned deeply.
"Aye! And tryin' to help is likely to get him killed one of these days! He may be daft, but I prefer he be daft and in one piece! She said hotly and stalked off, leaving him to raise an eyebrow after her.
"That lass certainly has an odd way of shown how much she cares for a fellow." He muttered to himself and seemed amused.
~ ** ~
Commodore Norrington wandered the courtyard of the fort restlessly. He hated to admit even to himself just how unnerving it had been to have the Black Pearl sitting in the bay all day. Harbored just out of reach - and doing nothing - not one blessed thing. At least his barrage had kept it from daring to come any closer.
"What kind of pirate sits in your waters and lets you lob shells at his ship the whole live long day?" he muttered to himself crossly.
'One who knows you can't reach him,' his mind answered quickly.
He scowled deeply and resisted the urge kick at something. He would not give in to his temper. He hadn't in years and the certainly wouldn't now.
"And of all the pirates who could possibly do such a thing, it has to be Sparrow?' he thought with annoyance. The last time when Sparrow had made a mockery of being hung, it had haunted him for a month. Why in the name of Heaven above hadn't somebody, someplace, managed to hang the man and rid the world of one more menace to society?
He stepped up to the battlements and looked out over the water. He couldn't even tell if the blasted ship was still there! He fumed furiously. It would be wonderful if he really believed that the next day would dawn to reveal a bay that was free of that cursed ship and it's ridiculous 'captain'. But somehow he was very certain that come first light that thing would be right where it had been. Taunting him - Sparrow was deliberately taunting him.
Suddenly an idea occurred to him. The ship was made of timber and caulking like any other. What if they tried to blow it out of the water in a more 'clandestine' way, say before sunrise? He stopped. Cannon balls they had mountains of on hand was one thing. But enough powder and a way to put a hole in that vessel large enough to sink it that was a much more rare commodity. It would take daring to somehow manage to find a hole in the Pearl and manage to get a lit grenade charge in there, and perhaps even death for the poor sailor who attempted it. He really should seek out the Governor's advice and agreement, but it sounded like a solid plan to him.
With that thought he turned on his heel and left the fort.
~ ** ~
Jack Sparrow stood half hidden behind a tree in the garden, watching the modest sized house before him. Aye - they still lived there on the Governor's property, but in a smaller separate house of their own. Unfortunately, what he was witnessing was not a scene of domestic bliss but one of stress and tension.
The young blacksmith had been pacing back and forth before the lady, obviously quite excited about something from all the gesturing and scowling he was doing. And somehow Jack had a feeling it was much connected to the Pearl's presence in the bay that day. Well at least no one could accuse them of starting it all! It wasn't the Pearl that had sunk 38 cannon balls into the beautiful waters of the Caribbean before darkness finally put an end to the effort.
He looked both ways and saw no evidence of anyone - but stayed where he was. He, the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, honestly wasn't sure what kind of reception he would receive if he went up those doors. Not that he was nervous. Nervous didn't exist in his vocabulary. He didn't entertain any thoughts of an overwhelming and loving greeting all around - but he really didn't relish the image of being greeted with open hostility either. And by the lad's mood, he wasn't sure which he would receive. He kind of expected it to be the latter.
Jack still hesitated. The lad looked so much like his father, and was like him in temperament as well it seemed. For a moment in his mind's eye he saw the boy's father and his dear friend William Turner pacing back and forth before him in a total fury over some completely daft scheme he'd pulled. But in those days he seemed to have better luck at getting away with it. Now, well after the events with Barbossa it was difficult to believe in being lucky. Cleverness yes.. luck - well, that was another matter entirely.
He folded his hands together in his normal way of saying thanks, but brought them before his lips and gathered his thoughts into the here and now. Not matter what, it didn't look like there was anyone around to come clap him in irons, and they really did need a way to rid the Pearl of her cargo - both human and otherwise. With that thought he crossed the walkway and tapped lightly at the French doors. Then he took several steps back and away from it, just in case..
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