A/N1: After writing out the entire battle sequence between the Pearl and the Interceptor, I realized something… It's too long for once chapter! (It really is, at least according to my usual lengths… It's nearly 5 pages long!) So, I have decided to split it up into two parts. I hope it's worth the wait to thy darling reviewer eyes! ;)
A/N2: And thanks to dear Cherish… Jack shaped pillows for everyone who reviews this one!!! WHOOOOO! *Snuggles with her own advance edition*
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Above deck, things were in a state of turmoil. Orders were being shouted as the crew desperately tried to make the ship move faster. "What's happening? What's wrong?" Leah demanded, coming up on the quarterdeck.
"Look behind you," Anamaria commanded, turning the wheel to the right, "The Black Pearl's gaining on us!"
"The Pearl is what? I thought we'd escaped!"
"Apparently, we haven't."
Stunned, Leah ran to the very back of the ship, leaning over the edge as she looked out into the distance. Yes, the Pearl was certainly right behind them, and since it hadn't even been within sight when they'd left the Isla de Muerta, she ascertained it really was gaining on them, even if it was still a way's away, though still close enough to catch them within a half hour at most.
This wasn't good.
True, she did feel strong hatred against each and every one of the pirates on that vessel, the pirates that had betrayed Jack, stolen the Pearl more or less from him, and kidnapped her sister, wished death upon those scoundrels even, but she was quite certain that those presently upon the Interceptor would not be able to carry this said "death" out. If what Elizabeth's account was accurate, then they could not be killed by anyone or anything on this mortal coil as long as they remained cursed.
"Isn't there any way for us to sail faster, to escape them somehow?" Leah asked, whirling her head about after staring at the oncoming vessel for at least half a minute. "Lighten the ship, perhaps? We'd sail faster that way!"
"It wouldn't work," Anamaria replied, shaking her head, "It's gaining too quickly. It's too close already. They'd still catch us."
"But…you're pirates! Can't you think of anything?" Leah exclaimed after a few tense moments, temporarily unable to think of a proper response. Her mind wasn't working right at the moment… it was too clouded, this resulting from a mix of factors. She couldn't think clearly!
"We're not miracle workers, lass," Mr. Gibbs called from the main deck, "Pirates, aye, but we're not magical!"
Biting her lip, Leah looked back at the approaching ship. They'd just rescued Elizabeth, and were about to be all of them caught, or worse, killed? Well, wasn't this just the ideal day?
Mr. Gibbs was now shouting orders to the crew from up on the quarterdeck where Leah and Anamaria still were, and all of the pirates on the Interceptor made to carry them out as quickly as possible. At that moment, Elizabeth decided to come up from below deck. The fact that she came alone, without Will, did strike Leah as odd, but they had more pressing matters to focus on right now. Even her own addled thoughts and feeling were cast aside for the moment.
"What's happening?" Elizabeth called up to Mr. Gibbs. Why was the ship in such a state of turmoil? What was going on?
"The Black Pearl, she's gaining on us!" Anamaria answered for him, still struggling to keep the ship on a fair course. Needing to see it for herself, much like Leah had, Elizabeth looked off into the distance, leaning over the side of the ship. Yes, the Black Pearl was definitely behind them.
"This is the fastest ship in the Caribbean!" she continued to argue, dashing up the stairs, her gaze moving from Leah to Anamaria to Mr. Gibbs. This just wasn't possible.
"You can tell them that after they've caught us," the woman countered hotly. She'd had enough of this with their quarry's dear sister… It was getting just a tad annoying.
"Elizabeth, do you have any ideas as to what to do?" Leah called, moving forward and consequently closer to her sibling. Elizabeth usually had a knack for thinking up solutions and ideas at the last moment. Leah usually had this skill as well, but at the moment, it was nowhere to be found.
Careening her head back, Elizabeth seemed to think for the briefest of moments before something struck her. Moving closer to Anamaria, she asked, "We're shallow on the draft, right?"
"Aye," Anamaria answered, not quite sure where she was going with this.
"Well then can't we lose them amongst those shoals?" What? Leah hadn't seen any shoals about… Looking at the area Elizabeth had pointed to, she could just make them out. Oh, why hadn't she seen those before? Why hadn't she thought of it? That was ingenious!
"That should work!" she cried out, ecstatic. Perhaps they really would make it through this.
"We don't have to outrun 'em long, just long enough," Mr. Gibbs said, seeing some hope in the situation. As the younger Miss Swann had just said, this just might work…
Glancing to Leah, Anamaria began to navigate the ship towards the said shoals, calling out orders to the crew. "Lighten the ship, stem to stern!"
"Anything that we can afford to lose, see that it's lost!" Mr. Gibbs added.
"Liz, you're bloody brilliant," Leah said, using the nickname she always used with her sister, ever since she was a child, finally reaching her and grabbing hold of her arm. Though not even two years older than her sister, Elizabeth was nonetheless taller by at least two to three inches, and therefore she smiled down at her slightly shorter sister briefly before glancing back at the main deck. They needed to lighten this ship quickly if they were to have any chance. The four of them on the quarterdeck watched this all with dread. What if they didn't make it…?
After not even a minute of the crew's atypical unloading of the cargo and essentially anything else the ship had, Will was seen coming up above deck, and something happened that made it obvious that all of this toil have been done needlessly. The Pearl now had its oars out.
"It was a good plan," Anamaria said almost mournfully, "up till now." Not saying anything, Leah put a comforting hand on her sister's arm.
"Gibbs!" Will called, running up to them, "we have to make a stand. We must fight! Load the guns!"
"With what?" Anamaria demanded. All eyes up on the quarterdeck were on the blacksmith now.
"Anything! Everything! Anything we have left."
The pirate considered for only a few seconds before deciding. "Load the guns!" he yelled to the crew, moving down to the main deck, "Case, shot, and langrage! Nails and crushed glass!" Sighing, Leah shook her head. Wasn't this just perfect? Giving her sister a look, Leah moved past her and William, down to help the crew. Behind her, Will and Elizabeth followed suit after exchanging a deep, meaningful glance of their own.
Wordlessly, she helped to load a half-full bucket of silverware into a cannon, and then moved on to another to fill it up with much of the same. This was sheer lunacy! A desperate scheme indeed. They wouldn't be able to disable another ship with this; they could only hope to slow one down.
And besides that… How could they hope to defeat a ship of those who could not die? Even if there was still doubt in her on the matter, she did believe it.
Looking about herself, at all those staying close to yet other cannons about her, Leah got to her feet and went back above deck, back up the quarterdeck, practically running. She was surveying events about her with a mounting worry, and simply could not see this turning out well.
Back up next to the wheel, she looked past Anamaria's figure to the oncoming ship. It was closer now.
From behind her, came the voice of Mr. Gibbs, the man himself dashing up onto the quarterdeck as well. "The Pearl 's gonna luff up on our port quarter. She'll rake us without ever presenting a target!" Startled, Leah turned, facing him. From behind him, Will came up, and to Leah's right was Elizabeth, now also watching the man.
"Lower the anchor on the right side. The starboard side!" Elizabeth suddenly said, inspiration striking.
"Well, it certainly has the element of surprise," Will commented.
"That it does," Leah murmured. She wasn't sure if it would actually save them in the long run, was fairly certain it wouldn't, but it at least gave them a chance.
And no matter how bleak her outlook on the outcome of this battle was, Leah Swann still wanted revenge on the cursed crew of the Pearl. She was certain they had killed Jack upon discovering him, and, for some reason, that, along with their kidnapping of her sister, enraged her the most.
Without warning, Leah realized something as her gaze lay on Will. It was his fault that Jack had been left on that island… He had knocked him out, had he not?
But he had no choice, another part of her argued, the voice of reason, Jack was going to betray him.
Was he really, though? Leah still couldn't quite believe it… and cursed herself all the while for not accepting it, cursed herself for actually caring about the apparent demise of Captain Jack Sparrow.
These thoughts had all made their way across Leah's mind during the course of a split-second, and Leah mentally shook herself, looking away from Will. This was no time to thinking over this. Anamaria was saying something to them, anyhow. "You're daft, lady," she said to Elizabeth, then glanced at Leah and Will. "All three of you are." Arching an eyebrow, Leah looked over at her sister, who exchanged glances with her before looking over at Will. Daft were they?
"Daft like Jack," Mr. Gibbs declared, seeing hope in the matter once again. Turning, he ordered the crew to do just as Elizabeth had suggested, lower the anchor. This was completely unprecedented. It would catch the Black Pearl off guard. It would work.
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Shane: Yes, but what is the point of life, if not to get odd looks? ;)
TriGemini: Hehehe… Ye've hit the nail on the head! Leah's mind: "You're in denial." Leah's stubbornness: "No I'm not!" The voice of reason: "See?"
Ipzy: Yes, she will… in time… in a LOT of time… But I'm not giving anything away. 0=) And thankees! I'm glad you're enjoying it so much as to threaten violence! *Gives more peanuts* ;-)
Suzzie: Glad ye like! One must face the fact that there are obviously going to be alterations to the script as a brand new character is involved to interact with the others and go her own way, but I really tried to keep it close and believable… I watched the battle between the Interceptor and Black Pearl enough times to bore even the most avid Pirates fan to get this stuff right! So… in others words… thanks. Lol
Cherish: Oh, you have no idea how often I must resist the urge to pounce upon the tv or my my computer or my many pics… But, hey, when you have him locked in your closet, you don't need all of that. And, yes, that's a GRAND idea! *laughs malevolently as creepy music starts to play*
Vagrant: Happy New Year!!! (Only a little late on this end ;-) ) Yes, I'm trying to give you all insight into her character gradually… Glad it's working!
Zuba: MUAHAHAHAHA! GO TWISTS!!! I should make Leah become pregnant with Barbossa's child for a twist… just to scare you all… on April 1st… ;-) I'm very honored that you enjoy my fanfic so much! Just one question… what didst thou mean "kinda"? Mesa confuzzled! And yes, poor kitty… But it's in kitty heaven now with all the cat nip it could ever want.
4th Gullwing: Yes, 'tis a word, just spelled wrong. ;) And don't get jealous, girl, as I know you DON'T! Your writing is just too damn good for you to GET jealous, so shush! Now that we're past that… what dost thou think of my handling of it? You like? :P And yes, I realized after watching TTT that Leah… seemed almost identical to Eowyn at parts. Such as when Eowyn finds out Aragorn "fell" in the movie… And Leah finds out Jack "fell behind"… o.O Um, maybe Leah can magically get fighting skills and save Jack from an evil skeleton dude and become Dernhelm reincarnate? Or not. -_- Now, go work on Kioa! *shove* :P
