Chapter Twelve: Under Attack
Rachel followed Annamaria up the stairs leading to the main deck. They could hear the unmistakable sounds of fighting as they ran. When they reached the deck, Annamaria turned to her. "Stay here!" she said
"But I want to help," Rachel replied. "There must be something I can do."
"Do you have your pistol?" Annamaria asked her. She nodded. "Then wait here. Keep your pistol ready. But wait for the opportune moment." And she was gone into the fray.
Everywhere Rachel looked, there were people engaged in battle. Swords flashed in the sunlight. She had no way of telling which side was winning. Everything was chaos. But, where was Jack? She didn't see him anywhere. She had to know that he was safe. She edged out of the stairwell, looking around quickly. Hugging the wall, she crept out further. If she could get to the wheel deck, she would be able to see a large part of the ship. Seeing a clear space open up, she ran for the mainmast. She was almost there when she felt a hand on her arm. She turned to see a tall man in ragged pirate garb.
"Well, what have we 'ere," he growled. Rachel tried to pull away but his grip on her wrist was too tight.
"Let me go!" she screamed.
"Not on yer life, poppet," he sneered.
He started to pull her closer to him when a hand appeared on his shoulder. "You 'eard the lady," said a voice from behind him. He let go of Rachel's wrist to face the threat from behind. As he turned, Rachel saw Jason Briggs standing with his pistol raised. The tall pirate backed away. "You wouldn't want t'waste that shot, now, mate," he said. "Never know when ye might need it." He continued to back away.
"Come here, Miss Rachel," Jason said. "Ye should nae be above decks, ma'am." The other pirate turned to run and Jason let him.
"I have to find Jack," she replied. "I can't just stay below. I need to know he's safe."
"Then stay close t'me. I'll get ye to 'im if I can." He took her hand and led her toward the wheel deck, brandishing his gun. They were surrounded by fighting on all sides, but none of the enemy pirates wanted to face a pistol. At least with a sword they could defend themselves. A pistol could take their lives from a distance. There were many other fights to be had. They climbed the stairs to the wheel deck with caution. When they neared the top, they could see Jack locked in combat with another man. They circled one another warily.
"Yer good, mate," Jack said. "But I'll wager I'm better."
"Would ye wager yer life on't?" the other man asked.
"That seems t'be just what I'm doin'," Jack replied. "What are ye doin' on my ship, yeh old scallywag?"
"Captain's orders, that's all I can tell ye."
"And who are ye servin' under these days, eh Jerod?"
"Ye'll find out soon enow, anyway, so I guess there's no harm in tellin' ye. His name be Captain Blakely."
"I'd have never thought it of you, my old friend." Jack told him. "Blakely's a killer, pure and simple."
"Times change," Jerod replied. "Ye do what ye must."
They were continuing to circle as they spoke and Jack's back was now to his cabin. A figure emerged from around the corner and raised a pistol.
"No!" Rachel screamed as she began to run toward them. The man with the pistol jerked his head up at her scream giving her just the time she needed to raise her own pistol and fire. The noise from the gun deafened her as she watched the man fall. It seemed to take a lifetime. Her arm dropped slowly to her side and she let herself fall to her knees. Jerod lowered his sword, and bowed to Jack. The battle was over. Jack rushed to Rachel's side, kneeling beside her.
"Rachel, luv!" he said as he pulled her close to him. He lifted her chin to look in her eyes. They were flat and glassy but began to clear as she noticed him. Tears began to trickle down her face.
"Oh, Jack!" she cried. "I killed him! I killed him!"
"Hush, luv, I know," he replied. "You did what you had to do, darlin'. Blakely was a vicious man. If you hadn't fired, he'd have killed me, you can be sure of that. You saved my life, Rachel. Savvy?" She shuddered as she sobbed loudly. Jack just held her and let her cry.
Jerod walked to the railing and waved a white pennant in the air. The fighting on deck slowed down and eventually stopped as the men began to notice the flag. It was over. The Black Pearl had won. All that remained was to sort out the details of the surrender.
Jack held Rachel tightly until her tears began to subside. "Yer goin' t'be all right, luv," he told her. She just nodded. Jack looked up to see Gibbs standing next to them. "Report," he said. "Have we any losses?"
"Only one, sir," Gibbs replied. "Jason Briggs."
Rachel jerked away from Jack. "No!" she cried. "Not Jason!" She pulled herself up to stand. "How? He was right behind me!"
"He was near the mainmast when we found him, Rachel," Gibbs told her. "He was fighting with the rest of the crew."
"He must have turned back," she whispered. "He saw me to the wheel deck, and then he turned back."
"He may have been attacked from behind. Tis but a short flight up and two people on it would have left him near the bottom. He fought his way out, but fell in the end."
"He saved my life," she said, "perhaps twice."
Her face twisted with rage. "You bastard!" she cried as she turned toward Blakely's prone form. She ran toward him, delivering a savage kick to the corpse. "Why did you come on our ship?" She kicked him again. "Why couldn't you just leave us alone?" And again. She dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands as her shoulders began to shake with her sobs.
"We've got wounded as well, sir," Gibbs stated. "None life threatening but some pretty bad cuts nonetheless."
"Rachel, luv," Jack began.
Rachel's shoulders straightened and she strangled her sobs. "Bandages," she said as she regained her feet. "Bring all of the wounded to the large open area on the main deck. We'll set up a temporary infirmary there. We'll need bandages and something to clean the wounds with."
"You heard the lady," Jack ordered. He walked to Rachel and put his arms around her. "Yer amazin', luv," he said. "All ye've been through, and yer still thinkin' of the crew."
"Sometimes," she replied, "you just have to straighten your shoulders and muddle through. It's either that or go insane. Tell me how impressed you are when I've woken you up with nightmares for a week straight."
"Not everyone has the strength to do that, Rachel," he said. "Don't sell yerself short."
"We'd best get below and tend to those wounded," she told him.
"Aye, let's go," he replied, and they walked down the staircase together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next two hours were spent tending to the wounded. Those of Blakely's crew were sent to the brig to join their mates after their wounds were treated. It took the brigs of both ships to hold them all, and conditions were crowded, but they were kept out of the way while things were being settled.
/ / At least those aborted nursing classes are coming in handy for something, / / Rachel thought. / / If Greg hadn't been such a bastard, I'd have finished. I'm sure the extra training would really come in handy about now. / /
Annamaria and Rachel cleaned and bandaged what wounds they could, while Jack wandered about passing out the Rum. It was acting as pain killer and antiseptic so his job was an important one. Gibbs circulated the area with his trusty needle and thread. Some of the wounds were just too bad to leave and had to be stitched up. Rachel sat by the side of the men as they were sewn up, giving what comfort she could. By the time the job was done, many of the wounded were passed out from the rum. Some of the others were engaging in an impromptu sing-along.
"All right, you scallywags," Rachel shouted. "Everyone below decks. If you can walk, you can make it to your bunk. If you can't, someone will be along to help you. I want all of the wounded in their beds."
"Able-bodied men, help yer crewmates t'their berfs," Jack ordered. Part of his job had been to put the men at ease while the work was done and, as a result he was now a little on the tipsy side, himself.
The crew began to wander below, many of them taking bottles with them. It was going to be an interesting night in the crew's quarters but they had earned it.
Gibbs tended to Jason's body, preparing it for burial at sea. The funeral would be in the morning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I honestly don't know," Jerod said. "Blakely was a hard man. Played everything very close to the vest. I'm betting the only ones who knew were the captain and first mate, and they're both dead."
Jack, Jerod, and Rachel sat at the table in Jack's cabin. Two sailors stood behind Jerod, making sure he stayed in his place.
"Are you sure about that, mate?" Jack asked.
"You know I'd tell you if I knew, Jack," Jerod replied.
"Aye, the Jerod Phillips I used t'know would have told me, but, like you said, times change. The old Jerod would never have worked for a man like Blakely."
"I had no choice!" Jerod spat out. His pasted his eyes firmly on the table. "After that incident on board the Lady Sealove, no reputable ship would have me."
"I would have," Jack replied.
"I couldn't wait for you. I have a family to support, now. Blakely was a scoundrel but we brought in plenty of swag."
"A family, eh?" Jack grinned. "So some lass finally roped the great Jerod Phillips, did she?"
"Aye," Jerod grinned back. "And a spitfire she is, too. She didn't like my working for Blakely, either, but she understood that the kiddies had t'be fed."
"Kiddies?" Jack raised his eyebrows. "Ye've even got kiddies? Ye've surprised me, mate. I'd have never expected it of you, of all people."
"As I said, times change. So do people. You said you would have had me aboard the Pearl. Does that still hold true?"
"Aye, mate, I guess it does." Jack stood and extended his hand. "Welcome aboard. Marley and Stubbs here will show ye to the crew's quarters."
"I know my way around the Pearl, mate," Jerod said. "Remember?"
"I know you do, but if my crew sees you about without escort they just might give you a new smile. Jason Briggs was a good man."
"I'll be watching you," Rachel spoke up. "I trust Jack, and if he thinks you're safe to have aboard, I'll have to accept that. But I don't trust you. So I will be watching you. Jason was my friend. One of the very few I have in this world. Someone will pay for what was done to him."
"Miss," he replied. "If I knew who killed your friend, I'd tell ye. In fact, I'd slit his throat meself for daring t'bring tears to those beautiful eyes of yours. But I was dancing with this scallywag at the time, if you'd recall."
"And that's just one more reason for me to watch you," she said. "Jack is another of those few friends I have. I killed to protect him. I won't let you or anyone else hurt him, ever."
His face went still as he studied Rachel's expression. "Y'know, lass, I believe you. I really do."
"Good. Then we understand one another. You will be a top notch crewman, loyal and true to your captain. And I won't have another man's blood on my hands."
Jack remained silent during this exchange. He'd never seen Rachel like this before. So cold and so passionate all at once. She had killed for him, and by the look in her eyes now, she'd do it again if she had to. He cleared his throat. "All right, then. That's settled. Go and get yerself squared away."
After Jerod left the room, Jack went to Rachel and drew her to her feet. She looked up at him. "I meant what I said, Jack. If I get the slightest hint that he'll betray you, I'll kill him. That fight between you two looked too much like a set-up to me. Blakely's position was just too convenient."
"I know, luv," Jack told her. "But Blakely's dead now. I don't think Jerod will cause any trouble. I've served with him before, and he was a good man when I knew him. I'd like t'see if that man still exists before I give up on 'im."
"Just promise me you won't let your past blind you to what he is now."
"Never, luv. I've learned my lesson on that count, believe me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The clean up took most of the next morning. Blakely's ship was raided, but there wasn't much worth taking except supplies. Jerod pitched Blakely's body overboard himself. "And good riddance," he exclaimed. The blood was scrubbed from the decks and all was put to rights as best as possible. They held a small, quiet funeral for Jason when the work was done. His belongings were placed in a trunk to be delivered to his family. Not many on board even knew he had one. He had been a quiet man and had not spoken much about them. But Rachel knew, and so did a few others. They would get what he had left behind. Rachel would see to it.
After the funeral, Rachel approached Jack. "I want the man that did this," she said gravely. "Jason deserves justice."
"We'll question the crew and find out what we can, luv," Jack replied. "But pirates can be a closemouthed bunch. We may not be able to find the dog."
"We have to at least try," she said.
"That we will, darlin'. That we will."
A/N: Lady Sealove belongs solely to MelanthaNocturne. I hope she will forgive me for using the name without her permission but she is one of my best reviewers and I hope to surprise her with it. I fervently hope she will take it as the honor that it is intended to be.
P.S. Read her "Merry Widow", it's very good.
