The Call of the sea
By Latanya
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Pirates of the Caribbean or NUMA but I do own Pearl, her yacht "The Black Pearl II" and anything else that I made up.
Ani Sparrow: Jack sent himself into a sleep of sorts… a bit like Lestat did in one of Anne Rice's books… or like Ramses did in The Mummy by Anne Rice. He didn't want to wake up and have to live life again because he'd seen all his friends die.
Chapter Ten: Meeting the Dauntless.
When they left Tortuga, Pearl and Jack were closer to each other then they had ever been. The change between them did not go unnoticed by the crew and Anamaria was worried that the woman she'd befriended was headed for a lot of hurt. Gibbs however, was happy to see that Jack was showing as much love to both of the Pearl's as they deserved because so long as they were happy, nothing would go wrong.
Pearl stood at the helm with Anamaria, her eyes searching the horizon for any signs of other ships. Something deep down inside her told Pearl that they were going to meet someone and that avoiding this meeting would be a great idea. Glancing at her friend, she frowned thoughtfully and wondered why Jack hadn't come up yet.
"What are ye thinking Pearl?" Anamaria glanced at her thoughtfully. "Yer awfully quiet."
"I'm thinking that we should be going the other way." She replied faintly, still wondering where Jack was.
Arching a brow, the pirate woman asked, "Why do ye think that? Is something coming that I cannot see?"
"That something is definitely coming, I can assure you but what it is I don't know. All I can tell is that we're sailing into danger and I don't like it." Pearl fell silent as Gibbs walked over to join them.
Taking a look at Anamaria's confused expression and Pearl's worried one, the first mate gulped. "Where be Jack, Pearl? He should be up 'ere commanding the ship. And are either of ye going to tell me what's the matter or will I 'ave to guess?"
"We're sailing into danger according to Pearl."
Pearl nodded, "I can feel it. Something's ahead that we don't really want to be meeting at this point in time. What it is, I don't know."
"Well I always said ye are linked with the ship, Pearl lass. What 'as the Black Pearl 'ave to say about this?" Gibbs queried.
Shooting him a look, Anamaria pointed off to one side, "I think she's right about the danger. There be white sails on the horizon."
The sinking feeling in her gut became more intense and Pearl felt the ship around her tug at her mind, "It's the Dauntless, I'm sure of it."
The two pirates stared at her and Gibbs spoke loudly, "How can ye be sure it's the Dauntless? It might be some other ship. And how can ye be sure it's related to the danger ye feel us to be sailing into?"
"Trust me Gibbs, Anamaria, that there ship on the horizon is the Dauntless and I'll bet anything that Commodore Norrington has spotted the Pearl already." She turned around and saw Jack heading to them.
Jack was grinning and as soon at he joined them, he kissed Pearl lightly on the lips, "Why do ye look like ye swallowed something bad Pearl me luv?"
Exchanging looks with Anamaria and Gibbs, Pearl wondered how she was to tell Jack that she was certain that the pride of the royal navy was sailing towards them. "Jack, turn around and tell us if you see white sails on that horizon over there."
He shaded his eyes and stared at where Anamaria was pointing. Growling, he turned back to Pearl. "Do ye know what ship it is Pearl? 'Ave ye any idea at all?"
"Jack, luv, I think it's the Dauntless. Gibbs and Anamaria don't think I'm right but something tells me that it is the pride of the royal navy. If I'm wrong, I'll welcome it but if I'm right, we're in a lot of trouble."
Anamaria stared at the ship in the distance, "She be right about one thing Capt'n. That there ship is sailing closer to us."
"What do ye want us to do Capt'n?" The first mate asked, ready to yell orders to the crew.
Looking to Pearl, Jack thought for a moment. "Got any ideas luv? Ye always know when to come up with something useful and ye are the one with all the education."
"This is the fastest ship in the Caribbean isn't it?" Pearl asked quietly.
All three of them replied with a 'yes' and Jack grinned as if to say to her 'like I'd settle for anything less.' Formulating a plan, Pearl nodded to herself.
"We can loose her easily without ever getting in range of her guns. If we can catch the wind on the right angle, then the Black Pearl should leave the other ship behind."
Nodding to her, Gibbs saw the reason in her idea. Shouting out orders while Jack took the wheel, the first mate hoped that Pearl's plan would work. "Bless ye lass if ye plan works."
Jack handed a small brass telescope to Pearl and told her to watch the ship, "Tell me if she's getting any closer. If it's any other ship than one of the royal navy, she'll be sailing away."
Training her eye on the ship with white sails, the first things she noticed was the English flag with its distinct union jack and the colors the ship was painted in. Groaning, she handed the telescope back to Jack and told him to look at the ship and to tell her what he saw. Cursing loudly, Jack tried to remember if this had happened last time. Meeting Pearl's gaze, he shook his head.
"I don't remember this Pearl. Yer coming back 'ere with me has changed what'll happen. I can remember me life before ye woke me up but this didn't happen." He muttered to her.
She smiled sadly, "That makes sense then. Perhaps you are being given a second chance to live your life. If that's the case, we'd best make sure that it isn't ended prematurely other wise it won't have been worth it."
Kissing her lovingly, he had to agree with her, "Yer right Pearl and there is no way that I'm going to loose me Pearl… either of them… to that horrid Commodore."
Taking the telescope back off him, Pearl kept a steady eye on the English naval ship. She was getting closer and soon Pearl knew she'd be able to pick out the name of the ship on the side. Wishing she had a long bow and that her arm was fully healed, Pearl recalled the distances at which she could have shot a man with an arrow.
"All the more a pity." She murmured to herself. "All those years of archery gone to waste in a time when bows aren't used any more because guns and cannons are becoming popular. I could have shown these pirates that there are weapons with a slightly longer ranger and accuracy then their nasty guns."
"What's that ye said Pearl?" Jack asked, glancing at her.
"Nothing important Jack. I was just wishing my arm was healed completely and that I had my long bow so I could shoot Commodore Norrington if he was here and within range."
Grinning, Jack chuckled softly, "Any idea what the ship is yet?"
"She's a ship that isn't gaining on us enough to get us in range of her long nines."
Pearl focused her sight on the ship again and cursed out loud when she saw the name painted on the side of the ship. Hearing her curse, Jack shouted out orders for the cannons to be readied before muttering to his ship to hurry up.
"Jack my love, you're not going to like what I have to say but the ship that's so conveniently chasing us is, in fact, the pride of the royal navy. The Dauntless is after us and her cannons are armed and ready." Her heart sunk and the feeling of danger was so much more intense then before.
"Luv, I swear that Norrington's spirit has the ability to locate and go after the nearest woman with Swann blood in her." The pirate captain looked at her thoughtfully. "Pity I love ye so much otherwise I might 'ave thrown ye at him. No, actually, I wouldn't do that to any woman."
She laughed nervously, "I really wish I had my bow now because the range is so much more than the range of one of your guns."
"So ye keep saying Pearl but ye don't have a bow and ye arm is still healing itself so ye wouldn't be able to fire an arrow as it is. Tell me, is the Dauntless gaining on us at all?"
"I don't think so." Pearl stared at the ship; she could see the people running around on it. "Though the wind in their sails must be stronger than the wind in our sails."
"The wind is dying down Pearl lass. There be a storm coming and if ye'd look to the west, ye'd notice the clouds building there."
Another plan formed in her mind and Pearl noticed the direction of the wind, "Jack, how far away is that storm?"
"Not far. It'll be on us in an hour." Gibbs came over to them. "Pearl lass, ye were right about the ship. She's the Dauntless without a doubt."
There was a whistling sound and Jack dove towards Pearl, forcing her to the ground as a cannon ball flew past them. It flew over the ship and landed – thankfully – in the sea beyond.
"Shit." Pearl muttered, crawling along carefully to where the telescope had fallen. Picking it up, she trained her eye on the Dauntless and saw the English navy men preparing to fire again. "Uh Jack, that was just a warning shot."
"Any more suggestions luv? He crawled over to the wheel and took command again while Gibbs shouted out orders.
Closing her eyes, Pearl felt the ship beneath her lurch and her heart lifted when she looked up to see the sails billowing in the wind. "You betcha I've got another suggestion. Head into the main wind, hoist all the sails so you can get as much speed as you can."
Gibbs looked up and smiled before shouting, "Hoist the rest of the sails and arm the cannons. If they fire again, send them a nice little greeting back."
Staring at the Dauntless, Pearl chuckled. "They aren't going to get us today Jack."
"I hope yer right Pearl Turner, I hope yer right." Jack grinned at her.
"Mr Gillette is it just me or is there a well dressed lady aboard the Black Pearl?" Norrington handed the officer the telescope he had in his hand and pointed towards the helm of the pirate ship.
Fixing his sights on the strange, red haired woman, Gillette nodded, "Yes sir, it appears that there is. Do you think she's a hostage of Jack Sparrow?"
"I wouldn't put it past the man. However, it struck me that the woman looks a fair bit like the blacksmith William Turner."
"Could be. Perhaps she is a relative and that is why she is with the pirates. You know as well as I do that William Turner is friends with Jack Sparrow." The officer shrugged. "She could be a woman pirate or a whore."
Norrington turned away, "So she could be Gillette, so she could be. I want Jack Sparrow and his crew captured so that I can introduce them to the gallows, including that woman if we must. Let's try not to loose them this time Gillette."
"Yes sir!" He saluted the Commodore before shouting out orders for the cannons to be fired up again.
Pearl saw the flash of fire and shrieked as another cannon flew past her and struck the deck, "Stop blowing holes in this ship!" She shouted.
Growling, Jack told her to go beneath where it was safe. "Just do as yer told Pearl, I don't want ye hurt if they manage to board us."
"Give me a knife and I can assure you, I won't be hurt by them if they do. You forget that I told you my parents insisted on Elizabeth and I knowing how to defend ourselves if we were ever attacked. I'm skilled in hand to hand combat." She snapped back at him.
Anamaria heard her and found a long bladed knife for her, "Here, take this Pearl and make the best of it that ye can."
"Capt'n we're picking up speed! They'll never catch us now if we're lucky." One of the men shouted up to Jack.
"Wind in your Sails! Wind in your Sails!" Cotton's bird shrieked shrilly as it landed on a rope somewhere above Pearl.
The man was right about the Black Pearl picking up speed. Laughing, Pearl leapt over and kissed Jack happily as another round of cannon fire missed the ship. She pulled away from him and dashed to the side and waved at the red-coated Englishmen on the other ship, shouting to them in a very loud voice – a voice that she had developed from working on so very many archaeology digs during all kinds of weather.
"Nice to meet you to Commodore Norrington! Please say hello to Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann for me. Tell them that Pearl Turner sends her greetings!"
With the telescope trained on the Commodore, Jack saw the expression on his face and the faces of the officers around him when they heard what Pearl had to say though Jack knew that they would have only just been able to hear it. "Luv, I think ye shocked them with that… but ye know that Will and Elizabeth won't know who ye are."
She shrugged, turning to him as they left the Dauntless behind. "I couldn't help myself Jack, you can well understand. All I have to say is that you were right about Norrington looking a lot like Admiral Greg James. No wonder you hated the Admiral from first sight."
"Luckily, the Admiral was nothing like the Commodore if ye excluded the looks. He was by far a nicer man though I was always jealous about the way he acted around ye." The pirate captain observed his ship sadly. "I hate it when they start blowing holes in me ship."
Anamaria came up, her face ashen, "Capt'n, we 'ave to get to the nearest port so we can repair the ship. We've a few nice holes in the deck and a couple on the sides of the ship as well."
He growled angrily, "One day I'm going to blow holes in the Commodore's ship and I'll see how he likes it."
"Jack." Pearl hissed warningly. "Remember that things may not happen the way you remember them anymore."
The woman gave her a strange look before shrugging and hurrying off to help the rest of the crew make what repairs they could. Jack turned around and crossed his arms, gazing at Pearl thoughtfully.
"Ye know Pearl lass, as soon as we reach Tortuga again to make repairs, I'm going to 'ave to 'ave a little conversation with ye."
"What will this little conversation with me entail Captain Jack Sparrow?" She walked over to him and took his hat from his head. "I'm not in trouble now am I?"
"Hardly lass but we're still going to 'ave a little conversation. Now, how's ye arm holding together? Ye didn't harm it during all the excitement?" Jack smiled down at her, his kohl rimmed eyes glittering mischievously.
"My arm's fine Jack."
Putting his arms around her, Jack kissed the lips of the woman he loved with all his soul gently. "I should hope it is Pearl."
"One loves one Jack."
He replied, using the phrase that she had taught him. "One reciprocates with ardor."
