Author Here - I've just finished watching my Pirates of the Caribbean DVD, and while I won't tease you with the next chapters like Jack teases Gibbs with his mug before giving it to him (in a scene in Tortuga that SHOULD HAVE BEEN KEPT IN THE MOVIE), chapters are on their way. Please do read and review.
Chapter Five
Melanie Cash's ship was a fine one. She could be called a merchant ship only in the sense that she had been one once and did her best to masquerade as one now in order to pursue her more furtive and profitable career as a pirate vessel.
She had two masts, both of which plunged upwards as though straining to reach the early morning sky. Her bowsprit extended from her bow like a horn, gently bobbing and nodding as she rode the swell of Tortuga's harbor. Her hull was black, giving her a lustrous look and an intimidating air that was complimented by her sheer size. Carved beneath the bowsprit was the figure of a swooping bird, painted bright yellow. The outspread wings of the screaming bird were painted so as to darken and blend gently into the dusky hull of the ship.
Her name was the Yellow Dart.
Melanie strode on ahead up to the deck of the Dart, leaving Jack and Gibbs behind on the gangplank. The two men stood and regarded the ship, not unimpressed by what they saw.
"She looks to be a pretty enough boat, Jack."
"Aye," Jack mused. "That she is."
Gibbs leaned closer. "Tell me again why I'm to be comin' with ye."
"Because, my good and trusted chum, the rest of our crew reclines in Tortuga. And so they should - it is a fantastic place for putting up one's feet if one minds how many one had to begin with. But you and I, friend, we have business."
"And what business be that, Jack, on pretty Cap'n Melanie Cash's pretty boat?"
A small smile crept across Jack's face. He stroked his beard. Gibbs had seen this look before. "I like this ship," he began, and held up a finger. "But more importantly, I like her captain. A man could do a lot with a first mate like that."
"But I thought you'n Cash knew one another," Gibbs said, puzzled. "What's in yer head that she'd give up all o'this just to sail w'ye?"
Jack caught his friend's eye and smiled fully. "Jack Sparrow's got his ways."
Before Gibbs could reply, Melanie strode back down the gangplank towards them, her boots striking the wood loudly. She stopped just above them and swept her arm grandly. "Thank you for your patience, gentlemen. May I be the first to welcome you to the Yellow Dart. Do not let your eyes be fooled by her glossy exterior, for her heart beats pirate blood and she has the teeth and grit of a scallywag, not a meek and tamed merchant vessel." Melanie smiled. "Many a purse has been taken by my hand, but many more troves have been taken by hers, and I pray many more will follow. So welcome and come! Drink and meet with my crew - in any order, Jack." It was here that she winked. "And we shall haul our anchors from the fine sands of this port."
Jack bowed graciously, and he and Gibbs followed Melanie up the gangplank and onto the deck. She led them to a line of sailors that stood before the mainmast, and Jack noted that they were talking animatedly amongst themselves. He also noted the mugs in their hands and the barrel of ale in their midst.
"Might I present," Melanie said in a loud voice, causing all heads to turn, "Mr. Sparrow and Mr.Gibbs. They are to be our traveling companions until we reach Port Royale. They are our important traveling companions," she added significantly, and Jack decided it might now be possible to let his guard over his gold pouch among her crew relax. Slightly.
The sailors formed themselves into some semblance of a formal line as gulls cried aloud overhead. There was little wind and no cloud. The early sun cast a white glow onto everything and everyone. It was difficult to distinguish the faces of the sailors, but Jack estimated there were about fifteen hands in total, and at a nod from their captain, a handful stepped forward.
"Michelle," said the first and tossed her hair. "I act as the log-keeper and scribe in the absence of Carine."
"Carly," offered a small, brown-skinned waif, and offered her hand to both Jack and Gibbs. There was a capuchin monkey on her shoulder with its tail curled around her neck. The monkey made Jack shudder in spite of himself. "I'm in charge of our certain ... secretarial duties when it comes to gold pieces." She winked. "All o'them honestly acquired, o'course."
"'Course," Jack agreed warmly.
"Monica," another introduced herself. Her eyes were large and green. Jack found himself blinking several times. "Chief look-out."
Melanie gestured to the others, who removed their various hats and all politely inclined their heads. "And the rest," she said. "Fifteen hands in all." Fifteen hands, saw Jack, all of them sea-weathered and browned. Fifteen hands; all of them fine-limbed and nimble-footed. Fifteen hands; all of them observing he and Gibbs cheerily.
Fifteen hands. All of them women.
There was a crash on the deck beside him as Gibbs fainted dead away.
~
"To my credit," Gibbs woke to hear Melanie saying, "He hasn't seen my first mate and that may yet provide him some comfort." He heard Jack's laughter and opened his eyes to find himself propped up against the mainmast. Melanie and Jack were standing close, watching him good-naturedly. The ship rose and fell gently on the water, and when Gibbs sat up fully, he could see that Tortuga's bustling harbor had shrunk behind them.
"We've set off then, 'ave we?" he asked, and struggled to stand. Jack, still smiling, offered him a hand.
"Aye, that we have, my good friend. Nothing but blue water until Port Royale."
"We've set sail," Gibbs continued, incredulous, "with a crew of women." He shook his head and spied Melanie with her hands on her hips and her eyes twinkling merrily. He gulped. "Beggin' yer pardon, Cash. There ain't nothin' I've got against womenfolk, but - "
"But they're bad luck on boats," she finished for him. "Well, Mr. Gibbs, it appears you're in a bit of a bind then. You see, we have weighed anchor already and set off, and you are here with a crew of women." Gibbs nodded, looking slightly seasick. "However, I know how to counter such bad luck. If the man aboard a woman's ship is a man with his own ship, and his ship has got a woman who isn't on the ship he's on, then the bad luck of the women will balance and be no bad luck aboard a ship at all." Jack turned a chuckle into a cough.
Gibbs seemed speechless. "Aye," he said after a pause. "Methinks that'll about do it."
"And if that doesn't," said a new voice behind them, "perhaps I can help." Jack and Gibbs turned to see a slim blond man emerge from below deck. He was tall and fair, and Jack was mildly puzzled as to how one with skin so light could possibly seem so at home on a pirate vessel.
"This is Matthew," Melanie put in as the man shook hands with Jack and Gibbs in turn. "He is my first mate, and a finer doctor I have yet to find."
Gibbs held onto the young man's hand like a life-ring and shook it vigorously. "I be pleased to be meetin' ye, boy. Very pleased indeed."
Chapter Five
Melanie Cash's ship was a fine one. She could be called a merchant ship only in the sense that she had been one once and did her best to masquerade as one now in order to pursue her more furtive and profitable career as a pirate vessel.
She had two masts, both of which plunged upwards as though straining to reach the early morning sky. Her bowsprit extended from her bow like a horn, gently bobbing and nodding as she rode the swell of Tortuga's harbor. Her hull was black, giving her a lustrous look and an intimidating air that was complimented by her sheer size. Carved beneath the bowsprit was the figure of a swooping bird, painted bright yellow. The outspread wings of the screaming bird were painted so as to darken and blend gently into the dusky hull of the ship.
Her name was the Yellow Dart.
Melanie strode on ahead up to the deck of the Dart, leaving Jack and Gibbs behind on the gangplank. The two men stood and regarded the ship, not unimpressed by what they saw.
"She looks to be a pretty enough boat, Jack."
"Aye," Jack mused. "That she is."
Gibbs leaned closer. "Tell me again why I'm to be comin' with ye."
"Because, my good and trusted chum, the rest of our crew reclines in Tortuga. And so they should - it is a fantastic place for putting up one's feet if one minds how many one had to begin with. But you and I, friend, we have business."
"And what business be that, Jack, on pretty Cap'n Melanie Cash's pretty boat?"
A small smile crept across Jack's face. He stroked his beard. Gibbs had seen this look before. "I like this ship," he began, and held up a finger. "But more importantly, I like her captain. A man could do a lot with a first mate like that."
"But I thought you'n Cash knew one another," Gibbs said, puzzled. "What's in yer head that she'd give up all o'this just to sail w'ye?"
Jack caught his friend's eye and smiled fully. "Jack Sparrow's got his ways."
Before Gibbs could reply, Melanie strode back down the gangplank towards them, her boots striking the wood loudly. She stopped just above them and swept her arm grandly. "Thank you for your patience, gentlemen. May I be the first to welcome you to the Yellow Dart. Do not let your eyes be fooled by her glossy exterior, for her heart beats pirate blood and she has the teeth and grit of a scallywag, not a meek and tamed merchant vessel." Melanie smiled. "Many a purse has been taken by my hand, but many more troves have been taken by hers, and I pray many more will follow. So welcome and come! Drink and meet with my crew - in any order, Jack." It was here that she winked. "And we shall haul our anchors from the fine sands of this port."
Jack bowed graciously, and he and Gibbs followed Melanie up the gangplank and onto the deck. She led them to a line of sailors that stood before the mainmast, and Jack noted that they were talking animatedly amongst themselves. He also noted the mugs in their hands and the barrel of ale in their midst.
"Might I present," Melanie said in a loud voice, causing all heads to turn, "Mr. Sparrow and Mr.Gibbs. They are to be our traveling companions until we reach Port Royale. They are our important traveling companions," she added significantly, and Jack decided it might now be possible to let his guard over his gold pouch among her crew relax. Slightly.
The sailors formed themselves into some semblance of a formal line as gulls cried aloud overhead. There was little wind and no cloud. The early sun cast a white glow onto everything and everyone. It was difficult to distinguish the faces of the sailors, but Jack estimated there were about fifteen hands in total, and at a nod from their captain, a handful stepped forward.
"Michelle," said the first and tossed her hair. "I act as the log-keeper and scribe in the absence of Carine."
"Carly," offered a small, brown-skinned waif, and offered her hand to both Jack and Gibbs. There was a capuchin monkey on her shoulder with its tail curled around her neck. The monkey made Jack shudder in spite of himself. "I'm in charge of our certain ... secretarial duties when it comes to gold pieces." She winked. "All o'them honestly acquired, o'course."
"'Course," Jack agreed warmly.
"Monica," another introduced herself. Her eyes were large and green. Jack found himself blinking several times. "Chief look-out."
Melanie gestured to the others, who removed their various hats and all politely inclined their heads. "And the rest," she said. "Fifteen hands in all." Fifteen hands, saw Jack, all of them sea-weathered and browned. Fifteen hands; all of them fine-limbed and nimble-footed. Fifteen hands; all of them observing he and Gibbs cheerily.
Fifteen hands. All of them women.
There was a crash on the deck beside him as Gibbs fainted dead away.
~
"To my credit," Gibbs woke to hear Melanie saying, "He hasn't seen my first mate and that may yet provide him some comfort." He heard Jack's laughter and opened his eyes to find himself propped up against the mainmast. Melanie and Jack were standing close, watching him good-naturedly. The ship rose and fell gently on the water, and when Gibbs sat up fully, he could see that Tortuga's bustling harbor had shrunk behind them.
"We've set off then, 'ave we?" he asked, and struggled to stand. Jack, still smiling, offered him a hand.
"Aye, that we have, my good friend. Nothing but blue water until Port Royale."
"We've set sail," Gibbs continued, incredulous, "with a crew of women." He shook his head and spied Melanie with her hands on her hips and her eyes twinkling merrily. He gulped. "Beggin' yer pardon, Cash. There ain't nothin' I've got against womenfolk, but - "
"But they're bad luck on boats," she finished for him. "Well, Mr. Gibbs, it appears you're in a bit of a bind then. You see, we have weighed anchor already and set off, and you are here with a crew of women." Gibbs nodded, looking slightly seasick. "However, I know how to counter such bad luck. If the man aboard a woman's ship is a man with his own ship, and his ship has got a woman who isn't on the ship he's on, then the bad luck of the women will balance and be no bad luck aboard a ship at all." Jack turned a chuckle into a cough.
Gibbs seemed speechless. "Aye," he said after a pause. "Methinks that'll about do it."
"And if that doesn't," said a new voice behind them, "perhaps I can help." Jack and Gibbs turned to see a slim blond man emerge from below deck. He was tall and fair, and Jack was mildly puzzled as to how one with skin so light could possibly seem so at home on a pirate vessel.
"This is Matthew," Melanie put in as the man shook hands with Jack and Gibbs in turn. "He is my first mate, and a finer doctor I have yet to find."
Gibbs held onto the young man's hand like a life-ring and shook it vigorously. "I be pleased to be meetin' ye, boy. Very pleased indeed."