Chapter 8
Authors Note: Sorry for the prolonged torture thing in the last chapter,
but you have to admit that my fics lack that when compared to some of the
other writers out there. Right?
Authors Note 2: Thank you to Sammie C. for helping me find a name for the allies ship. ( Yes see, if any has objections to the ships name. SHHH! Its really good and I like it so... just.... SHHH. It was originally suggested that I call it 'the Shiny Clam' so if anyone wants that one instead... *eyes narrow*
"Bailing you out again, Sparrow?" there was another ship now in black stylized letters, 'the Taurus.' (A/N: SHHH!!! AND 'the Salty Spittoon' so which do YOU prefer. *eyebrow raises*)
Jack raised his head and focused his eyes as best he could at the oncoming ship. The sails were a mix of red and black, the Captain stood at the helm looking mock exasperated.
"What is this, the second time now, Captain Jack?" he asked, "Your luck never runs out does it."
"Steven," Jack said hoarsely, "Steven Galahri." He was a privateer, or at least pretended to be one. They had the letter of marque only because one of the ships they raided had the document safely onboard.
"Jack!" Will called from the ship, "He said he was a friend of yours."
"How the bloody hell-!" Ana exclaimed, she tried not to show it but anger bubbled under the surface. Jack suffered and Will and Elizabeth had scampered over to the other ship!
"Friend?" Jack echoed with a wry look toward Steven. It was at times like these Ana was incredibly proud of her Captain, in the midst of a battle, beaten, near exhaustion and he still kept his sense of humor.
"We give you fair warning, India." Steven yelled from the helm, "Fight us and I guarantee that you'll not survive the battle."
"You arrogant bastard!" Greoff snarled, "He's prisoner on this ship-"
"Thought it was funny didn't you." Ana's eyes burned with everything she had suppressed during the past few days. She held the sword directly level with his heart, while he had been busy watching their escape unfold she had taken the initiative and wouldn't back down for anything.
"You'll die." Greoff warned.
"If any of you so much as move to your weapons, your Captain hits the deck." Ana said never taking her eyes off Greoff. "You beat an already injured man, and took the coward's way out and shot him when his back was turned."
"We didn't miss either." Greoff replied scathingly, he stopped when the swords' tip drew a line of blood across his shirt.
"This is a day you will always remember." Ana hissed eyes narrowed ferally, "You will remember it because this is the last time you will ever have contact with Jack Sparrow and his crew."
Another line criss-crossed the other one forming an X across his chest. Greoff had lost the cocky attitude of before, now he looked afraid of the woman he had called a whore.
"Because if you do, I will kill you myself. The only reason I haven't is out of honor for my Captain." Ana said quietly, "He doesn't kill without reason and I won't break that oath. Come find us again and not even the Morrigan will save you."
(A/N: The Morrigan was the Raven goddess for the Celts. I've always wanted to use her in a fic so I figured why not, right?)
'The Taurus' pulled up to 'India's Prize' and the crew swung back across. Steven would keep lookout while 'The Pearl' made ready to set sail.
Anamaria wasn't sure whether or not Jack was even aware of what was going on anymore. His eyes had a glassy look to them and he was only walking because two men were on either side of him. His face was concealed by his black hair and his back dripped blood on the planks of wood underneath them.
"We have to get out of here!" one of the crew exclaimed, "I wouldn't put much faith in them just yet."
He had been right, in hardly time enough to draw breath, cannon fire filled the air. 'India's Prize' was shooting at 'The Taurus,' in her haste to help Jack she had forgotten to warn Greoff not to attack them. Judging by the look on Steven's face he didn't mind one bit, he shouted orders to his crew gleefully glad to be in battle once again.
"I know that!" Anamaria snapped thinking fast, what would Jack have done?
It was twenty guns to twenty guns and their last hope lie in The Taurus's smaller size and better agility.
"Take'em out!" Steven yelled loading the four cannons that he would be taking care of.
"Man the wheel!" Ana ordered while taking control of the main sails. Most of the crew had gone to work, they had to take advantage of Steven's hospitality while they could, ship fights didn't normally last long and she wanted 'the Pearl' to be gone way before that happened.
"Have a care, Ryan." The tallest man to the left of Jack said. Letting go of Jack's arm, Ryan was ready and bore most of the weight of his Captain. Ryan grinned half-heartedly as he realized what Cary meant.
Ryan was look-out and he stayed up in the Crow's Nest for most of the day. He seemed immune to bad weather and wasn't known to be one of the most cautious men aboard. He wouldn't have let anything happen to Jack however, reckless as he might be, while his Captain still drew breath Ryan would fight to the death for him.
"I'll man the wheel this time. . ." Cary went up the stairs almost dreading to touch that particular part of the ship.
"Lad?" Jack looked up and his eyes wearily glinted with some of his old mischief, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?" he straightened with some difficulty but managed to take the few steps needed to get to the wheel.
"Jack, what in hell-fire are you doing! We don't have the time! Go below-decks before 's the death of you!" Anamaria raged, pride for whom he was raged in her heart but now was not the time to be led around by emotion. Her first priority was to make sure that he didn't die and he wasn't making her task any easier.
"I thank you for the concern, love." Jack rasped huskily, "But I won't stay below when there's a fight to be had. Not on my ship."
"Aye, aye, Captain." Cary moved away from the wheel and didn't look back. Jack took a deep breath and climbed the stairs unsteadily, once at the wheel though he pushed the exhaustion and pain away.
"Well don't just stand there! Get to work you scabrous dogs!" renewed in spirit the crew hastened to their positions. Jack Sparrow was back, at least for the time being, and as long as that lasted they would have sailed off the end of the horizon for him.
Sheer determination, willpower, and the knowledge that he couldn't fail his crew now gave him strength enough to maneuver 'The Pearl' in a wide arc and then off towards safety.
Cannons fired one after the other before the mast and underbelly 'India's Prize' was destroyed. If the ship didn't sink, the men were stuck out in the middle of the ocean until either another pirate ship came and looted them or the Navy came out to hang them.
"Meet you at 'the Four Winds'! Steven hollered over the shouting of his crew.
A pistol shot exploded but no one fell, Greoff looked down at the weapon hastily loading another bullet.
"Always be prepared, mate." Steven said, his pistol went off and Greoff fell dead to the deck.
Jack knew enough to guess what had happened, he could no longer see straight and only by leaning his weight on the wheel did he stay standing, Anamaria was safe, Greoff was dead, 'the Pearl' would be in good hands. He let the darkness take him assured that his job was finally done. He could rest now, blessed peace. . . he collapsed to the deck dead to the world.
Authors Note 2: Thank you to Sammie C. for helping me find a name for the allies ship. ( Yes see, if any has objections to the ships name. SHHH! Its really good and I like it so... just.... SHHH. It was originally suggested that I call it 'the Shiny Clam' so if anyone wants that one instead... *eyes narrow*
"Bailing you out again, Sparrow?" there was another ship now in black stylized letters, 'the Taurus.' (A/N: SHHH!!! AND 'the Salty Spittoon' so which do YOU prefer. *eyebrow raises*)
Jack raised his head and focused his eyes as best he could at the oncoming ship. The sails were a mix of red and black, the Captain stood at the helm looking mock exasperated.
"What is this, the second time now, Captain Jack?" he asked, "Your luck never runs out does it."
"Steven," Jack said hoarsely, "Steven Galahri." He was a privateer, or at least pretended to be one. They had the letter of marque only because one of the ships they raided had the document safely onboard.
"Jack!" Will called from the ship, "He said he was a friend of yours."
"How the bloody hell-!" Ana exclaimed, she tried not to show it but anger bubbled under the surface. Jack suffered and Will and Elizabeth had scampered over to the other ship!
"Friend?" Jack echoed with a wry look toward Steven. It was at times like these Ana was incredibly proud of her Captain, in the midst of a battle, beaten, near exhaustion and he still kept his sense of humor.
"We give you fair warning, India." Steven yelled from the helm, "Fight us and I guarantee that you'll not survive the battle."
"You arrogant bastard!" Greoff snarled, "He's prisoner on this ship-"
"Thought it was funny didn't you." Ana's eyes burned with everything she had suppressed during the past few days. She held the sword directly level with his heart, while he had been busy watching their escape unfold she had taken the initiative and wouldn't back down for anything.
"You'll die." Greoff warned.
"If any of you so much as move to your weapons, your Captain hits the deck." Ana said never taking her eyes off Greoff. "You beat an already injured man, and took the coward's way out and shot him when his back was turned."
"We didn't miss either." Greoff replied scathingly, he stopped when the swords' tip drew a line of blood across his shirt.
"This is a day you will always remember." Ana hissed eyes narrowed ferally, "You will remember it because this is the last time you will ever have contact with Jack Sparrow and his crew."
Another line criss-crossed the other one forming an X across his chest. Greoff had lost the cocky attitude of before, now he looked afraid of the woman he had called a whore.
"Because if you do, I will kill you myself. The only reason I haven't is out of honor for my Captain." Ana said quietly, "He doesn't kill without reason and I won't break that oath. Come find us again and not even the Morrigan will save you."
(A/N: The Morrigan was the Raven goddess for the Celts. I've always wanted to use her in a fic so I figured why not, right?)
'The Taurus' pulled up to 'India's Prize' and the crew swung back across. Steven would keep lookout while 'The Pearl' made ready to set sail.
Anamaria wasn't sure whether or not Jack was even aware of what was going on anymore. His eyes had a glassy look to them and he was only walking because two men were on either side of him. His face was concealed by his black hair and his back dripped blood on the planks of wood underneath them.
"We have to get out of here!" one of the crew exclaimed, "I wouldn't put much faith in them just yet."
He had been right, in hardly time enough to draw breath, cannon fire filled the air. 'India's Prize' was shooting at 'The Taurus,' in her haste to help Jack she had forgotten to warn Greoff not to attack them. Judging by the look on Steven's face he didn't mind one bit, he shouted orders to his crew gleefully glad to be in battle once again.
"I know that!" Anamaria snapped thinking fast, what would Jack have done?
It was twenty guns to twenty guns and their last hope lie in The Taurus's smaller size and better agility.
"Take'em out!" Steven yelled loading the four cannons that he would be taking care of.
"Man the wheel!" Ana ordered while taking control of the main sails. Most of the crew had gone to work, they had to take advantage of Steven's hospitality while they could, ship fights didn't normally last long and she wanted 'the Pearl' to be gone way before that happened.
"Have a care, Ryan." The tallest man to the left of Jack said. Letting go of Jack's arm, Ryan was ready and bore most of the weight of his Captain. Ryan grinned half-heartedly as he realized what Cary meant.
Ryan was look-out and he stayed up in the Crow's Nest for most of the day. He seemed immune to bad weather and wasn't known to be one of the most cautious men aboard. He wouldn't have let anything happen to Jack however, reckless as he might be, while his Captain still drew breath Ryan would fight to the death for him.
"I'll man the wheel this time. . ." Cary went up the stairs almost dreading to touch that particular part of the ship.
"Lad?" Jack looked up and his eyes wearily glinted with some of his old mischief, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?" he straightened with some difficulty but managed to take the few steps needed to get to the wheel.
"Jack, what in hell-fire are you doing! We don't have the time! Go below-decks before 's the death of you!" Anamaria raged, pride for whom he was raged in her heart but now was not the time to be led around by emotion. Her first priority was to make sure that he didn't die and he wasn't making her task any easier.
"I thank you for the concern, love." Jack rasped huskily, "But I won't stay below when there's a fight to be had. Not on my ship."
"Aye, aye, Captain." Cary moved away from the wheel and didn't look back. Jack took a deep breath and climbed the stairs unsteadily, once at the wheel though he pushed the exhaustion and pain away.
"Well don't just stand there! Get to work you scabrous dogs!" renewed in spirit the crew hastened to their positions. Jack Sparrow was back, at least for the time being, and as long as that lasted they would have sailed off the end of the horizon for him.
Sheer determination, willpower, and the knowledge that he couldn't fail his crew now gave him strength enough to maneuver 'The Pearl' in a wide arc and then off towards safety.
Cannons fired one after the other before the mast and underbelly 'India's Prize' was destroyed. If the ship didn't sink, the men were stuck out in the middle of the ocean until either another pirate ship came and looted them or the Navy came out to hang them.
"Meet you at 'the Four Winds'! Steven hollered over the shouting of his crew.
A pistol shot exploded but no one fell, Greoff looked down at the weapon hastily loading another bullet.
"Always be prepared, mate." Steven said, his pistol went off and Greoff fell dead to the deck.
Jack knew enough to guess what had happened, he could no longer see straight and only by leaning his weight on the wheel did he stay standing, Anamaria was safe, Greoff was dead, 'the Pearl' would be in good hands. He let the darkness take him assured that his job was finally done. He could rest now, blessed peace. . . he collapsed to the deck dead to the world.