Usual disclaimers. blah!
***
James Norrington sailed slowly towards Port Royal, despondent in his failure to find any trace of Mary Groves or her French pirate lover Louis Lact. He knew the Governor was not going to be happy but there was little he could do about it. He had found traces of where a number of booted feet had recently been - the search parties from the Black Pearl he had assumed - but there had been no sign nor trace of those he searched for.
"Commodore!" Lieutenant Eccleston called. "Commodore! The Black Pearl sir!"
He scanned the horizon, easily picking out the distinctive black sails of Jack Sparrow's ship. "Take us closer an' run up a truce flag," he ordered for he wanted to speak with Jack before returning to Port Royal. He frowned, noticing that the gun ports on the Black Pearl were open, but thought nothing of it, assured by the knowledge that the Black Pearl was a privateer vessel.
They sailed closer.
***
"Captain!" Charles Dalton called from aloft. "The Gauntlet two points off starboard an' closing. She's flying a truce flag..."
Jack smiled darkly. "Let her come close," he ordered. "Ready th' starboard guns an' prepare t' run up our flag..." Beside him, at the helm, Oran matched his grin. Let the Gauntlet come close and the Black Pearl would teach her a lesson or two about breaking accords.
They waited.
***
Jamie Eccleston looked in horror as he saw the skull and crossbones flag being raised by the Black Pearl in warning.
"Commodore!" he screamed frantically... "Commo..." but he did not get to finish his shout.
Boom!
The starboard cannons of the Black Pearl fired in perfect precision as soon as the Gauntlet came into range, smashing into the side of the vessel and bringing down their mizzen mast. Marines and officers dived for cover unable even to return fire for their cannon were not loaded. James Norrington stared across at the Black Pearl in disbelief to see Jack mockingly salute him before sailing away. "What the hell was that about?" he muttered incredulously, staring at the damage to his ship as he hauled himself to his feet. "Lieutenant!" he shouted. "Damage report now!"
"We're taking water Commodore!" he replied.
"How bad?" James Norrington asked worriedly.
"Repairable Sir," Alex assured him. "We should be able to limp to Port Royal to make repairs..."
"And the men?"
"Ten dead sir, and twelve injured - but most should live..." he reported. "If we reach Port Royal as soon as possible that is."
James Norrington stared at the disappearing stern of the Black Pearl, her pirate flag flying brazenly from the top of her main mast. "Cut away the damage to the mizzen," he ordered. "We'll make our best possible speed to Port Royal..." he ordered, frowning in confusion as he wondered what the hell was going on. He had a sinking feeling that something had happened that he was unaware of for this attack was completely out of character. Jack Sparrow had never broken an accord even when he knew it would have been to his advantage to do so. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.
***
Governor Spense was relieved to see the HMS Gauntlet limp back into harbour, even if he was alarmed at the state of her. He desperately needed the extra marines that were onboard to quell the growing unrest within Port Royal. He had been forced to ban all of the marines from socialising in the town, fearful that the murders of last night would be repeated. He had not counted on the disbelief from the townsfolk of his declaration of the Black Pearl breaking their accord and the hanging of the four men had turned the mood within the town decidedly nasty. And then there was Elizabeth Turner, who had arrived at the gates every day for the past three days demanding to be allowed to see his final prisoner. But he was determined that the woman would hang - and as soon as her leg healed she would.
He jumped as the door was thrown open to reveal the Commodore most definitely not looking his normal pristine self. His uniform was torn and he had clearly been pelted with a number of quite indescribable objects.
"Governor!" he shouted angrily. "What the hell is going on?"
"Ah, Commodore," Governor Spense smiled. "I am so glad you have returned to quell this minor matter..."
"Minor?" James Norrington fumed. "I have lost twelve men, our sole ship is so damaged she cannot put to sea and I return to find the town in a state of civil unrest!"
"You've lost men?" Thomas Spense frowned. "How?"
"The Black Pearl opened fire on us!" the Commodore shouted.
"So I've been proved right then," he smiled. "I always said they were little better than pirates!"
James Norrington looked at the Governor warily, wondering what was going on that he did not know about. "Governor Spense, the town is close to..." He paused as a clerk handed him one of the notices that had been placed about the town. He quickly read it. "You hanged crew from the Black Pearl?" he gasped in disbelief, realising now the reason behind the welcome from the townsfolk. "On what authority?"
"On the authority given to me as His Majesty's representative within the Caribbean and on the evidence of a survivor of the atrocity!" The Governor smiled. "I have a sworn statement Commodore..."
"But you know how the Black Pearl is regarded here!" he raged. "Are you so utterly stupid that you do not realise this?"
"I will have the law upheld Commodore," Thomas Spense ordered, his voice rising in response to the anger of James Norrington. "You will put down these disturbances and once she is healed the woman will hang!"
"The woman..." James Norrington went white with shock, realising the name behind the words. It was no wonder that the Black Pearl had attacked them if Jack Sparrow was aware that four of his crew had been hanged and that the same sentence awaited his wife. "You fool!" he hissed. "Do you realise the bloodbath this will cause?"
"Commodore!" the Governor shouted. "You forget yourself!"
"No Governor, I do not!" he replied. "In light of the atmosphere within the town I am declaring martial law which gives me ultimate authority within Port Royal! Kindly leave my office now Sir and I will try to rescue us from this unholy mess you have created with your personal feud with the Sparrows!"
Thomas Spense shrugged. "You will not release her Commodore," he warned. "Your friendship with these pirates is well known and a word to the wrong person could be ruinous for your career..."
"Get out!" James Norrington shouted, uncaring who heard him. "Get out now!" He watched as the Governor left then sat with his head in his hands in disbelief wondering how he was going to figure a way out of this mess. He realised that he had not even told the Governor of his failure to find any trace of Mary and was surprised to realise that he did not care.
"Sir?" A quiet tap at the door announced his clerk Angus Morven. "Sir? Do you wish to visit Mistress Sparrow?"
James Norrington sighed heavily. "No. I think I had better read this statement the Governor was talking about first." He smiled as Angus handed him a sheet of paper having anticipated his request.
"I will send in a bowl of water and see to a clean uniform for you Commodore," he offered as he caught a whiff of one of the more undesirable objects that adorned Norrington's uniform.
"Thank you," the Commodore smiled appreciatively.
Angus turned to leave but paused at the door. "It is good to have you back Sir," he said quietly as he gently shut the door behind him.
James Norrington looked up in surprise at his comment, but he had already left. He read the statement in shock and horror, not believing that Thomas Spense had hanged four known and trusted men on the word of a stranger - and from the name a foreigner at that! Lucon? Davit Lucon? The name meant nothing to him and he paced, quietly pondering, while he awaited his clerk's return.
***
***
James Norrington sailed slowly towards Port Royal, despondent in his failure to find any trace of Mary Groves or her French pirate lover Louis Lact. He knew the Governor was not going to be happy but there was little he could do about it. He had found traces of where a number of booted feet had recently been - the search parties from the Black Pearl he had assumed - but there had been no sign nor trace of those he searched for.
"Commodore!" Lieutenant Eccleston called. "Commodore! The Black Pearl sir!"
He scanned the horizon, easily picking out the distinctive black sails of Jack Sparrow's ship. "Take us closer an' run up a truce flag," he ordered for he wanted to speak with Jack before returning to Port Royal. He frowned, noticing that the gun ports on the Black Pearl were open, but thought nothing of it, assured by the knowledge that the Black Pearl was a privateer vessel.
They sailed closer.
***
"Captain!" Charles Dalton called from aloft. "The Gauntlet two points off starboard an' closing. She's flying a truce flag..."
Jack smiled darkly. "Let her come close," he ordered. "Ready th' starboard guns an' prepare t' run up our flag..." Beside him, at the helm, Oran matched his grin. Let the Gauntlet come close and the Black Pearl would teach her a lesson or two about breaking accords.
They waited.
***
Jamie Eccleston looked in horror as he saw the skull and crossbones flag being raised by the Black Pearl in warning.
"Commodore!" he screamed frantically... "Commo..." but he did not get to finish his shout.
Boom!
The starboard cannons of the Black Pearl fired in perfect precision as soon as the Gauntlet came into range, smashing into the side of the vessel and bringing down their mizzen mast. Marines and officers dived for cover unable even to return fire for their cannon were not loaded. James Norrington stared across at the Black Pearl in disbelief to see Jack mockingly salute him before sailing away. "What the hell was that about?" he muttered incredulously, staring at the damage to his ship as he hauled himself to his feet. "Lieutenant!" he shouted. "Damage report now!"
"We're taking water Commodore!" he replied.
"How bad?" James Norrington asked worriedly.
"Repairable Sir," Alex assured him. "We should be able to limp to Port Royal to make repairs..."
"And the men?"
"Ten dead sir, and twelve injured - but most should live..." he reported. "If we reach Port Royal as soon as possible that is."
James Norrington stared at the disappearing stern of the Black Pearl, her pirate flag flying brazenly from the top of her main mast. "Cut away the damage to the mizzen," he ordered. "We'll make our best possible speed to Port Royal..." he ordered, frowning in confusion as he wondered what the hell was going on. He had a sinking feeling that something had happened that he was unaware of for this attack was completely out of character. Jack Sparrow had never broken an accord even when he knew it would have been to his advantage to do so. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.
***
Governor Spense was relieved to see the HMS Gauntlet limp back into harbour, even if he was alarmed at the state of her. He desperately needed the extra marines that were onboard to quell the growing unrest within Port Royal. He had been forced to ban all of the marines from socialising in the town, fearful that the murders of last night would be repeated. He had not counted on the disbelief from the townsfolk of his declaration of the Black Pearl breaking their accord and the hanging of the four men had turned the mood within the town decidedly nasty. And then there was Elizabeth Turner, who had arrived at the gates every day for the past three days demanding to be allowed to see his final prisoner. But he was determined that the woman would hang - and as soon as her leg healed she would.
He jumped as the door was thrown open to reveal the Commodore most definitely not looking his normal pristine self. His uniform was torn and he had clearly been pelted with a number of quite indescribable objects.
"Governor!" he shouted angrily. "What the hell is going on?"
"Ah, Commodore," Governor Spense smiled. "I am so glad you have returned to quell this minor matter..."
"Minor?" James Norrington fumed. "I have lost twelve men, our sole ship is so damaged she cannot put to sea and I return to find the town in a state of civil unrest!"
"You've lost men?" Thomas Spense frowned. "How?"
"The Black Pearl opened fire on us!" the Commodore shouted.
"So I've been proved right then," he smiled. "I always said they were little better than pirates!"
James Norrington looked at the Governor warily, wondering what was going on that he did not know about. "Governor Spense, the town is close to..." He paused as a clerk handed him one of the notices that had been placed about the town. He quickly read it. "You hanged crew from the Black Pearl?" he gasped in disbelief, realising now the reason behind the welcome from the townsfolk. "On what authority?"
"On the authority given to me as His Majesty's representative within the Caribbean and on the evidence of a survivor of the atrocity!" The Governor smiled. "I have a sworn statement Commodore..."
"But you know how the Black Pearl is regarded here!" he raged. "Are you so utterly stupid that you do not realise this?"
"I will have the law upheld Commodore," Thomas Spense ordered, his voice rising in response to the anger of James Norrington. "You will put down these disturbances and once she is healed the woman will hang!"
"The woman..." James Norrington went white with shock, realising the name behind the words. It was no wonder that the Black Pearl had attacked them if Jack Sparrow was aware that four of his crew had been hanged and that the same sentence awaited his wife. "You fool!" he hissed. "Do you realise the bloodbath this will cause?"
"Commodore!" the Governor shouted. "You forget yourself!"
"No Governor, I do not!" he replied. "In light of the atmosphere within the town I am declaring martial law which gives me ultimate authority within Port Royal! Kindly leave my office now Sir and I will try to rescue us from this unholy mess you have created with your personal feud with the Sparrows!"
Thomas Spense shrugged. "You will not release her Commodore," he warned. "Your friendship with these pirates is well known and a word to the wrong person could be ruinous for your career..."
"Get out!" James Norrington shouted, uncaring who heard him. "Get out now!" He watched as the Governor left then sat with his head in his hands in disbelief wondering how he was going to figure a way out of this mess. He realised that he had not even told the Governor of his failure to find any trace of Mary and was surprised to realise that he did not care.
"Sir?" A quiet tap at the door announced his clerk Angus Morven. "Sir? Do you wish to visit Mistress Sparrow?"
James Norrington sighed heavily. "No. I think I had better read this statement the Governor was talking about first." He smiled as Angus handed him a sheet of paper having anticipated his request.
"I will send in a bowl of water and see to a clean uniform for you Commodore," he offered as he caught a whiff of one of the more undesirable objects that adorned Norrington's uniform.
"Thank you," the Commodore smiled appreciatively.
Angus turned to leave but paused at the door. "It is good to have you back Sir," he said quietly as he gently shut the door behind him.
James Norrington looked up in surprise at his comment, but he had already left. He read the statement in shock and horror, not believing that Thomas Spense had hanged four known and trusted men on the word of a stranger - and from the name a foreigner at that! Lucon? Davit Lucon? The name meant nothing to him and he paced, quietly pondering, while he awaited his clerk's return.
***