Usual disclaimers... blah!
A few quick notes: Druidan54 - calm down dear... it's just a story! DaydreamBeliever14 - will two chapters make you happier? Linnie - just keep up Missy!
"All hands to th' sweeps!" Jack ordered as the Black Pearl sped from the bay in hot pursuit of their quarry. "Skeleton fer th' sails!" He turned to Catherine, grinning in delight. "Let's see if th' bastards put some sweeps in!" He doubted they had for they were tricky to install, even on a freshly built ship and it took a crew some time to become proficient with them.
"May I have my sword?" James Norrington asked.
Jack smiled. "Yeah, an' yer pistol too if yer promise not t' shoot any of m' crew!" he laughed, his delight at the chase clear on his face. "Kitty!" he shouted. "Loose th' topgallants!" She nodded, scrambling agilely up the rigging of the foremast, other crew following to help.
James Norrington looked in surprise as Catherine obeyed Jack eagerly, running across the deck to stand beside him when she was done. He had not realised she was as much crew as it appeared, but she was clearly more than just a token crew member. Her grin matched Jack's as she handed him his spyglass, steadying the wheel whilst he stared ahead.
"It's her!" he said, "an' she's seen us!" He shut the spy glass, taking the helm again. "Let's see how much seamanship th' bastard''s learned."
"Where do you think he was heading?" James Norrington frowned. "If his home port is New Orleans then he is not heading home."
"Then it's a comfort to know he has not struck anywhere recently at least," Catherine smiled
"He was probably tryin' t' sneak around th' outer edge of th' islands, hit from th' Ocean an' not be seen!" Jack reasoned.
"I thought he wanted to be seen?" Theodore puzzled.
"Not by us he didn't!" Catherine smiled at her brother. "He probably suspected we'd be quartering south of Jamaica... but he guessed wrong!" She looked shrewdly at James Norrington. "I trust now that you are figuring out where the bay is you will not use the knowledge..." she pressed.
James looked at her wryly. "At least I know where to find you if the need arises," he smiled. "But the Turner household has nothing to fear from my knowing their location..."
Jack nodded. "If I thought you'd abuse th' trust I'd only move them again..." he cautioned.
"Including the donkey?" Catherine teased.
"No!" Jack looked at her in horror. "Not th' bloody donkey!"
Theodore and Catherine chuckled, even James joining in. Although he did not know the story of the donkey, Jack's horrified expression was enough to make him laugh.
"Kitty, can yer see t' a cold supper fer t'night," Jack asked
"I'll see what there is," she smiled, heading for the galley. She knew that Jack would not want the stove lit, it would be far too dangerous at the speed he intended pushing the Black Pearl. At least they were pretty fully stocked and had recently taken on fresh water. She would have loved to have seen Louis' face when he spotted them - her only regret being that Mary would not be onboard... but that day of vengeance would have to wait.
"Where the hell did they come from?" Louis Lact cast a panicked eye behind them, the real Black Pearl visibly closer than the last time he looked.
His helmsman shrugged. "Tortuga probably... it is said to be his home port."
"Can we out-run him?" Louis worried.
The man looked at him in astonishment at the ridiculous notion, laughing derisively. "That..." he gestured over his shoulder, "is the Black Pearl! The real Black Pearl, not some tarted up fake like this ship!" He laughed sarcastically. "We'll be lucky to reach safe harbour in Guadeloupe!
Louis made his decision. "Hard to starboard," he ordered. "We'll head through the Mona Passage and try to make it back to New Orleans... he won't dare to follow us into the French territories!"
"Oui Captain," the helmsman acknowledged, turning the ship as sharply as he dared. With luck they would reach home waters and he knew they would need as much luck as they could possibly get.
All day Jack stayed at the wheel, willing the Black Pearl to greater speed. Running with the same rigging they made similar time, but every now and again the true Black Pearl would surge forwards when Jack asked the crew to man the sweeps. Closer... closer... his hand itched for his sword... he could almost taste the blood.
"Jack!" Catherine shouted.
"Eh?" Jack looked up startled.
"I've been calling you for the last five minutes!" she sighed. "Now hand the helm over to somebody else and get into the cabin for dinner!"
"Oh... right..." He had not noticed that she had been calling her, so intently had he been staring at the ship before them.
"Jean Claude, take the helm!" Catherine ordered. "You," she pointed at Jack. "Get your sorry backside down here now!"
"Aye Kitty," he grinned ruefully as the Frenchman took the wheel.
"It might only be cold rations," she chided, "but that doesn't mean you can miss mealtimes!"
"I used t' remember th' day when I was Captain of this ship," he teased, wrapping his arms around her as they walked into the cabin. Theodore and James Norrington looked up as they entered.
"You are still Captain... but you can be my Cabin Boy later if you behave!" she laughed, sitting him forcefully in the chair. "Eat!"
"Alright! Alright!" Jack protested. "It'll take us a day or so t' catch them anyways!"
"Well perhaps you will remember to make mealtimes then?" Catherine sniped.
Jack smiled wryly. "If it'll get me some peace then I promise!"
"Just remember that!" she smiled, leaning across the table to kiss him. "Captain!"
Theodore laughed at the Commodore's expression at his sister's bantering. "So what are you going to do when we catch up with him?"
"Sink th' bastard!" Jack grinned. "Can't have more than one black sailed ship... it confuses th' King's Navy!"
James Norrington raised a sarcastic eyebrow at Jack's comment. "I would appreciate the opportunity to hang him..."
"If we are discussing Louis then we should include Jean Claude and Isaac," Catherine reminded them. "Louis is Jean Claude's brother after all and he did kill Isaac's brother Neithan." She walked out onto deck, shouting up to the Frenchman. "Jean Claude, get Oran to take over and come into the cabin," she ordered, smiling at his lazy salute of acknowledgement. "Isaac!" she called, spotting him near the stairs to the gun deck. "You as well - main cabin now!" Isaac nodded, walking quickly across the deck, following Catherine as she returned to the cabin. She made sure that the others waited. "You wanted to see me Kitty?" Jean Claude asked, slapping Isaac's hand as he snared a bread roll from the table.
"We were deciding what to do about Louis," Catherine explained. "You have a large say in this Jean Claude... and Isaac too..."
Jean Claude looked to Theodore. "Yer've got first claim I suppose," he shrugged. "He might be my brother, but he stole your wife. Dead is dead to me, I care not how he dies."
Theodore sighed heavily. "I would like to see him on the end of my sword," he ruefully admitted, "but if it will do more harm to the Governor then we should hand him over to be hanged..."
Isaac nodded. "I know my father would want him personally, but it would make sense to use his death to cause the most damage. Unfortunately giving my father the pleasure of torturing him would give little opportunity of hitting back at the Governor!"
"And what of Mary?" Catherine ventured.
"Well, we know she won't be onboard... the only thing we can do is to go to New Orleans and get her..." Theodore replied thoughtfully.
"'I'll see to the crew," Catherine smiled.
"You are not going!" Theodore and Jack said in unison.
"There are only two others on this ship that speak French - Jean Claude and Oran," she reminded them. "You are going to need every sword so I'm going... if only to horse-whip that bitch every mile of the way home!"
Jack smirked at the image. "Okay, yer can go," he conceded.
"Why thank you," Catherine smiled sarcastically.
"It's only because I know yer'd go even if I said no," Jack admitted. He looked across the table to the two naval men. "Theo, can yer sort out a bunk fer James? Yer can share th' sickbay if yer like."
"Thanks." Theodore rose. "I'll show you the way," he said to the Commodore, pushing his chair back and rising. "Goodnight then Jack, Cat."
James Norrington rose and followed Theodore from the cabin, nodding to Jack and Catherine as he left. Isaac and Jean Claude left as well, leaving them alone. Jack grinned to Catherine as they left, locking the door behind them. "Now," he smirked, "what was that about being your cabin boy?"
A few quick notes: Druidan54 - calm down dear... it's just a story! DaydreamBeliever14 - will two chapters make you happier? Linnie - just keep up Missy!
"All hands to th' sweeps!" Jack ordered as the Black Pearl sped from the bay in hot pursuit of their quarry. "Skeleton fer th' sails!" He turned to Catherine, grinning in delight. "Let's see if th' bastards put some sweeps in!" He doubted they had for they were tricky to install, even on a freshly built ship and it took a crew some time to become proficient with them.
"May I have my sword?" James Norrington asked.
Jack smiled. "Yeah, an' yer pistol too if yer promise not t' shoot any of m' crew!" he laughed, his delight at the chase clear on his face. "Kitty!" he shouted. "Loose th' topgallants!" She nodded, scrambling agilely up the rigging of the foremast, other crew following to help.
James Norrington looked in surprise as Catherine obeyed Jack eagerly, running across the deck to stand beside him when she was done. He had not realised she was as much crew as it appeared, but she was clearly more than just a token crew member. Her grin matched Jack's as she handed him his spyglass, steadying the wheel whilst he stared ahead.
"It's her!" he said, "an' she's seen us!" He shut the spy glass, taking the helm again. "Let's see how much seamanship th' bastard''s learned."
"Where do you think he was heading?" James Norrington frowned. "If his home port is New Orleans then he is not heading home."
"Then it's a comfort to know he has not struck anywhere recently at least," Catherine smiled
"He was probably tryin' t' sneak around th' outer edge of th' islands, hit from th' Ocean an' not be seen!" Jack reasoned.
"I thought he wanted to be seen?" Theodore puzzled.
"Not by us he didn't!" Catherine smiled at her brother. "He probably suspected we'd be quartering south of Jamaica... but he guessed wrong!" She looked shrewdly at James Norrington. "I trust now that you are figuring out where the bay is you will not use the knowledge..." she pressed.
James looked at her wryly. "At least I know where to find you if the need arises," he smiled. "But the Turner household has nothing to fear from my knowing their location..."
Jack nodded. "If I thought you'd abuse th' trust I'd only move them again..." he cautioned.
"Including the donkey?" Catherine teased.
"No!" Jack looked at her in horror. "Not th' bloody donkey!"
Theodore and Catherine chuckled, even James joining in. Although he did not know the story of the donkey, Jack's horrified expression was enough to make him laugh.
"Kitty, can yer see t' a cold supper fer t'night," Jack asked
"I'll see what there is," she smiled, heading for the galley. She knew that Jack would not want the stove lit, it would be far too dangerous at the speed he intended pushing the Black Pearl. At least they were pretty fully stocked and had recently taken on fresh water. She would have loved to have seen Louis' face when he spotted them - her only regret being that Mary would not be onboard... but that day of vengeance would have to wait.
"Where the hell did they come from?" Louis Lact cast a panicked eye behind them, the real Black Pearl visibly closer than the last time he looked.
His helmsman shrugged. "Tortuga probably... it is said to be his home port."
"Can we out-run him?" Louis worried.
The man looked at him in astonishment at the ridiculous notion, laughing derisively. "That..." he gestured over his shoulder, "is the Black Pearl! The real Black Pearl, not some tarted up fake like this ship!" He laughed sarcastically. "We'll be lucky to reach safe harbour in Guadeloupe!
Louis made his decision. "Hard to starboard," he ordered. "We'll head through the Mona Passage and try to make it back to New Orleans... he won't dare to follow us into the French territories!"
"Oui Captain," the helmsman acknowledged, turning the ship as sharply as he dared. With luck they would reach home waters and he knew they would need as much luck as they could possibly get.
All day Jack stayed at the wheel, willing the Black Pearl to greater speed. Running with the same rigging they made similar time, but every now and again the true Black Pearl would surge forwards when Jack asked the crew to man the sweeps. Closer... closer... his hand itched for his sword... he could almost taste the blood.
"Jack!" Catherine shouted.
"Eh?" Jack looked up startled.
"I've been calling you for the last five minutes!" she sighed. "Now hand the helm over to somebody else and get into the cabin for dinner!"
"Oh... right..." He had not noticed that she had been calling her, so intently had he been staring at the ship before them.
"Jean Claude, take the helm!" Catherine ordered. "You," she pointed at Jack. "Get your sorry backside down here now!"
"Aye Kitty," he grinned ruefully as the Frenchman took the wheel.
"It might only be cold rations," she chided, "but that doesn't mean you can miss mealtimes!"
"I used t' remember th' day when I was Captain of this ship," he teased, wrapping his arms around her as they walked into the cabin. Theodore and James Norrington looked up as they entered.
"You are still Captain... but you can be my Cabin Boy later if you behave!" she laughed, sitting him forcefully in the chair. "Eat!"
"Alright! Alright!" Jack protested. "It'll take us a day or so t' catch them anyways!"
"Well perhaps you will remember to make mealtimes then?" Catherine sniped.
Jack smiled wryly. "If it'll get me some peace then I promise!"
"Just remember that!" she smiled, leaning across the table to kiss him. "Captain!"
Theodore laughed at the Commodore's expression at his sister's bantering. "So what are you going to do when we catch up with him?"
"Sink th' bastard!" Jack grinned. "Can't have more than one black sailed ship... it confuses th' King's Navy!"
James Norrington raised a sarcastic eyebrow at Jack's comment. "I would appreciate the opportunity to hang him..."
"If we are discussing Louis then we should include Jean Claude and Isaac," Catherine reminded them. "Louis is Jean Claude's brother after all and he did kill Isaac's brother Neithan." She walked out onto deck, shouting up to the Frenchman. "Jean Claude, get Oran to take over and come into the cabin," she ordered, smiling at his lazy salute of acknowledgement. "Isaac!" she called, spotting him near the stairs to the gun deck. "You as well - main cabin now!" Isaac nodded, walking quickly across the deck, following Catherine as she returned to the cabin. She made sure that the others waited. "You wanted to see me Kitty?" Jean Claude asked, slapping Isaac's hand as he snared a bread roll from the table.
"We were deciding what to do about Louis," Catherine explained. "You have a large say in this Jean Claude... and Isaac too..."
Jean Claude looked to Theodore. "Yer've got first claim I suppose," he shrugged. "He might be my brother, but he stole your wife. Dead is dead to me, I care not how he dies."
Theodore sighed heavily. "I would like to see him on the end of my sword," he ruefully admitted, "but if it will do more harm to the Governor then we should hand him over to be hanged..."
Isaac nodded. "I know my father would want him personally, but it would make sense to use his death to cause the most damage. Unfortunately giving my father the pleasure of torturing him would give little opportunity of hitting back at the Governor!"
"And what of Mary?" Catherine ventured.
"Well, we know she won't be onboard... the only thing we can do is to go to New Orleans and get her..." Theodore replied thoughtfully.
"'I'll see to the crew," Catherine smiled.
"You are not going!" Theodore and Jack said in unison.
"There are only two others on this ship that speak French - Jean Claude and Oran," she reminded them. "You are going to need every sword so I'm going... if only to horse-whip that bitch every mile of the way home!"
Jack smirked at the image. "Okay, yer can go," he conceded.
"Why thank you," Catherine smiled sarcastically.
"It's only because I know yer'd go even if I said no," Jack admitted. He looked across the table to the two naval men. "Theo, can yer sort out a bunk fer James? Yer can share th' sickbay if yer like."
"Thanks." Theodore rose. "I'll show you the way," he said to the Commodore, pushing his chair back and rising. "Goodnight then Jack, Cat."
James Norrington rose and followed Theodore from the cabin, nodding to Jack and Catherine as he left. Isaac and Jean Claude left as well, leaving them alone. Jack grinned to Catherine as they left, locking the door behind them. "Now," he smirked, "what was that about being your cabin boy?"