About a week later, the two ships sailed into a bay to thoroughly clean the ships. Ara walked across the skinny strip of sand between the water and the tall cliffs shielding their ships from view. Approaching Jones she saw that he was arguing with Jack. She rolled her eyes. Both men were speaking quietly which actually worried her. What could be wrong that Jones didn't want the rest of the crew to know?
Ara walked silently up to the men, muttering quietly in Jones' ear, "What's wrong?"
Jones jumped and spun, a tired, frustrated look on his face. "I'm almost certain this man stole yer map o' that passage into the jail in Front Royal."
Abi turned. "Pretty handy map, Sparrow, but it won't be useful to ya righ' now. Now tha' yer no' a cap'n."
"I didn' take yer bloody map, lass." She looked at him. "Cap'n Lass."
Ara grabbed his arm and tugged him a few feet away from Jones, who wandered off, knowing his captain could handle things. Still keeping a firm grip on his forearm she leaned in and said, "Sparrow, yer no' in charge anymore an' that's somthin' yer just gonna have to accept. Now I want my map." He began to speak, but she cut him off saying, "I know the same board lifts up in yer cabin as it did in mine. I can't imagine what you were doin' in Jones' room, seein' as how he's yer superior, but I'm sure you have a perfectly good reason fer that. However," she reached into his pants and, just a centimeter below the edge of the belt was her map, "stealing is a crime that, according to the Code, is worthy of being marooned." Jack winced. "Jones," Ara called, not looking away from Jack. He came over. "Do you have any reason fer this man ta stay wiv us?"
Jones looked at him, then at her. "Cap'n, it wasn't that—I mean, yeah, he's a pain in the ass, but…his men..." Jones stopped to collect his thoughts. "Meanin' no disrespect, Cap'n, but if yer just doin' this to look powerful and frightening, I think all you'll get is mistrust."
She glared at him and thrust Jack toward him. "Deal with it."
The next day, Jack was marooned on a small island. The crew was oddly silent all day. It's no' tha' odd. Usually captains of ships that have been taken over are marooned or killed immediately. It's no' my fault.
As evening fell that day a ship loomed to the west of the Pearl and the Tempest, but neither Ara nor Jones could see it because of the setting sun. It was very close when Ara finally noticed it.
"Oh, shit."
The Tempest was closest to this enemy pirate ship and, with such little time to prepare, was filling with water very quickly. Ara maneuvered the Pearl in close to her sinking ship and picked up some of her crew. As she personally pulled Jones onto the deck, the Pearl shuddered with the blast of a cannon. "Return fire," she screamed. The blasts were coming from the Pearl faster, but this enemy ship, the Ascension, had a head start.
Sparrow could've handled this, Ara thought. Sparrow would already have won. Grappling hooks were thrown onto the Pearl and the enemy had boarded. Before long, there was a sword to Ara's throat.
"Where's yer captain?" The pirate captain asked.
"Yer lookin' at 'er," Ara replied dryly.
The pirate scoffed. "Everyone knows the Black Pearl is captained by Jack Sparrow. You don't look like a Jack to me."
Ara gave him an easy smile, her head tilting and small dimples appearing. "Sparrow is no longer in command of this ship—"
"And neither are you. Gents," he called to his crew, "deal with it." He shoved her towards them.