Responses to reviews:

To Jehan's Muse:  I agree that the chemistry between Jack and Norrington is fascinating.  I am resolutely refusing to slash them, though, at least this time around.  (This is my kiddie-friendly penname.)

To EdnaTod:  Here ya go! An update.  Not too much of a cliffhanger here…

To everybody else:  Review, willya?  Like it so far?  Any suggestions?  C'mon, help me out here.  Feed the muses.

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"Pardon me?"

"You heard me, Commodore.  You have thirty seconds to decide."

Norrintgon inhaled shakily.  "I don't understand.  My life for the ship?" he asked.

"No," Jack reassured him with a little laugh.  "Your life?  Not at all.  Only your company for awhile.  Depending on how things go, you may be able to rejoin the fair Mrs. Commodore after all...oh... I'm sorry – I don't see a ring…Elizabeth didn't...?"

"You know very well that she did not," Norrington said through clenched teeth.  "And if it's ransom you're proposing, I tell you straight away that I'm worth very little to anyone-"

"You're worth a ship and her cargo, mate, if you talk to the right people," Jack corrected, in his most charming manner.  "Like me."

The Commodore's sense of duty of course made it impossible for him to refuse the offer.  "You mean that if I put myself at your mercy, my lieutenants will be permitted to return to the ship and the ship will be permitted to sail away without further harassment?  Is that it, Sparrow?"

"Captain Sparrow, and yes, it is."  Jack held out his hand.  "Do we have an accord?"

Norrington eyed Jack's hand as though it were something scraped off the bottom of a ship.  Bad enough to have to negotiate with pirates, his grimace said plainly, but must I now touch one, too?

At last he submitted to the handshake.  "We do."  He turned to his men and barked, "Gilette!"

By now the two had served together so long that he didn't even need to continue.  "Yes, sir," Gilette said.  He cocked his head.  "Sir, do you..."

"No, I do not," Norrington said emphatically.  "If I cannot manage alone versus a crew of this riffraff, I am of precious little use to His Majesty's navy anyway.  I want you to continue on as usual without me, is that clear?"  He stared hard at his favorite subordinate, wishing the agonized look would fade from the poor boy's pasty face.  "Either I won't need to be saved, or I am not worth saving.  Tell the governor the same thing when you make your report."

Gilette saluted smartly and Norrington turned his back.  He didn't want to see his men board their ship and sail away to safety and certainty while he was left on this floating hellhole…  He just barely resisted the temptation to leap overboard, and gripped the railing so hard his hands were hurting.  "What in God's name have I done?"

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TBC

I'd really like to know what everybody thinks so far.  A bit of a teaser for next chapter:  Jack tries to get Norrington into pirate clothes, and fails miserably.  Review review review! 

And a minor question: the spelling of Gilette's name.  Is that right?  I just kind of made it up.