Usual disclaimers... but I want him!
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Chapter 26 - The Black Pearl Attacks
"Captain!" The look-out cried in horror as he spied the Black Pearl in the dim dawn light, swinging away to fire their cannons. "Captain! The Black Pearl!"
Archibald Hughes swung out from the side of the Winter's Dawn, staring back in surprise at the Black Pearl, angling for an attack and already within cannon range within the dim light of the pre-dawn. A puff of smoke warned him in time and he threw himself back onto deck as a cannon ball smashed into their mizzen mast. "Where the..." he gasped in shock.
"Captain! She's flying red!"
"Turn and face her!" he ordered. "Ready the cannons! We'll not be taken without a fight..."
Another cannon ball smashed into the stern, crashing through his cabin and on through the gun deck. He could hear the women in the brig screaming in terror. "We can't turn Captain!" Ben Kayne cried from the helm. "The rudder is gone!"
The Black Pearl drew alongside and grappling hooks flew towards them, tangling in their rigging as the crew of the attacking ship boarded. Jack was one of the first to board, swinging across and fighting his way below decks, closely followed by Joshamee Gibbs.
Ben Kayne looked at him in realisation and dashed after Jack. He suddenly realised why the damned woman had been so sure about her man... it had to be Sparrow - and he was not one to let Masters' treasure slip from his grasp.
"Bessie!" Jack shouted, taking the stairs three or four at a time, quickly finding the brig. Seven women looked at him, frightened and pressed to the far side of the cell, but the one woman he had wanted was not with them. "Where's Bessie?" he asked as Joshamee grabbed the key and unlocked the door. "Where?" he demanded.
"I think she's in the hold," one of the women said timidly, wondering what this pirate wanted with the disgraced maid.
"Go with Gibbs!" he ordered the women. "My men will defend yer when yer reach th' deck!"
"Why should we go with you?" the woman demanded.
"B'cause if she doesn't blow then she'll sink!" Jack shouted. The woman paled. "So get your pretty little arses up on deck... now!"
Jack did not stay to see if his orders were obeyed, but dashed down the next set of stairs into the hold, shouting again for Bessie. The cannons from the Black Pearl sounded again, ripping into the ship as the mizzen mast finally surrendered, crashing down onto the deck. The Winter's Dawn groaned, lurching with the force of the attack, throwing Ben Kayne against the bulkhead. Grimly he staggered on, delayed by the need to fight his way past several men as he chased after the pirate Captain.
Jack stumbled as the ship lurched, the rising waters sloshing around his thighs. "Bessie!" he cried urgently. "Bessie!"
He thought... no, there it was again! More of a squeak than a shout, but definitely his name. His eyes fell on a low door, barely waist height, hardly visible in the rising waters. "Bessie!" he shouted again, another squeak confirming his fears. He wrenched the door open, his eyes widening in horror as he saw her. The water was nearly to the top of the small area that she was held in, her head turned sideways as she gasped for air, trying to keep her nose out of the rising water.
"Bessie," he cried with relief, pulling his knife and hacking through the rope that held her. For a moment she sagged, going beneath the water, but he grabbed her and pulled her through door. She tried to stand, but her legs were numb. She collapsed against him. "Put yer arm around me," he urged, trying to support her. She had been kneeling in the water for longer than she could reckon, having lost track of time in the darkness, and her legs were like jelly.
"I can't stand," Bessie cried. "I cannot feel my legs..." In vain she tried to pull her undershift up to cover herself.
"Leave that, we've gotta get you out of here," Jack urged, helping her towards the stairwell. Gently he helped her up the stairs onto the gun deck, relieved to get her out of the water for she was nearly blue with cold.
"Sparrow!" A voice shouted in the dim light. Jack looked up in shock as Ben Kayne staggered down the last step to stand before them. He drew his pistol. "She is ours!"
"Yer ship is sinkin' mate," Jack reasoned, unable to reach his own pistol while supporting Bessie. "Let's argue about this when we're out of 'ere... what d' yer say?"
"You aren't taking her anywh..." he began to say, but stumbled as the ship lurched suddenly.
"She's breakin' up!" Jack cautioned, stepping forwards. The ship suddenly rolled and they found themselves thrown against the hull, it's hull now the deck. Water poured through the open gun ports and Jack grabbed Bessie to him as several cannons broke free of their bindings above their heads. Jack rolled frantically to one side, a cannon smashing through the hull where they had just been. Jack helped Bessie to stand, looking around him worriedly for the other pirate - but he was nowhere to be seen. A tell-tale reddening of the water made him think that the man had not moved as quickly as they had. He looked in despair at the stairs. "No way out that way," he sighed. "We'll have t' swim..." Already the water was around their waists and rising rapidly.
"I can't..." Bessie looked at him in fear.
"What d' yer mean?" Jack frowned. "Yer legs?" She still clung to him, unable to stand.
"No... I can't swim!" she cried in terror.
Jack glanced around, trying to figure out a way out. "We've gotta get out b'fore th' deck floods," he warned. "If we are too near when she goes down she'll take us with her..."
"But I can't swim!" Bessie shouted.
Jack held her panicked gaze. "Do yer trust me?" he asked quietly. "Bessie?"
"I... I..." she stuttered.
"Trust me an' hold yer breath," Jack urged. "We're gonna have t' swim out of a gun port an' across to th' Pearl!"
"What bit of 'I can't swim' don't you understand?" she screamed, terrified beyond reason.
"Yer've no choice Bessie!" he argued. "It's trust me or drown!" He placed his hand against her cheek. "I will keep yer safe, but yer must trust me an' must not struggle..." He kissed her quickly on the forehead. "We have t' go now Bessie..."
Shaking she nodded, unable even to speak in her terror.
"That's m' girl," Jack grinned. "Deep breath..." Jack waited, watching whilst she did as he ordered.
Bessie's eyes widened in fear as he dropped down, dragging her beneath the water. For a moment she panicked and Jack was forced to surface again. "Bessie! You must trust me!" he shouted.
"I..." she gasped, squealing as Jack dragged her under again, pushing her ahead of him through the gun port. Desperately he wriggled through, pulling her to the surface with him. As soon as they broke the surface she coughed and spluttered, clinging to him.
""Not so tight!" Jack gasped, briefly going under again. He forced himself to surface again. "Ease off, you'll drown us both!" He prised her away slightly, enabling him to swim towards the Black Pearl, pulling her with him. "Gibbs!" he shouted. "Gibbs, give me a hand!"
Joshamee looked over the rail. "Jack!" he cried in relief.
"Bessie can't swim! Throw me a line!" Joshamee threw a rope down and Jack tied it tightly under Bessie's arms. "Get a blanket!" he shouted up, holding the rope and Bessie to him as the crew pulled them both upwards. For a moment they dangled until his feet found the deck. Jack grabbed the blanket from Ned Cotton, quickly wrapping it around Bessie to give her some dignity as she leaned against him, her legs still wobbly. Carefully he started to untie the rope, stopping in horror when he saw the marks on her front. "Bessie..." He led her into his cabin, turning as he reached the doors. "Gibbs, get us out of here!" he ordered. "Set course fer Port Royal!"
"What about the women... and Hughes?" Joshamee asked.
"He's alive?" Bessie panicked, trying to escape his grip.
"It's alright Bessie," he slurred. "I've something special planned fer him - he won't be alive fer long!" He turned to Joshamee, frowning at the women who were huddled in a group behind him. "They can sleep in th' sick bay - two to a bunk an' one on th' deck... put Hughes in th' brig." He looked at the unconscious body of the other pirate Captain. "I'll see t' him later!"
"Aye Captain," Joshamee nodded, turning to the crew and shouting orders for them to depart.
Jack reached across, placing a hand on his arm. "How many?" he asked quietly.
"We lost six Captain," Joshamee said quietly before turning to the women. "This way ladies," he sighed. It was bad luck with one woman onboard... what kind of luck would they have with eight?