Before The Dawn
Chapter VII: Of Promotions and Destinations
By FalconWing
It took the rest of the day and almost the whole night for the storm to blow itself out. When the storm had finally subsided Jack had sent men down into the hold to check the damage below the waterline while he had counted off the crew.
Jack knew he shouldn't be ordering them about but at the first sign of the gale the order on deck had given way to panicked confusion and disarray. It had been habit to step in and straighten them out and they had recognized the note of authority in his voice and obeyed. He could hardly step back now and let the hard-won calm dissolve again.
The captain had yet to emerge from his cabin since the beginning of the storm. Jack curled his lip in contempt.
He was probably busy throwing up, Jack thought derisively. If the man had difficulty coping with the rock of a ship in a calm ocean, he would not like to see how the captain had reacted to the tempestuous seas of yesterday.
So when the door to the captain's cabin slammed open, everyone looked up in surprise. Clavell stood in the doorway and while he looked slightly green he appeared otherwise composed and self-possessed. The crew shrunk back slightly as his hard gaze swept over them all before coming to rest on Jack's unruffled form.
"Ye. Daniels." He cocked his head back towards the room. "A word if ye please." His choice of phrase may have been polite but his tone of voice was cold and calculating. Jack nodded in acquiescence and obediently followed the man as he turned and re-entered the cabin.
Clavell sat down again at the table and Jack resumed the chair he had occupied for the duration of his last visit here. The captain didn't speak immediately, instead he eyes went strangely distant as though his thoughts had turned inwards. Jack leaned back, resting his right ankle on his left knee and drummed his fingers on the table to remind the man that he was waiting.
Clavell looked him squarely in the eye and lifted a brow in inquiry. "Ye're th' expert. What's th' damage like?"
Jack didn't miss a beat. "Three men lost to the sea and four injured but able to work. As to the ship, the mizzen mast seems a bit weakened. It could break at any time and by the looks of things there's been some damage to the rudder. She's not responding to the helm as sharp as I'd like. I'd advise we make landfall somewhere to fix her up. I recommend Tortuga. I have some associates I can contact for good supplies at reasonable prices if need be. But that's just my suggestion. It's up to you."
"Tortuga 'tis then." Clavell tapped his chin thoughtfully with his words but his piercing grey stare remained fixed on Jack's. "I don' pretend t' be a ship person an' I am obliged t' trust ye in this but if I find out ye've been playin' me fer a fool…" The captain left the sentence hanging but his serious expression and the dangerous glint in his eyes left Jack with no illusions as to what would become of him if Clavell did find out.
Jack didn't rush to assure him that that would never be the case – such babblings were the mark of a player. Instead he met the captain's gaze calmly and nodded gravely to show he understood.
Clavell sat up straighter as if to mark a change in the mood of the conversation. "Now ye said we lost Hughes an' th' helmsman over th' side?" Actually Jack had said no such thing but he nodded again in agreement anyway. It would be interesting to find out how the man knew without even venturing out on deck until only minutes ago.
His contemplations were interrupted when Clavell stated calmly "I would like ye t' take both positions." Jack started in surprise and then cursed himself for being caught of guard.
"What?!" The startled exclamation was all he could manage. Surely the other man didn't trust him that much already? Clavell leaned back and studied Jack contemplatively. Coming to a decision, he took a deep breath and without any more ado, stated simply-
"I'll be straight wi' ye. Like I said, I'm not a ship person. Neither are the rest of me crew. We used t' be highwaymen but it wasn't makin' fast cash so we switched t' piracy. Ye are a ship person and ye th' only ship person on this ship. That means ye need to be in a position to tell th' others when they're doin' somethin' wrong. I don't trust ye enough t' be firs' mate and seein' as we jus' lost our second it's a perfect opportunity. Ye don't have any objections t' tha' do ye?"
Jack fixed a gracious smile on his face as he shook his head. "Of course not. It's just a bit of a shock that's all – though certainly a good one. Helmsman and second mate! Whew! It's no often one gets an offer like that."
He made a look of awe cross his face at the idea of being, not only second mate, but helmsman as well. He couldn't believe it! It was definitely a better position to be in for helping Will, Elizabeth and the others escape but he wasn't sure of Clavell's motives. He didn't strike Jack as the type of man who would give away high positions to those he barely knew a week. There had to be some hidden motivation behind all this.
But he didn't have a clue as to what that motivation was and until he did he would just have to tread lightly and put all of his new found power to good use. Jack abruptly looked down at the hand that was suddenly thrust in his direction. "Do we 'ave an accord?" Jack accepted the hand and gave it a firm shake.
"That we do."
Letting go of Jack's hand Clavell settled back down in his chair. "Good then. Now. D'ye fancy some rum t' make it official?"
Rum? Accord? The man must have been reading a buccaneering guide to life to suddenly start coming out with all these piratical ideas and phrases. If, of course, the man could read, which he thought highly unlikely. Jack himself had only learned to make it all the easier for navigating. And that had taken long enough with him being fully prepared to quit on too many occasions to count.
Pulling himself back to the present he didn't even pause to consider. "That'd be great." After all, who was he turn down a free drink, no matter who the supplier was.
He watched curiously as Clavell strode over to the side-door that Jack had noticed before. Unlocking then opening it, the man leaned in and spoke briefly to the person within. "Grab some rum from tha' chest over there an' bring it out 'ere. Ye can serve fer us so long as there's no funny stuff from ye."
Clavell turned back and made his way back to his chair. Jack had to admit he wasn't overly surprised when after some loud banging it was Elizabeth who entered the room, head down, carrying the bottles.
She looked up and spotted him. He saw the moment that acknowledgement turned to recognition and a look of utter astonishment dawned on her face. Her jaw dropped and her grip on the bottles weakened so that she almost dropped them. Jack was just thankful that Clavell was too busy discussing the route to Tortuga to notice either his captive's stunned expression of Jack's own inattention.
He forced himself to focus on Clavell's words, adding a few comments himself and sending a meaningful look in Elizabeth's direction. He hoped she would restrain her shock soon and regain her self-control, before the captain noticed.
– – – – –
Elizabeth looked in disbelief at the man before her. She knew that her jaw was slack and she could feel the look of surprise and incredulity that had taken residence on her face. She dimly noticed him throw a significant glance at her but she remained rooted to the spot.
Jack Sparrow was standing in the same room as her, deep in a cordial chat with her captor.
A part of her wanted to demand to know exactly what on Earth he was doing here but another part – the part that saw him shoot another look towards her – wisely counseled her to wait. She didn't know the circumstances of his visit.
Struggling with herself, she wrestled back her control and poise. It wasn't easy but she managed it. She stepped forward and placed the glasses on the table before filling them with rum. She saw Jack's slight expression of relief as she recovered her composure and smiled thinly, tuning into their conversation.
"Righ' then. Tortuga it is," Clavell was saying. "After this I'll let ye return t' ye duties helmsman." Helmsman? Briefly Elizabeth wondered what she was missing out on but then Jack's smug voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Come now, don't you go forgetting the second mate part. That's the more important bit."
Elizabeth's careful maintained calm almost evaporated as she took that in. Second mate and helmsman?! Something wasn't right here. Elizabeth knew that after all the trouble he had gone to get her back Jack wouldn't leave the Pearl willingly. She also knew that she would have heard if the Black Pearl had gone down.
Suddenly Jack's sidelong glances took on new meaning. What if Jack wasn't here by his own choice? He may be a prisoner too. A prisoner with status perhaps, but a prisoner nonetheless. And that meant he probably had a plan. He could help her and the others. He could help Will.
Elizabeth straightened her shoulders. No doubt some big escape was going to go down and she resolved to be part of it.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Thank you for reading again. Don't forget to review though. Reviews are great. Thanks to those who reviewed my last chapter: Alaawya, Anita Lawn, A Sly Fan, crazydominodragongirl, Ebony, Savvyness, Alyx, Kanaloas Wrath and Beregond'sGirl (and no I didn't mean it to be Clevell – just I typo I've fixed now. Thanks for letting me know though).
Anyone who reviews will be cherished ceaselessly.
Love you all…
FalconWing.
