The commodore had been poring over maps since the day Jack left, trying to discover the secret pirate port. Though at first he was grateful that idiot pirate had escaped and been able to help, he since couldn't help but weigh all the damage against all the benefits. Barbosa was out of the way yes, and his crew. The town had been devastated; Elizabeth was rescued, but turned from him for that miserable pirate's whelp- the blacksmith and now she had contracted some sort of disease, and most importantly, his reputation had been grievously marred. The governor insisted it wasn't, that he was still the finest and that this little incident would go unreported, but stories have a way of leaking out, and haunting your future. All from those bloody pirates! He pounded his fist on the desk, infuriated by his own shortsightedness.

Someone knocked on the door. James Norrington put his head in his hands and took a deep breath, composing himself. The knock sounded again.

"Enter." he said, irritated. He was marking charts and refused to even look up.

"Commodore, I request your assistance."

Norrington closed his eyes. I'm not hearing this. He thought desperately. It's not who I think it is. He looked up slowly and resisted the urge to either bang his head against the desk, or throttle the young blacksmith.

"What do you want Mr. Turner, I'm exceptionally busy right now."

"Please Commodore, it's Elizabeth. She's been poisoned!"

"Poisoned? My dear lad, she has contracted a serious illness not been poisoned." He marked another possibility for the pirate port on his map.

"It's true! Barbossa poisoned her with his dagger! When she was kidnapped!"

James looked back up at Will exasperatedly. "Why on earth would he poison her?"

Will was taken aback for a moment. "Because he thought she was Bill Turner's daughter? I don't know! But when he took her blood because he thought it was me so he could break the curse on the gold to free his living-dead crew-"

"His living-dead crew?" The commodore started to sweat a little. His crew and the governor and he had reached the conclusion that there were no skeletal pirates, merely particularly nasty and cunning pirates. They knew that story would only cause people to question their sanity. Not to mention further damage their reputations.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The commodore informed him, returning to his maps and coordinates.

"You fought them commodore! You saw them! So I have to find the cure for Elizabeth!"

"The cure?" Norrington asked, an eyebrow raised.

"L'Etoile de Vie. The Star of Life. It has the red snakebite antidote in it. It's the

only known source!"

"If you've known about this, why haven't you gone after it already?" He sighed irately, rubbing his temples.

"I would have gone immediately after I found out but Jack told me to wai- ait." Will inwardly winced and hoped the commodore hadn't noticed Jack being mentioned.

He noticed. Battleplans were already being formed in his mind.

Jack Sparrow-

"Young Mr Turner, I will aid you as much as I can."

"You will!"

"Of course. You are seeking to save Miss Swann, while I, selfishly, am asking accusatory questions and arguing petty details. To not aid you would be like I had a hand in her death. I will do whatever to save her. You will no doubt need a ship, I cannot spare any warships, but I may have a suitable single-manned craft for you. Food, supplies. I'll have my men get right to work!" The commodore stood and walked Will out the door. "Lieutenant!" He called. The officer walked smartly over to him.

"Sir?"

"I need the Cinatite stocked and ready for departure by tomorrow at first light. All standard issue-"

He turned to Will. "Will you be taking your own swords, or shall we send weapons as well?"

"Guns if you can spare them I suppose."

Norrington nodded and the lieutenant clicked his heels together and saluted. Then he marched off briskly to carry out the orders.

"Tomorrow morning, young Turner." Norrington said with a friendly smile. "The first pier. You had better go off and ready yourself, and probably sober up old Brown." He retreated into his office, leaving Will a bit dazed in the hallway. Will hurried back to the smithy to gather his things and catch forty winks. The commodore watched him go through the window as the Lieutenant came in.

"Sir, the ship we retrieved from the pier- the sunken one. She's barely afloat, hardly seaworthy."

"I know." The commodore replied, still watching Will.

"Sir?"

"The Moclips leaves tomorrow at noon." The commodore informed him. "I want it stocked and manned before first light, and I want it kept silent. There's an errand we must run for Miss Swann."

"The governor's daughter?"

"The same."

"If I may be so bold-"

"Dismissed."

"But sir!"

"Dismissed Lieutenant Perry!"

He despondently walked towards the door.

"Wait." Norrington said suddenly, almost as an after thought. Perry turned.

"What do you know of L'Etoile de Vie?"