The rain started just after dinner, and The Bängala had a few leaks in her deck. Tori took the clean pots and set them below the drips. She emptied the buckets into the biggest pot and, balancing it on her hip with one hand, made her way up the stairs and pushed open the hatch to the main deck with the other. The ship felt deserted. All the pirates had ducked below to get out of the rain, there being no reason for them to stay and get wet. Clouds covered the inky sky with gaps big enough to see the brilliant stars and to allow the moon's pale, cool light to wash over the ship.
Tori dumped the bilge water back into the sea, and watched the ocean come alive and dance with the raindrops. She set the pot down and glanced about furtively. When she was certain she was alone, she spread her arms and twirled with her face lifted to the sky. Then something caught her eye… it was a longboat set up to be dropped. The captive bit her lip. It would be so easy to escape, so easy to disappear and leave this web. Absentmindedly she returned the pot to her hip and found herself walking back to the hatch and lifting it. She had her duties to finish. She started down the hatch and hesitated as she felt the cool night wind's soft kiss of freedom before she pulled the hatch down and sealed it out.
She returned the pot to another leak and wandered back to her room. Will Turner sat, leaning against a pole and jumped to his feet when he saw her.
"Miss Tori! What happened!" He stepped forward and brushed a strand of wet hair from her face. "You look like a mermaid." He observed innocently.
Tori blushed prettily, surprised by the compliment. "Flattering the kitchen wench won't get you extra dessert Mr. Turner." She joked. "You must have your mermaids and bilge rats mixed up."
"Well then, you look like a drowned rat." Will responded naively, aiming to please her.
Her hand flew to her mouth, hiding her laughter. "At least rats have better manners than you." She teased
"Which end of you were they talking to?" He retorted, then clamped his hand over his mouth for being so bold.
Tori's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Does it matter? Either is prettier than you."
"Did you decide this before, or after you looked in the mirror and it shattered?" he responded impishly.
"Oh that's it! You're through!" Tori replied, laughing. She poked him in the stomach, and ducked under his arm as he tried to ensnare her. She whirled about and kicked him gently in the behind and turned to run. Will whipped about and caught the end of the scarf tied about her waist. She doubled over from the restraint, and Will reeled her in like a fish, catching her up in his arms around her stomach. Her feet swung and turned her head to see her captor.
"You're wet." Will noted. As he tried to clear her wet hair from his face.
"It's raining." Tori replied with mock seriousness. "Are you going to put me down?"
"If I did, you would probably start beating me again wouldn't you?"
"Probably." Tori agreed good-naturedly
"Then it wouldn't be very wise of me to release you, would it?"
"But if you don't put me down, I'll just have to escape."
"And how is that?" Will challenged
A blast shook the entire ship and will stumbled forwards, releasing Tori and falling on top of her. They stared in shock at each other.
"That was a little bold Mr. Turner." She teased lightly
Will flushed and stood up, pulling Tori up with him. She stood, and brushed her skirts. Will still held her hand. The pirates raced up to the main deck.
"Hadn't you better see what's going on?" She asked softly.
Will snapped out of his trance-like state and ran after the rest of the crew. Tori readjusted a drip bucket with her toe, gathered her skirts and went up the stairs to the main deck. She raised the hatch just enough to see another ship coming up on them from the side. She squinted through the rain, and her eyes widened at the sight of the British Royal flag.
"The Moclips!" She whispered.
Tori pulled the hatch down with a bang, and ran about extinguishing every candle and light to make the ship harder to spot. She took the last candle and ran to the map room, tracing the course Jack had plotted with her finger. She bit her lip and pinched out the flame on her candle, racing back to the deck.
She artfully dodged lines and cables, and kept clear of the shouting men until she finally reached the helm.
"Jack!" She cried over the worsening storm. "Jack! We can't outrun them in this storm! They ride lower than we do!"
"Look lass," Jack yelled "You're a very talented chef, but I don't think you're qualified to tell me how to do this."
"Listen to me!" Tori shouted back, "You've got to turn into them and use the Sicilian current to take us past! I've seen it before we can't beat them"
"How is it you know all this?" Jack demanded, suddenly very suspicious of this enigmatic lass.
"I… was on the Moclips' maiden voyage. This ship escaped by that current."
"So the dear commodore sent you here to lead us into a trap, is that it?"
"Jack, I'm helping you! Trying to save this ship! I have no love for those uniformed murderers. Why won't you listen to me!"
"I know how to sail me own ship!" He retorted.
Tori's eyes flashed with the lightening and she whipped out her dagger with the tip at his throat.
"Dammit Sparrow! If you put one hole in this ship I'll slit you gill to gizzard!"
Jack froze and stared cross-eyed at the dagger threatening his life. He grinned widely. "Well if it isn't Diabla! A pleasure to see you again!" He greeted her, "We've been looking all over for you love." He confided, leaning in as much as he dared, eyeing the dagger.
"Listen," She shouted over the torrents of rain. "You're going to steer us right at the Moclips, then raise the sails and use the Sicilian current and wind to get us out of here!"
"They're going to have a very clear shot at us." Jack observed.
"No they're not." She countered sweetly, raising her knife a bit more. "Because we'll be at an angle just out of range until their last cannon where the sails will go up, and we will disappear seemingly against the wind. Savvy?"
He flashed her a mocking grin. "You're the one with the dagger love." He surrendered animatedly. He grandly spun the wheel and the Bängala slowly turned to face the Moclips.