Note: This is back in the cell in Port Royal, where we started out.

Interlude

"Cap'n?"

A familiar voice through the dim light, and the oppressive silence. I stir from my crouched position. Sit up, and move over to the wall. I know the speaker. I place my palms on the stones and I can feel he is doing the same on the other side of the wall.

"D'Agosta?"

"Good to hear your voice, Cap'n.", he replies. Accompanied by relieved laughter on the other side.

"Are Kagen and Laurent with you?", I ask. Two other voices reply positively. There are my three missing crewmen, in the cell next to mine.

"Aye, Sir."

"Don't call me Sir in times like this." Why, is there resignation in my voice? Now haven't I been in more desperate situations before? This time it's different. She's the reason. I feel very old, and very tired. I don't want to get away this time.

... will you let me melt into the sea.

"So there is nobody coming to get us ... you?" Now Kagen wants to get away apparently.

"No, there isn't. I left them behind, both the Red Dragon and the Black Lotus. The crews remained untouched. I surrendered."

"You – surrendered?" Disbelief. Triple disbelief.

"I did. Because I am responsible for the raid, and I saw no need for all of the crew to die with me. They were after me, especially, for a woman who was killed in the attack ... the wife of the Commodore."

"You killed her?"

"... I killed her." God forgive me, I killed her. Good Lord, I really killed her.

Silence again, and even more oppressive. Or so it seems to me.

Then, Laurent's voice, insecurely. "Did the town folks spit on you, too?"

I chuckle, despite the situation.

"Well, what did you expect? We burned their houses, stole their belongings and left them with no shelter and goods." I mean, this is what we do. But hell, if I was them, I would have spit on us.

"They will hang us, then." D'Agosta is braving the facts.

"This is what it is coming down to. I have talked to the Commodore, but he cannot let you go. I'm sorry." I nod, to myself, because he can't see me, obviously.

"Cap'n, please," Kagen really is desperate, "I don't want to die!"

God, man, I said I was sorry. Please, what can I do. I cannot help you anymore. What can I say to him.

"... we will be up there together, side by side, mates. We'll go back together. I'll never leave your side."

I don't know that, but I am lying to them.

"What do you mean, them first?" My voice rises from a whisper to a scream. I stare at the Commodore in utter confusion.

"You mean I'll hang - separately?" He nods, and I see he is not feeling too comfortable around me, yelling at him about my execution.

Now that's a Captain's privilege I could do without, getting my own place at the gallows. I turn away from him to face my three mates. Good God, I cannot let them down in this.

"But I promised them, I promised them. I told them we'd be going together."

I turn back to the Commodore and this time, I want to beg. I reach up and grab his coat. Must look very pathetic with my chained hands, clinging to his uniform.

"Edward, please. I need to be up there. With them. For goodness sake, you can't refuse to hang me with my men!"

I hadn't realized I even knew his first name. Two of the soldiers tear me away from him. They catch me off balance. I stumble, and they let me fall. From the ground, on my left side, I look up at Norrington. One hand in the dust, the other on a soldier's boot. The man grabs my elbow and pulls me up. I tear my arm from him, and rise to my knees alone. But I never let go of Norrington's gaze.

"Please. I cannot let them down in these minutes of utter despair."

And I'm goddamned begging you on my knees.

The Commodore shudders, then, with his eyes closed, he turns his back on me.

Don't! I want to scream it. Don't do this to me. I will never be able to forget this. Don't let this happen to me. I'll go to Hell for this alone.

But I say nothing. Instead, I keep staring at his back. A soldier grabs my shirt.

"Get up!", he orders, and pulls me to my feet.

I promised them to be up there with them. I am not. Instead I stand amidst a bunch of soldiers, who aren't exactly there to prevent me from escaping, but the mob from tearing me into pieces. My scalp does still hurt from them pulling at my hair. They pulled out one of the plaits I think, or, almost. There's blood running down my ear, down my jawline.

I stare up at my men.

Laurent, Kagen, D'Agosta.

Kagen was Danish, but hell, he could play the Irish tunes so well on his violin. Laurent, he could smell storms. Four our five times, we would have been dead and on the bottom of the ocean wasn't it for him. And D'Agosta, many stories to tell about him. One of them, he was good with the needles. Could sew. Sails, and wounds. And, he tattooed me. The lotus, on my wrist, he did it. It's hidden under the cuffs now.

They are staring at me. I stare back at them. Please forgive me. Please forgive me.

I know they don't blame me, or hold me for anything that is happening now. I know they do forgive me. But ... I don't.

I cry. I feel tears searching their way down my cheeks, during the whole procedure. Them being read their offenses, the nooses placed around their necks.

Please, please forgive me.

They keep staring at me. And I keep staring back.

They fall, and I keep staring at the empty space. The whole world has faded from my vision. But I keep seeing them there. I feel the tears seeping into my collar. I realize I'm holding my breath.

I turn my face towards the sky, and close my eye tight. And just then, the rain begins to fall again. I open my mouth slightly, and single drops hit my lips and tongue. My tears melt into the rain.

Take them home, will you.

Then, I'm back in the cell. Waiting. Alone.

Alone with my fear, and the pain, and alone with memories. What was I thinking abot? The Navy brig? Yeah, there was more to that Navy thing.