Jack

I noticed my sister was limping a bit as she paced, waiting for the anchor to catch at the ocean's bottom. I began moving toward her to be sure nothing was wrong. But a, sudden lunge signaled that we'd caught onto something and we began to turn as Andy had planned, pivoting about the anchor which fastened us to the sea-bottom.

At the movement, I tried to grab the railing to keep my balance, but my hand missed it by a mere centimeter and I slipped to the ground. As The Dauntless spun around, I tried desperately to take hold of something so I wouldn't slide off the ship and plunge into the waters.

Ah—did I mention the sun had begun to rise? Well, it had. And its rays of startlingly bright light were blinding.

Back to my dilemma, I was almost to the edge of The Dauntless' port side and would have gotten to my feet if it hadn't been for the fact that we still were spinning around to face Cortez and my Pearl. While I attempted to stand, Andy showed up at my side and offered a hand to steady me. Before releasing me, my sister made sure I had a tight grip on one railing. Then she cantered carefully over to Will's side to watch our starboard side to be sure nothing went wrong with the anchor.

I watched, holding onto The Dauntless and waiting for the spinning to cease. Andy then did something none of us had planned on; she released the anchor, letting its chain descend into the water after its weight, loop by loop until it was gone.

"What was that for! Now how are we supposed to bloody stop?" I yelled at her for her stupidity. But then again…maybe she had a reason for the action. I hoped it was a damned good one!

She didn't answer, just made it to the lower deck to climb down below. Why? Oh right, we were supposed to be moving the cannons.

With a gesture, I motioned for Will to follow me below deck to help Andy. We found her hard at work, shoving one cannon towards the starboard side, after having turned it to be prepared for firing.

Taking the cannon's other side, I assisted her in shoving it across the floor, but still demanded "If you have a blasted reason for dumping that anchor, it better be one you can explain…so Will can understand…" Will glared at me for using him instead of myself, and I shrugged at the facial gesture. "…and it better be a good one too, Sis."

Andy

Responding with no words, but only a curt nod, I shifted my weight to put it all on my right shoulder which I leaned into the cannon, lining it up with the others already against the starboard wall. Then, and only then, I answerer the question, "I got a reason," facing Jack.

"Well what is it?"

The Dauntless' movement had slowed to a sluggish pace and we'd nearly stopped completely. It was barely possible to feel the ships movement beneath us at the time, and I knew that soon we'd have to be ready to fire. So I moved on to the next cannon that needed to be moved, and turned it, then began to push it in line with the others in the starboard line.

"Cortez is sure to notice the missing anchor when he gets close enough. He will think that the lost anchor was not something we planned, and will therefore risk more. He will try to ram through us." I stopped a while to breathe

Jack blinked at me, keeping his eyes however directed at me. "Sounds like a terrible plan so far. Just what makes you think this is a good idea?"

"Attempting to ram us would bring him closer." Will spoke up, slowly catching on.

"Close enough for you to jump ship and get The Pearl back." I finished up, laying the general plan on the line.

My brother straightened and raised a finger to show that he'd understood. "I like that idea. But don't you mean 'us' as in the three of us instead of 'you' meaning me…or me and Will?"

"No." I replied, bringing confusion to my brother's mind. "I stay with my ship."

"Problem:" Jack stepped in.

Will broke into Jack's thought. "What if we can't avoid ramming The Dauntless, even if we do get control of The Pearl?"

"Exactly." Jack agreed with what he himself had been about to say, though not in so many words.

"Try to avoid it."

"And if we can't?"

"Try." And that was the end of the conversation on that topic.