Chapter 15: Repairs and Drinks
Jack scooped Morgan into his arms and stood up. He walked over to her cabin and kicked the door open. Sin followed closely. Jack laid her on the bed and turned to the large black man.
"I want damage and injury reports. Check the entire ship and every crew member. Get Gunnar's arm in a sling."
"Aye, Commodore. You will alert me if her condition changes?"
Jack nodded. Sin walked out and shut the door behind him. He turned and looked at the ship in the blazing sun.
She was a mess. Her mizzenmast was in the worst shape of the top deck. The yard arm lay haphazardly across the deck. He stepped over it and looked at the broken remains of the mast.
He walked up to the main mast and looked up its length. It seemed to be in good working condition. He called the crew over to him.
"Commodore Sparrow wants a damage and injury report, lads. Twig, lead a crew to check the lower levels. Willie, I want you take a few lads and check the mid deck. The rest of you will stay up here and help me."
"Aye, sir!" the pirates yelled and began to work. Gunnar was leaning up against the side of the wheel well. Sin walked up to him and knelt next to him.
"Gunnar, you okay?"
"I'm alive, that's all I can ask for after a storm like that." Gunnar said weakly. Sin nodded and began to probe the man's arm. He found the break and snapped it back into place.
Gunnar's scream cut through the bright sunshiny day. Sin took strips of the torn mizzenmast's sail and wrapped it in place. He then created a sling out of it.
Gunnar looked at him out of one eye. "Where did you learn to do that?"
"On board the slave trade ships." Sin whispered softly.
Gunnar nodded and closed his eyes again. Sin left him in peace and went to help check the rest of the crew.
Jack sat on the edge of the bed and stared at Morgan. That was one of the strangest things he had ever seen in his life, and he had seen some pretty strange things in his life.
He reached out and touched her cheek. He left his hand there for a few minutes. Suddenly, he yanked his hand away from her and stared at it. It was pale and drawn.
"What's happening to you, love?"
He looked at her face. It was narrower than normal and she was extremely pale. He took a step back and stared at her. Her entire body was pale and drawn and she looked as if she was on her death bed.
He looked at her closely, beginning with her toes and going up her body. He stopped at her chest. It was glowing.
"The Pearl…" He reached for the chain and snagged it gently. He pulled it off her head.
The Pearl sat in his hands, looking pale and innocent.
"Innocent my ass," Jack whispered. He set it on the desk and went to the corner of the cabin. He felt around and pushed open a secret compartment that he had had Gibbs put in.
He put the Pearl in the small chest inside the compartment and shut it again. He turned and looked at Morgan. Her breathing had evened out and color was returning to her cheeks, as well as his hand.
He nodded in satisfaction and left her to sleep in peace.
Sin had a full report ready when Jack came out.
"Commodore, there are holes in many of the lower decks. The mizzenmast is damn near destroyed. We're taking on water. Slowly, mind you, but if he let it go unchecked for too long, she'll sink."
Jack nodded. "And the crew?"
"Gunnar was the only injury."
"We got lucky then. Is the Pearlcoming?"
"Aye, Commodore. She's off the starboard stern as we speak."
Jack nodded. "Good, mate, very good."
"Morgan?"
"She's sleeping peacefully mate."
Sin nodded.
Jack stepped up and looked out over the horizon. There was an island.
"I want her beached on that island, mate, we need to repair her."
Soon, the ship was in the shallows, waiting for tide to roll out. The pirates were working around the water, repairing the damages higher up.
Twig had taken a group into the jungle and they soon returned with a large tree to replace the mizzenmast. They worked hard, and soon the old mizzenmast was dragged from the deck and landed with a splash in the water. Another group of pirates, led by Willie, took it and began to saw it down for use of yardarms.
The work was slow and tedious. It took nearly three days for the ship to be in as good of condition that the pirates could get her in.
On the last night of repairs, Jack walked out of the ship with a large barrel next to him.
"Rum for all!" he shouted. Cheers shot up around him. Jack handed out mugs and began to pour the rum into everyone's mugs.
As night fell, drunken cries shot up around the island. The Black Pearl had pulled up as well and was anchored just off shore. All the pirates of Jack's fleet were running around the island, enjoying the break.
Morgan stumbled off the ship. She looked around and grunted. She walked unsteadily down to Jack. She fell down beside him. He glanced at her and grinned. He shoved a bottle of rum into her hands and continued to talk to the group of pirates listening to one of his tales.
"And then, the eunuchs started to dance and sing…lovely singing voices…and they performed the ritual…"
Morgan soon lost her train of thought sitting next to Jack. His tall tale wasn't even penetrating her foggy brain. The only word that occasionally got through was 'eunuchs'.
She slammed her bottle down and got in Jack's face. His eyes widened slightly.
"Yes, love?"
"Why, why do you always talk about eunuchs?" Her eyes traveled down his body to his groin. Her eyes flew back to his.
"You're not a eunuch are you?"
The pirates burst out laughing. Jack grinned seductively and spread his arms.
"Would you like to check, love?"
Morgan's eyes went wide and her face turned bright red. She got up and stumbled away back to the ship at a run.
The pirates' laughter followed her all the way back to her cabin.
Sin walked up to the laughing pirates.
"Commodore, tide is coming in. We should leave now."
Jack nodded slowly and struggled to his feet. "Everyone to the boats! For tonight, we sail!"
AN: Here is another one. Please keep reviewing it! And wish me luck too, cause Drum major auditions are Thursday and we're doing PotC! And I'm trying out. I probably won't update until after that.