Chapter Three: Tortuga

Jack Sparrow arrived in Tortuga for the first time in his life, three days later. He docked the boat and stepped onto land. He was surprised by how many drunken and grotesque men lingered about, and by the generosity seemingly given by the women. Just a show, he supposed, smiling to himself. The first thought that had occurred to him was that no one could ever feel unloved if the world was like this.

An attractive woman a few years older than him strode up and began stroking his left arm. "You're a handsome one," she said.

"Handsome as a roguish pirate, or handsome as a man soon to be named commodore?" Jack asked.

Without any warning, the girl had kissed Jack so hard he wondered why he hadn't fallen down. "And you're cute," she said.

"I'm in the market for a ship, lass, and nothing more," Jack said. The girl slapped him hard across the face. "Deserved more than that," he said to himself. He knew he had been rude, but he was running from people and did not have time to mingle.

He strode into one of the larger bars and seated himself down at a table. A lady wandered over. "Can I buy you a drink?" she asked, sitting down.

"Yep, you can buy me a drink," said Jack, who was hungry and had very little money.

"What wuld ya like?" she asked. She was very pretty, Jack thought, and had a strange look to her eyes and her hair: almost mystic.

"The favored drink of the house," Jack said, not wanting to sound inexpereinced.

"That be rum," she said, striding over and filling him a pint full.

She sat down and gave him the drink. "Rum," he said. "Rum. Rum, rum, rum, rum, rum. Rum! What is rum?"

The lady smiled. "I thought you had a bit unexperience, lad. Rum's a strong drink. Fit for any man, favored among pirates everywhere. Go ahead, try it."

Jack looked down into the drink. Now that he thought of it, he had remembered his father drinking a drink very similar. Perhaps the same. Shrugging, he took his first sip of rum. His eyes widened and his eyebrows raised. Now this was a drink! It had a flavor about it that was so very appealing to him. He gulped down the rest very quickly.

"Knew you'd like it. You have a strong air of adventure about you. Don't let no one get ye down do ya, Jack Sparrow?"

Jack looked up, surprised. "You know me?"

"I know everybody, Jack. Though you I don't know as well as I would like," she said.

"What's your name?" he asked her, ignoring the last comment.

"Me name? Me name be Tia Dalma, and what be yours?"

"You just said it!" Jack said.

"First rule darlin', always confuse those around ya," Dalma said.

"Like you confuse a dog?" Jack asked.

"Nice try," she said with a mischevious grin.

"Thank you for the drink. Perhaps you can help me. I need to find a crew that can help me man my ship."

"Ah, ya are off te the Isle de Muerta. Ye seek fool's gold, Jack," Dalma told him.

"Then it's fake then, is it?" Jack asked.

"No, 'tis real, though only a fool would go after such gold."

"Ah, but a fool is simply a man without experience, therefore all men were fools at one point, so there is to be no point in avoiding the point of experiencing such a breaking point as that of the point when you're no longer a fool. See my point?"

"Even so, I tell ye not to go after the gold," Tia said.

"Now is it really going after the gold when the gold's not moving? It would be more like going to the gold, wouldn't it?"

"Let me get ta know ya an' perhaps we can work out an arrangement," she told him.

"Perhaps later, lass, I need to be in and out of here as soon as possible. Waste not, you know."

"You want revenge on Alex Denver," Dalma said.

"Can you tell me with which ship he sails and under which captain?" Jack asked hopefully.

"Alex Denver is First Mate to the Captain Dobbs of the Black Banner. You wanna be careful with him though, Jack. He's a strong one, he is. Though 'tis good. Ye know whatcha want."

"I want a crew and I want to leave as quickly as possible," Jack said, slightly irritated.

"I can find ya at least one person. Trust Tia Dalma on this one. The two of you were made to be partners. A lasting friendship, a betrayal, revenge, and help where friends are needed remains in store for the two of ya. One moment's moment and I'll be back with ya boy."

She left for a moment and when she had returned, she was accompanied by a tall man with a long beard and piercing eyes. He wore a large black hat and a gleaming smile that seemed somewhat wicked. "Jack Sparrow," she said, "meet Hector Barbossa."