Chapter 8: Close Encounters of Three Kinds
The Arctic Sea is much like a desert. In almost every direction, there is only one color and one temperature. There is a sparse bit of water, and going in one direction is never certain. The difference is that in the Arctic, there is white everywhere, if not in the air, then on all sides. The temperature is far below zero, the water is difficult to navigate, and the ice is unpredictable.
In this desolate place, a ship cuts through the white desert. It is a pirate ship of infamous repute. It has never lost a battle to another ship, and never been caught unawares. But today, this ship is hunted. Today, the contest of wills, brilliance, and sheer luck shall begin. To the victor goes one of the most well-known ships in the world; either the Dauntless, or the Black Pearl.
The Black Pearl was like a fly on a cotton sheet. Its black hull was prominent against the walls of ice it skirted dangerously close to. At the helm was Joshamee Gibbs. "Any reports, Cotton?"
"Not a thing matey, not a thing," the parrot squawked at him.
"Very well. On your way," he said, mimicking the Pearl's arch nemesis, Norrington. Cotton laughed as he walked away, while the Parrot squawked.
Joshamee wore a strapping Navy uniform that actually fit him, a rare commodity in today's world. The ship was flying a British flag, and could be passed off as a Royal Navy vessel anywhere. Gibbs turned to look out at the ice not 100 feet from him.
As per Jack's instructions, the Black Pearl had coasted along the Arctic coast for the past few days, cutting through the ice with razor like speed. Gibbs wasn't certain, but he thought it was possible that there was something following them.
"Marty?"
"Aye, Gibbs?"
"Give me that scope." The pirate obeyed. Gibbs extended the glass and scanned the area behind them.
He could see little. But there was something on the horizon. He focused-then recoiled. "Marty, take the scope."
"Aye, sir." The younger man took the scope and pressed it to his eye. "And what am I to be seeing, Gibbs?"
"Out there, just a few degrees astern." He saw Marty had found what he was looking for. The other man jolted away from the scope as if burnt. "I take it you see it, too."
"Aye, sir; the Dauntless. Look's like she's got an escort, too. Shall I run out the guns?"
"There's not much we can do against that." And he was right; the Pearl, while grand in its own right, had nowhere near the firepower of the Dauntless, let alone three Royal Navy ships. Not even Jack was daft enough to try that. Then a thought occurred to Gibbs. It was something Jack was daft enough to do. With it, there was the chance that they could lose them. The Arctic storms made all a blur of white. The problem was...
"Marty, hoist sails and run out the sweeps." If he could avoid getting holes blown in Jack's ship, he would.
"Right."
As the pirate started off, Gibbs said, "Do it quietly; the less we do to draw attention to ourselves, the better."
Marty quickly got the crew to raise the sails. Then Gibbs looked over the side.
Sure enough, there were Barbossa's oars.
Aboard the Dauntless, orders were given. "Keep your eyes on the horizon, sailor."
"Aye, Commodore."
Having given his orders, Gillette marched into the Admiral's cabin. "Sir. We're on the Black Pearl's last known course, but have yet to spot anything. I have sailors on the lookout at all times."
"Good work, Commodore." As Norrington spoke, there was a knock at the door. "Enter," came the Admiralty's call.
The sailor entered. "Sir, we've spotted black sails on the horizon."
Gillette turned to Admiral Norrington. "The Pearl?"
"How many other ships do you know of with black sails in this sector of the world, Commodore?" Turning to the sailor, he instructed, "Lead on."
"Aye, sir." As the sailor came out before him, he called, "Admiral on deck."
"Quiet," Norrington instructed him. "The less noise made, the less warning the Pearl has."
"So it is the Pearl, then, sir?"
"Only one way to find out. Lieutenant, my scope." Receiving the tool, he extended it, and looked. He saw on the horizon several black sails, barely visible against the Arctic storm. He smiled. "Good work, sailor. Gillette, hoist main sails. With this draft, we'll catch enough wind to catch up."
"Hoist sails," he instructed the crew, "and run out the guns."
Norrington turned to get another bearing on the Pearl. But as he looked, the black sails disappeared. "Gillette."
"Yes, sir?"
"Look through the scope. Tell me if you spot the Pearl."
"As you wish, sir." The commodore peered for a time, and then turned to the Admiralty. "Sir, I don't find her."
"Nor do I. It seems that Captain Sparrow has won this round. Still," he considered. "Raise all sails. Go straight ahead; see if we can't draw her out." He doubted the Pearl would be found, though, as Gillette gave the orders. If Sparrow didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be.
The Pearl coasted silently through the frigid waters, and by Gibbs' order, skirted the ice flow as close as he dared. Then the Dauntless and her escort came into sight, going on an angle so that if they continued, both ships would collide.
"Drop port anchor. Quietly," he stressed. "Lower it down by hand with the rope."
"Aye, sir."
"And order the rowers to start rowing backwards, then stop when we go their way." It was a wild gambit, but it might work. He watched the anchor unhinge, then sink into the Arctic Sea ever so slowly. The oars turned in reverse, and the ship slowed dramatically. Then the anchor caught on the ice, and the Black Pearl came to a halt.
"Stop rowers-don't pull 'em back in, it'll make noise-and lay silent."
"Aye, sir." The oars ceased movement, and the Pearl was, for all intents and purposes, a ghost ship. But would it be enough to evade the Dauntless?
Gibbs watched the superior ship blow by, sails at full. He beckoned Marty over. "Sir?"
"Have the crew load the guns, and assemble by the ropes to pull the hatches. But stay low, and do not open the hatches unless I give the order."
He crept away silently. Gibbs watched the Dauntless creep as close as a nautical mile, but they just kept going on by. Slowly, the Dauntless, then the Britannia, and the Elizabeth slipped into the Arctic blizzard, and out of sight.
Gibbs breathed out a sigh of relief. However, now they would be following the Dauntless. From now on, sailors would watch the horizon 24/7, and the guns would be loaded constantly. But at least Gibbs knew who was out there now.
The Arctic wind howled around the five figures. Will had been slowly improving since passing the Arctic Circle, and was now walking with support from Jack and Depp. Elizabeth and AnaMaria walked behind them, all connected by a lifeline. As Jack and Johnny carried Will, he asked some questions.
"So how am I getting this sick?"
"The coat you were wearing. It came from this weird place up further north. We'll get there in another day or two." Johnny answered most of his questions.
"And you're sure you're not related to Jack?"
"We don't think so, mate. He hates rum. Not exactly that many traits we share, savvy?" Obviously Jack.
Then Depp raised his hand, and said, "Hold." He looked around, then froze. "Get down."
Elizabeth asked, "What?"
AnaMaria grabbed her friend's cloak, and said, "get down!"
"Give me the cloak! C'mon, luv, give it over!" Jack looked actually a little worried. Elizabeth handed over the cloak, and Jack draped it over the lot of them as Depp pressed them into the snow.
"What going..." AnaMaria clamped her hand over Elizabeth's mouth, and hissed for her to be silent.
"Over there." Depp was low to the ground, and pointed, as he pulled up the cover of the polar bear cloak just slightly. And what was out there was several figures moving-more like gliding-through the snow. The figures carried several items, including spears, and some carried a giant, boated thing that Elizabeth didn't recognize. Identifying it, Depp called it "a walrus."
Even though they disappeared from sight in a few minutes, they spent nearly a half hour hiding under the cloak, until Depp stood up and presented Elizabeth her cloak.
"Well, shall we, Bess?"
The Elizabeth had gone up against the ice, and Captain Parker was out on the ice with the crew. Rifles were at the ready, however it was doubtful they'd hit anything; their hands shook so badly from the cold that they would be lucky to hit the Elizabeth, let alone whatever was prowling about in the snow ahead of them.
The commander had seen moving objects through the snow, and made the decision to go ashore. Damned if he was going to let the rear admiral slow him down here; the Elizabeth could hunt around for hours, and still catch up to the Dauntless without lost time.
Then Parker saw movement. He held up his hand to stop the Marines. Then the shape got company, and then came towards them. As it came closer, it appeared dangerous. Parker wasn't the most reasonable man, and was somewhat jumpy. Plus, he wasn't diagnosed-the concept wasn't to come for years-but he definitely had a mild case of Attention Deficit Disorder.
Whatever it was, there were three of them, and they were running up fast.
"Fire!" The Marines remarkably cut down the creatures. They were bears of solid white, barely noticeable in the never-ending storm here. Then there was a creaking of ice and wood behind them, and Parker whirled around.
The Elizabeth was drifting away on the sea. There was no-one on the ship, and the life-boats were all on shore with them. Parker sighed. It would be a mite difficult to catch up to the Dauntless now.
"Admiral, sir?"
"What is it, Gillette?"
"Two things, sir," the commodore replied. "One, it's cold out here, and you should be below-by your own orders no man is to be on deck for more than 10 minutes each."
The Admiralty smiled. "True. And the second?" He asked Gillette as he followed the junior officer to the captain's cabin.
"Erm...the Elizabeth's gone."
"What?"
"I didn't want to tell you until we were below deck. It seems that Captain Parker's short attention span has gotten to him again."
"Well, we'll allow him another day to catch up. A wonder that man ever got into the Royal Navy."
"Indeed. Sir, should we inform the Britannia to search for her?"
"Are you mad, Gillette? In this storm, they'd be lucky to find their own captain, let alone another ship. They shall stay with us."
"Yes, Admiral."
"Very well, Gillette. On your way." The commodore walked away as the Admiralty entered his personal thoughts.
Well, that's the end of chapters that I've already written. I promise I'll update soon, but it'll be a little while. Sorry!
