Chapter 9: On the Hunt
"Raise anchor!" Commodore Nathaniel Gillette called from his helm on the Implacable. "Set sail for Tortuga!"
Below, two Marines looked at one another. "Why we goin' to Tortuga, of all places?"
"Not a bad place, really. I mean sure, there's no law, there's drinking and whoring in the streets, the government is often forced into a well...okay, okay, it is a bad place, really...but it's a fun place to go."
"Is it, now? Well, if we don't destroy it, I shall have to go there."
"Take me with you when you do."
In his cabin, Nathaniel Gillette considered what he was going to do.
The Implacable would go for the Black Pearl head on, while the Polaris, Flagrant and Artemis would fence in the rest of the fleet with cannon fire, plus a contingent of marines placed on the mainland.
Between the two fleets, Gillette was more confident in his. His men were trained soldiers, and could easily pound the Sparrow Fleet apart.
Nathaniel, however, was concerned if it came down to ship-to-ship battle; he did not have enough ships to hold his own against the Sparrow Fleet; plus the fact that if it came down to it, he may have to fight the Admiralties himself. Not an option he'd prefer to take.
But his loyalties were to the Crown first.
"You men are going to make history today! You and I are going to take down Admiral Jack Sparrow. Here's how:
Our contingent of Marines shall go ashore a few miles from Tortuga. You will then set up cannon on the shore, and assist the fleet with fencing in the other ships, while the Implacable takes on the Pearl. If we work together, we can win this day! Let's move!"
Onshore, the Marines had set up their cannon. The Sparrow Fleet was in sight; all they waited for was the bell-ringing signal from the Commodore.
"Standby: all guns on my command, open fire." He nodded to a crewman, who rose those flags to signal to the other ships that command. That command would also be the bell.
Gillette walked forward, and coldly regarded the bell for a time. Then he seized the rope.
