A/N: As a reminder, Gillette's first name is given as Will where it comes up, as his characterization is based on a friend's interpretation.
Thanks everyone for your patience with the long wait between chapters. These are unbetta'd, so I apologize for mistakes.
Curse of the Black Pearl Part 2 – Some Nights
Over the evening meal Gillette was the center of all attention. Of course Norrington had several congratulations and offers to be treated for drinks but the gap between himself and the junior officers had been widened even more. A Captain or gentleman ranking higher was not permitted in the wardroom, and wardroom officers did not dine with the Captain (or senior), unless of course either party was specifically invited. The Commodore had been thus invited, but declined and so it fell to Gillette to tell of the capture of Captain Jack Sparrow.
Quite suddenly the earlier ceremony and the conversation on the rampart had fallen from everyone's minds.
It was a lively conversation that evening and they all remained awake and chatting well into the evening before reluctantly turning in. If a few were rather tipsy and listing that was only to be expected. Each tumbled back to their rooms. While normally lieutenants were considered far too junior to have their own quarters and normally shared with one other, Fort Charles had a small enough staff for it to be permissible. It was a luxury that was well enjoyed.
The first vibration of the outer wall around the time of the fifth bell of the first watch did nothing to rouse the fort. It was the return volley of cannon fire right over the heads of the sleeping men that did it. Soldiers, sailors, and officers tumbled from their cots and were surprised to feel a stone floor instead of rolling deck under their feet when roused by cannon fire. A ship rocked on its side with each broadside volley but the stone was unmoving. More than one of them stumbled into a wall from surprise. Once this oriented men threw on trousers and night shirts , grabbed muskets and cartridge boxes and rushed to find the source of commotion. Officers too scrambled to dress in the bare minimum and so when arriving on the wall and in the courtyard were hardly distinguishable from those they commanded.
Amidst the confusion companies and detachments were quickly formed, some not even waiting for that but taking posts on their own. Atop the wall only the barest staffing of men were present to man cannons, artillery crews were sent to man the guns not currently attended and to replace those who had been struck by the first rounds of fire. To command those crews were already officers aplenty and so only one young man was selected to report to the ramparts and he took with him a handful of midshipmen and ensigns to be runners.
When the rest of the assembled officers and men looked out toward the town they saw that already fires were alighted. From the harbor familiar cannon rapports from Dauntless and Interceptor echoed to them, though the shots were few and far between. The ships had only skeleton crews to maintain them between voyages. Watching the muzzle flash, Gillette was already planning how quickly they could be made ready for a pursuit in the morning. He gestured to a detachment of men, a mix of Marines and sailors, the pirates would first need to be swept from the town and back into the water, or, preferably, rounded up to join the one currently sitting in the gaol. Groups of soldiers and sailors were collected by the other lieutenants, another handful left at the entrance of the fort as reinforcements and they began the march into town.
At the furthest points from the chaos it was as if the invasion wasn't even happening. A few drunks, a few women who at first attempted to distract the men, but no pirates and no panic. Before too long though the streets took on a more yellow glow from fires further down the way and fleeing citizens began to pass them on either side, a good number of them were clutching valuables or children to their chests. From then on it was easy to understand which way to head, simply head in the direction the citizenry were flocking away from and continue toward the water.
Once closer to the chaos time was taken to construct hasty barricades to provide shelter for those fleeing and slow the advance of those invading – should they first get past those defending. About ten streets away from the water and after one such construction a sergeant touched Grove's arm, the lieutenant turned and the man pointed towards a small cluster of pirates making their way up the street. Each of them held a firelock in one hand and long knife in the other, more such weapons were bristling out of their belts. They were so coated in dirt, sand, tar and sweat so that almost no distinguishing features other than the mess could be made out. Shouting, cursing and swinging the weapons they chased a group of women up the street towards the barricade. It was hastily opened to allow the victims through and closed again. One pirate in the back of the group held a torch he was waving toward any wooden or straw structure in reach. Upon seeing the bristling muskets and bayonets they turned and began shattering shop windows, reaching through and helping themselves, seemingly unconcerned about the potential to be shot.
"Ready!" Shouted the sergeant, twelve muskets were brought to chests, the pirates still were unconcerned and Groves frowned. The pirates began taunting the soldiers to come out from behind the barricade and stop them.
"Fire." As one the detachment fired and the lead spat down the narrow street, Groves could see puffs of stucco where some went wid. The brigands were each slammed back a step or two, and he was sure they should be dead, but they quickly gathered and rushed forward and were almost at their position before a second more ragged volley struck home. This time they crumbled in a heap.
The soldiers stepped out from behind their shelter and over the forms. Theodore stopped to check the bodies and found several bloody patches in their clothes and on their bodies; he frowned again and followed the men.
At each intersection each detachment of soldiers repeated the same actions. Sheltered those fleeing, and met the pirate invaders with volleys of musketry. Every time the volleys had to be repeated before men dropped, sometimes they didn't and bayonets were met with long knives or crude but effective sabers. The curved blades easily found their mark after a parry and had to be beaten viciously aside by the stocks of the heavier muskets. Madness or hashish from Persia was the conclusion.
Without warning the town was emptied of pirates. They saw no more, heard no more and found themselves alone in the streets. A stomping of feet prompted Groves to wheel around with pistol presented and having to check himself when finding it pointed at the nose of Gillette instead of an invader. The two detachments were met by the rest at the waterfront and all saw retreating longboats. The vessels were darkened and the ship they were retreating too was blackened and shadowed. It appeared untouched by the continued fire from both the fort and anchored ships. Not a fire appeared on it though fire crews were hard at work in the town. At least their own ships were safe – damaged could be catalogued in the morning.
Another hour was spent assisting and directing in the containing and quenching of fires before returning to the fort. A few marines and sailors had been lost, a greater number was sent to the surgeon.
Not a single pirate had been located on the return, none taken prisoner and no bodies recovered. Officers and men murmured, a few recalling stories of a black ship that had sacked other forts along the main. They were dismissed.
Watches were reorganized, that took more time to create full crews in the event the brigands returned and just as exhausted men were about to turn in once more to attempt some amount of sleep before the work they knew would have to come in the morning, an ensign arrived. The young man was supposed to be at the gate but was now accompanied by a sobbing hysterical young woman.
The pirates, it appeared, had not retreated without more than just material valuables. As a pair, Gillette and Groves turned to face the Commodore's officer where the Governor was just emerging.