Constantinople—the name itself sparked hope in Jack's mind. Transfixed by the circled city on his charts, he blinked a few times before he noticed chunks of rain blotting them. Pulling his coat up over his head, he called Gibbs over to him while he arched his back to loom over his hard work.
"Aye?"
"This is where we're going."
"I know."
"No. This is where we're going," Jack said, pointing to the circle on the charts. "You see what I mean now so I can roll up these charts before they get water-logged?"
"You found the exact prison! Good work!" Gibbs patted him. "We're not more than three days from there, maybe less if we sail out of this rain. Sorry sot, that Falkenburg. Had a Greek tell me a while back the man's been in there for a full year, and he holds the record for being the one that's been there the longest." He crossed himself. "I tell you, this couldn't be a more dangerous mission if Scylla followed us the whole way."
"Ship off in the distance, Captain," Marty said, approaching them and handing a spyglass up to Jack. "Navy colors."
Jack closed one eye and peered through the tiny lens.
"Bugger." He let the spyglass crash to the deck and ran up the steps to the helm. "Mr. Gibbs! See to the guns and wait for my signal!"
"What is it, Jack? What did ye see?"
"Norrington!"
The Dauntless poked through the rain like an actor making his entrance through a stage curtain. Its waves crashed onto the deck of the Pearl, their rudders almost touching. Jack spun the helm, sending the bowsprit straight for Norrington's ship. The ships were almost perpendicular before the guns of the Dauntless fired, the Pearl just dodging them.
"Mr. Gibbs wants to know if now is the right time," Leech gasped, panting on his way up the steps to the helm.
"Not yet. Tell him to stand down."
"Stand down!" Leech shrieked down to the gun ports.
"This is a message to the crew of the Black Pearl." Norrington's voice boomed over to them. "All of you have the potential to live through your prison terms. If you desert Sparrow now, you will be treated fairly and mercifully in the Port Royal courts."
"Fair is never merciful!" one of the crewmen yelled back. Jack finally succeeded in positioning the ship so her maidenhead faced the one of the Dauntless. Face to face, beak to beak, they headed straight for each other. Ordering Gibbs once more to wait, he veered the ship off just before it collided with the other one.
"Now fire!" he shouted.
The surprise of sudden gunfire sent the Dauntless a slight distance away, but not for long. She fired back, the ammunition flying past countless raindrops streaming down from the darkened sky. Lightning flashed, followed by a deep rumble.
"Hurricane a-comin'!" a crewmen shouted. "Secure the rigging!"
The waves underneath the ships escalated, knocking them against each other until the mast of the Pearl entwined with the Dauntless' foremast. Turning the helm over to Leech, Jack drew his sword.
"Just keep her straight," he ordered, running down the steps and into the shrouds. Clinging to them like a spider to its web, he disarmed one of the officers climbing his way onboard. The thunder greeted the clanging of the swords with a generous clap. "Fight 'em off!" he commanded. The crew sprinted to the edge of the ship, swinging away at the ropes the officers held onto, sending most of them into the churning waters between the ships. A few bullets expelled from random pistols and Jack wished he had a free hand to reach his own. Why on earth had he chosen his sword?
Climbing down onto the chains, he saw Norrington catching his balance on them. Oh, why hadn't he chosen his pistol instead? The man's swordsmanship was more legendary than his skill and relish at the concept of freeing the seas from pirates. Sure enough, he had his sword drawn and pointed right at Jack.
"You can still come quietly," he said.
Jack met the blade and struggled to his feet, climbing back up the chains and onto the deck. Norrington hurled himself over and brought his sword down onto Jack's again. At least he could keep his balance on the deck, Jack thought to himself, the rain streaming down so hard he could only see the glare of the swords in front of him.
"You can't win, Sparrow," Norrington said, spinning and almost nicking Jack's side. "Everyone knows what little brainpower you have is used just to put one foot in front of the other."
The sounds of the guns firing back and forth faded into a background noise, much like the bands in Tortuga did after a few drinks. He smiled at a bit of the Dauntless exploding into splinters, each one plummeting to the depths, like a snowstorm of spears.
"Commodore, although I've enjoyed being your hobby, I do think it's time for you to call it a day." He dodged another nick at the hip and ran backwards towards the bowsprit. The wind howled, blowing off most of the officers' hats, sending a swarm of blue spots straight into the ocean. Norrington leapt past Jack onto the bowsprit, about to curl Jack's sword right out of his hand. "Jamie-lad, I've been doing some thinking and much as I enjoyed my time in your fine jail, it's really a place only befitting for one visit and I've already been there twice."
"Third time's the charm," Norrington growled, thrusting his sword down into his. "I swear to God, Sparrow, I will not die before you do."
The thunder roared after the vow and it didn't take much of Jack's imagination to picture Zeus chucking lightning bolts down at the sound of such blasphemy. Gulping at the idea of having to balance himself on the bowsprit and fight Norrington at the same time, he pretended to step up onto it and tripped down onto the deck.
"Don't strain yourself," Norrington taunted. "Come quietly and be tried with some dignity."
It was all the time Jack needed. Leaving his sword on the deck, he drew his pistol and fired right past Norrington's waist. Throwing it down and drawing another one, he aimed it right at his forehead.
"I missed you on purpose," he threatened. "I've killed a man in one shot and you can be the lucky son of a whore that gets to be number two. What say you to that?"
Suddenly, the Pearl jostled, sending everyone aboard forward with a jerk. Jack smacked into the railing which in turn sent him down to the deck. Shaking his head, he glanced back up to the bowsprit. Norrington was gone. Staggering to his feet, he peered over the edge, pistol ready. A head poked out from the water below and swam for the exposed keel of the Dauntless. Jack ran across the deck, leaping over a dead officer. "Give me that helm!"
Leech lurched back from the helm, letting Jack turn it, releasing the mast from the Dauntless. The Pearl made another wide turn and soon, she was back on her original course as if nothing happened, only treading much faster than before. Looking behind him, Jack saw the other ship vanish in a cloud of rain and wind. If they didn't make port soon, the hurricane would swallow them whole and then a third ship would enter the fray, one that Jack didn't care to see.
"Jack, we best be makin' berth," Gibbs said, running up next to him. "We can't afford to have Davy Jones on our tail, too."
"An accurate and timely statement," Jack said, letting go of the helm briefly. The Pearl seemed to fly, riding through the waves. If any trace of Norrington or his ship stayed in the crew's vision, it was gone now. "Damages?"
"Nothin' that can't be fixed," Gibbs said. "I figure we can stock up at port and make some repairs."
Jack looked down at the deck. The only bodies he saw donned military uniforms and had military cutlasses lying next to them, equally lifeless. Without needing the order, the crew dragged the bodies to the forecastle and roped them together. A group effort, they kicked the mass into one of the longboats and lowered it down.
"We should keep the bodies," Leech said, his long fingers like talons burrowing into the ship. "Make a statement."
"I don't like bodies on my ship," was all Jack said, trying to remember just what it was about Leech he had found charming enough to put up with him. Oh, that's right, he recalled. Nothing whatsoever. He leaned down and addressed his crew with a shiny grin. "What's our life?"
"A pirate's life!" Jack wiped the sweat and rain concoction off his face to the sound of soaked men singing, "We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot/drink up, me hearties, yo ho/we kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot/drink up, me hearties, yo ho!"
"Yo ho, yo ho/a pirate's life for me," Gibbs crooned, opening his flask. "Ah, port be soundin' mighty good with this weather. Supposin' we meet up with Norrington, though?"
"You're not serious, are you? He'd have to be a fool to sail through a hurricane," Jack said, still grinning. "Now, you sing quite marvelously, Mr. Gibbs. I'd love to hear about you rifling and looting, that is, if you have any energy left."
Accepting the challenge, Gibbs descended down with the rest of the crew and belted out the second verse of the song, drowning out even the next crash of thunder.
Sorry for the short chapter. I debated for a long time if I wanted to go through with it or not, but I couldn't resist. I know a lot of you are looking forward to the DMC chapters, and they are well on their way, carefully crafted and written with much love. It just had been such a long time since Jack got to fight and swordfight with anyone, so I felt the need to put it in. There will be a new chapter VERY soon. Please leave reviews! They are such a joy.