Just occurred to me, I'll be using some old English words in the story, to give it that authentic feel, like. So, if you're not comprehending the lingo, review and ask. Or use a really, really ancient dictionary and look up the word yourself. The closest adventure is the chapter after next, where someone upsets the Navy, and to escape the long drop and short stop at the end of the noose, they have to attend a Naval ball. But with Jack drunk, will they make amends or get into even more trouble than before?
A 'Polyglot' is a linguist; a person that speaks more than one language.
Ile de la Tortue – Turtle Island. You'll know it from the movie as "Tortuga."
Jacob's ladder - the rope ladder they lower over the sides of the ship to board or disbark.
"You, you, you and you." Jack said, striding up and down the length of the pier, where the pirate hopefuls were waiting in a scraggly line. He nodded to several of the men, and they stepped forward. Jack peered at them intently.
"If I were to travel to the Spice Islands, my direction would be?" He asked.
"Southwest then Northeast." Came a voice, and it was not from the chosen few standing out in front. Jack frowned, but both he and Will could not place where the voice had come from.
"Which ale do you gents prefer – Hound or Wildcat? Hands up for the answer." He barked. About seven young men, barely out of boyhood, and some still in it, raised their eager hands.
"Sorry gents." Jack apologized, sounding sincere, "but neither exists. You would nought be able to survive on this voyage. I need toughened men; men that have actually set foot in a bar, for a starter, not babes barely out of their mother's arms. I'll not be responsible for them waiting up every night hoping for any news of their mislaid children. Try your luck on a ship heading to Northern Africa or some other shorter distance." The rebuked lads bowed their heads and trudged off. Several of the older men sniggered at the unfortunate's lack of simple bar knowledge. Hound or Wildcat ale indeed!
Jack turned once again to the ragged assemble and once more strode back and forth, contemplating the men.
"Your favourite brew?" He asked one bald fellow with yellowed teeth but intelligent blue eyes.
"Madagascar Mead."
"Good man. Good choice." Jack nodded in approval. "Welcome aboard." Will merely raised his eyebrow at Jack's unorthodox manner of choosing crew members that were, as the Pirating Articles stated 'to follow their Captain to the depths of hell and back'. The deepest circle of hell was reserved for mutineers and traitors, and pirates, being ofthe superstitious race they were, believed this clause with all their minds. But that being said, pirates could also be easily influenced by the promise of gold and an easier life than the hard, unforgiving life the sea offered. But no doubt the crew would stick to their word and remain loyal to Jack. Jack was, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow.
Jack asked more questions of the crew, about ship maintenance and sea conditions. He had several men chosen and was about to dismiss the remaining crowd when, on his last swoop of the line, he paused on the last man. A lad, really, about 17 years of age. No real muscle on him, but he had some height. He was dressed the same as all of the rest of them – in a rumpled and dirtied shirt, torn breeches, scuffed shoes and a patched coat much too big for him, but for some reason they hung differently on him. He made them look more presentable, as if they were tailored for him specifically.
"Name?" Jack inquired interestedly.
"And if I don't have one?" Came the reply.
"Than I'll invent one, and I'm feeling particularly adventurous today." Jack threatened.
"Alex." Came the reluctant answer.
"Would Mister Alex care to raise his head? I prefer if I can tell whether you're a wanted murderer now, rather than onboard my ship and one bloodied body later." Jack asked.
The lad raised his head and glared at Jack contemptuously. Jack studied the boy closely. A fine, thin nose, thick lashes and stormy grey eyes that at the moment were flashing lightning directed at Jack.
"You do realise that you'll be away from your bonny-lasses for months to years on a time?" Jack questioned derisively. This one looked like a pretty-boy through and through. The lad merely snorted in mock amusement. Jack, failing to see the joke,seemed to disregard him and turn back on his heel, continuing back up to the where Will was standing. But after he had taken no more than two steps away from the young lad, he abruptly turned to face the boy, his pistol drawn at pointing directly between the boy's contemptuous eyes.
"What would you be doing now boy?" Jack asked, his kohl eyes squinting down the glinting silver barrel. "And be careful, mind – it's loaded. The lad's eyes widened in surprise, and Will couldn't help grinning; it served the fellow right for being so arrogant.
Alex raised his handsslowly skyward in defeat. Jack watched his submissive hands in satisfaction, but as soon as he took his eyes off the boy, the lad's leg shot up in a crescenting kick that struck Jack fingers exactly where he held the gun. Jack swore loudly and lost his grip on the musket. Not entirely, but it slipped enough that it would only blow holes in the rotting pier deck, not the lad's brain. The lad stepped forward andclapped his two hands over Jack's gun hand, and with his two thumbs quickly forced the gun to turn in Jack's palm until it faced Jack's chest. All this was done lightning fast and took less than two seconds.
"That," the lad said forcefully, not even breathing heavily, "is what I'd be doing." He replied. Jack took his hat off and bowed to the boy good humouredly.
"It seems I'm mistaken. We would be liking your fine company aboard our ship, young Alex." Jack said fairly, before turning back towards Will. Again, he took no more than two steps before he spun on his heel and addressed Alex again.
"Turn around, boy." He said. Alex looked as if for a moment he might refuse, but he reluctantly turned his back on the captain.
"Aha." Jack cried, seizing the ribbon that held the lad Alex's hair back into a low pony-tail. Jack pulled it out with a relish. The boy did not move until Jack permitted him to turn around once again.
"What gave me away?" The boy asked sullenly as he once more faced Jack. Will and the others gasped audibly. Facing them now was a young lady, not a young lad. Once the long blonde hair framed the high cheek-bones and button mouth, it made the features more delicate, and it was obvious of her gender, despite the breeches and shirt. She had transformed in seconds from a tatty pretty boy to astriking lady, and several of the men were staring with their eyes popping out of their heads.
"No male on this earth could kick as high as you just did now," Jack remarked, in answer to her question. The rest of the crew brayed in hearty laughter. Jack took a step forward and leaned in over Alex, whispering in her ear, his breath warm and his voice rasping slightly, "And you, my dear, you smell like spices." He drew back smirking, so see what effect he'd had on the lass.
"And you, Captain Jack Sparrow, smell like a pirate." Hmmm...not reallythe effect he was aiming for.
"What do you mean by it?"
"What I mean by it, Mr Sparrow, is that you need a good soak." Jack stepped away in mock horror.
"A soak! Did you hear that men?" He asked loudly, addressing the assembled crew. "I much doubt this mangy lot have had a bath since their christening, should the godless creatures have ever had such, yet you proclaim it is I that require a bath." He teased, turning back to the waiting crowd. "Alright, these miserable mongrels I've picked will do. The rest will have to wait for another sorry captain to grant you a wretched job. If that's the case, see you at Tortuga."
Most of the crowd slopped off, but a few of the more experienced motley obviously expected to be picked in Jack's line-up.
"How come she stays?" Spat a hulking man that towered over Jack. Jack felt him block out the sun, he was so huge.
"Because," Jack replied, taking a step back so he could look at the man in his ugly face, "I'm the Captain and I said so. Anyone else care to take issue with a women being on board?" Jack questioned. "No?"
"Then hope you don't run into me at Ile de la Tortue." Hissed the giant. "Or your crew will be one Captain short." He threatened. "And I may have an additional crew-member." He snarled, glowering at Alex. Alex merely bowed sardonically.
"Until then, mon Capitaine." She replied mockingly. The hulk made as if to back-hand her, but Jack's hand moved almost imperceptibly towards the musket at his belt, and Will openly drew his cutlass.
"Until then," he leered and lumbered off.
"He'll be waiting a long time if he tries it on my watch." Will muttered to himself, re-sheathing his blade.
Jack turned back to Alex. "Do you have a death-wish, lass?" He hissed. "…Hold the cannon-fire – you're the one from the gaol." Jack remarked, squinting at her. Will couldn't believe that Jack had been thrown in goal and he still managed to meet a beautiful girl. Some people get all the luck.
"Adventure searching extraordinaire, that's moi." Alex replied.
"That's twice you've spoken French. You a polyglot?" Jack asked.
"Non, Monsieur Capitaine. Ich kann verstellen Sie nicht. Me no savvy." Alex fired off, speaking in three different tongues; French, a European and a Blackamoor.
"Well, at least we know you'll be useful for something." Jack remarked lightly. "I need a linguist on board. Helps with the deception should we chose to take a merchant vessel by surprise in foreign waters. You, my dear, shallget the supreme honour of boarding an enemy vessel first and tell them what they want to hear. You're the distraction. Lucky you. You were after adventure, no?"
Alex merely grinned, flashing surprisingly straight white teeth. "Aye, kind sir." She replied cheekily. Jack turned back to the newly-chosen crew.
"Now, to the nearest bar to celebrate, I think. Ale all round." Jack cried enthusiastically. "And maybe some soaking too, if I get around to it."
"Beer and a bath. Now that I understand." Alex murmured and followed Jack's new crew.
As Jack passed by his ship, he slapped the side loudly three times and continued on his way. Almost immediately the entire crew of the Black Pearl streamed out of the ship, lowering the Jacob's ladder or jumping off the sides to follow Jack. "You're supposed to be cleaning the ship." Jack muttered darkly, but made no move to send them back, even though he knew they were most probably hiding new reserves of rum in the apple barrel and generally slacking off. And they had the nerve to think that Captain Jack Sparrow, wiliest and most charming pirate this side of the seven seas didn't know all the tricks of the trade. The apple barrel was the first place any pirate would look for rum...
There was a brief pause in the motley crew's purposeful stride as to wait for a dim-witted sailor who had jumped off the wrong side of the ship and into the cold water of the bay,and hehad to slowly dog-paddle his way to the pier. While the other men laughed heartily at him, the unfortunate sailor shook himself off like a dog and muttered, "At least I'll not be needing another one of those until next time we dock." The others shut up hurriedly.
Pebbles1234 – I've read the first few of Sir Arthur Coonan Doyle's Sherlock stories, and I am deeply honoured with the praise. I never realised it, but Jack and Will are sort of like Holmes and Watson. Jack's just that little bit more worldlier; just a little bit more perceptive than the rest of the general population.
Shadowicewolf – I promise I'll read your stories – just as soon as I finish studying for my exams. It's a struggle to find time to even write at the moment.