Fic: The War Within

Rating: M
Characters: Elizabeth/Jack Elizabeth/Will
Chapter Title: All is Fair
Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. Disney does, no money being made off this.
Summary: Captain Elizabeth Swann, Pirate Lord and King. Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirate Lord, lecherous pirate, son of the Keeper of the Code. What will happen on the eve of battle. JE. Reviews welcome.

Elizabeth stood on the bow of the ship, staring out across the divide between her and the Endeavour. Her face was troubled, her thoughts weighing her down, despite Jack's earlier comments giving her hope.

She knew the parlay was not going to be as easy as talking to Beckett and Beckett doing what she willed – his giving in to exchanging Will for Jack. Cutler Beckett only understood negotiations and stipulations; coercion and manipulation through transactions. She would either have to negotiate or just force his hand. She had managed it once, but perhaps surprise had been part of her success. Or perhaps, she shrugged mentally, it had been a pistol cocked and readied to fire between his beady little eyes, which had inspired his compliance.

She wondered idly if Cutler Beckett knew that she could handle a sword.

A voice to her left broke through her reverie.

"You sure you don't need me to come ashore with you Miss Elizabeth?" Gibbs had stepped up beside her, he too gazing out across to the vast fleet of the East India Trading Company.

As much as she would have liked to have Gibbs to accompany her, she knew she couldn't bring him to the meeting with Beckett.

"Thank you Mister Gibbs, but I think Beckett might view it as a fault in the proceedings. I would hesitate to do anything but err on the side of caution with that man."

"Aye." Gibbs nodded.

"Tell me Mister Gibbs. Who is really Captain of this ship? I mean, Jack had it initially, but then Barbossa mutinied against him and died, but was brought back to life. Jack had it after he killed Barbossa, but he in effect also died and is now brought back to life. So whose ship is it now?"

"Well that might be a small problem and why they been havin' a few issues.

You see, Barbossa having died meant that Jack once again got the Pearl – pretty much fair and square – but you see, the thing is, according to stories, the ship has always been Jack's. He traded it fair with Davy Jones for his life – either the Locker or one hundred years before the mast onboard the Flying Dutchman. Neither of which Jack was really all that keen on."

"So Jack is now free? He has no debt?"

"Aye. Excuse me here, but if i' tweren't for you, his untimely or rather timely death, meant he had a debt to pay. Now he doesn't – in theory. The ship went back to the Locker too, which would mean that the ship was also now free."

Elizabeth frowned as she thought her way through this complexity. In confusion she asked again, "So who is the Captain?"

"Ah you see I've been thinking about that. Jack seems to not be as against the idea of Barbossa captaining this here ship as he makes it out."

Elizabeth's mouth dropped. "He's willing to give up the ship? The Pearl? The one he's fought so hard to take back and retain all these years?"

"It's only a ship mate."

"Oh aye." Gibbs nodded. "I get the feeling that Jack pretty much gave her up before the Kraken attack. I'm willing to wager that ol' Jack was willing to leave her then. He had the devil to pay anyways."

"Ah yes, Davy Jones." She nodded, thinking ahead. She started when Gibbs looked at her quizzically.

"Miss Elizabeth, Jack had the devil to pay. Means he would have had the task of caulking and pitching seams on the Pearl. Seems it was never done when Barbossa had the ship, might have had somethin' to do with the curse, but Jack, he was so out of sorts for the first year he got her back, and well, he doesn't like sending any of the crew to do it, so he does himself."

He paused. "She certainly has been the cause of much of his misfortune for many years," Gibbs added.

"How so?"

"Well you see," Elizabeth followed Gibbs to a nearby canon, where he promptly sat down. Gibbs took on his story-telling pose. She waited for him to start. When he did, she did not expect to hear this particular tale.

"The story is that Jack and Beckett used to be more than mere acquaintances. In fact, Jack may have worked for the East India Trading Company."

Surprised she questioned, "And that is why Beckett is adamant in the capture of Jack Sparrow?"

"Aye. Beckett apparently ordered Jack to ship some live cargo." At her querying look, he clarified, "Black slaves."

She looked at Gibbs, astounded.

Grim lines came upon his face, but he still continued. "And when Jack found out, he refused. Nigh on stubborn that boy when he gets his mind set on something. Anyways, Jack said he wouldn't do it and you see Beckett didn't like that. So they reckon that Beckett took Jack's ship, the Wicked Wench as she was called then, and he held Jack in captivity." Gibbs paused in a maddening fashion.

"So it seems then that Beckett asked Jack what he was willing to do to save his ship and its cargo. Jack said he was willing to die for them. Beckett apparently said oh good and burnt her in the water where she sat."

"What about the cargo?" asked Elizabeth, horrified.

"Well you see, the cargo never made it off the boat, and poor Jack had to stand there and watch her go up in flames.

No-one knew of the deal Jack made with Jones, only that he turned up in Tortuga with a ship called The Black Pearl."

As always, reviews welcomed and encouraged…. TJ