Three Reasons to Go

Percy could understand why Turner was so eager to go and save Elizabeth. He also knew instantly that going after them was probably not going to accomplish anything. However, since Sao Feng was going to the meeting they'd probably catch up anyway.

And then Captain Jack Sparrow placed Will Turner into the brig for betrayal. Percy asked him about it.

"Would you rather I had him keelhauled?" the captain asked.

"No." Percy said. "I don't think he'd survive that. I just want to hear the story."

"All right then," Jack replied and told him how Will had conspired with Sao Feng and the East India Trading Company. "Anyway, he wanted the Pearl so that he could to Flying Dutchman to free his father from Davy Jones."

"Davy Jones?" Percy asked, having never heard that name before.

This time, Tia Dalma told the story about Davy Jones and the way he kept his heart in a chest – literally.

"So now he keeps the souls instead of delivering them," Jack told him. "Officially it's hundred years only but during that time they start losing themselves and become part of the ship – literally. Now I know why Will wanted the Pearl – so he could go and free his father from Davy Jones. And unlike the others, Bootstrap-Bill isn't exactly dead yet."

"So it wouldn't be a bad thing?" Percy said.

"No. But the Dutchman must have a captain and whoever manages to stab the heart must take his place."

Jack told Percy how he, Will, and Norrington had been in three-way battle for the heart of Davy Jones – and of course, Davy Jones had become involved as well. In the end, Norrington had got it, and the still beating heart had ended up in the hands of East Indian Trading Company, particularly that of Samuel Beckett who now had a way to control Davy Jones.

"Both Will and I want to him gone – he wants to free his father and I want to free myself. And I doubt that Davy wants to be a slave to Beckett."

"And since he's not doing his job, he should be replaced for all those lost souls," Percy concluded moodily.

"Indeed," jack said. "And I'd get a big one on Beckett, too," he muttered, fingering the P-shaped burn-mark on his arm.

"He did that? Why?"

"Brand of a pirate," Jack said. "Because unlike him, I don't think people are cargo. He wanted me to ship some people into slavery."

"So… you didn't just refuse, did you?" Percy asked.

"That would only get someone else to do it," Jack said. "So… I took them on board but let them off in a place where Beckett couldn't get to them."

"Good one," Percy chuckled.

For the rest of the journey Percy heard about the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow, even if Jack delegated most of the storytelling to Mr. Gibbs. Of course, Gibbs knew more about sea lore than anyone on board, so it was probably for the best.