Commandeering Commodore

Chapter 16

"I'm havin me doubts here Commodore as to whether you're puttin most or all of your attention and or energies towards this if you get my meaning." Jack addressed James with a doubtful look.

"Really Captain, we have been at this for hours, and I find it extremely difficult to totally exchange my normal bearing and stance for that of a pirate, and I absolutely refuse in the most strenuous manner possible to follow your example in said bearing and stance." James said grumpily.

"Ya couldn't carry that off in the slightest anyway mate, no sense even considerin it, it would look downright foolish I'm sure."

"And you do not think it appears that way on you?" James said, eyebrows raised in question.

"Nah mate, I've got the flair and extravagation about me person to carry it off, unlike your stiff and stuffy self there." Jack ignored James glare as he continued, "Now Commodore, we're runnin out of time here so let's be tryin again. Just forget everything ya learned in the bloody Royal Navy bout bein grim, immovable, and inflexible and try walkin like ya ain't got a stick up your arse." Jack finished with a wave of his hands.

James gave a loud snort but did take a couple dozen steps forward, and then walked back to his original position and gave Jack a "Well?" look.

"I believe that was a might bit better that time Commodore." Jack said as he gave James a smile and a flop of his hands. "You may get it yet."

"Are we done now Captain?" James said wearily.

"Fer now I suppose, but you need ta keep practicin mate, you know the old sayin, practice makes……….practice makes………well I'm sure you can finish it for yourself with whatever words ya find most pleasin no doubt." turned and sashayed off with a wave of his arms.

James stood there pinching the bridge of his nose for a few minutes as Jack walked off, he could feel a headache coming on. He shook his head and headed for the galley and a cup of tea.

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"Ah Commodore, almost time to go ashore." Jack said gaily as he entered the galley a few days later. "We'll be at anchorage in less than an hour." he paused and then went on, "There's just one more little thing we need to do Commodore."

"And pray tell what would that be Captain?"

Jack answered with a smile as he pulled a dark green bandanna out of his pocket and flourished it in James face saying, "No self-respectin pira……..er privateer would be without one o these mate."

"Very well Captain," James said glumly, "You've done everything else, you may as well add that thing to the torment as well."

Jack smiled brightly, stepped forward, tied the scarf jauntily about the Commodore's head, stepped back, pulled a mirror out of his pocket, waving it in front of James and said, "That's just the touch ya needed mate. Care to take a look at your pira…..privateerly self?"

"No," James said snappishly.

"Suit yourself mate." Jack said withdrawing the mirror, and then instead of putting it back in his pocket laid it on the table, turned and called back over his shoulder as he left, "See you on deck shortly Commodore."

James sat there eyeing the mirror lying on the table, and finally letting out a disgusted huff picked it up and stared at his reflection, taking in the gold hoop in his ear and the scarf tied around his unbound almost shoulder length hair, and the scruffy beard on his face. "Good Lord James," he said to himself, "You do look quite piratical."

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Jack in the lead with Will and James following closely behind left the dock area and headed for the tavern district. Jack stopped every few minutes to remind James he was not supposed to be marching, and to quit looking around like he was making notes for an attack on the place.

After the tenth or so time James said sarcastically, "Perhaps you should have bound my eyes with the scarf instead of my hair and smacked me in the shin with a belaying pin to do away with my marching."

Jack looked at the Commodore appraisingly, tapping his fingers against his chin and said, "That's an idea Commodore."

"Jack, you're not seriously considering any of that." Will said a bit shocked.

"Well he's the one that suggested it William." Jack said poutily, flopping his hands at James.

"Oh please, can we just get on with this?" James said.

Jack still looked like he was considering the Commodore's offer for a few moments before turning and continuing up the street.

As James and Will started to follow, Will said, "I don't think he would have actually done any of that Commodore."

James just gave him a glaring look and remained silent.

As they approached and passed a group of drunken revelers standing on one of the corners of the street, one of them broke off from the rest and started to follow them. As he caught up with James he grabbed him by the shoulder, spun him around and pointing an unsteady finger in James' face slurred, "I know you! Yer that Com-e-door! Norinton er somfin like that."

James stood and stared at the man, Will looked horrified, and Jack looked around to see if any of the man's friends were looking their way. When he saw it didn't appear the group of drunks were even aware the man had left Jack made head motions and made a few humming sounds to alert James to lure the man into the near by alley. After a few of Jack's attempts James caught his meaning and began backing towards the alley, the man stumbling along still pointing his wobbly finger in James' face and repeating his intoxicated statement. A second or two after entering the alley there was a dull thud and the man pitched forward, sliding down James front in an extremely unconscious state. Jack was standing behind where the man had been standing moments before replacing his pistol into the waistband of his breeches.

"Might I remind you Commodore, your dear friend Governor Swann specifically requested we attract as little attention as possible? And although at the time of the original sayin of that he was addressin me, I'm sure he meant it to apply to all of us, savvy?" Jack said a bit snippily.

"You can hardly blame this encounter on me!" James sputtered.

"Can and do Commodore, yer the one that insisted on marchin inta town and glarin naval-ly and Commodore-ly like at everything that crossed yer path along the way, regardless of me attempts to persuade ya to do otherwise."

"Jack, James this isn't the time for your bickering, we need to get out of here before someone comes along." Will said, trying to be the voice of reason.

Jack turned and headed down the alley, calling back over his shoulder, "Well come along Commodore, no time to dawdle, we have places to be and people to meet."

"I will throttle him one of these days Mr. Turner, mark my words!" James said exasperatedly.

To Be Continued

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