Commandeering Commodore
Chapter 64
Jack, with James close behind, entered the tavern and immediately spotted Gibbs and several of the crew at a table in the corner.
"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack called out as he approached the table.
"Cap'n?" Gibbs answered a bit startled as he looked up at Jack with bloodshot eyes.
Jack made shooing motions at the men who were sitting around the table, as they moved away Jack sat down, leaned towards Mr. Gibbs, and waving his hands about said, "Where is Captain Teague?"
With a puzzled look around the room Mr. Gibbs answered, "He was here a bit ago Cap'n. Well I guess maybe it was longer than a bit." He said as he looked at several empty rum bottles sitting on the table in front of him. "Probly upstairs with a bit of female companionship Cap'n, if ya get my meanin." Gibbs continued with a shrug.
"I highly doubt that Mr. Gibbs," Jack said sourly, "seeing as both my ship and my Da, and I use that term loosely you understand, are gone."
"Gone?" Gibbs said, suddenly a lot more sober than he had been. "Jack, she's gone again?"
"Aye, gone!"
"What are ya gonna do Cap'n?" Gibbs asked.
"We Mr. Gibbs, we are going after him….er her….er him and her….er them….both."
"If ya don't mind me askin Cap'n jest how are we gonna go about that? Seein as the Pearl is gone and all."
"I'm still working on that part Mr. Gibbs." Jack said with a frown.
"Perhaps I can be of some assistance." James interjected.
Jack and Gibbs both looked at James with surprise, "And just why would you be wanting to do that mate?" Jack asked suspiciously.
"When you signed the letters of Marque Captain you placed the Black Pearl under the authority of the Royal Navy and the Crown, ergo the theft…commandeering of it by known or unknown person or persons in these waters makes it my responsibility to do all in my power as Commodore of this territory to recover it for the Crown."
"So yer tellin me yer gonna help me get me Pearl back?" Jack said, a bit of suspicion in his tone.
"I am indeed telling you I am going to help you get your Pearl back." James said with a nod.
"Well then Commodore, when do we leave?" Jack said with a flutter of hands.
"As soon as my ship can be readied Captain."
"I'll drink to that." Jack said as he took the bottle Gibbs was holding and took a long drink.
"Sparrow you would drink to anything." James said with a shake of his head.
"Aye, yer mostly right bout that Commodore." Jack said with a glittery grin as he took another drink, his mood a bit lighter now that he had a way to go after his beloved Pearl.
"I shall go make ready and inform the Governor of our plans." James said as he turned to leave. "I will expect to see you at the dock shortly." James took a few steps, paused and said, "Captain Sparrow."
"Aye?" Jack answered.
"I will expect you to be sober, or as sober as you are ever able to be."
"No worries Commodore." Jack said as he took another drink. "I shall endeavor to be as sober as I am able to be under the current circumstances and if not sober as possible I swear on pain of death I will in the least do me most to conduct myself in as uninconvieniently a way as is possible for me to be conductin meself under the influence… and circumstances so as not to be a bother to yer little navy gobs nor yerself in me actions and reactions while aboard yer fine little navy ship what's goin after me Pearl. Savvy?"
James snorted in reply and turned and left the tavern.
"What's gotten into him ya suppose wantin ta be so helpful and all?" Mr. Gibbs asked as he watched James leave.
"Not a clue Mr. Gibbs, but no sense in looking a gift hor……..er Commodore in the mouth….or anywhere else I'm thinkin, least not as long as he's servin our purpose." Jack said with a smile.
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James stopped at the docks and informed Lt. Gillette to ready the ship to sail, and headed for the Governor's.
"Commodore, you just returned, are you sure this is the right decision?" Governor Swann asked after listening to James.
"We can not allow a ship under our protection, especially a ship such as the Black Pearl, to be taken without doing what we can to recover it." James stated.
"I will of course back your decision Commodore." Weatherby answered.
Thank you Governor, I will leave Lt. Gillette here in my stead. I have every confidence in his abilities."
"Of course, Lt. Gillette is a fine officer."
"If you will excuse me then Governor I shall go see to my ship."
"I wish you God speed and good luck Commodore."
"Thank you Governor, for some reason I feel we may need it."
James went home, cleaned up, and changed clothes before heading once again for the docks and his ship. James was not on board more than a few minutes when Jack showed up.
"Permission to come aboard yer fine ship here Commodore." Jack called out as he rocked back on his heels and waved his arms around wildly.
James had been standing on the deck going over some last minute things with Lt. Gillette. He turned, and looked at Jack, noting the man was clearly much more intoxicated than when he'd left him. James walked over to the rail, assumed his most Commodore-ly stance and posture as he peered down at Jack.
"Is this what you consider a sober state Captain Sparrow?" James said with raised eyebrows.
"I believe the terms I promised ya I would be were sober as possible Commodore, and this is my sober as possible state under the circumstances, as it were." Jack answered with a shiny smile and a flop of hands as he swayed back and forth.
James gave a snort and as he turned away from the rail called back over his shoulder, "Come aboard if you are able Captain, and be advised we will not fish you out of the water if for some clearly apparent reason you are unable to navigate the boarding plank and actually make it aboard."
"No worries Commodore." Jack said with a flutter of fingers as he stepped onto the gangplank and almost lost his balance.
To Be Continued
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