Book One - Chapter Seven: The Monchris
The naval ship had its original orders to follow, and though it was supposed to make its stop in Havana, it would not travel that far out while totting the other ship. It made half the journey and then the long awaited ship appeared. The Monchris knew that only some of the cannons would be in use if the merchant ship was being pulled behind. Therefore, if they could remain on an angle, blocked by the merchant ship, they would be able to fire at the naval ship with minimal damage to themselves, which is what they did. Everyone aboard the naval ship was put into a frenzy. A large display of cannon fire and grappling hooks came flying out of the ship of the Monchris to take on both the naval vessel and sever the merchant ship from its tow. As a cannon blew a hole into the brig, Captain Jack Sparrow and his fellow captives escaped, took up arms and assisted the Monchris in combating the officers. The Monchris crew took note of these three random allies that had surfaced from the depths of the ship, and though they did not understand why they were fighting the naval officers, they did not interfere. Jack even came to the assistance of one man whom the officers had pinned to a corner, his name was Guy Lebat. Once rescued, Jack quickly introduced himself, simultaneously with the continuation of battle. The conversation was difficult to keep fluent since there was always another officer to apprehend, however, Jack did manage to explain himself and his capture by the naval officers. Of course, he did leave out all of the details about intentionally being captured so that he and his shipmates might be taken in by the Monchris themselves.
Guy Lebat agreed to a truce which he would pass along to the rest of his shipmates, keeping Jack Sparrow, Barbossa and Bootstrap Bill Turner safe for this conflict at least. There could be no promises to account for future friendships since Lebat was simply a deckhand and held no sway over his captain, a man Lebat told Jack was Captain Lorrach. Lebat spoke praises of his captain, however, he did mention that Lorrach was seldom found merciful with other sailors. Nonetheless, Guy Lebat swore to take Captain Jack Sparrow and his men aboard their own ship if they were to help in taking up the goods from these two ships. This was a quick agreement that needed no persuasion to ensue. What seemed like the whole of the Monchris crew swarmed both ships and their own men captained them back to their headquarters, forcing the naval survivors to jump from the deck along the way, one at a time, as though to leave a trail of bread crumbs behind them.
Both ships now secure, Lebat brought Jack Sparrow to his superior.
Captain Lorrach greeted the stranger and thanked him for his assistance with the naval ship, though, he admitted, it was quite unnecessary. Jack decided to keep things as direct as possible; he had a task and was determined to complete it. With that, he asked to speak privately and in confidence since he had a very serious proposition to make. Lorrach did not see the harm in humouring this other so-called captain and agreed to speak in private.
"Captain, I must say that you and your ship do not go unheard of in the seven seas. You are praised as equally as you are feared," Jack began in hopes of buttering up the infamous captain of the Monchris. "I must confess, however, that I do not find myself in your presence now completely by chance. No, I had rather hoped, or, intended no less, to make your acquaintance. The merchant ship that I had commandeered, you see, could not have been very useful with only the three of us aboard. Nor would it have been very useful to you had not the naval ship attached itself to it. It was a risky plan but the graces must have looked well upon us for here we are."
Captain Lorrach began to laugh as though he did not fully believe Jack Sparrow's story but found it highly amusing nonetheless. Perhaps it was the bravado that Captain Jack Sparrow was so accustomed to give off that made it seem so questionable that he should have found himself in this situation due to particular planning. In that part, Captain Lorrach would have been correct, for it was not particular planning that Jack used, or ever used in any situation. Particulars were not part of Captain Jack Sparrow, at least, not at this point. Nonetheless, there had been a plan that started in the Jack's mind and as steps were being placed before them, he used each to his advantage, never doubting the possibility of a flawless achievement.
"I come, quite frankly, to negotiate," Jack finally summarised.
"Negotiations? On what account? I have let you and your men live thus far," Captain Lorrach said through his thick accent.
"I come on behalf of one Captain Teague, Lord of the Caribbean Sea," Jack said delicately. Upon seeing Captain Lorrach's expression change, he continued, "I see that he is a common acquaintance of ours."
"He sends you to settle things?" Lorrach began to laugh again, "Do you plan to kill me on his behalf?"
"Not at all," Jack said in a very matter of the fact way. "All Captain Teague requests is the return of his chest. He has given me no further instruction than that."
"And so we negotiate?" he continued laughing.
"Aye, so we do."
"And why would I give up this chest I conquered on my own?"
"Because you've got larger fish to fry than just pirate booty," Jack said slyly. "You see, the captain approached me, knowing my former ties with the Company."
"The Company?"
"Aye, one East India Trading Company," Jack slowly clarified. "They pose a much greater threat as well as a much greater profit, if you know where to strike them, that is."
"Ah, but of course, so we negotiate," Lorrach said, finally understanding what his new found friend was meaning.
The negotiation was simple. Captain Lorrach would gain knowledge of the East India Trading Company's inner workings, and thus expose the weaknesses in the transportation of goods, but only after Jack had received the chest. Strangely enough, this worked out much easier than even Jack had planned. Lorrach knew which item he was requesting and also knew the complexities of the lock that sealed it, therefore knew that the chest was useless to anyone but Captain Teague. The profit that could be gained by exploiting Jack's knowledge would far surpass any possible contents that fit inside that chest. The issue, however, was that the chest was not aboard this ship, it was secure inside the Monchris headquarters, Castaway Cove. Needing to go there anyways, Captain Lorrach agreed to let Captain Jack Sparrow and his two men be the first to see the cove and live to tell about it.
Getting to the cove was a feat in itself. Jack was quickly reminded of the passage through Devil's Throat, fatal if attempted by those who did not know its workings. The location and design of Castaway Cove was terribly similar to that of Shipwreck. So similar that Jack began to guess how the threat of the Monchris must have begun. The success of Shipwreck provoked this attempted duplication. Jack tried not to laugh at the idea of a copied headquarters. If Shipwreck Cove was impenetrable how could these architects replicate it perfectly? Jack figured out the answer, they couldn't.
While entering the cove, Jack did not fail to notice that the other warships that were afloat sailed under the same flags and all bore the name Monchris. The secret to what made the Monchris so notorious was finally revealed, there was more than one. The idea behind the Brethren Court had been exploited for profit. Jack did not ask questions, he kept his focus so that he would not seem to be a threat.
Captain Lorrach had the chest brought out. It was a long rectangular chest with three locks around each side. It was unusual in size and shape, no wonder why Lorrach was able to distinguish it so easily.
"I believe this is what you were looking for?" Captain Lorrach said. "I wonder why it is that Captain Teague would be so interested in this chest that he would trade such valuable information for it?"
"Sentimental reasons," Jack replied coyly.
Captain Lorrach laughed. Jack joined in.
"But of course. What is a pirate without a sense of heart? But please, tell me, Jacque, why the Brethren Court? I tell you, I do not keep many men alive, but you, you could be a nice edition to the Monchris," Lorrach continued.
"As fine an offer as that is, I'm afraid I must decline. I only just got out of working for under orders. Nothing personal," Jack replied.
"Ah, so I see. Well, my friend, I wish you good luck. Maybe we'll meet again sometime. I only hope that I will not have to kill you. You are a funny man, Jacque."
"Yes, well, I, too, hope that not…yes," Jack said. He was just about to leave when the next thought came into his mind. "You know, you've done so much for me already, and I hate to ask, but, you did bring us in and my and my men have no nautical way of getting out…"
Captain Lorrach laughed, "You need a ship?"
"It would be nice, yes."
"I will have one of my men take you back out."
"Safe passage to the mainland?" Jack asked.
"Jacque, it hurts that you don't trust me."
Captain Lorrach agreed to Jack's demand on condition that Jack take his ship directly to the Company's weakest point of passage. Quickly it was agreed to and quickly it was done. The information was exchanged and then Captain Jack Sparrow, Bootstrap and Barbossa were ferried inland where they could easily meet up with Captain Teague.
Jack met with his father alone. He gave him the chest which Captain Teague recognised instantly.
"Jackie boy, I don't know how you pulled it off," Captain Teague said with a laugh of disbelief. He was more impressed with his son than he expected to be. He had originally hoped that his son would simply destroy the Monchris ship. Captain Teague proceeded to pull up a chain from around his neck. Attached to the chain were three broken keys. It was a lengthy process, inserting the keys into each lock. It would have been helpful if he had remembered the varying order the keys were meant to go in on each side of the chest, but that not being the case, Captain Teague was forced to do use trial and error until at least three sides were unlocked. Jack eagerly waited to see the treasure within the chest. Captain Teague gently lifted his treasure with both hands. In it was a finely hand-crafted Spanish guitar.
"That's it?" Jack said disappointedly.
"This was the instrument that sang Calypso out of the sea. It's been passed down since the first Brethren Court. I first held it back in sixty-two."
"That was a good year."
"Damn good year. It's worth more than your life, Jackie."
As promised, Captain Teague gave his son a ship, in fact, he gave him one of his own ships, the Roving Maid, but only upon one last Teague had longed to see the Monchris sunk to the salty deep, but given that there were numerous ships, this was something that Captain Teague could bring forward to the Brethren Court, which he did. The Brethren Court gathered and agreed to take on the Monchris in a united fashion, knowing now where they hailed from and where their destinations would be. Captain Teague asked for his son and his ship to help in the attack.
It took months to complete the siege but in the end, the Brethren Court prevailed. Upon the success, Captain Teague proposed that he step down from his position of Lordship, and take on the duty of overseeing the Pirate Code - the Pirata Codex. This being granted, Captain Teague passed his piece of eight, given to him by the former Lord of the Caribbean, to his own son. A fine addition to the vast amount of treasure Jack accumulated on this expedition.