Sentinel
Pirate Three
Not all Treasure is silver and gold
By Susan
The Snow Leopard was a medium sized East
India Company ship; she usually plied her trade fairly uneventfully from India
to England. But today her Captain had received a summons to come to London -
more specifically to the Lloyds Coffee House situated near the River Thames on
Tower Street - where Captain Francis White was to meet with Factor Martin.
Entering the Coffee House Captain Francis White
was immediately waved to a seat opposite Factor Martin and watched as the
waiter poured coffee into china cups from a solid silver coffee pot. With a
wave of his hand the waiter was dismissed and Factor Martin took a sip of his
coffee savoring the bitter beverage. As he did so he studied the man in front
of him, the Captain was a man in his late forties, he was graying at the
temples but with a fine head of hair, unlike many he didn’t powder his hair,
his clothes were of good quality, but not new. A good sign, Factor Martin
thought, it spoke of an honest man.
"Captain White, the reason I have summoned
you here is to talk about your next voyage…" He paused "Your wife is well I hope, and your
daughters? Anna Marie - adopted if memory serves – she is well also? I don’t think we have actually met, and the
lovely Alicia, I hear she is growing into a fine young lady, I am sure they
will both thrive in the Caribbean."
"Yes Sir." Francis kept his voice
level, uncommitted. He knew little of Factor John Martin, except that the man
was a sharp businessman, not yet a director in the East India Company, but
growing in power, and recently home from India. Factor Martin seemed to know
all about Anna Marie, and his greeting had been nothing more than a veiled
threat.
. Factor Martin, smiled and it reminded Francis
of a reptile - now they would get back to business. "I have a cargo which
you're going to take to Port Royal, this cargo is special it will be in
addition to the main cargo, it will be delivered on the evening before you
sail. Only you will be there to take the cargo on board, at Port Royal Factor
Douglass will take it into his care."
"Sir, the Snow Leopard is a good
ship, but not one of the fastest in the fleet."
"Which is why we are using it
Captain," He smiled again, and Francis had to stop the shudder running
down his spine.
"The Snow Leopard will not arouse
the suspicion of the people in the ports you visit, remember that you have to
follow the usual route, the cargo is important, speed is not the game, but
stealth is."
"Yes Sir"
"You understand the game Captain White?
You need not know what is in the cargo just that the fate of the East India
Company in Caribbean will be at risk if it is not delivered safely,"
Martin gave a soft chuckle, "No pressure of course." He paused,
"Once in the Caribbean, you will be based in Port Royal, running the trade
routes, a man can do well out there, and Captain, I think you will do very
well." Reaching into his pocket he
took out an envelope sealed with red sealing wax "This you will give to
Factor Douglass on arrival." He took a sip of coffee and waved Francis
away, their meeting was concluded and the plan was put into motion.
Captain White was a good sailor and most
important a good man, his crew were loyal and skilled, and he prided himself on
running a tight ship.
All the underhanded dealings back in London had
left him sick, he understood it but all the same it was bitter in his mouth, he
had no knowledge of what was in the crate, but it must be important.
So far apart from meeting with two other ships
and exchanging letters they had seen no ships on the horizon which had given
cause for concern, but now after four weeks sailing they had entered the
Caribbean, and that peace was about to change. The Caribbean was an increasing
hot bed of Pirate activity, from those working on the outer rim of the islands
to those working close into Port Royal. The Snow Leopard was a good
ship, but no greyhound and certainly no warship, but once in Port Royal he
would have additional cannons fitted to her, until then discretion would be the
better part of valor - and keeping out of trouble the order of the day.
Francis was stood on the quarterdeck near the
helms man, when he heard the yell from the crows nest, "Ship ahoy,"
he leveled his telescope on the small dot on the horizon, and tried to make out
who's ship it was. Still too far out for positive identification all he could
do was wait and pray as it came closer.
It was now six weeks since the Black Pearl
had left Tortuga; Jim Ellison walked its decks aware of the looks and the
muttered words of the men that surrounded him. A thief taker surrounded by
pirates.
During these six weeks, the Captain of the Black
Pearl had plied his trade, taking five ships, with remarkable lack of
deaths, for which Jim was thankful. Each time Jim had been asked his intent,
his answer was the same he had met the deep chocolate brown eyes of Captain
Jack Sparrow, and told him that he was a Thief Taker, and would not draw a
sword against another man. Each time the Pirate Captain had shaken his head,
and aimed a resigned look at Blair Sandburg, also known as Captain Ben Sanders,
pirate captain consort to Sparrow.
Then Jim would be locked in a cabin with Kath
Turner until the fighting was over, waiting to see who would win, and who would
die. Each time he had nearly become
lost in the darkness as he had sort his Guide out on the deck of the ships,
trying to follow him with his senses, nearly driven mad by the thought of his
Guide, although not yet bonded being injured.
The morality of a Thief Taker vied with that of the Sentinel to protect
his Guide.
If the Pearl was taken tomorrow, Jim would be safe, he had signed no articles, but his Guide had and that would convict him as a pirate. Of all the crew of the Pearl only he, Kath and Bill Turner would walk away free, but even Bill Turner would be on dangerous ground, in wanting to protect his adopted Guide.
Now looking
around the quarterdeck he saw Captain Jack Sparrow, without thinking he pushed
his senses out, and wrapped them around the Pirate Captain. The Sentinel in him
over riding the Thief Taker. Jim’s eyes
widened as he saw Sparrow shudder then glare at him and look back at the sails
then the horizon. With amazement Jim realized the pirate Guide had felt the
senses touch him.
The voice behind him made Jim jump and he
clasped his hands to his ears in pain, as he struggled to pull his hearing back
to a normal level. The weight of a hand on his shoulder steadied him.
"I said he’s powerful, the most sensitive
Guide I have ever seen Sentinel. That’s what makes him so dangerous."
Jim turned to see Blair Sandburg, alias Captain
Ben Sanders stood there.
The Sentinel
shook the hand off his shoulder, he could feel the heat radiating from the
younger man’s hand, and his scent had nearly swamped him. But he wasn’t giving
into the base need to bond. Jim rubbed his jaw where Blair had hit him all
those weeks ago, if the Guide thought he had taken the initiative in kidnapping
him, he had something else coming. What
ever he was going to say would have to wait as Kath Turner had come up on deck,
she was the wife of Bill Turner, the Sentinel that had laid claim to Jack
Sparrow in an attempt to help the pirate Guide and keep him alive. But he was
having problems that would have driven a saint crazy. Kath was caught between
the two men, Bill was her husband and her Sentinel, yet he had adopted Sparrow,
until the time her son reached his majority and could lay claim to the slender
pirate himself. She had made the choice of leaving her son Will in Tortuga with
Reverend Peter Spencer and his wife Elisa – who was Jack's mother – in an
attempt to decoy any Thief takers way from them. Because of the injuries the
Pirate Captain was still carrying, Kath had insisted on accompanying him on
this voyage.
Her presence on the Pearl had caused
problems; her exact position on board was one the former crew of the Morning
Star had talked about long into the night over their rum. She was the wife
of the newcomer, Bill Turner, a good sailor but they didn’t have to be smart to
see that he hated everything pirate. But the Captain, and Captain Sanders
tolerated him, so they did as well. But why should he have a woman when they
were stuck at sea without one to warm their beds. The rumbling of discontent
had started very quickly and Kath had found herself running a gauntlet of
prying hands, then as suddenly as it started it had stopped. Kath Turner had
just found out why
The former sailors of the Morning Star,
Sparrow's first ship, fell back, they had found out the hard way that she had a
right hand as strong as any prizefighter, and had the temper of a spitfire when
she wanted. Now she was striding towards the pirate captain and you didn’t have
to be Sentinel to see the way he watched her, flinching slightly as she walked
straight up to him.
Her hand lashed out and caught him round the
face, the blow was hard enough to rock his head round, the beaded braids
slapping against his face.
Bill took the steps two at a time, his face
showing the anger that was etched on his wife’s face.
"Jack Sparrow," Kath screeched at
him.
"Not... so… loud... luv… I'm... not…
deaf." The young pirate Captain said slowly and clearly, whist making a
great play of clearing his ears.
"How dare
you tell the men that I'm bedding you… you conceited, egoistical, you…"
Bill cut
across her, "Jack Sparrow, when I get hold of your…"
There was a pause and he snapped "CANNONBALLS."
Captain Jack Sparrow, winced, "You sure
you should say that in front of your wife?"
Bill threw himself forward, bringing Jack and
Kath crashing down, just as a cannon ball punched a neat hole through the sail
and a the second took out part of the hand rail. .
Jack struggled free and began yelling orders as
he hauled the ship over, the next two cannon balls missed the ship, and then
the chase was on.
Jim had been
following the conversation - at a distance with his Sentinel hearing - when he
had suddenly twisted around as he heard a whistling sound, and saw two black
objects coming towards the ship, he only had time to throw Blair to the deck,
before the cannon ball went over their heads.
He heard the gut churning sound of ball meeting wood, as splinters flew
past him. The Sentinel rolled onto his
knees and quickly scanned the horizon, and saw the ship bearing down on them
with full sail, his eyes fixed on the flag, East India Company, a pirate
hunter.
The ship was closing quickly but the Black
Pearl had the best of the wind, and was soon pulling away, as it tacked to
prevent the attack ship from gaining an advantage.
Jim braced himself and stared back at the ship
and swore, he could see it was none other than Richard Norton standing at the
helm of the ship. How the hell was he still alive, and what tap dance had he
done to be in command of this ship? Simon would have known he was a pirate, not
just a pirate but also one of the most cold-blooded killers on the
Spanish Main.
Then he knew, Simon left St. Thomas with him in
pursuit of the Black Pearl, there was no one to make the connection with
Theo Morgan and Richard Norton. It was
then he began to fade and he faltered only to be caught and held, his arm
sliding around the person holding him, clinging onto them as the world slowly
returned to normal. He lifted his head to look into the eyes of Blair Sandburg,
his eyes, seen through Sentinel vision were stunning, as deep blue as the very
sea surrounding the Black Pearl. Jim frowned and began to raise a hand,
then let it fall away, with a nod of thanks, he turned towards the Quarter
Deck, taking the steps two at a time, as he reached it he caught the look from
Bill Turner, the other Sentinel had seen the man at the helm, and had
recognized Norton. Jim shook his head to
stop him from speaking; Sparrow didn’t need to know just yet. First they had to
get clear then they would talk.
Captain Francis White’s ship was under attack,
and he was doing the only thing he could, run for his life, the ship – flying
the blood-red flag of 'no quarter' -- was closing in on him, just then the
sky’s opened and the first sheet of rain began to fall, the wind began to stir
up the waves, lifting them up and crashing them against the side of the ship.
Now the threat to the Snow Leopard was no longer just the other ship,
but the raging storm that threatened to destroy them all
The wind was buffeting the Black Pearl,
but Jack was keeping full sail on her, he hung onto the wheel with both hands,
fighting against the waves that would take the Pearl off course, they
had soon lost sight of the other ship, and now it was just the Pearl and
the sea in a battle to the death, one mistake on the part of Jack Sparrow, and
the ship would be lost.
Blair like Jack was soaked to the skin, a wave
crashed into him, sending him flying across the deck, he collided with the base
of the main mast and his left arm went numb after a blazing pain that nearly
blacked him out, then he was sliding on his back, he tried to grab hold of a
rope, but his fingers grazed it and he twisted onto his stomach, when he
suddenly halted. Blair shook his head to clear the wet hair from his eyes, and
looked up into the face of Jim Ellison, the Thief Taker had a hand wrapped
around his wrist, another around one of the ropes, holding on tightly to
prevent the younger smaller man from being swept off the pitching deck. For a heart beat they just laid there, the
strain showing on the face of the Sentinel, as slowly he began to inch Blair to
safety, then another wave struck, and Jim was pulled forward as Blair was almost
snatched from his grasp with a grunt the Sentinel hauled back with all his
weight and Blair was pulled into him. In the brief few seconds they had, Jim
shifted slightly so that instead of holding the rope, he had his arm hooked
round it, and was holding onto Blair with both hands. Blair’s face was pressed
to his chest, and he clung onto the pirate tightly all he could do was pray the
storm would finish soon.
Down in the cabin, Kath was wedged in the
corner of the cabin as the ship pitched and dipped, she looked up towards the
ceiling, knowing that her husband was up there, and wished him safe.
Bill took the rope in his hands, and managed to
crawl up the steps to the Quarterdeck, he was flung forward and he tasted blood
as his face smashed into the wooden step. Spitting it out he continued up,
managing to regain his feet at the top, he secured the rope to the wooden rail
tugging on his own line he staggered to Jack, the first thing the pirate
Captain knew was when he felt a tug at his waist as the rope snaked round him,
he didn’t turn around. He had 'felt' the Sentinel and knew it was Bill Turner.
The Black Pearl dropped suddenly, as a
wave crashed over the deck, Bill was making his way back down below, when
suddenly it was as if his mind was flooded with emotions not his own, elation
at fighting the storm, and then pain and fear. When he spun around his heart
dropped, Sparrow was gone, then he saw the hands clinging to the edge of the
quarterdeck, with a muted cry they slipped away.
Bill, fought the pitching deck, and looked down
over the edge, Jack was hanging from the rope round his waist the only thing
stopping him from being dropped into the savage sea. The Sentinel reached down
and caught his Guides hand for the moment looking into the depths of the dark
brown eyes, then he hauled him up, the spluttering, gasping Jack landed on the
quarter deck fighting for breath, as Bill straightened, the Pearl was swamped
again, and he pitched forward. Jack
threw himself at Bill, his weight knocking the man backwards, and one hand
scrabbling on the deck as he felt them both start to slide back towards the
sea. His feet caught one of the rails, as the Pearl pitched again the whole
ship seemed to almost keel over, then it dipped again and they slid across the
deck. Bills hands missed the helm, but Jack caught it bringing the two of them
to a halt. His face only inches from Bill’s face, shocked the Sentinel saw the
way the pirate Guide was grinning at him, and with a jolt he realized he was
loving every minute of it. Jack clawed
his way back to his feet, his arms feeling as if they were pulled out from
their socket as he tried to slow the wheel as it spun. He sagged against the wheel as Bill used him
to pull himself to his feet. .
Unable to move he just plastered himself round
Jack, his body blanketing the slender pirate, his hands on the wheel lending
his strength to Jack's as he struggled to help steer the Pearl.
Jim felt the storm begin to die, and changed
his hold, on his charge, pleased that Blair had wrapped his good arm round him,
helping him keep the two of them safe. Keeping his grip on the rope, he
straightened up, and helped Blair to his feet, and with his Guide, still
clinging to him, managed to work his way to the steps to take them down below.
His Guide was hurt he needed help.
Kath jumped as the door was flung open, and Jim
and Blair all but fell into the room, both of them were shaking uncontrollably,
But before she could speak, Blair was thrust on to one of the bunks, and the
Sentinel was running a hand over his arm.
The pirate tried to pull free but a hiss of pain heralded the attempt.
Jim hissed, "Keep still," He ran an expert hand over him "The
shoulder is dislocated," he took a steadying breath, "this is going to hurt."
As he spoke his hands had slide into place,
with a quick move he relocated the shoulder back into its joint, Blair
screamed, clamping his teeth shut to try and block the sound, even as his
eyesight grayed and he nearly blacked out. Blair sank forward his head resting
against the Sentinel's chest.
Jim’s arms circled his Guide, giving him
strength, as Kath stood over them. Then
suddenly she said, "Bill is he?"
Blair’s voice was muffled and shaky "Bill
is with Jack."
Kath exhaled the breath she never knew she was
holding, somehow knowing that her husband was with the eccentric pirate captain
calmed her, they would look after each other. Even so she desperately wanted to
go up on the deck, but Jim shook his head as if reading her mind. "Still
too dangerous, soon Kath, soon."
Jack leaned forward onto the wheel, and slowly
looked up at the sails, only one was ripped the rest were still in one piece.
"Horizon’s clear Captain," Bill said as he patted the
younger man’s back "You did
well."
"You forgot one thing mate."
"What?"
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."
Finally Kath could make her way up on deck, as
the other crew members struggled across the deck, Jim stayed close to Blair as
he made his way back to the Quarter Deck, his hand dropping on Jack’s shoulder,
a quick word, and for the moment Jim saw Jack’s face harden, and then he gave
up his hold on the wheel, and carefully made his way down the stairs. He moved
slowly, Bill hovering around him as he went back to his cabin, Kath catching
the look her husband give her followed the Captain down, Bill meanwhile took
the opportunity to change into warm dry clothes..
By the time Bill came into the cabin, Jack was
holding onto Kath, as she wrestled the slighter built man’s clothes off,
dropping them onto the floor. He was shivering uncontrollably. Bill knew there
was something wrong with this picture, a husband when confronted with his wife
in the arms of a naked man, should draw his sword and run the villain through,
not meekly hand her a blanket, and watch as she wrapped it around the other
man, and help him to bed. But then
again that man wasn’t usually a Guide, and the husband a Sentinel, that made
all the difference. He saw the change
in Jack's breathing as he lay on the bed, he was asleep within minutes.
Fighting the storm had sapped his still recovering strength. Kath’s hand
brushed the braids from his eyes, and checked his temperature, with luck she
had staved off pneumonia.
Even in sleep Bill could hear Jack's teeth
chattering from the cold, sitting on the edge of the bed, Kath pulled the
younger man into her arms and began to rub his back and shoulders forcing heat
into his body, finally with a sigh Jack buried his face against the warmth of
her body and he slide into a deeper sleep.
Captain Francis White looked at his ship, he
had lost one of his masts in the storm, and his sails were hanging in tatters,
he had a replacement set in the hold of the ship, but it was going to take time
to reset them. Taking his telescope he checked the horizon, the pirate ship
that attacked him was gone, separated from them in the storm, now all he had to
do was get his ship into order, and hope they could limp into Port Royal before
it returned. He banged his fist against the rail. Security be dammed someone
had found out about his cargo. Hearing a foot step behind him, he turned to
see the ships doctor standing there, he looked grim, a storm like that always
took a toll on the men and now he would learn what the butchers bill was.
The cry from
the look out of 'ship ahoy' brought a feeling of dread to Captain White,
he had limited firepower, and his crew were already down by a third through
injury or death during the storm. He felt a hand on his arm, looking down he
saw his wife looking up at him, some of her hair had come loose from her bun,
and she looked younger than her 52 years. His hand briefly covered hers,
"They're still there, I hoped we had lost them, and darling we can’t run
anymore..." He paused, "…take the pistols from the desk, and gather
the children, Mr. Partridge, Mrs. Taylor and her daughter into my cabin and
what ever happens stay below." She
reached up, and kissed her husband and then headed towards their cabin..
The ship was coming fast towards them, Francis
White watched it carefully and then he exhaled slowly, it was a different ship,
this one had black sails and hull. It was instantly recognizable as the
infamous Black Pearl, Captain Theo Morgan might have been a sadistic
bastard, but he was an East India Company Captain, and as such would have to
take time out from his Pirate Hunting to help him. He trained his glass on the
Black Pearl; it was carrying some damage from the storm, but seemed to have
weathered it well.
The Pearl dropped it’s sails, losing the
wind to bring it slowly to a halt, grappling irons were thrown across as the
sailors made ready a gangplank bridging the two ships. It was then Captain White
saw the man coming across it.
He saw the long braided hair, a red bandana
holding back black braids woven with beads, the blue coat beginning to dull
from the sea spray, a battered leather tri-corner hat, the bright red and white
striped material wrapped around a slender waist, buckled over it a belt holding
a brace of pistols, and diagonal over his shoulder a sword belt. Pirate, there
was nothing else the man could be. With a sinking feeling he looked up the main
mast to the flag that was now flying the wind whipped it round, and it opened
out as if on command. It was black, with a white skull on it and under it
crossed cutlasses. He recognized it, Captain
Jack Sparrow, formally of the Morning Star, and now the Black Pearl,
the thought of what Sparrow could do with that kind of firepower on the fastest
ship in the Caribbean was disturbing if not downright frightening.
The Pirate
Captain was flanked by three other men, one tall, well built his face stoic
showing no emotion, unarmed, that raised Captain White's eyebrows, he was
accompanied by a smaller man, the same size as the Captain, but of more stocker
build. Wild hair pulled back, one arm tucked against his body, then on the
other side another tall man, armed, but his clothing like the other two more
sailor than pirate. He wasn’t watching Sparrow in fact gave the appearance that
he was totally ignoring him, but his eyes tracked the crew of the Snow Leopard,
looking for any threat to the young Captain.
Keeping calm
Francis decided to get on with it, he had met Sparrow before when Sparrow was
captaining the Morning Star, as consort to Richard Norton, and counted
himself lucky that Captain Norton had not been present at that meeting.
Otherwise he and the Leopard might be nothing more than a rotting hulk
at the bottom of the Caribbean.
"Captain Sparrow."
Jack closed
the distance between them his head tipping to one side, as if trying to bring
him into focus. And motioned between them with his hands, "Have I threatened you before?"
"Yes."
Jack beamed "Marvelous" and appeared
to bounce "We know where we stand."
As he gazed around the ship his expression became calculating "So
what are you carrying?"
Captain White took a mental deep breath, now
came the most dangerous part, if Sparrow knew about the shipment in the belly
of his ship and he lied, there was no knowing what the pirate would do, he was
notoriously volatile.
Captain Jack Sparrow continued, his hand
scratching at his chin, "Captain White," he said the name slowly
"your answer please."
Francis was surprised that Sparrow remembered
him, but he couldn’t work out if that was good or bad.
The pirate waited for him to speak, while he
did so he was examining his nails. "Captain," that one word was a
warning.
White knew that denying there was anything of
value would be unbelievable, and Sparrow was no man’s fool, "We have cotton, rum and sugar
cane" Jack just nodded as he circled round the Captain.
"Then you won't mind us looking will you…
mate," a grubby hand landed on the Captain White's shoulder then loud he
added "Ben check the Captain's cabin."
Francis put in quickly. "My wife."
Jack tilted his head slightly and grinned
broadly, "your wife is a looker?" Seeing the panic in his eyes, Jack
added, "No one will hurt her."
"Your word of honor."
"The word of honor of a pirate" Jack
scoffed. "You'll take that seeing as how you hold us pirates in such high
regard."
"Not a word of a pirate, the word of Jack
Sparrow."
"No the word of Captain Jack Sparrow"
the slender pirate amended. Then added, "You have that mate" Jack
slid his arm around Captain White "Now where is the rum you were talking
about?"
Blair wasn’t stopped as he went below, if
anything the crew stepped back, Jim Ellison followed tracking him. Blair
reached for the door handle to the Captains Cabin.
Tom Carter was 10 years old and the cabin boy
of the Snow Leopard, he had been told to stay hidden but his curiosity
lead him to go up on deck to see the famous Black Pearl the renowned
Pirate Hunting ship. Once he heard the men talking he had run down to tell Mrs.
White, she had immediately pulled him behind her and picked up the pistols.
Pirates, she would protect her children, her hand was shaking she pulled back
and cocked the flintlock, before handing one to Mr. Partridge.
Approaching the cabin Jim suddenly lunged
forward dragging Blair to the floor, as he heard the clicks, a heart beat
before they discharged, the bullets ploughing into the wall behind them.
"Bill" Jack snapped at the other
Sentinel as he heard the muffled explosion, spinning around in a flurry of
hands, coat and hair.
The older man shook his head, "They're all
right Captain, no one’s hurt"
"How?" Francis looked from pirate to
the older man and back again. The older man, Bill had to be a Sentinel that was
the only answer, his eyes flicked between them. This Bill was body guarding the
Pirate Captain; it radiated from his every move.
Things just got more interesting.
Blair flatted himself against the wall, at the
side of the door, then back kicked the door open, another click and the pistols
discharged again, then Blair was in with Jim close on his heels. The woman’s
pistol dropped into her lap, she reached out and pushed Mr. Partridge's gun
down as well. Looking up, chin held high she waited for what was going to
happen next.
"It’s alright Lady, no one is going to
harm you."
Mrs. White looked the newcomer up and down, the
man who stood in front of her was shorter than her husband, his long curly hair
was barely restrained by the leather tie. His clothing was more like that of a
clerk than a pirate, but then again Captain James Champion looked more like a
clergyman than a pirate.
The man flanking him she frowned and then gave
a gasp of surprise. Half rising "Thief Taker Ellison" She added
"Jim."
The Sentinel peered at her, Rachel Simmons, she
had been a friend of his family before she married, and then he realized that
Captain White was her husband. All the pieces came together.
"What are you doing? I…" she stood up
reaching for him, her hand just touched his arm, as Blair snarled at her.
"My Sentinel, lady," his tone barely
polite. His hand lashing out to grab Jim’s jacket and pull him away from this
woman, his good will towards her slipping away.
Jim shook his head; "Guides" a smile
twisted his lips ruefully. Then he closed his hand over Blair’s long slender
fingers. He felt the tension in the hand ease. As he moved back a step towards
Blair away from Rachel they had yet to bond, but it seemed the Guide was
getting possessive of the Sentinel a good sign for a bond.
Rachel knew that Jim would never turn pirate,
something was going on here, he was unarmed, her gaze shifted from the young
newcomer to her family friend and back again. It seemed that her friend had
found an important addition to his life.
"Are you a pirate? You don’t look like a
pirate," Rachel aimed the question to the younger man.
"I am in a manner of speaking." Blair
smiled, happier now that his Sentinel was showing he knew his place, next to
his Guide.
Blair raised his voice, "Bill tell Jack
we're okay, and coming up."
Mrs. White kept her daughters close as they
came up onto the deck; this was to have been the last voyage the girls took as
the family was setting up a home in Port Royal now that her husband was working
on the trade routes.
She pulled
them behind her as the pirate captain came close, at 12 and 18 years of age her
daughters were young women, pretty and spirited, and that was a dangerous
combination.
There was no way he could be anything other
than a pirate, the bright red and white sash round his waist over that a belt
holding two pistols, dangled over his shoulder his sword belt, and the long
dark hair braided and adorned with trinkets, and a red bandana, a pirate
certainly. Now he was getting close to them, she could see her husband tense,
but she shook her head. For all that she knew the danger they were in, she just
knew they would live through this.
Jack’s lips twisted into a smile as he saw the
older girl, a raven headed beauty. He raised a hand, and she didn’t pull away
as his fingertips brushed her face. Suddenly the younger girl was between them
batting his hand away, then she hit him hard across the face.
"Don’t touch her," she shouted
Mrs. White pulled her young daughter back
scared that the pirate would shoot her.
But instead he just looked at her, as he
fingered his stinging cheek, "No luv, I don’t think I deserved that, not
yet anyway." He seemed to go deep in thought.
"Jack," Blair snapped his fingers in
front of the other man’s face, causing him to stagger back a step, as he
returned from whatever strange place he had drifted off to.
Blair rolled his eyes, Jack was a firm favorite
with the 'working ladies' of Tortuga, and he had an eye for pretty women, well
– to be honest - any woman. But he would never force himself on a woman, unless
she wanted him too.
He leaned right into Anna Marie, his eyes
flashing with mischief, as he caught her hand and touched it to his lips. Then
swung away from her to face her father again, executing a half bow, "
Remember today Captain White, this is the day that Captain Jack Sparrow let
your ship go. " Then in a flamboyant swirling mass of hair and coat, he
headed back to the Pearl.
Part two
In the Captain's cabin, Jack Sparrow sat behind
his desk, flanking him was Blair, he pushed the 'Articles of the Black Pearl'
across the desk towards Jim, "Look mate sign them, and we're all be one
big happy family, these articles cost a pretty penny to have scribed" he
cocked his head slightly "it’s the only way the crew will trust you, and
what they don’t trust they try to kill, savvy?"
Jim glanced down at them then pushed them away,
"I took an oath as a Thief Taker, and one day Jack…" the Sentinel put
a stress on the name, "…You will hang for your crimes."
"It's
Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack said then muttered, "Why can’t everyone
remember that?" Jack turned his attention to Bill Turner, "What about
you Bill?" he paused and examined his nails "You have already
plundered ships this would just make it official." The Pirate Captain
looked up "or you prefer to remain on the outside of our little family,
incase we're caught." Jack shrugged "Hate to break it to you mate,
but they'll stretch your neck as soon as they will ours, and Thief Taker
Ellison will no doubt tell them all about you." He pushed the quill pen
across, "admit you have nothing to lose, and a full portion of the
treasure to gain."
Bill looked at the ink as it pooled on the nib
of the quill pen, the end crumpled he knew it would blot when he wrote, he
looked up and for a heart beat looked into the face of the man that he was
doing this for. He had promised Will he would protect his Guide, and to do that
he needed to sign the articles and for that reason he would. He would sink or
swim, escape or hang with his son’s Guide.
William
Turner - Port Thomas
The pen scratched across the paper, his fate
was now sealed with that of Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl.
Bill and Jim were suddenly sent to their knees
clutching their ears, pain scrunching up their faces as they tried to block out
the explosions.
Jim caught the table, "The Snow Leopard
is under attack we have to help."
The pirate
Captain leaned back in his chair; "Now why would we want to do that Thief
Taker?" he paused then added "Pirate" he said it as if that one
word would explain everything. He looked around him as if looking for someone.
The Sentinel knew he shouldn’t look; you just didn’t try to follow Jack Sparrow
when he was gazing into the distance, it always ended badly. But Jim did it all
the same.
Blair rolled his eyes, "Jack you said
yourself that they were good people, we can’t see them turned into fish food
can we." He placed his hand on the slender shoulder, "Jack," he
prompted.
"Alright" He was on his feet and
striding to the doorway.
With a smile on his face, Blair shook his head,
"and Jack stop playing with the Sentinel."
"Got to get my fun where I can," was
the retort of the departing pirate.
Jim shook his head, only to find Blair right in
his face, a splayed hand on his chest, the other hand resting on his shoulder,
"And we have some unfinished business Sentinel you and I."
The Sentinel stepped back his back thudding
into the wall of the cabin, he brushed Blair’s hand away as he pushed past him,
as if the pirate's touch had burned him, all he knew was that being trapped in
a corner with Blair was the last thing he needed at that moment. That it would
lead to something he couldn’t control, he all but ran from the room, leaving
Blair alone with Bill.
"You know you shouldn't tease him like
that Blair," the older man drawled, he was perched on the edge of the
Captain’s desk.
"Who’s teasing William, as for
James," Blair’s tone caressed the name, "he’s just being stubborn,
it's a little game we have to play but the result is already known."
Blair’s eyebrow went up, "and who are you to talk" he made a hand
motion between the empty chair and Bill, "Sentinel you seem remiss in
claiming what is yours."
Bill got to his feet, and started to walk out,
pausing only when he was level with Blair, for a moment the Guide thought he
wasn’t going to speak. "There are more ways to catch a sparrow than with a
net, remember that Guide."
Blair grinned broadly, and bounced with barely repressed
energy, the stakes it seemed between Sentinel and Guide had just been raised.
Then Bill was gone, when Blair reached the
deck, the Black Pearl was slicing it’s way through the waves.
The Snow Leopard was fighting for its
life, the first pirate ship had returned they had ignored its warning shots and
kept going, but it was painfully slow with the damage done by the storm. It was
only a matter of time before they were boarded and then it would be a bloody
massacre.
Suddenly the attacking pirate ship shuddered
and its main mast came crashing down, puzzled Francis White looked around and
saw the Pearl bearing down on to the pirate ship, Captain Sparrow had
used the 'long nines' to fire a warning shot, now he was coming in using the
wind to place himself in the optimum firing position. He released a devastating
raking broadside that echoed across the waves like rolling thunder; Francis saw
the attacking ship shudder, as it was hit again and again.
Stood on the deck, Jack squinted as the
cannon’s fired, smoke and flames lighting up the evening sky with flashes of
red, blue and white. He made a play of wiping his eyes, and then elbowed Bill
in the side, "You see that mate?"
"Yes Captain"
"Good," Jack said with satisfaction,
"thought for a moment the rum had turned on me."
