Dead Men Tell No Tales

Chapter 3

by

E. Batagur

~*~

~*~

"No sense givin' them advanced warning," Jack said.

"You assume there will be a patrol," James commented.

"If it had been you still as commodore, would there have been?" Jack asked.

"Yes, of course, but...."

"QED, luv. QED."

"Jack, that assumption suggests that one Royal Navy commander is pretty much like another," James complained.

Jack just stared at him with a flat expression. James rolled his eyes heavenward with a sigh.

As he looked up, James happened to catch a glimpse of Groves climbing the ratline to rigging of the mainsail. He heaved another sigh and turned away.

"Problem with the sail, luv?"

James looked at Jack. Jack's eyes seemed darker beneath the shadow of his battered tricorn. His expression was unreadable.

"Just thinking, is all," James answered, keeping his voice as casual as possible.

Jack looked up at the men along the yard of the main top sail pulling the ropes along the rigging to clear it from the courses. "Aye, thinking." He then walked back to the great cabin, closing the door behind him.

***

It was around suppertime when Jack and James headed out on a dinghy to the shore. Naturally, it was a time selected by James.

"The second watch is due to end and the third watch is to begin," James had said. "The watch is hungry and distracted by the smells issuing out from the ships' galleys and the kitchens about town."

"My sweetling." Jack had rewarded him with a kiss.

It was better this way. Jack would have thought nothing of sailing the dinghy right into the harbor and bribing the harbor master. James was a bit more thrifty and less insane than that.

It was a bit of a walk that took them through cultivated lands where sugarcane, the seed of rum, was grown. They skirted the edges of the farms, steering clear of the dusty roads, rutted with wagon tracks, which split the fields. The sun was low in the sky, but there were a few workers still in the field. None of them took notice of the two scruffy strangers walking towards town.

The air was warm, but not oppressively hot, which made the walk into town a little more refreshing. There still had been a few late merchants and workmen making their way home, but the streets, for the most part, were clear. The skies were darkening when they arrived at the village blacksmith shop. Mr. Brown's smithy looked the same on the outside, with its battered wooden sign and wood figure of a man with a hammer and anvil.

"What is here, Jack?" James asked before they entered.

"A pirate king."

"I thought you said William Turner was on the Dutchman."

"He is, luv," Jack replied solemnly. He then opened the door.

The gloom of the smithy was the same as James remembered it. The forge was still lit and the smell of metal and sulfur still filled the air. However, Mr. Brown's chair in the corner was empty. A figure moved in a far corner. James noticed the shifting of skirts. The lone occupant of the shop was a woman.

The woman's head came up as she heard the two men enter the shop, and she peered at them from across the gloom. Her lovely face, streaked with a smear of soot across one delicate cheekbone, broke into a beautiful smile as she recognized the bedraggled pirate that stood in her door stoop. Jack stepped down with a smile as Elizabeth dropped what she was doing and rushed forward.

"Jack!" She said as she came towards them, her arms out stretched to take Jack up in a joyous embrace. But she faltered, stumbling to a halt as her eyes met James'. She gasped, but her smile became even more joyful. It shone like sunshine brightening the very air around her.

"JAMES!" She threw herself into James' arms with a force that made him expel breath in a grunt.

"Elizabeth," James said in a breathless squeak.

"Oh! You're alive! You're alive!"

"Aye, he is for now, but you might want to give him a bit o' breath, luv," Jack commented.

Elizabeth released James quickly, making James stumble a step. He pulled himself up straight with a smile. Elizabeth held one of his hands while her other hand touched his face.

"I can only imagine your presence among the living has something to do with Jack," Elizabeth said.

"Of course," James replied. "Jack is the only man I know of who has a large association with the undead and formerly dead. Half his friends are walking corpses."

"You exaggerate," Jack pointed out plainly.

"Do I?" James replied, lifting an eyebrow as he looked at the man by his side. Elizabeth's rich laughter called his attention back to her.

She was still beautiful. James had never forgotten how very beautiful Elizabeth Swann could be. When she smiled, when she laughed, when her eyes twinkled with mischief, she was as glorious as spring. She was the flower of all Port Royal, and her heart belonged to William Turner. James had probably known that all along, but had allowed himself to be blind, urged on by her father's hopes and his own ego.

"Such an unlikely pair!" Elizabeth laughed. "How did this happen? Why are you here?"

Jack smiled, moving forward to take Elizabeth by the arm and guide her back away from the door. "We have pressin' business that requires the attention of yourself, as the pirate king and the lord of the South China Sea."

Elizabeth sighed, taking her arm from Jack's grip she walked back over to the bench she had been working at.

"Pirate matters, of course," she said flatly.

"Of the highest order," Jack replied with a small bow.

"Aren't they always," she then added with a derisive snort.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd be thinkin' you ain't right happy to see us, Elizabeth."

"Jack," she said, exasperated, slapping a hand down on the bench. It was then that James noticed that Elizabeth's once fair, delicate hands were dirty, worn and callused.

"I gave it up. I'm not a pirate any longer."

"Now that is where you are wrong, luv," Jack said with a small smile. "The title of king is binding till death, and unless you named a successor to your domain, you are still the lord of the South China Sea. You may not be active on the waves, but you still are the absolute authority of the domain between Rangoon and Macau."

Elizabeth heaved a defeated sigh. "What do you want, Jack?"

"Pray, be fair, dear Elizabeth," Jack said. "I fear we may not have a sound hearin' at your hands."

Elizabeth smiled and shook her head. "You'll not wheedle anything from me that I was not willing to part with in the first place, Captain Sparrow."

"You were always a hard one to fool." Jack's smile grew wide.

"Peas in a pod, dear Captain," she replied.

"The truth be this. I have need of your permission, most preferably in writing, to sail the Pearl unchallenged into your domain."

"What for, Jack?" she asked impatiently.

"The Dragon Book, also known as the Book of Theurgical Lares and Penates. It was once the property of Sao Feng, but it fell into the hands of Cutler Beckett. That book needs to be liberated before it falls into the wrong hands."

James snorted a half chuckle but stifled it quickly.

"I wonder how it got into such iniquitous hands in the first place," Elizabeth asked suspiciously.

Jack shrugged. "Luck or fate, luv. But if it stays where it is and another feculent, greedy bastard from the East India Company lays hands on it, there will be another pirate war, to be sure. So all James and I need is a letter statin' that we have your leave to be at port in Singapore. That should secure us a somewhat safe passage."

"I don't know, Jack," she said, looking down. She then looked up at James. "You believe him?"

"Yes, Elizabeth," he said sincerely.

Her eyes softened as she looked at him. "There is so much I don't know yet."

"I believe him when he says that a book of that nature in the hands of another within the East India Company would be a disaster," James said softly to her. "Where such a book belongs, however, I am uncertain."

Elizabeth wrung her hands and looked thoughtful. "I should ask Will...." She murmured.

"Will?" Jack asked his eyes going wide in surprise. "That'll be a task, luv."

"Not so," Elizabeth turned defiantly to Jack. "I possess the means to talk to my husband."

"And how will you be doin' this, missy, as Tia couldn't get the ear of Davy for near a century and more?"

Elizabeth's lips turned up slightly in a proud smile. "She didn't have his heart in her possession."

***

"I'm sorry I cannot ask you two to come up," she said. "Mrs. Mullins is a woman of fragile sensitivities. The presence of rough men may alarm her. You'll have to wait here."

"Just who is this fusspot in your household what can't take the sight of honest seafaring gents?" Jack asked, incredulous.

Elizabeth gave Jack a tired look. "Honest seafaring gents?" she said as she touched the stingray barb braided into his hair. Jack frowned in response.

"She is my son's nurse, and I prefer she not be set to nervous jitters, if you please. She does a fine job and good help is scarce."

"Ah, there is a little William then!" Jack said. "Would like to clap me eyes on the mite."

"Another time, Jack," she replied. "He's in his crib for the night, most likely. Just wait here."

She looked at them both sternly before she opened the back door to the mud closet. She slipped inside her own home quietly.

A few silent moments later the door opened again and Elizabeth leaned out handing a modest glass decanter to Jack. Jack took it, but before he could say a word to her, Elizabeth slipped inside once more.

Jack unstoppered the decanter and sniffed its contents. "Rum," he declared. "Always the attentive hostess is our Elizabeth."

Jack sat down on the top step of the entryway and took a sip of the rum.

"The good stuff too," he added.

James sat beside him. "Do keep your voice down, Jack," he said in a hushed but irritated tone. "The last thing Elizabeth needs is trouble due to our presence in her back garden. She has kindly provided you with rum; now show her a little courtesy by being a tad more discreet."

"Too true," Jack replied in a softer tone. He then passed the rum James' way. James did not refuse.

After a good drink, James noticed that Jack was watching him with a strange look in his eyes. His expression was careful and pensive.

"Jack?"

"So here we are," Jack began without preamble, "perched on the stoop of the lady you once thought would make you a perfect bride, and we only just found out that she's become a mum. In there is a little tike that could have been yours if things had played out differently, mate."

"What would you have me say to that, Jack?" James asked as he handed back the rum. "If you wish to know how I feel about it, I will not lie. It does hurt, but not as bad as one might think it should. My life has taken many turns, some of which should have been full stops. Nevertheless, there was something inside of me that I was never true to... until now."

A slight smile curved Jack's perfect lips. "And now, perhaps, you are being true to that something? With me?"

"Yes, Jack," James said in a soft, sincere tone.

"And to think, I used the fact you could begrudge Will his luck with the lady to play you against him," Jack said.

"I was still under the delusion that my life was meant to be steered in a different direction, even though it had been long ago tossed into a new course."

Jack reached out to touch the side of his face. "Long ago, sweetling? T'was barely two years that passed."

"The longest two years of my life," James said with a soft chuckle. "And it all started with a wet brigand on my docks, leaning over the lady I'd just proposed to on what should have been the proudest day of my career."

"You remember what you said to me?" Jack asked with a smile.

"'You are by far the worst pirate I'd ever heard of.'"

"'Ah, but you have heard of me,'" Jack purred the reply.

Jack leaned forward and kissed James deeply, his hand going about James' neck to pull him closer. James sighed as he tasted those incredibly sweet, rum-spiced lips once more. Jack's lips were silky soft and delicate. The whisper-tickle of Jack's mustache often sent shivers down James' spine and set a sinful tingle to spark off in his loins. But James caught hold of his reeling senses before he fell headlong into desire.

"Jack," he murmured as Jack continued his kisses across James' jaw and down his throat. "We should control ourselves. If someone were to look from a window..."

"Let 'em," Jack said in an amorous growl.

"It would be scandalous for Elizabeth to have two men seen kissing in her back garden."

Jack backed off James with a sigh. "You really must find a way to stop being so temptin', luv. How can a poor man, such as myself, resist?"

"Do try," James replied acerbically.

"You are a cruel but beautiful man, James Norrington," Jack complained.

"And you are like a dog in heat. Jack."

"One minute you are leading me with your pretty eyes and gentle words; next you are calling me names."

James chuckled softly. "I made a comparison, Jack. I never said you were a dog. And what's more, if you are, you are mine and I am yours."

"See!' Jack complained slightly more boisterously. "See how you treat me? You say lovely words like that and all I want to do is kiss you until the sea boils!"

"Hush," James cautioned. He ran a hand tenderly down Jack's cheek and let two of his fingers rest lightly on Jack's lips.

"Oh, what you do to me," Jack whispered. He kissed James' fingertips lightly.

A soft but insistent clearing of a throat caught their attention and they looked up at the doorway. Elizabeth stood there with a pleasant look on her face. Both men stood to face her.

She smiled at them both in a telling way; and James had to wonder how long she had been behind them and how much she had witnessed.

"That was rather quick," Jack said.

"Apparently Will had been expecting you two to turn up on my doorstep."

"Has he now!" Jack smiled brightly.

"He needs to meet with you," Elizabeth continued.

"As much as I'm pleased to hear from dear William," Jack said cheerfully, "meetin' with the captain o' the Dutchman never means long life and good fortune, as it were."

"You have Will's assurance, and my own, that your business is purely of the living. Your souls are not required."

"I feel so very comforted," Jack muttered.

"Where should we find him?" James asked.

Elizabeth pulled the shawl she wore on her shoulders a little closer. "The Isla de Muerta," she said.

"That cursed place?" James exclaimed.

"Aye, all the more cursed since it sunk back into the sea," Jack added. "So tell me, luv, how are to make for an island that is no more?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "William just said to meet him there. He said you knew the way better than anyone."

"To be sure, luv, and I wish I could forget."

"Will said he has something to give you. Something from Tia Dalma,"

Jack cringed and grimaced. "I've had plenty from that woman. Thanks but no thanks."

"If you want this Dragon Book, Jack, you will need whatever it is that Will has to give you," Elizabeth explained.

Jack's dismay was plain and he looked up at James. James knew that he was currently wearing what Jack called 'that infernal smirk.'

"This gets better and better," James said. "Headlong into cursed and dangerous waters to meet death's messenger and retrieve an item from an angry sea goddess."

"Things o' this nature are never easy," Jack said.

"You should know," James replied sardonically.

Elizabeth reached out to James, catching hold of the compass attached to his belt and sash. "It's true," she said softly as she looked at the item. Her cheeks grew flushed with color.

"Elizabeth?" James said carefully.

She looked up at James with eyes wide and glowing with joy. "Love can conquer death," she said with a beautiful smile.

James looked at Jack, who looked back at him with a carefully serious look.

"You take good care of him, Jack," she warned, pinning the pirate with a stern expression. "He deserves this and more!"

"Aye," Jack replied in a soft solemn voice. "I know."

"If I find you've hurt him, I'll hunt you down myself, Jack Sparrow!"

"Can never happen, luv."

"Good," she said, satisfied. "Now, away with you, before the night watch catches a whiff of the two of you on the breeze."

"Do I offend?" Jack asked in a shocked tone. He lifted an arm to take a sniff.

Elizabeth laughed softly, "Yes, now get back to your ship. You have an appointment to keep."

***

Other than the lack of an island, it looked and smelled much the same.

"Never thought I'd be here again," Jack said.

"Never thought I'd smell here again," James added.

"T'is an ugly place indeed, sirs," Gibbs said as they looked out over the foaming waves. "When do you suppose young Mr. Turner will be making his appointment?"

Just as Gibbs finished his sentence, just beyond the boiling sea that was once the island of the dead, the Flying Dutchman ascended from the deep in a great explosion of mist and foam.

"I would say now," Jack replied in wide-eyed astonishment.

***

~*~

~*~

"Why should I do that?" came the indignant reply.

"Yes, Jack, why should he do that?"

That voice was one he had not expected this very soon. William Turner had a soft tenor voice, unsuited for growling orders or harsh ultimatums. Yet Will held his own as a sailor and now as the captain of the Dutchman.

Jack spun about from the rail to face the man who stood behind them. He smiled nervously and quickly inserted himself between Will and James.

"William! Dear boy! So good t' see you. Settlin' in well on your first command? And how is old Bootstrap?"

"Jack," Will said, with a pleasant expression. "You needn't worry. I have no plans on harming Norrington." Even so, Will turned cool eyes to James as he said his name.

"All the same, dear William, I'd like your word on that. Your word has always been solid, and you are a terrible liar."

Will frowned. "You have my word. I understand your lack of trust, Jack. It is hard to trust when you yourself have hardly been trustworthy."

"It was an art form since corrupted and I have you and your bride to thank."

"You blame us, but all we did was believe in what was already there, Jack. You are a good man."

"Good! If you think so highly of me then you will honor my request."

"I already said I would," Will replied. "You think I'm not aware of what is between the two of you? It's so strong that it is skewing your natural sense of greed and self-preservation."

"Well, I wouldn't say that..."

Will laughed lightly. "I have the means for you to get the Dragon Book and your only concern at this very moment is for James Norrington's safety. One would call that a little out of character for you."

Jack pulled up short and frowned, realizing that Will was right.

"Right uncanny that," Gibbs mumbled and Jack looked at him. He then turned to look at James who only mildly shrugged.

"Well then, on to affairs at hand," Jack said to Will.

"Yes," Will agreed. "The book. It must be brought out of danger of falling into the wrong hands. Calypso has charged me with making sure you succeed."

"Has she?" Jack smiled. "Tia was always a soft one for my charms."

"She has a task for you and all hands on the Black Pearl. If you succeed in this one task, she will grant you the immortality you seek."

Jack's grin became a bit forced. "There's a catch. There is always a catch."

"Jack," Will said solemnly. "You must capture the book. Then you will have the mystical triumvirate of the deep, once the possessions of Calypso's father, Poseidon. You will then be the guardian of the magic of the deep. It will be your job to gather all the mystical possessions of the sea."

"Ah, and just where is the curse part involved?" Jack asked. "Sail the seas and never walk land for eternity? Never enjoy life's little pleasures like eating and drinking and be like the undead?"

"No curse," Will said. "You get what you most wished for, freedom, immortality, and James Norrington for all eternity."

"And the crew?" James asked.

"Each man will be immortal until he decides to quit the Pearl and remove his name from the ship's articles. At that moment, he will be mortal once more and will age naturally."

"That be too good to be true, Jack." Gibbs said softly in Jack's ear.

"I know," Jack replied softly back over his shoulder.

"It's true," Will said. "But to gain this prize will not be easy. It will test all of your characters and strength of will."

"Aye, a typical test for such things as these," Jack agreed. "Seen me fair share of them. Nevertheless, you said Calypso has charged you with making sure we succeed. How then?"

"You need a dead man. I am the caretaker of the dead," Will said simply. "It is my job to carry those who die at sea to their final rest. Jack, do you, by chance, have anything that once belonged to Cutler Beckett?"

Jack blinked in shock.

"Beckett?" James said in an outraged tone. "What would we want with Beckett?"

"Believe it or not, James," Will said coldly, stating his Christian name with some disdain, "he is the only one who knows where that book is. To gain the book you will have to gain its location from him."

"You mean you can't just see it or something?" Jack muttered contritely. "Or have Tia look at it in some crystal ball?"

Will sighed impatiently. "No, Jack. And even if we could, it is on land, where I cannot go for another nine years, and it is too far inland for even Calypso's reach."

"Thus she needs an agent to act for her," James said. He then looked to Jack. "That is why she is so free with the offer of immortality. I'll warrant that all the items found in the book are not located close to the sea as well."

"I won't argue that, mate," Jack said.

"Jack," Will called his attention back. "I know you. You have something, some souvenir..."

Jack's eyes narrowed and he lifted a finger. "Wait... here...." He took off in a prancing jog to the great cabin. As he reached the doors, he spun about to look Will over sternly. "And don't collect anyone!"

Will rolled his eyes in response.

Inside the cabin, Jack grabbed his small locking chest and took the key from his waistcoat pocket. He opened the chest, pushing past papers and other objects until he found the solid silver item he needed. He palmed it swiftly, closing the chest and locking it once more. He then went back out on deck with the same urgency.

Jack came to a scrambling halt before Will and opened his hand. He could feel James looking over his shoulder.

"Is that what I think it is?" James asked. "The silver knob from his walking stick?"

"Correct, luv," Jack replied. "Cutty was so distracted telling me all about his little plan to rule the sea and put an end to the golden age of piracy that he may have given me an opportune moment or two."

Will rolled his eyes again.

"Will this do, William?" Jack asked with a slow smile.

"What do you plan to do with it?" James asked in a suspicious tone.

Will looked at James but took the sliver knob from Jack's hand. "I plan to bind his spirit to this. He will be trapped. Then, you and Jack may communicate with him to gain knowledge on the whereabouts of the book."

"How much communicating will we be doing, exactly?" Jack asked looking slightly nervous.

"I'll make it controllable," Will reassured. "Once Beckett has been bound, I will place the knob in a bottle. To talk, you simply pull the cork. To make him shut up, stopper it."

"Lovely," Jack smiled.

"Once you have finished with Beckett," Will continued. "Simply break the bottle over a block of salt and toss all of it into the sea... including the knob, Jack."

Jack pouted.

"But he is not just going to give us what we want so easily," James said.

"That is part of the challenge," Will replied. "I'm sure you will rise to the occasion," he added with some spite.

Jack looked back over his shoulder at James who wore one of his stormy scowls. But it was Gibbs who said it plain.

"I don't like this."

***

The senior crew of the Pearl stood in the great cabin with her captain. This also included Mr. Ragetti and Mr. Pintel who, by virtue of being senior crew members, were each leaders of a watch.

"For once I'm inclined to believe Mr. Gibbs' paranoia and overactive superstition," James said assertively. "No good can come from bringing that man from the dead."

Jack stood near the navigation table, worrying the hangnail on his thumb with his teeth. It was silent in the cabin for a moment.

Will had gone back to the Dutchman to bind Beckett's soul to the silver knob, but it was still within their power to refuse the offer. Jack weighed the options.

~*~

~*~

"Why should we be the saviors of the sea?" James asked.

"Beggin' your pardons, Captain, Mr. James." Mr. Pintel came forward a step. The balding, stocky sailor smiled nervously. "If Calypso is so certain that only we can do this here deed, then ought we not to do it? I mean to say, we've all seen her power before. I, for one, see the virtue of stayin' on her good side."

"Aye, Mr. James, there is Calypso's wrath to consider," Gibbs agreed.

James sighed explosively with a roll of his eyes. He walked up to Jack, placing a hand on his arm.

"Let us set sail from here; leave and never look back. We have all we need, here and now."

"But not forever," Mr. Ragetti added in a small voice. They all turned to look at him. "We are pirates," he continued, cringing a bit as he saw all eyes on him. "Eventually we will have to do what pirates do. If we be doin' Calypso's will, mayhaps we need not worry so much about the piratin'... a few less raids and all."

Jack looked to James. "Can you follow me on a raid, sweetling?" he asked softly. "Will you pull your blade on English men in the name of piracy? Will you follow with a will when we sack a harbor town?"

James looked away from Jack, his hand falling from where he gripped Jack's arm.

"Freedom comes with a price," Jack said to James. "The Pearl is a pirate ship, and no power in these waters will ever forget that. We who sail her are marked men. If we are to live under the label and be damned, then we will live as freemen, and take what we can."

"I don't know..." James breathed out. "I lived my life believing in the laws that make us civilized, and even now, when all I knew has forsaken me, I find it hard to turn away."

"T'is easy to explain, luv," Jack said as he moved closer to James. "You were raised a gentleman. You were raised to believe that good men worked honest and hard. That they protect their own and they respect their neighbors. We never got that education.

"Our lives are about scraping and fighting for survival from the very first. Hard work was all we could hope for. Honesty was never a part of it. There is no respect. Our own is ourselves and the clothing we stand up in. These are the men you've chosen your allegiance with... this is the man you love."

"Tell me that this will turn you away from active piracy, Jack and I will follow," James said softly.

"Aye, my James," Jack replied softly.

"Awwkk! Wind in your sails!" Cotton's parrot had the last word.

***

Will returned holding a clear bottle, stoppered with a plain cork. Inside was the sliver knob of Cutler Beckett's walking stick. He handed it to Jack.

"Take care," he said. "If you happen to break the bottle and not over salt, the soul could be unbound and released and choose to haunt the Pearl for all time."

"Not good," Jack muttered.

"Aye," Gibbs commiserated.

"As he is, he sees and hears all but cannot talk," Will continued. "If you wish him not to see or hear, place the bottle in a chest or a box that has salt sprinkled on the bottom."

"Always salt," Jack said. "Very biblical."

"With good reason," Will grinned.

"So when we are done with him, will you be carrying him back t' hell?"

Will Turner smiled. In the next moment he was back on the deck of the Dutchman, waving.

"Good luck!" he shouted as the ship's company dropped sails. The Dutchman was moving off into the mist.

"Good visitin' with ya, mate," Jack replied across the expanse. "Give your father my best!"

The Dutchman disappeared quickly in the murky fog. As soon as he was sure the ship was gone, Jack turned and scampered back to the great cabin, holding the bottle out and away from himself gingerly. He was followed by James and Gibbs.

Jack sat the bottle down carefully on the navigation table, then stepped away from it swiftly with an expression of disdain and disgust. James came to stand by his side. Gibbs stood to the other side of Jack as they all peered at the bottle.

"I guess we should open it and see if ol' Cutty is in there," Jack said.

"Go on, then," James urged.

Jack looked at him in disbelief.

"My hero," Jack said with undeniable sarcasm.

"I didn't want the bastard on board," James explained.

Jack sighed and then grimaced. He reached out very carefully. Holding the bottle down to the table with one hand, he pulled the cork quickly with the other. He sat the cork by the bottle then practically jumped back from it all. All was silent.

They waited, watching the bottle intently.

"Maybe it didn't take?" Gibbs suggested.

::"Did you expect me to say 'Boo?' How amusing."::

It was his condescending, syrupy-sweet and cultured tone that convinced Jack the most. That was Cutler Beckett's voice issuing forth from the bottle.

Jack smiled and addressed the bottle pleasantly. "Hello! It is you in there, Cutty?"

::"Yes, Jack. Do not play the imbecile with me. I've always been aware of how adaptable you are."::

"Good," Jack said. "Aye... uh..."

::"Shocking! A speechless Jack Sparrow. And I always believed you could talk yourself out of anything."::

"Mr. Gibbs, would you be so kind as to step out and get us underway?"

Jack turned to look at James who had just spoken. James' eyes were still on the bottle and his whole posture was wary.

"And do send a crewman to the galley and have him bring up some salt to this cabin."

::"Dear James Norrington! I see you have returned to consorting with pirates. Well, it seems this time you have not let it affect your personal hygiene."::

"Aye, Mr. James. I'll get us underway... and get ye some salt," Gibbs said shakily as he backed his way to the door.

::"An unlikely pair to call me back from hell, where you so lovingly placed me."::

"That was not our fault," Jack said in his finest cajoling tone.

::"Oh?"::

"Actually, I kept my word. The pirates came out of the cove, did they not?"

::"Then you killed Jones, blew my ship out of the water and caused my armada to retreat."::

"Why is it that people insist on blaming me for more than I'm guilty of?" Jack said peevishly.

"Jack. Never mind all that," James said softly.

::"Oh dear, is Captain Sparrow put out? Really, James, I thought you had more class than to run with such a dirty felon."::

"I prefer a dirty felon to some clean felons I've known."

::"Do you? Ah, but how the gentleman still protests too much. When will you realize that you and I are not so far apart?"::

"You cannot threaten me with that any more. I know what I am."

::"Have you seriously come to terms? AH! And with Jack Sparrow!" :: The bottle practically vibrated with laughter. ::"I must admit, our dear Captain Sparrow has many charms. You must know we were once lovers, Jack and I. We could compare stories...."::

Jack flew at the bottle, grabbing up the cork and stuffing it in place almost violently.

"No profit in this line of chit-chat, mate."

"Agreed," James said with a tired sigh.

Leave a Comment
(If you're commenting about a specific chapter, please mention that.)