Fine Men, Chapter 8
A Fine Plan
by
Full headers in Chapter 1
Beta: Nancy
Beta: Nancy
The white-foam-topped billows crashed against the bow of the small ship as it danced over the waves, riding the wind to the utmost of its sails. A portly man with a red face smiled from the wheel as the wind coasted over his bald head and snapped the pirate's pinion far above. Two other similar pirate vessels rode the water at his ship's side.
Yet two more rode ahead of him but behind the flagship, skipping over the rising breakers handily, the spray splattering their decks. A proudly smiling Anamaria stood at the wheel of one, Gibbs at her side; Will Turner steered the other while Elizabeth leaned partway over the side, whooping her joy aloud as the wind tore through her unbound hair and ignoring her hovering father, the governor himself, dressed down sans hat, wig, and jacket.
Slightly to the sides of Anamaria's and Will's vessels sailed four smaller clippers, the wood of their hulls blotched and dirty with waterproof tar, and the stained and ripped sailcloth flying from the beams of the masts. A ragged black flag flew from each of the tallest masts, but nothing could be done for the waxed, white ropes. Grinning sailors in various states of messy dress—and undress—swarmed the decks and rigging.
"My men are enjoying this far too much," James muttered from the wheel deck of the Black Pearl, the ship leading the fleet of ten.
Jack snickered. "Ah, Jamie, every man yearns to be a pirate sometime in his life. Even the esteemed governor, it seems."
Stifling a chuckle, James sniffed and folded his arms over his own worn clothing, duds Jack had pulled out of the commodore's wardrobe what seemed ages ago for that one stolen, fine day. "If this works they will have earned the time," he said.
"Afraid of a mutiny, Commodore?" Jack asked whimsically from where he stood at the wheel of the Pearl.
James turned and walked to stand beside him. "Hardly. More that they'll resign their commissions or drop their contracts at end to become privateers thanks to your influence."
Jack smiled widely. "The sea can always use more pirates."
"Privateers," James emphasized despite Jack's wink in his direction. "And this plan of yours will allow the Caribbean many more privateers as it is." He looked from side to side to see the six ships other than his own sailing full out nearby, all dressed down shabbily and flying the black flag.
"It will be worth it, James," Jack said cheerfully. He tilted his head to the side, perusing James's visage in return. "You're not going to ask me why I planned it?"
James slowly shook his head. He was fairly sure he already knew why.
"Not at all?" Jack prodded, frowning very slightly.
Sighing, James fixed his gaze on Jack. "You don't want the admiralty to remove me from my post."
Jack nodded.
"You feel badly about contributing to the losses of the Dauntless and the Interceptor, and hope to replace them for me by capturing twice as many pirate ships."
Jack tipped his head to one side, and then nodded.
"You want to thumb your nose to the Admiralty concerning my issuance of letters of marque to questionable individuals."
Jack grinned and nodded.
"You want to encourage me to set aside common sense and revel in captaining a pirate ship."
Jack's grin grew even wider.
"I hope this plan works," James muttered, settling his hands at his hips. "Else I'll be shot under that black flag, and it's not at all the end I have in mind for myself."
"Oh, it will work. It cannot fail. I've put far too much time in reforming you to a proper scallywag," Jack said confidently.
"I'm not a scallywag," James said, offended.
"A pirate, then."
"I am not a pirate!" James exclaimed.
"Well, now, Jamie. I wouldn't be so quick to disavow it." Jack set the wheel and started down the steps, pausing part way to turn with a twitch to look up at the commodore. "After all, you are in charge of your very own pirate fleet."
James stared at Jack in disbelief, and the pirate just pointed upward without breaking eye contact. James's eyes darted up to see the flagship's skull and crossbones flying above them... and he was the ranking officer of all the vessels in the fleet. His incredulous gaze tore back to Jack, who just grinned cheekily and flounced his way to the bottom of the stairs.
Ready to open his mouth and throw a proper invective Jack's way, James was interrupted by an "Ahoy!" Pressing his lips together hard, the commodore turned his attention to the group of ships growing quickly larger as the Black Pearl swiftly approached them.
"Is it them?" he asked as he joined Jack on the port side.
"Aye, 'tis," Jack confirmed. "Bloody pirates," he spat, and James had to stifle a strangled laugh. "Well," the captain said snootily, "they give us proper pirates a bad name."
James didn't even try to squelch the laugh this time. "You're quite mad, you know that?"
Jack preened. "'Tis part of my charm." The Black Pearl changed its tack at Jack's direction so they would parallel the southern pirates' flotilla, not so close as to yell, but near enough to see.
"I hope this works," James murmured again as Jack flounced off.
The flashy privateer jumped up onto the railing, holding fast to a rope, and waved his arm widely. An older man, the captain apparently, came to the side, looked at Jack, and nodded. Jack grinned and doffed his hat, bowed deeply, and gestured for the southern pirates to take the lead.
The other captain laughed and waved, and the southern pirates began to cheer. Jack's crew and some of the other Port Royal 'pirates' yelled as well, and the flotilla sailed ahead as Jack waved at them cheerfully before climbing down.
"It worked!" James exclaimed once Jack returned to his side.
Jack let out a long, shaky breath, which drew a look of astonishment from the commodore. Jack shrugged and smiled weakly. "I didn't expect the bastards to have twelve ships. Seven, maybe. Nine at the most."
James's face drew into a pinched expression of annoyance, and he smacked Jack's arm, hard. The pirate winced and yelped, grabbing his wrist. "Not the sword arm!"
James frowned deeply. "Jack Sparrow..."
"James Norrington," Jack interrupted. "It worked. Now close your yap and check on your men."
A subvocal growl issued from James's throat, but he turned to do as he was bid, though not without throwing another resentful look over his shoulder. He called belowdecks and his men filed out, staying low so they wouldn't be seen. A wave to the other disguised English ships had them preparing the same.
By the time he rejoined Jack, their fleet of ten and the flotilla of twelve were closing in on a lone galleon escorted by a mere three Interceptor-class ships.
"He didn't even bring a First Rate," James said in disgust.
"Doesn't bode well for him, does it," Jack murmured. "Twenty-two ships on four. Might be why the poor admiral is quaking in his boots." He offered his scope to James, who took a look and shook his head.
"They're trying to run," James said.
"Wouldn't you if a massive group of pirates sailed up right next to you and spit?" Jack said reasonably. "If we all did that he'd sink without us firing a shot." He left the railing and climbed back to the wheel deck, turning the Black Pearl so they sailed along some distance away aside the southern pirates. All the ships in their Port Royal fleet turned as well, spreading out into a half arc.
They watched and waited as the English Naval ships finally drew down their sails and ran up the white flag, and despite the plan, James's fingers curled into a tight fist. A gentle hand covered it, and James looked to see Jack's hand over his, though the pirate was watching the events carefully. James relaxed under the touch and ordered his mind, preparing for what was to come.
"Well, now, Commodore, would you care to give the order to your fleet?" Jack asked, eyes dancing.
"Well, now, Captain, I think I will," James answered, eliciting a joyful laugh from the pirate. Drawing a deep breath, he started yelling orders.
The cannon ports opened on most of the ships curved around the southern pirates, who were focused on the loot hidden in the English galley. It gave James the minute he needed, and then he yelled,
"FIRE!"
The cannons boomed, sending shot into the southern ships. Shocked, those pirates ran about like mad, some felled, some scrambling for weapons. The pirate captain screamed orders to make sail and pull away, but the Port Royal fleet knew what it was doing.
The half arc of "pirate" ships ringed in the southern vessels, trapping them against the English ships, making them sitting ducks. And as those pirates got their feet under them and prepared to return fire, James executed the next step of Jack's plan.
Red coats suddenly appeared all over the Port Royal pirate fleet, drawn from under sackcloth and stairs, pulled from inside barrels and boxes, and the men James had ushered from below decks stood en masses, raised their rifles, and fired a volley into the southern pirates' flotilla. Will's and Anamaria's ships did the same with their Naval crews, while the pirates populating the other Port Royal ships pulled on the red jackets and started swarming the sides as their ships pulled alongside the trapped vessels.
When the black flags in James's fleet dropped and the English flags were run up the masts to catch and billow in the wind, the crews of the proper English ships cheered and joined the fight.
The captains of each Port Royal ship pulled out distinctive blue coats and donned them, continuing to give orders as the fleet closed in on the flotilla to strike hard. The southern pirates were already scattering and diving overboard to avoid the massive clouds of shot issuing from the English guns, and the enemy captain screamed his orders, red-faced.
It didn't take long for the Port Royal privateer navy to swarm the southern pirates' ships, having caught them unawares and unprepared. Swords flashed and the fight raged. Will and Elizabeth fought at each other's backs while James led a large group of red coats across two ships toward the admiral's galleon. Jack met Anamaria and another of the privateer captains and they made their way toward the southern pirates' leader.
The Port Royal fleet's superior firepower made a huge difference. But the galleon was still endangered as the enemy pirate captain and a goodly part of his crew rushed the Naval men, capturing the admiral and his officers in a nasty fight. James's and Jack's groups converged upon the galleon at the same time, and they fought in close quarters.
While trying to keep an eye on Jack, James made his way toward the admiral, fighting off the enemy with vicious strokes. He and his men finally cleared an area around the ranking English officer when he heard a yelp: "No! Sir!" Slicing, red-hot pain cut into his right thigh, and James turned toward his attacker without thinking, barely stopping the edge of his sword at the admiral's throat.
Breathing heavily, James sneered at the blue-and-gold-gilt jacket and spun away to fight off the pirates still converging, and the lieutenants at the admiral's side ushered him off into the main cabin, shutting the doors firmly. When James looked up to see them disappear, he growled and turned to join Jack's fight against the enemy.
Then, after all that fighting, the southern pirate captain turned his gun on himself, and it was all over.
The enemy pirates dropped their weapons, and the Port Royal fleet began to cheer.
==
James hissed as Jack tied the cloth over and around his slashed and bleeding thigh.
"Babe," Jack teased, looking up from where he knelt down to do the tending.
The commodore harrumphed and rolled his eyes. "I see you escaped unscathed yet again." He looked Jack over carefully for the third time, making sure he didn't see any injuries. He'd seen the pirate captain go down more than once, and it had scared him. Scared him. James closed his eyes for a long moment and took a steadying breath.
"That's because I'm careful," Jack said, getting to his feet.
"I'm careful," James insisted, his eyes snapping open. "Not a mark on me until that blasted admiral took it into his head to get frisky and assume I was a pirate despite my uniform blouse."
Jack smirked, idly straightening the open lapels of said blue tailored blouse slightly over the sweaty white linen of James's undershirt, which sagged open at the throat and revealed his bare chest. "Dashing as the jacket is, I prefer you without it."
"You prefer me in Port Royal," James said softly.
Shifting his eyes to the side to peer at the commodore, Jack shrugged easily. "Of course, known quantity that you are," he said smoothly, flipping his hair back over one shoulder.
"You prefer me with you," James said, even softer, daring to speak aloud what he hadn't even admitted to himself.
The humor and bravado dimmed, and Jack looked all too human and fragile as something indefinable shone in his eyes. "I do," he confirmed, just as quietly.
"Tell me why," James requested evenly. He wanted to know that this... this communion between them was more than a teasing friendship.
Jack shifted his weight subtly from side to side with the light shift of the waves. "You're a fine man, James," he murmured. "My fine and fair Jamie. You keep me from throwing myself about without any care of the consequences; you make me think twice before I get myself soused. You make me believe there's something more to living than just sailing the sea alone. You've no idea how much you've influenced me, my Jamie. Despite all I do to tease about making you a scallywag—and a fine one you'd be, luv—you're much more ahead on the road of making me a proper citizen who has reason to set his feet on dry land more often."
James raised a brow slowly, taking in all of Jack's words and contemplating them, feeling the rush in his veins and the growing fondness for this man invade his heart. Finally, he deliberately looked Jack over. "You seem awfully comfortable in that jacket," he observed.
The pirate's lips twitched. He relaxed and shrugged easily. "You've said yourself I carry off drama well." His eyes twinkled as he leaned on the ship's railing.
"Yes, you do," James confirmed quietly. He studied Jack's face. "It was an excellent plan, Jack. A fine plan indeed." He plucked at the blue jacket that fit snugly over Jack's shoulders. It was slightly faded and had a worn folded mark along the waist. The braid was slightly different than his own, and there was no insignia to be seen. "This is not a new jacket I provided, is it?" he said intently.
Jack lifted his chin. "No," he allowed.
"Worn the jacket a time or two, have you?"
"A time or two," Jack allowed. He paused and met those glittering eyes, and the pirate's lips curled up slightly. "Once upon a time. A long-time-ago reason for me to somewhat understand you the way I do."
Smiling wryly as he grasped what Jack was telling him, James murmured "Pirate," and captured Jack's face between both hands and kissed him fervently. The attraction flared between them unabated and finally unbanked as they curled into each other's arms, their mouths battling and surrendering in equal measure.
It was wet and warm and enticing, and James could not make himself pull away from the waves of simple, yearned-for pleasure that crashed over him just as the sea broke against the bowsprit of the sailing ship. Jack's facile tongue slid along his and James shivered, prompting Jack to pull him closer until their bodies stood flush against one another. The damp, salty fabric of their much-abused clothing rubbed against James's skin, a sharp counterpoint to the warm, soft brushes against Jack's flesh.
James sighed against Jack's kiss and redoubled his efforts, determined to show Jack how much he wanted this, wanted him: A fine man. A friend. A confidante. A lover. The line had been crossed, and James wasn't looking back.
Bearded and bristled faces pricked at tanned and pale skin as the deep, soaking kisses continued, and the two men ignored the world moving on around them.
From across the galleon's wide deck, Elizabeth watched, comfortably gathered against her husband's warm body, her head tucked under his chin. She smiled and shifted to look up at Will, whose lips were twitching, and he shook his head and looked down at her. They shared their smiles, their eyes returning to appreciate the sight of their friends holding each other so close.
"Ah, but I wish very much to ensure the commodore accepts my apology, Weatherby," Admiral Whelan insisted as he exited the main cabin and stepped out onto the desk, trailed by three other minor officers, before stopping just around the windows and stairs that shielded Jack and James from their view. "I feel quite badly about my actions."
"Admiral," Governor Swann spluttered, "I'm quite sure Commodore Norrington is very busy preparing the ships to sail to port..."
Elizabeth jerked up, eyes shifting from the admiral to Jack and James, who were still totally absorbed in one another. Will's hands tightened on her arms for a moment, and then he let her go.
"Father," she called out, moving to intercept the small group of Naval officers. "I really am not feeling so well... ah..." Elizabeth wavered, held her wrist to her forehead, and toppled over in a dead faint.
"Mrs. Turner!" "Elizabeth!" "Lieutenant, fetch some water!"
"Here we go again..." Will muttered, wandering over to gather up his overly dramatic wife.
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