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Deceit and Decisions	By : JennyPugh Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > General Views: 4214 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Usual disclaimers
Not all that many to thank today (hint, hint) Chelsey,
Punkdpirate, kissmysash, Miss Sophia, Mrs Depp, Ceyenne PP, beatlechicksteph, A
Depp Girl and Hilary.
…
Chapter six: ‘I
think the pirates are starting to get very nervous,’

Mid March
Commodore Beauchamp watched as HMS Adventurer dropped
anchor in Port Royal harbour and took the decision to go down to the docks and
meet Captain Farrier himself as he was wont to do from time to time. He reasoned that not only did it give him much
needed exercise and fresh air, it also gave him an opportunity to see exactly
how organised the marines were in keeping order in the town. He pulled on his coat, put on his sword belt
and checked the sword in its scabbard, then left his office, nodding at
Midshipman Mullroy who was standing guard outside the door.

‘I shall not be long, Mullroy. Just in case the Governor comes looking for me.’

‘Of course, Sir,’ the subordinate nodded.

Elias Beauchamp looked at the gallows as he crossed the
yard, and at the five bodies swinging gently in the breeze. The scaffold was permanently rigged now,
thanks to the success that his flagship, HMS Adventurer was having in
capturing pirates. The two other ships
in his fleet, HMS Courage and HMS Sutherland were also having
minor successes of their own, but no-one was as successful as Captain George
Farrier. ‘We made a good team,’
he mused, thinking back to the days when he was Captain and Farrier was
Lieutenant and they were as lethal to pirates then as Farrier was now with his
own command.

He arrived at the docks just as the first of the ship’s
boats were being moored alongside the quay.
‘Ah, Farrier - good news, I hope?’

‘Very good, Sir,’ George Farrier grinned as he climbed from
the boat, saluting smartly as he stood before his commanding officer. ‘We have two more pirate captains, plus some
crew, and one of the ships had a hold full of armaments and
powder.’ He had always thought it a
delicious irony, pirating from pirates.

‘Excellent!’ the Commodore beamed, feeling very
pleased. ‘Captain Groves hit a ship
last week, sinking her with all hands lost and not that far from the Windward
Passage.’

‘Which means that news will have got to Tortuga faster than
a fire through a ship!’

‘Indeed it would,’ Elias Beauchamp agreed. ‘I think the pirates are starting to get very
nervous,’ he chuckled.

‘As well they might, Sir.
As well they might…’
…
‘I want all eyes peeled.
Any ship that comes into view, I want to know about it savvy?’
Jack ordered, pacing about like a caged animal.

A chorus of ‘aye’ rang across the deck of the Black
Pearl and the crew hurried to their designated watch stations.

‘I don’t like being this close, Cap’n,’ Joshamee Gibbs
shuddered. ‘Not with the Navy so active
an’ all…’

‘Neither do I,’ Jack sighed. ‘But we need ter get Jenny’s note to th’neighbour, or she’ll
become suspicious.’ He looked around
the small bay in which his ship had anchored, knowing they were sitting ducks
if a ship should happen to chance upon them.

‘I’m ready Cap’n,’ Michael Mercer informed his captain with
a curt salute.

‘Ya got th’letter?’

‘Yes, Sir, Mistress Jenny just gave it me. I won’t let you down, I promise.’

‘I know ya won’t, lad,’ Jack smiled kindly. ‘Pete, row young Master Mercer to shore.’

‘Aye aye, Cap’n.
C’mon lad, let’s be havin’ ya.’

The young boy eagerly climbed over the ship’s side, looking
forward to his big adventure and feeling very proud that Captain Sparrow
trusted him with such an important task.

‘Good luck, Michael,’ Jenny called, as she joined the rest
of the crew on deck and leaned over the side, waving to him until he made it to
shore and disappeared in the lush forest covering the area. ‘I’ll keep watch from the nest,’ she
offered, knowing full well Jack’s reply.

‘I don’t think so, missy!
You can keep fore watch,’ Jack ordered his wife, shooing her to the bow
of the ship.

‘Yes, Captain,’ she sighed, rolling her eyes at
Joshamee. She leaned against the rail,
unsurprised to feel another body press against her. ‘I miss going up the rigging…’

‘I know,’ Jack sympathised.
‘Heh – d’ya remember when I first taught ya to climb to th’nest? You wouldn’t open yer eyes for ages.’

‘Do you blame me? I
was terrified, you swine!’ she chuckled, nestling back into him.

‘Aye, I was a right bastard to ya,’ he replied
ruefully. ‘Gawd knows why ya put up
with me.’

‘I didn’t have much choice,’ Jenny reminded him. ‘It wasn’t like I could run off somewhere –
although I did try that in San Juan, remember?’

‘I was so bloody scared,’ he admitted, making sure no crew
could overhear them. ‘I thought you’d
either disappeared for good or had been hurt.’

‘Served you right!’

They settled to scanning the horizons for any sign of
danger, chatting every now and then until their watch shift ended some two hours
later and the next crew members took over from them.

‘I see him!’ Ben Watch called down from his lofty perch high
on the main mast. ‘Michael’s on his
way.’

‘I’ll get th’boat,’ Pete said before Jack had chance to
order him and quickly vanished over the side once more.

‘I hope he got the letter to her all right,’ Jenny
worried. ‘I should have gone ashore…’

‘No you shouldn’t!
How would I get ter see ya then, eh?’
Jack wound his arms around her waist, his hands automatically settling
on her belly. ‘I’m takin’ care of ya
this time,’ he murmured.

‘You always take care of me,’ she replied, placing
his arms over his. ‘What happened with
Valentine was just one of those unfortunate things. You didn’t know Page was his son – nobody did.’

‘I know,’ he sighed, resting his chin on her shoulder. ‘I just…’

‘No!’ Jenny said firmly.
‘It was not your fault and I have never held you to blame for it,
savvy?’

‘Savvy,’ he smiled, kissing her cheek. ‘Ah, Master Michael!’ he beamed as the
youngster clambered over the side and onto the deck. ‘Was the mission a success?’

‘It was, Cap’n,’ the boy grinned. ‘Placed th’letter in her hand meself, an’ she gave me a
penny fer me troubles.’ He held the
coin up for all to see.

‘A kind an’ generous lady to be sure,’ Jack smiled, ruffling
Michael’s hair. ‘Raise anchor an’ get
us th’hell out of here!’ he bellowed, keen to get away from their precarious
position.

‘Looks like I’m here for a while longer,’ Jenny grinned
excitedly as she helped unfurl the *spanker.

‘Aye luv, looks like you are,’ Jack laughed from the helm
where he was waiting to steer his ship to the open sea.
…
‘Sail ho!’

‘Oh shit!’ Anamaria swore, looking worriedly at the sails on
the horizon. ‘Can ya see who it is?’

‘No Cap’n,’ Jed Butler informed her. ‘What do we do?’

The Captain of the Lone Star chewed her lip as she
tried to decide whether to stay and see if the other ship was worth attacking
or flee in case it was the Navy.

‘Cap’n…?’

‘Wait!’ she snapped, glaring at her
quartermaster. ‘We…’

‘Cap’n Ana – it’s th’Pearl!’ Nat Browne shouted from
the crow’s nest. ‘It’s Cap’n Sparrow!’

‘Thank th’Lord fer that,’ she said under her breath. ‘Turn about!’ she yelled. ‘We meet up with ‘em!’
…
‘She’s spotted us, Cap’n,’ Daniel Woods called down as he
saw the Lone Star come about and head for them.

‘Good girl,’ Jack muttered aloud. They had just come from Port-au-Prince where rumours were flying
thick and fast about how many pirates had been sunk or caught and hanged and he
hoped his friend might have more concrete information, though he doubted it.

Jenny watched as the two ships drew near, not really looking
forward to meeting up with the abrasive woman again. They had never got on particularly well and Jenny usually avoided
any contact with her, but this time she was as eager as Jack to hear if the
female pirate had any news.

‘Ahoy there Lone Star!’ Olabisi called as the two
ships drew alongside each other.

‘Ahoy there Black Pearl!’ Jeb Butler replied as lines
flew between the two ships and they were soon tied together.

‘Ana!’ Jack grinned as she made her way over to his deck.

‘What ya doin’ out here, Jack?’ she demanded, looking Jenny
up and down with a disdainful glance.

‘Had business in Port-au-Prince. What have you heard about th’Navy?’ Jack led her and Jeb Butler to Gibbs’ cabin, where the senior
crew of the Black Pearl had already assembled.

‘Only that they’re
catchin’ everyone in sight. How th’hell
are they doin’ it, Jack? How can they
be everywhere at once?’

‘I have no idea, I
was hopin’ you’d heard more than me.’

‘Only th’name of
th’bastard captain - George Farrier…’

‘Wha…?’ Joshamee Gibbs spluttered.
‘Mary, Mother of God!’ he swore, crossing himself. ‘Jack, you remember I told you about that
naval Captain in the Mediterranean by the name of Beauchamp? It is him. Elias Beauchamp is his name an’ George
Farrier was his second in command – he’s obviously a
Captain in his own right now and still as deadly.’

‘What else do ya
know about him?’ Jack urged, needing to know as much about the man as possible.

‘Not a lot,’ Gibbs
admitted wryly. ‘As I said, I didn’t actually serve under him, but I know he used to take out the corsairs. Always had the best ship the Navy had in
their fleet – caused many a muttering from the other captains but he always
justfied the Navy’s faith in him. It
seems he’s always been a successful pirate hunter.’

‘He just used ter
chase them down?’ Ana asked, regarding her former crewmate intently.

‘As far as I can
remember, yes.’

‘I wonder…’ Jack
mused aloud, stroking his beard braids.
‘I wonder if he’s had his ship built to a specific design? Make it faster?’

‘Could be,’ the
mulatto woman agreed. ‘But from what
I’ve heard, th’ship don’t look nothin’ special.’

‘Whatever she looks
like, she’s doin’ th’business,’ Jack said ruefully.

‘Aye,’ Ana agreed. ‘Ya don’t reckon she’s faster than th’Pearl do ya?’

‘Nah,’ said Jack
with more conviction than he felt, noting the worried frowns on most of those
present. If they were faster than his ship, no pirate stood a chance against them.

‘But…’ Jenny
wondered. ‘How do they know where to hit the pirates? Surely
every captain worth his salt has a double watch, as we do? The Navy wouldn’t be able to sneak up on
them, surely to goodness?’

‘It all depends on
the captain,’ Joshamee informed her.
‘Some aren’t fit to be a jack tar let alone a captain – but you are
right. It’s very strange that they’re
so successful.’

‘Inside job, d’ya
reckon?’ Jack enquired of the cabin full of people. ‘Other pirates betrayin’ th’bretheren?’

‘That still doesn’t
explain how the Navy are there so quickly,’ Ana replied. ‘They wouldn’t be able to wait around until
they were told who to hit. They’d be
spotted – sure as hell.’

‘You’re right…’
Jack sighed, sitting heavily on the edge of the table. ‘So how…?’ He glanced around at the blank looks on the
faces of his fellow pirates, wishing someone would come up with the
answer. But they were as stumped as he.

‘I gotta go,’ Ana
said, making for the door. ‘It’s
dangerous ter be moored together fer too long.’

‘All right luv,’
Jack smiled. ‘Take care of yourself,
savvy?’

‘Pah!’ she snorted,
indicating with a nod of her head for Jeb Bulter to follow her. ‘Yer th’one who’s always needed lookin’
after Sparrow, an’ don’t ya forget it.’
She strode across the deck and grabbed a line, swinging gracefully back
to her own ship, Butler following suit.

‘Aye luv, whatever
ya say,’ Jack grinned, doffing his hat to her as the crews of the two ships
untied the ropes that bound them together and they slowly drifted apart.

‘So we don’t know
much more than we did before,’ Jenny sighed, winding her arms around Jack’s
waist as they watched the Lone
Star move away, heading back for
her original course.

‘We know that Ana’s
still safe,’ he smiled. ‘An’ we know
the names of th’Commodore and his captain.’

‘True, but how will
that help us?’

‘Some of th’pirates
here used to be corsairs, so we ask around, see if anyone knows what method
they used over there.’

‘So where now –
Tortuga?’

‘Aye luv, Tortuga.’
…
Elias Beauchamp
looked around at the men seated at his table in the vast dining room of his
mansion, pleased to see eager conversation taking place amongst them. He had hoped that all of his captains and
their lieutenants would get along with each other and so it had proved. He stood and gently tapped the fine glass in
front of him with the end of his fork, the clear ringing resonating around the
room as the chattering ceased immediately.

‘I expect you are
wondering why I have held this dinner?’ he asked, although he expected and got
no reply. ‘It is in your honour,
gentlemen and to say thank you for all the hard work you have put in, by
implementing my plans to rid these waters of pirates for once and for all. Since I arrived some four months ago, we
have sunk eleven ships and hanged seven pirate, captains plus various
crewmen. It is more – much more than I ever hoped for and I thank you sincerely. To further success!’ He raised his glass, toasting the men around
the table, who stood as one and raised their own glasses in salute.

‘To further
success!’ they chorused.
…
‘So, George,’
Commodore Beauchamp said after managing to corner his captain. ‘Any news on Sparrow?’

‘None as yet, Sir,
other than what is in my report. He’s a
lucky bugger an’ no mistake. But we will get him when the chance arises, be
assured of that.’

‘Oh, I am,’
Beauchamp smiled. ‘I know you too well
to ever doubt you.’ He glanced about
the room at his other captains, ones he had inherited. ‘We struck lucky with the other men.’

‘We did, Sir. I have to confess I didn’t think they would
be half so good as they are, given the reputation of your predecessor,
Adams. It shows what good leadership
does.’

‘And an aim to
strive for. The Governor is very pleased with our progress, although…’ Elias Beauchamp mused. ‘He seems to take a particular interest in
Jack Sparrow and his woman.
I wonder why that is?’

‘You know Sparrow
escaped his clutches a few times?’ George Farrier informed him. ‘And according to Theo Groves, Sparrow’s
woman was actually governess to Norrington’s two children.’

‘She was? Well, I never knew that! How…’

‘Sparrow kidnapped
her after holding up a dinner party which the Governor was attending. She apparently chose to stay
with him.’

‘It takes all
sorts, I suppose,’ Commodore Beauchamp chuckled, shaking his head in
amusement. ‘It takes all sorts…’
…
- 5
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- 7
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Deceit and Decisions