Pirates of the Caribbean 02 The Siren Song (3 page)

CHAPTER FIVE

Come morning, a bleary-eyed Jack stood wearily at the helm, glaring at the rising sun. He had not gotten one wink of sleep. Between the strange melody that had come and gone all night long, and the phantom island, which was now once more nowhere to be found, sleep did not seem an option. Especially when he was clearly the only one in a suitable position to captain the Barnacle."How can
you sleep through that inces
sant drone?" Jack complained to his snoring crew, though the sound seemed so faint now that he could hardly hear it."Look alive, mates!" He strode across the deck, clapping his hands loudly as he paced among the crew. He stopped at the bow, turned and stared down at the crewmates, shaking his head. Not one had so much as rolled over.He bent down over Fitzwilliam. "Ahoy, there!" he shouted into the sleeping boy's ear."What? Who goes there?" Fitzwilliam sat bolt upright, clutching his now extremely polished sword."And a good morning to you, too," Jack said. "Has Prince Charming gotten enough beauty rest? Good, because now it's time to get back to work!""Work?" Fitzwilliam asked, confused."The run
ning of the ship, you spoiled,
soft-handed cretin!""Do not insult the honor of a Dalton," Fitzwilliam warned. "You will regret it.""Okay. One, I do not have time for this, and two, well, there doesn't need to be a two, does there?" Jack said flatly. "Now, wake up the rest of this group of useless cargo so we can get this ship back on course toward that disappearing-appearing-reappearing island. That's an order," he shouted. Then he added, snootily, to Fitzwilliam, "And even the aristocratic Daltons know that disobeying a captain's order will result in a court martial.""Here we are again with this captain business," Fitzwilliam groused. "You're no captain, Jack."Jack raised an eyebrow. "Would you care to repeat that?" he said
, a warning tone in his voice.
"We are five young people and a cat . . . type . . . thing . . . lost at sea," Fitzwilliam replied.Jack scowled, but as he opened his mouth to reply, he heard a scream from the other end of the deck. It was Arabella, and she'd been woken up suddenly by Constance, who was standing up on her hind legs, hissing at the Tortugan barmaid."Constance!" Jean cried out, also waking suddenly. "You're scaring the mademoiselle!" The cat shuffled away on her hind legs, and Jack and the rest of the crew stared in wonder."Does she do that often?" Jack asked Jean.

"Non, monsieur, she's never done it before.""Well, it's pretty bloody odd if ye ask me," Arabella snapped, dusting off her weathered dress.Tumen was
now at the wheel to guide the
rudder, and Arabella moved beside him-- and away from Constance--to continue her navigation lessons. Jean moved to the mainsail and Fitzwilliam to the bow.Then, the song returned. It seemed to Jack to have a physical weight to it. More like a presence than a sound.Jack pulled his compass from his pocket. It had been working fairly well a moment before, but now it was broken: no revolution around the face, no pointing in multiple directions--it was doing nothing at all. He held it starboard, he held it port, he held it toward the bow and then toward the stern. It never moved."Blast it!" Jack said, sliding his compass back into his pocket and resisting the urge to hurl the disobedient instrument into the sea.He went to the helm. "What course are
we making?" he asked Arabella.
Arabella just shrugged.Jack saw that the needle on the ship's compass slowly swung back and forth."Tumen, my friend," Jack said, smiling and draping an arm around the young sailor. "You're a regular Galileo with navigational tools, land-sea-position things and what have you. Can we get some help here?""There're no stars now," Tumen said. "I need the night sky.""I wish you'd mentioned that last night," Jack said. "Now, why didn't I ask you then? Oh, right," he added sarcastically. "You were too busy sleeping as if you were in a coma."Jack strode away from the helm and began pacing the deck. "So," he began, "we don't know where we're going, but we seem to be headed there at quite a clip. We have sea beasts prowl
ing these waters and a discor
dant sound that gives one the sensation of fingernails running over slate. If that weren't enough, a phantom island drops in now and then. This is brilliant." He threw his hands in the air."All right, my mates," Jack announced, continuing to pace the deck. "I'm willing to put behind me your most unseemly, unworthy, slackish, brackish behavior of the night previous. But let us get something straight. If you're going to sail on the Barnacle, you're going to pull your own weight. Or we'll leave you at the next port," Jack looked around at the expansive ocean around him, then finished, "wherever that might be. Savvy?"The singing sound grew much louder."I am beginning to question why we are even here," Fitzwilliam stated."Pardon me,
Fitzy," Jack said, "but was it
not you who demanded passage aboard this ship? Was it not you who vied for your right to sail with us?"*Fitzwilliam rolled his eyes."I guess the intermittent spells of waves we've been encountering have rocked the little sense you may have had right out of that priceless head of yours, eh, lad?""I warned you once, I shall not warn you again," Fitzwilliam said. "Do not insult my honor or that of my family.""A bit touchy this morning, aren't we?" Jack said. "You ask me, I'm the one who should be suffering from a foul disposition. I've had no sleep, and my charges sat staring into space as the ship went mad around me.""A ship can't go mad," Jean scoffed from the rail."I beg
to differ," Jack said, spinning
Yep, Jack is right. See for yourse
lf in Vol. i: The Coming Storm
around to address Jean. "And if you had managed to stay awake last night, you'd know precisely what this ship had gotten up to. Now, can't we please just get back to planning the mission?" Jack said, clasping his hands together and bowing forward."Mission?" Fitzwilliam repeated disdainfully. "This is a fool's errand at best.""How's that?" Jack turned on his heel to face Fitzwilliam. "As this is my mission, I believe you are calling me a fool."Fitzwilliam shrugged. "So be it."Jack took a step toward the tall boy. "Might I remind you yet again, aristo-hrat." He enunciated every word precisely and rolled his r's for good measure. "You begged to come aboard. Insisted upon it. And you were as eager to reunite the Sword with its sheath as any one of us.""That was
before I realized what madness
such a mission is," Fitzwilliam said."A few days ago you discovered what it felt like to conquer a violent, bloody, not to mention cursed, pirate. You felt the freedom of discovering treasure and sailing the seas free from the constraints of family Dalton. Then just yesterday you watched yours truly," Jack said, pausing to wink at Arabella, "slaughter a raging sea beast. You've done things that wizards and kings through the ages have only dreamed of doing," Jack said with a convincing amount of passion. "This is the mission of a lifetime and you know it," he finished."Not my lifetime," Fitzwilliam answered."Let me remind you who is captain here," Jack said."And who decided that? Not we. Is a captain not elected by his crew?" Fitzwilliam crossed his
arms and took a wider stance,
planting his feet firmly on the deck.Jack stared at the belligerent boy. The others stayed quiet, although it was unclear if their silence was because they were afraid to interfere in a fight between Jack and Fitzwilliam, or if the astonishing indifference brought on by the song was continuing."If you will recall," Jack said smoothly, "I appointed myself captain, seconded by all of you. And besides," he added -with a grin, "I'm the one with the compass.""A compass that does not work. Not unlike your mind. This is not a ship. It is a decrepit boat. You are not a captain. You are a lunatic," Fitzwilliam said."Oh, that was very unwise, Fitzy," Jack snapped, his hand instinctively gripping the sword he wore at his side."Oh, put your sword away. You are so dramatic," Fitzwilliam said dismissively. "I tel
l
you this mission is doomed, and I refuse to link my name to such folly. We do not have the resources to take on a pirate such as Louis.""Of course we do!" Jack protested. "And you thought so, too, up until oh, let's see, moments ago. We are not abandoning this mission.""If I cannot change your mind, then do take your own advice and set me ashore at the nearest port," Fitzwilliam said."Oh, and why would you want to do that?" Jack asked."I plan to take my portion of the treasure we have already found," Fitzwilliam said. "I will buy myself a position as an officer in the army. I will ensure my valiant leadership and bring the Dalton name to glory.""Hah!" Jack shook his head, laughing. "You? First o
f all, friend, let's face it
you're not exactly, how shall I put it? '
Leader ‘material
. Not to mention that you're here with us because you were running from that very life," Jack said. "Now, who's the lunatic?" he whispered to Arabella."How dare you impugn my honor!" Fitzwilliam unsheathed his sword in a swift move."'Impugning'? There's no 'impugning' going on here. What are you talking about?" Jack said."You will guide this boat to a port," Fitzwilliam said, his voice growing hard, "where I shall disembark.""Look, Fitzy, it's not like I'm desperate to keep you," Jack said mildly, waving his sword around carelessly. "You're not much of a sailor. But out of very principle, I do not take orders from my crew. Besides, I am not taking a det
our from Louis's trail to drop
you off.""You will do as I say.""No. I. Won't," Jack said."I repeat, sir, you will do as I wish, or pay the price!""You forget yourself, 'sir,'" Jack said mockingly. "Let me remind you again. Despite your protests, I am, in fact, captain here. And onboard ship, the captain's decisions are law."Fitzwilliam charged forward and lunged at Jack. Jack nimbly leapt up onto the gunwale and grabbed the ratlines leading to the crow's nest. Missing his target, Fitzwilliam stumbled. Jack gripped the ropes and swung around the ratlines, landing a hard kick on the tall boy's backside. He toppled into the mainmast, hitting his head hard against the wood and crumpled to the deck."Oh, my
," Arabella exclaimed. But she
didn't move from the helm."Sorry about that, Fitzy," Jack said, leaping down from the ratlines to land beside the unconscious boy. "But you gave me no choice."Jack propped Fitzwilliam up against the mainmast and lashed him to it, taking care that all his knots were secure and proper."Now, you'll go nowhere," he said as he wiped his hands together, an indication of a job finished and well done.Constance crept back on the deck and delicately sniffed Fitzwilliam."Glad that's taken care of," said Jack, clapping his hands together briskly. "Maybe he'll talk more sense when he comes to. You know how these aristos are--all vapors and fits of madness.""I agree," Tumen said."Why, tha
nk you, my friend," Jack said,
smiling."No, I agree with Fitz," Tumen replied, never taking his eyes from the astrolabe, which he held up as if he were reading a night sky--despite the bright sun blazing down on them."Me, too," Jean said.Constance yo
wled, presumably in agreement.

CHAPTER SIX

As Jack's crew decided to give up the pirate chase, the song continued."Blast it all! Stop this ear-bending noise!" Jack shouted. He clapped his ears, shook his head, and went back to pacing the deck, taking care to step over Fitzwilliam's outstretched legs."Who are you yelling at?" Jean asked."Them. The singing ones! The song people! Oh, neve
r mind," Jack said, giving up.
"I hear nothing, monsieur, but your ranting," Jean said."I also hear nothing," Tumen said.Jack turned to Arabella. "What about you? What do you hear?""Wind. Waves," Arabella replied. "It's beautiful." She looked moved to tears."Well, folks, then clean out your blasted ears," Jack cried."I think the insanity of this mission is getting to you," Jean said.Jack gaped at Jean."I agree," Tumen said.Jack pointed at the boys. His mouth opened and shut a few times as if he were going to say something but was too appalled to find the words. Finally he said, "Well, of all this crew, it figures the young ones would lose courage and loyalty soonest!""Well,
not exactly 'soonest,'" Tumen
pointed out, "Fitz lost it first.""Point taken," Jack agreed."There are more important things in this world than this dumb Sword," Jean said."Jean is correct," Tumen said."I'll tell you the merit in all this," Jack said, leaning against the mainmast to steady himself, yet still swaying with the rolling deck. "One!" He held up a finger. "The sword we are looking for grants great power. Two." He held up another finger. "With that power, we could rule towns, cities, populations, counties, countries. Three." Another finger in the air. "That sort of power inevitably yields great wealth--the greatest of which is freedom, the ability to have to answer to no one." Jack stressed, "Well, no one, except for me--and I will go easy on you, I promise.
" He held up all five fingers.
"Oh, and did I mention the power part? Besides," he added, adjusting his head scarf. "The Sword is probably very becoming and will look lovely hanging in the captain's cabin. I can't think of a worthier cause.""A much worthier cause," Jean grumbled, "would be to restore my sister to her human form.""Oh, that drivel again. Will you cut that out?" Jack said. He watched Constance wriggle out of Jean's overzealous embrace. She skidded a bit when she landed but quickly regained her footing. She scampered across the deck to the plate of fish heads Jean had put out for her and sniffed them."Right now," Jack said, "that nasty cat is the only crew member behaving at all normally.""There is nothing normal about my sister being a cat!" Jean exclaimed. "And now, monsieur S
parrow, we will turn this ship
around and head for the bayou shack of Tia Dalma. She put this curse on my sister, she can have it removed.""Sorry, lad, I'm not into the whole mystic idea. This Tia Dora . . .""Tia Dalma.""Yes, 'Tia Dalma' does not sound like someone I'd want to cross, being that she creates beasts as wretched as this cat-thing here."Constance's ears flattened. She yowled and spit at Jack."Back atcha, luv," Jack said."Do not speak to my sister in such a tone," Jean said. "And now, we set sail for Tia Dalma.""But first, we must set a different course," Tumen interrupted. "I need to be left on the sandy white beaches of the Yu
catan. I need to return home."
Jack threw up his hands in exasperation. "Another county heard from!""No," Jean said, striding toward the helm. "We must go to Tia Dalma." He shoved Tumen aside, grabbed the wheel, and yanked it to the right. The boom swung quickly around, careening into Jack and dragging him with it."Um, hello?" Jack shouted from the boom. As Tumen and Jean fought over control of the boat, the boom shifted back and forth."Yucatan.""Tia Dalma.""Um, Captain. Onboard. Commanding you to stop!" Jack barked, as he was dragged back and forth across the deck. Then he finally let go of the boom, rolled to the rail, and stood, careful to stay out of the way of the swingi
ng boom. He strode over to the
fighting kid sailors, intending to take control of the wheel.Jean and Tumen stopped fighting each other and turned to Jack. "Don't come any closer," Jean warned. "You're not getting ahold of this wheel." A strange glint came into his eyes."You're looking a little crazy there, Jean," Jack said. "You know, wild-eyed, foamy at the mouth, and all that."While Jean was distracted by Jack, Tumen grabbed the wheel."Tumen, off that wheel!" Jack ordered.Wanting to be in control of the wheel himself, Jean turned to tackle Tumen. Jack smiled and knocked Jean on the back of the head with his elbow. Tumen turned to see what had struck Jean, and as he did so, Jack smiled and ducked. The boom was swinging in
from behind him, and it landed
square in Tumen's jaw. Both young sailors were out cold.Jack dragged Tumen and Jean to the mast, mumbling to himself, and lashed them beside the still-unconscious Fitzwilliam.Jack stood back up and stretched. Although the sun was still beating down on them, the strange fog that had earlier surrounded the disappearing island rolled in again. It wrapped itself around the ship. As Jack peered through it, he noticed large green fins breaking the surface for a moment and then disappearing quickly below.For a moment he thought they might belong to other sea beasts. But the fins he had just seen dip beneath the waves were far too small for that. As the fog cleared, the island, which they must have traveled miles and miles from
by now, mystically reappeared.
"Wonderful," Jack said, heading for the helm. "Sea creatures, re
appearing islands. What next?"