They made their way through the murk and the muck. It was best for all if no one thought about what was in the river. Best if they kept to the job.
Gibbs was at the middle of the pack, herding the most motley crew of reprobates he’d ever been with. Ragetti and Pintell ahead, Marty and Cotton behind. So far, so good. No one had noticed them. No one had seen them reach the edge of the sewers.
If their timing is right – an iffy proposotion – the music would be starting any second…
And there it is. The sounds of an organ grinder. Tia knows what she’s doing. “All right,” Gibbs says, and out come the files. None wanted this job, this dull, menial task, but Gibbs knew none needed reminding that it had to be done.
To their surprise and relief, however, the grate gives way fast. Gibbs declares in a low voice, “We're through! Make ready!” As one, the pirates pull the grate away and scurry down the tunnel.
The directions Gibbs was given prove accurate. Soon the gang is under Sao Feng’s chambers. They can hear Barbossa and the fearsome Singaporean in discussion. They can feel the heat of the sauna. And they can see a fat man tending a boiler. A fat man who doesn’t seem to notice them as he passes. Ragetti, showing the valor that has earned him the respect of none, tries to run off. Gibbs grabs his arm.
”None of that! If things don't go the way we want then we're the only chance they've got!” If… Were Jack with them, he’d be sure that it would all go wrong. But with Barbossa? That he finds Jack’s inevitable need to improvise a comfort is, he thinks, not fully a comfort, is it?
Ragetti falls back into line, and all are silent as the grave while the servants shovels coal into a furnace.
They listen again as things seem to go badly. Sao Feng is not buying any of it. He doesn’t trust Barbossa, wisely doesn’t trust Miss Swann, and seems to be half a step ahead of both.
No, make that several steps, as Will Turner is revealed. In a way, Gibbs is relieved now. The worst is about to happen after all.
There’s another call for steam. But the attendant seems to have gone away. Or passed out. Cotton is standing there, confused. It’s not his job, after all. Ragetti gets it, though. There had better be steam, or someone will come down and see what’s going on. He and Pintell try to emulate what they saw the fat man do, but it’s useless. A voice – Sao Feng’s, no doubt – calls again for steam. Cotton tries this time. Marty, however, is happily seated on the attendant. Who gets hits with his own shovel. Gibbs doesn’t recall Marty starting up with the fat man, but it’s just as well.
For it’s time to make ready. Things are falling to pieces above. Will’s usual skill for being in the wrong place has undermined any hope of Barbossa getting anything. Or Barbossa getting out alive. Unless the crew is ready. Each takes a gun. Gibbs takes two, in fact, as does Ragetti. “Wait for the signal.” He hopes none get trigger happy.
Ragetti, stepping under a slit between the planks in the right place at the wrong time, looks up. And sees Miss Swann, who has apparently learned too much from the shamefully dressed women of the future and is devoid of a decent skirt or even trousers. Gibbs hears Ragetti leer to Pintell, and shakes his head. Pirate or not, there are still some standards one should keep.
Above, the discussion grows ever more heated. Miss Swann shows her usual lack of discretion or calm and challenges Sao Feng. Will chimes in. Below, Gibbs knows that soon thing will reach a head. He ignores Pintell, who’s shoved aside Ragetti to see Miss Swann but who only sees a fat and homely lackey. He signals that the swords should be made ready. Each stands in place, two below Barbossa and two below Miss Swann.
And then, acting as one, they shove the swords through the slits and into the air. Barbossa and Miss Swann catch them. The plan works.
Later, Gibbs would wonder what signal they all thought Barbossa was giving. And he would conclude that each pirate, men of the sea with keen senses, knew what was about to happen next. Knew that all hell would be breaking loose.
Although, Gibbs might concede, it’s also likely that the pirates were just jumpy.
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Date: 2007-08-30 01:45 pm (UTC)Gibbs was at the middle of the pack, herding the most motley crew of reprobates he’d ever been with. Ragetti and Pintell ahead, Marty and Cotton behind. So far, so good. No one had noticed them. No one had seen them reach the edge of the sewers.
If their timing is right – an iffy proposotion – the music would be starting any second…
And there it is. The sounds of an organ grinder. Tia knows what she’s doing. “All right,” Gibbs says, and out come the files. None wanted this job, this dull, menial task, but Gibbs knew none needed reminding that it had to be done.
To their surprise and relief, however, the grate gives way fast. Gibbs declares in a low voice, “We're through! Make ready!” As one, the pirates pull the grate away and scurry down the tunnel.
The directions Gibbs was given prove accurate. Soon the gang is under Sao Feng’s chambers. They can hear Barbossa and the fearsome Singaporean in discussion. They can feel the heat of the sauna. And they can see a fat man tending a boiler. A fat man who doesn’t seem to notice them as he passes. Ragetti, showing the valor that has earned him the respect of none, tries to run off. Gibbs grabs his arm.
”None of that! If things don't go the way we want then we're the only chance they've got!” If… Were Jack with them, he’d be sure that it would all go wrong. But with Barbossa? That he finds Jack’s inevitable need to improvise a comfort is, he thinks, not fully a comfort, is it?
Ragetti falls back into line, and all are silent as the grave while the servants shovels coal into a furnace.
They listen again as things seem to go badly. Sao Feng is not buying any of it. He doesn’t trust Barbossa, wisely doesn’t trust Miss Swann, and seems to be half a step ahead of both.
No, make that several steps, as Will Turner is revealed. In a way, Gibbs is relieved now. The worst is about to happen after all.
There’s another call for steam. But the attendant seems to have gone away. Or passed out. Cotton is standing there, confused. It’s not his job, after all. Ragetti gets it, though. There had better be steam, or someone will come down and see what’s going on. He and Pintell try to emulate what they saw the fat man do, but it’s useless. A voice – Sao Feng’s, no doubt – calls again for steam. Cotton tries this time. Marty, however, is happily seated on the attendant. Who gets hits with his own shovel. Gibbs doesn’t recall Marty starting up with the fat man, but it’s just as well.
For it’s time to make ready. Things are falling to pieces above. Will’s usual skill for being in the wrong place has undermined any hope of Barbossa getting anything. Or Barbossa getting out alive. Unless the crew is ready. Each takes a gun. Gibbs takes two, in fact, as does Ragetti. “Wait for the signal.” He hopes none get trigger happy.
Ragetti, stepping under a slit between the planks in the right place at the wrong time, looks up. And sees Miss Swann, who has apparently learned too much from the shamefully dressed women of the future and is devoid of a decent skirt or even trousers. Gibbs hears Ragetti leer to Pintell, and shakes his head. Pirate or not, there are still some standards one should keep.
Above, the discussion grows ever more heated. Miss Swann shows her usual lack of discretion or calm and challenges Sao Feng. Will chimes in. Below, Gibbs knows that soon thing will reach a head. He ignores Pintell, who’s shoved aside Ragetti to see Miss Swann but who only sees a fat and homely lackey. He signals that the swords should be made ready. Each stands in place, two below Barbossa and two below Miss Swann.
And then, acting as one, they shove the swords through the slits and into the air. Barbossa and Miss Swann catch them. The plan works.
Later, Gibbs would wonder what signal they all thought Barbossa was giving. And he would conclude that each pirate, men of the sea with keen senses, knew what was about to happen next. Knew that all hell would be breaking loose.
Although, Gibbs might concede, it’s also likely that the pirates were just jumpy.