On the Island: Ceremony and Escape

[bringmethatnpc]

The sound of thunder rumbles through the air, heralding an approaching storm--

--no, wait.

That's not thunder; that's the beating of drums.

It's a beautiful clear day on the island, just perfect for a ceremony and celebration, as the tribe prepares to send their chief to the gods.

Comments

[turned_captain]

Conveniently, there's a crew member passing by just at this moment, and Will take the opportunity to seize the sword from his belt, drawing it out and holding it to Jack's neck.

Will isn't messing around, as we like to say.

"I need that compass of yours, Jack," he says firmly. "I must trade it for her freedom."

[pirate_jack]

The ringing sound of a sword being drawn had finally gotten his attention, in time for him to turn and find a blade resting against his throat.

Jack eyes Will narrowly and then simply lifts the sword over his head, dropping it to his other side.

"Mr. Gibbs."

[bringmethatnpc]

Gibbs is now applying his navigational skills directly. By going almost nowhere so far.

"Cap’n?"

[pirate_jack]

Jack comes over to stand just behind him, staring intently past Gibbs's shoulder at Will Turner.

In a low, guarded voice, he explains,

"We have a need to travel upriver."

[bringmethatnpc]

At last, a heading. One that Gibbs isn't sure he likes.

"By need, d’you mean a trifling need, fleeting, as in, say, a passing fancy?"

[pirate_jack]

"No," Jack counters, "a resolute and unyielding need."

Gibbs sighs and adjusts the wheel a trifle as Jack walks forward to the quarterdeck's rail.

[turned_captain]

Will, who has been trying to follow what hasn't been said, and not really succeeding, turns to Jack.

"What we need to do," he points out, "is make sail for Port Royal with all haste!"

[pirate_jack]

It's Jack's turn to sigh. Looking out over the deck below, he says wearily,

"William... I shall trade to you the compass, if you will help me to find this."

He reaches into his coat and pulls out the scrap of cloth, unrolling it to show the drawing of the key, albeit a little the worse for wear.

[turned_captain]

"You want me to find this."

Will can't quite believe it. Jack's bargaining for Elizabeth's life?

[pirate_jack]

"No," Jack tells him. "You want you to find this."

He turns to face Will, explaining with earnest sincerity,

"Because the finding of this-- finds you incapacitorially finding and/or locating and/or discovering the detection of a way to save your doughty belle, ol’ whatsherface."

A beat of silence while they both review those words, and then Jack finishes,

"Savvy?"

[turned_captain]

Um.

What?

"This is going to save Elizabeth?"

[pirate_jack]

As Will takes the cloth and brandishes it, Jack considers both it and him.

Lowering his voice, he asks,

"How much do you know about Davy Jones?"

[turned_captain]

Will looks up from his studying of the cloth, frowning in confusion at all this randomness.

"Not much," he says truthfully.

[pirate_jack]

I thought not.

"Yeah," Jack tells him, turning to look out over the deck once more as the Pearl sails onward.

"That's going to save Elizabeth."