The Captain's Heart

Chapter 11 - Calypso

It was quite a majestic sight, all the pirate ships lined up to fight against... Beckett. Ngaio still wasn't totally sure who he was, but from what she gathered he was a Navy man. Probably. She stood at the bow of the ship with Jack and her sister.

"Where is Will?" She probed, directing the question at Jack.

"Hopefully with Beckett." He shuffled away slightly. Who the hell is Beckett!?

"Hopefully?"

"Well, I sorta pushed him overboard when I knew the Navy was following..." Ngaio could feel herself heating up. She clenched her fists and opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by her sister.

"Hey, this is Will we're talking about. I'm sure he's fine." Ngaio's fists remained clenched, but she cooled off a little. She distracted herself by squinting out into the fog. Slowly, a ship emerged. Then another. More and more, until the horizon was littered with them.

"Parlay?" Jack suggested.

"Aye." Celeste replied, worried. Barbossa joined them.

"So what's the plan now?"

"Parlay," Celeste replied over her shoulder. "right, come on. Let's go ashore." She sent someone to signal the Parlay. Ngaio followed her to the boat. They were rowed ashore by Gibbs. When they reached the shore, Ngaio clambered over onto the sand. The group of them walked slowly down the beach until they came face to face with Will, a man who Ngaio assumed must be Beckett, and... Davy Jones himself.

"So you're the one that gave up the location of the court." Celeste spoke up, glaring at Will.

"He was merely the tool. If you want to see the architect of your betrayal, look to your left." Beckett responded. Jack.

"My hands are clean in all this."

"Figuratively, not literally," added Celeste.

"My actions were my own, and nothing to do with Jack." Will replied.

"See, listen to the tool." Jack said.

"Will, we were aboard the Dutchman. I fear it's a lost cause..." Ngaio pleaded.

"No cause is lost if there is someone fighting for it."

"Why did Turner give me this, if he was not acting on your behalf? You made a deal with me, Jack, now have the reward." Beckett said, throwing Jack's compass over to him.

"However you still have a debt to satisfy..." Jones put in.

"That was paid when he died. You took him from me once, I will not allow you to send him back to that damned locker of yours or make him a part of your horrid crew." Celeste shot back, almost shouting.

"He escaped." Jones replied just as bitterly. Ngaio looked from one to the other. There was something she'd wanted to do since she arrived, but hadn't had reason, apart from wanting Will back. Now she had a reason, or at least part of one.

"I propose a trade. Will for Jack." She said.

"Done." Will replied.

"No, undone." Said Jack

"Done." Beckett responded sharply.

"Jack is a Pirate Lord..." Barbossa attempted to reason, but Ngaio wasn't having any of it.

"And I'm Pirate King, so what're you going to do about it?" She challenged.

"Your wish is my command." Jack replied, bowing slightly before he turned to walk away. Celeste ran up to him and kissed him, and Ngaio looked away guiltily. Instead, she made eye contact with Will, who walked slowly over to her. They didn't say anything, but there wasn't really any need.

The group, now with Will instead of Jack, headed back to the boat and rowed back to the Pearl. The climbed aboard and Liz came rushing over, smiling.

"Will!" She hugged him, but he hesitated before hugging her back rather awkwardly. He broke away quickly.

"It's good to see you too, Elizabeth." He said. She looked slightly hurt and walked away. Ngaio, who'd been dealing with some barrels that were... not where they should be, turned around and saw that Liz was gone. She approached Will and opened her arms for a hug. He swept her into a big hug with a smile. They broke apart gently, and Ngaio smiled up at him. It's great to have you back. Celeste walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

"It's good to have you back. Although, I would have preferred it without Jack leaving. But... you know him - he has a plan. Or he'll make one up sooner or later." The moment was broken by Barbossa marching past with all nine pieces of eight in a hat. "What are you doing?" Celeste asked.

"Freeing Calypso..." he replied. They brought forth Tia Dalma. So she was Calypso. She was bound in ropes, and Ngaio fought the urge to rush forwards and free her. Barbossa held the hat out impressively and spoke: "Calypso, I release you from your human bonds..." nothing. One of the pirates - Ragetti - stepped forwards. He repeated the words, whispering into Tia's ear. The pieces of eight caught light with a bright purple flame and Calypso inhaled the smoke with a smile. It smelled... almost sweet. It took a moment for Ngaio to realise she'd breathed some in. Suddenly Will had pushed through the crowd and was standing in front of her.

"It was Davy Jones who told the court how to imprison you first." He declared. This was probably a mistake. She was very upset and began to... grow? Will backed away, and Ngaio reached for his hand. Then Barbossa knelt before Calypso.

"I am but a humble servant. I have fulfilled me vow and now ask just one simple favour. Spare myself and me ship and me crew, and unleash your fury on those who dare pretend to be your masters or mine..." she responded by crying out something in a language that sounded... oddly familiar to Ngaio. Maybe she'd heard her mother speak it at home when she was young. She was so busy trying to remember that she almost missed her mother exploding into thousands of crabs that littered the deck and flowed over into the sea. A storm began to circle overhead.

"We've got an armada against us, and a massive armada at that, with the Flying Dutchman, " Gibbs said, looking defeated. The whole crew looked the same - like there was no hope left.

"There's still a fight to be had, even if there is little chance of it working out well, " Will replied.

"Only a fools chance," Ngaio smiled up at her sister who was standing on the rail. She pulled her up to stand together.

"The only way we are going to get this lot to fight now is with some overdramatic speech, " Celeste said.

"Aye, " Ngaio agreed. "You never know, it might help us too, "

"Alright you lot listen up!" Celeste yelled, and the crew fell silent.

"The brethren are looking to us. The Pearl is to lead," Ngaio declared.

"and think, what do you want them to see? Frightened bilge rats on some derelict ship?" Celeste continued. They shook their heads. "No? Then what will they see?"

"They will see free men and freedom. And the enemy will see fearsome men and then nothing but the flash of our cannons. And hear the ring of our swords. They will know what we can do."

"By the sweat of our brows,"

"And by the strengths of our backs, "

"By the courage if our hearts. Gentlemen. Hoist the colours, " they concluded, speaking together.

"Hoist the colours!" Will shouted, a smile on his face again.

"The wind's on our side, boys. That's all we need!" Gibbs declared and everyone cheered. The rain began to pour, but it couldn't dampen their spirits anymore.

"Just when ya think things can't get anything worse..." Celeste said to her sister, ringing water out of her hair. They both looked over the ship, and spotted something off the port side. The water had begun to swirl. "is that a-"

"Malestrom!" Gibbs yelled.