To Join The Dying Breed

Chapter 7: New Crew.

Chapter 7 - New Crew

*Juliet's POV*
The brilliant sunlight woke me up as it shone through the window. Stretching I opened my eyes and squinted as my eyes adjusted to the light. Looking around I saw that I was on a bed, clearly Will had moved me from outside - I must have fallen asleep on him. Looking around again I noticed my hat and weapons were on a chest at the end of the bed in a neat pile; Will, I thought rolling my eyes. Will always folded his clothes because he wanted to look nice just in case he was called to the Governor's household (and for Elizabeth).

To my left there was a massive window as outside the window was clearly blue skies and the teal coloured sea, beautiful view I must say. In front of me, after the chest and my clothes was a wall pinned with maps and arrows pointing to places and scribbled words next to them. I must be in Jack's cabin, I thought, I hope Will had permission to put me here. And stand corrected, to my right was the man himself slung over a chair with his head on a pillow on the desk, his body sat sideways on the chair, his hands hugging a pillow and his legs hung off the arm rest.

It must be about 9:30am as the sun was around that point in the sky so I might as well do something useful outside on deck as I know I wouldn't go back to sleep, nor want to, so I walked over to the desk quietly took a quill and a bottle of ink and wrote on Jack's hand: 'thank you for giving your bed up, J. PS, you didn't have to, I could have slept outside' since I couldn't find any parchment to write on, nor wanted to use it in case Jack needed it for some reason. Surprisingly he never stirred from his uncomfortable looking position - he must be a deep sleeper or was heavily drunk last night.

After I put on my boots (which I nearly tripped over, they were by the bed), hat, coat and weapons I walked out to be greeted by Mr. Gibbs. "Good morning Juliet, did you sleep well?" He asked pleasantly, I smiled and nodded, "indeed I did sir, did you?" He smiled in return and answered, "yes I did, a lot more comfortable than sleeping out with the pigs although a lot more colder as I had no animals to radiate their heat. And Juliet, please call me Mr. Gibbs, or Gibbs. I never was one for air." I chuckled, "I suppose so and as you wish, Gibbs." Saying goodbye I walked over to the helm and stared out at the open ocean in the distance from the bay in Tortuga. I smiled then felt a hand on my shoulder, "I see you've awoken Jay." I heard Will say as I glanced at him, "I have, seen you put me in Jack's cabin. Was he okay with that?" "Yes, in fact he was the one who told me to." "He did?" I asked, that was peculiar, "yes, I thought it was rather strange but Jack isn't exactly a normal man"

True, his attire happened to be quite strange but then people from Port Royal either wore posh outfits or poor outfits; never in the town did I see someone look like Jack, and hair; his hair was very extraordinary. I liked it though, it was different and it very much suited him.

"Mr. Gibbs!" I heard Jack yell from on the deck, "aye sir!" Mr. Gibbs yelled running to him, "why are there strange people on the ship?" I turned around and there were indeed strange people on the ship. "Sir, they're the new crew we hired last night." "Well I want them lined on the dock so I can make sure they're worthy of sailing with us." "Aye sir," Mr. Gibbs said then faced the strangers, "you heard the man, head to the dock!" And because of that the strangers ran to the dock and lined up very neatly. As I saw Jack follow the new crew onto the docks I followed, "come on Will." I said as I heard him follow.

***

"Feast your eyes, Capt'in. All of them, faithful hands before the mast, every man worth his salt. And crazy to boot." Mr. Gibbs said as Jack walked down the line inspected them all and both me and Will followed him, "so this is your able-bodied crew?" Will asked only to be ignored. Jack stopped at an older looking man with a parrot in his shoulder, "you, sailor!" Jack said, "Cotton, sir." Mr. Gibbs spoke, "Mr. Cotton, do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?" Silence "Mr. Cotton! Answer, man!" Jack shouted staring at Cotton which in returned just stared back at him. "He's a mute, sir." Gibbs explained, "poor devil had his tongue cut out," and with that Cotton opened his mouth to show his stump of a tongue as Will and I gagged, Jack just stuck out his tongue in discussed."so he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured how."

Leaving Cotton be Jack walked slowly down again only to stop at Cotton's parrot "Mr. Cotton's, parrot. Same question." Jack said to only get it to reply, "wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!" "Mostly, we figure, that means 'yes.'" Mr. Gibbs said, "o'course it does." Jack said then turned to Will, "satisfied?" "Well, you've proved they're mad." Will said truthfully, I was thinking the same, until a more feminine voice called from the end of the line, "and what's the benefit for us?"

All of us, Jack, Will, Gibbs and I walked to the end of the line. Slowly Jack looked under the floppy hat the sailor wore and took it off to reveal a darker skinned woman with long brown hair in man's outfit. "Anamaria." Jack smiled before he got slapped. "Suppose you didn't deserve that one either." Will asked Jack as he turned around to face us, "no, that one I deserved." He spoke as Annamaria smiled smugly and nodded her head, "you stole my boat!" She said pointing her finger at him as he turned to face her, "actually-" he said but Annamaria slapped him again, "borrowed. Borrowed without permission. But with every intention of bringing it back to you." He spoke slowly facing her, probably in fear of being slapped again. "But you didn't!" She shouted pointing her finger again. "And you'll get another one!" Jack said clearly trying to get on her good side, "a better one!" Will said as Jack smiled and agreed, "a better one." "A bigger one" I said joining in, "a bigger one." "A faster one!" Will said, "A faster one!" Jack said smiling and nodding his head. Looking at the Interceptor I pointed at it, "that one." I said, "what one?" Jack looked at me then at the ship along with everyone else, "that one?!" He half asked (with anger) half agreed and looked at me before I lifted my eyebrow almost saying 'you want to get on her good side again,right?'

Glaring at me Jack then turned around back to face Anamaria and nodded, "aye, that one. What say you?" Jack asked getting a response from the crew in seconds, "aye!" They shouted before storming back on the ship. "Anchors aweigh." I heard Cotton's parrot shout. "No, no, no, no, no," Mr. Gibbs said following Jack onto the ship as Will and I followed suit, "it's frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir." I scoffed, making sure to be heard making all three of them look at me, I did my best attempt to look irritated by Mr. Gibb's comment. "It'd be far worse not to have her." Jack said simply and then walked over to the helm and started yelling orders.

***

A few hours later we were in a heavy storm with nearly 5 better waves crashing on deck trying to drag us overboard - the wind and rain didn't help much either. "How can we sail to an island that nobody can find with a compass that doesn't work?!" I heard Will yell over the storm at Mr. Gibbs. I was nearly washed overboard before Anamaria grabbed me and asked if I was okay, I nodded in response. Me and her started talking when she was on board, since we were the only girls, however we did not agree on most things and nearly ended up in a fight twice we decided to watch each others backs and give each other space since we couldn't let a fight break out on ship when we were sailing.

"Aye," I heard Gibbs shout back at Will, they were only about a meter away and had to shout because of how loud the storm was the "compass doesn't point north but we're not trying to find north, are we?" Mr. Gibbs then turned and headed to the helm where Jack was standing with his compas out looking very regal. Before he got there a huge wave crashed on the ship and made him fall up the stairs, he steady himself out and then scurried up to the helm again "We should drop canvas, sir." I barely heard him and Jack's response as I helped Will tighten the mast rope to the ship. "She can hold a bit longer." "What's in your head that's put you in such a fine mood, Capt'in?" "We're catching up." I glanced at Jack and saw him smile a head at the storm.