Mister Gibbs, I'm going."
Gibbs recoiled from his reverie, accidentally dropping the remaining piece of bread into the bay. The fish swarmed and submerged it instantly. Jack was already pulling on his boots, poised rather unsteadily on a bare foot like a precariously balanced flamingo.
"Cap'n?" Gibbs climbed to his feet, a befuddlement spreading across his face. Jack stopped his assault on his boot, and widened his eyes as though in disbelief. He dropped his chin slightly and quickly diverted his eyes to the left before bringing them back to meet Gibbs'. Placing one booted foot on the jetty, he held up a gritty index finger and said in a clear, deliberately slow voice, "I," – he pointed to his chest – "am going." He pointed the same finger towards the horizon.
Gibbs nodded slowly, then shook his head. Casting a wary look from side to side, he leant forwards with raised eyebrows, "Where to, Jack?"
"To see a friend," said Jack in a matter-of-factly tone, putting on his other boot. Gibbs actually laughed. Jack frowned haughtily as his lips momentarily rose northwards. "Acquaintance, then." Both booted feet were on the wooden floor now.
Gibbs grin didn't falter. "That's all well, Cap'n, but you see, we're still in need of a ship."
"Aye, and therefore you can stay here and await our delightful mutineers, while I go and visit my..." he glanced upwards, "... acquaintance."
"And where be this 'acquaintance'?"
Jack looked out to the ocean as his lips stretched into a genuine, golden smile, igniting the dancing twinkle of deep blue azurite in his dark, kohl-smudged eyes.
"Nassau."
"The men are very happy, Captain. A ship commandeered; the first battle won," Tai Huang said. She continued analysing the map stretched out on the table, oblivious to his entrance.
"Not the first. What was that two weeks ago?" She caught his eye and adopted a mocking tone as she rebounded his words, "Or do you need reminding?" Tai Huang's eyes momentarily narrowed further while he watched her sternly, though Elizabeth was sure she saw a flash of laughter in the dark brown orbs. She grinned then returned to the charts. "It seems we are well supplied for our journey, though we may have to make port at the Cape of Good Hope for replenishment."
The Empress' crew had more than eagerly ransacked the Vendaval for all her silver, edibles and ammunitions, voracious to avenge the discomfort and inconvenience the Spaniards had caused. The torn sails and its damaged mizzen mast made it much less swift, but Elizabeth felt it was rather wasteful to leave the hefty galleon adrift especially when it could prove to be a valuable ship once repaired and restocked. They decided to tow it.
"Too dangerous," Tai Huang said immediately. He walked over to the charts sprawled over the desk and pointed to an island off the coast of south-eastern Africa. "Madagascar. Too dangerous to make port in the Cape of Good Hope. Too many ships." Elizabeth nodded slowly but he added the unsaid words anyway, "Slave trade."
"How long to Singapore?"
"My quickest journey through these waters took me three months, but with winds as favourable as these, I think we'll get there sooner. Maybe just over two months."
"I see."
"What of the remaining prisoners, Captain?"
