Child of the Sea

Chapter Fifteen~

Shipwreck island in the background ... the Black Pearl as it joins the Empress, and the collected pirate ships, ready for battle. Pirates sharpen swords, clamber over the ship, make ready for sea. 

On deck, Marty peers ahead, into fog-shrouded waters Out of the fog, a single ship appears, the endeavor. Marty raises the alarm.

"The enemy is here! Let's take 'em!" he shouts Blood-curdling screams as pirates yell their approval! Strong, loud, confident.

More ships appear ... more ships ... even more ships. With each ship revealed, the yells of the pirates grow less certain. Fog clears revealing the huge armada of the East India Trading Company. Every manner of ship, hundreds of them, poised and ready for battle. In the sea ahead, the Flying Dutchman rises up through the water to lead the East India Trading Company Fleet. wheels past, out of there, headed back toward the island.. silence. 

Cotton's Parrot swoops down, flapping its wings. All eyes turn to Jack, the eyes belonging to angry pirates, all armed. 

what the hell do we do now, Sparrow? 

"Parlay?" ask Jack Siren grabs his arm and leads him away.

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A sparkling white strip of sand. Siren, Jack, Elizabeth and Barbossa walking away from a longboat beached on one side, toward a second longboat on the other side.

The threesome draw near to three others: Beckett, Davy Jones and Will. They regard each other in silence. "You be the cur that led these wolves to our door." says Barbossa to Will "Don't blame Turner. He was but the tool of your betrayal. If you wish to see its grand architect look to your left." says Beckett Siren, Elizabeth, Barbossa, Jack the Monkey look over at Jack. Jack looks to his left, too.

"Me? My hands are clean in this. Figuratively." says Jack.

"My actions were my own, to my own purpose. Jack had nothing to do with it." says Will "There! Listen to the tool." says Jack "Will, I've been aboard the Dutchman... I understand the burden you bear. But there is nothing you can do." says Siren "No cause is lost if there is but one fool left to fight for it." says Will, Will's eyes shift toward Jack. Siren clocks it glances at Jack. Calculates. "If Turner was not acting on your behalf, then how did he come to give me this?" ask Beckett he holds up Jack's Compass. That convinces Barbossa. 

"You made a deal with me, Jack, to deliver the pirates and here they are. Don't be bashful; step up and claim your reward. And I claim mine right here and now." says Beckett. He tosses the Compass; Jack catches it. "And what reward does as such fetch these days?" ask Barbossa. 

"Her." says Beckett implying Siren. Everyone is shocked.

"What?" she ask. 

"When the cannon smoke clears and the brethren slaughtered, off I sail on the Pearl, Siren will watch as the world she's grown to love burns before her eyes." says Beckett.

There is a moment of silence as this settles in. "Even if that was my plan and I'm not admitting to anything there's not a tinker's chance of it coming off anymore. For you Is there?" ask Jack "There never was for you." says Beckett "Your debt to me must still be satisfied. One hundred years in servitude aboard the Dutchman ... as a start." says Johns, Elizabeth reacts to the mention of the Dutchman she realizes what Jack is after. A glance at Will. Will gives the slightest indication: yes. 

"That debt was paid." says Jack "With some help." finishes Siren.

"You escaped. A technicality." says Johns, Siren looks to Jack and nods he nods back "There's no better end for Jack Sparrow than bilge rat aboard the Flying Dutchman. I propose an exchange. Will leaves with us ... and you can have Jack." says Siren.