I also wanted to humiliate the man and have his secrets exposed by River. The last bit about his…er “bits” was an after thought. Jack did have the running joke about Will being a eunuch and Beckett never did say what “mark” Sparrow left on him.
Also ties in with Malcolm’s speech about mercy in “Shindig” I guess that make’s Norrington All right.
Replies: Ogreatrandom: This is not the last chapter. I’m thinking this might be around 35 chapters long at least. Yeah, poor Jack, but he did get to shoot Barbossa in CotBP and he got to kill Mercer.
Elizabeth: Thank you and I am planning on a romantic Willabeth scene for the fic’s epilogue.
Asteria: I have been wondering about that fixation for a bit. I am hoping Norrington does end up stabbing and or killing Beckett in the third movie.
The Insane Immortal Dragon: Thank you
Sayla Ragnarok: Thanks. This story is coming to and end soon, just a few more chapters.
They call me KEERAN. Thank you.
Chapter 33: The final battle
-
Inara had never felt she would have been so relieved to enter the cargo bay of Serenity in her lifetime. It was not the most glamorous ship she had been on, or lived on and her shuttle was the only bit of elegance and sparkle. A few of her clients had even claimed her shuttle was like a jewel attached to Niu Shi, and she had always refuted their insults, not knowing why she had done it in the past. She knew why. It was home, a part of her, and she was a part of it.
Her eyes met with Malcolm’s. He had the look of being reunited with a former love in his eyes. A smile spread across his face as he breathed deep and walked across the floor.
“It’s good to be home,” Inara smiled. She stared up towards the direction of her shuttle. She longed to removed her disguise, bathe in scented water and redress in her own clothing.
“Not quite home,” Mal ran his fingers against the metal banister of the cat walk stairs. “Well she is home, but we won’t keep her running till we return to our time.” His eyes widened and he ran up the stairs.
“Where are you going?”
Mal pointed towards the direction he was headed towards. “The little captain’s room.”
“There is a bathroom in the common room,” Simon said.
“Talkin about my room,” Mal continued on his way, removing the blue naval coat he had worn for the past few weeks.
“Do be careful with that,” James Norrington stared up at him. “A least have some respect for the uniform.” He cringed when a guttural sound came from Jack Sparrow and did not turn to see Jack spit something into his hand and rub it against his waistcoat.
Inara felt herself shuddering at the display. Mal would have never done something like that, even if he had donned the purple armor of the alliance for a disguise.
“Ugh,” Simon blinked. “He’s almost like Jayne.”
“I should go to the engine room,” Kaylee said after she had carefully removed her coat and handed it to Inara.
“What’s wrong love?” Jack leaned against Jayne’s exorcise bench. “I didn’t frighten ye with my mannish displays, now have I?”
“I would not describe that disgusting display as the trade mark of a man,” Norrington glowered at the disguised pirate. “More like that of an animal.”
“Engine room is where I need to be,” Kaylee explained. “I have an spare set of overalls in my hammock in there.”
“What about your tools?” Inara asked. “Your tool box is still on the Haven.” She had asked the question too late. Kaylee was already out of earshot.
“She has at least three copies of each set of tools,” Simon said, smiling with knowing the fact.
Inara nodded. “Of course she does.” She should have known that. She turned to Norrington who was keeping a close eye on Jack Sparrow. “Thank you for your help.”
Norrington’s scowl faded when he turned to her. “You have no need to thank me.”
“You heard Beckett. You gave up your title, and your job when you helped free us and stabbed him.”
“He might not have the title of lordship for long,” Norrington stared at his hands. “The Navy knows of his ulterior goals. They know it’s not completely fabricated.”
“There is still a chance you can go to prison.”
“Or worse,” Jack grabbed his throat with one hand, tilted his head and made a pulling motion above his head. “He doesn’t have much to worry. He’s still technically part of my crew. I’ll keep a watch on him.”
“What?” Inara heard an echo from Simon who repeated the question.
“I stole the heart from you,” Norrington pointed at the pirate. “Betrayed all of you, and hunted you down and you would still have me as part of your crew?”
Sparrow nodded and raised his index fingers. “That’s how I grew to respect ye. I still haven’t fired you now have I?”
“Wait,” Simon approached the two of them. “The commodore was a part of Sparrow’s crew?”
“No,” Norrington said through clenched teeth. “It was a chapter of my life I wish I could have ripped out.”
“You wound me, mate.” Jack tapped his chest before he continued to saunter around the cargo hold. “After all that rooting I done fer ye.” He paused by the silver crate that held Jonas’s device. “This is how ye treats me.” He ran his fingers across the top of the lid. “What’s this? Stolen treasure from outer space?” He began to lift the lid.
“Don’t!” Inara shouted at the same time Norrington grabbed Sparrow’s wrist and pulled the pirate away from the crate.
“Do not sully this ship or its cargo with your hands,” Norrington said.
“Keep him off that,” Mal called down from the landing on the top of the stairs. He had completely removed the uniform and replaced it with a olive colored shirt, a pair of khakis, and a pair of ankle cut boots. His toothbrush hung from the corner of his mouth while toothpaste foam dribbled down his chin.
“You had to go and brush your teeth?” Inara asked in complete disbelief.
Mal removed his toothbrush. “Dental hygiene is very important.” He rubbed the back of his hand across his mouth before he pointed at Sparrow. “Keep your mitts off my cargo, don’t touch anything on my ship.”
“Shouldn’t we be getting back to the others?” Inara asked.
“On our way now. It will only take a minute. Visit my other ship first and then Jack’s.”
-
Barbossa could not hear much after the explosion, only the sound of the waves lapping against the dark hull of the Black Pearl and the faint sound of a woman sobbing. He blinked once before he stared out to where The Empress went down and was blown apart. There were several pieces of wood floating across the surface of the water. There was even a red swatch of cloth near a piece of the mast all that remained from the crimson sails of the ship. There was no sign of the Kraken; save for a few sections of charred tentacle floating on the surface and no indication Sao Feng had survived.
“Did we kill it?” Marty asked.
Barbossa shrugged. “Cannot tell for certain. Won’t know until Davy Jones had tried to summon the beastie again.” He removed his gaze from the sea and settled it on the very short pirate. “Make sure the others know to keep firing at the hammer and wheel.”
“Aye, aye sir.” Marty gave him a salute before he ran down below deck.
With the instructions given out it left Barbossa able to focus on the weeping woman in red. Lady Phoenix had her face buried in her hands while her body shook. She needed someone to hold her steady while she cried.
“Let it out lass,” Barbossa placed a hand against the back f her shoulders and nudged her close to his chest. “I know I can’t take away the hurt. I know saying that there is a possibility he may have survived will not make ye feel any better either.”
She continued to cry for a few minutes more, calling out her brother’s name before she lifted her head. “It gives me some hope.” The black makeup she had used to line her eyes had run from her tears, creating gray streaks down her cheeks.
“He’s right,” Jayne Cobb said. The man was still armed to the teeth. “He could be trying to swim to us.”
Barbossa stared at him before he used one of his fingers to swipe away the mixture of makeup and tears from Lady Phoenix. “Ye just have to have some hope.”
“If he has we will heal him,” Lady Phoenix said softly. “If not then he had gone the way he wanted.
“I’m not good at finding the words at this kind of thing,” Jayne said. Barbossa wasn’t sure if he could ever find the right kind of words for any situation. “I know Shepherd Book would have wanted to say something, set his spirit at ease.” He stared down at the deck. “He would have said something about his spirit watching over us and trying to be with us and be in our hearts and since he is in our hearts he would influence us to win this thing.”
Barbossa raised his eyebrows at the armed man. “That was good.”
“I think that’s what it says in the bible,” Ragetti said, earning a look from Pintel.
“How do you know?” The older man asked him. “You still can’t read it.”
“Not true,” Ragetti crossed his arms. “Well maybe, but the lad on the other ship taught me how to read some words and he told me what some of it says.”
Pintel pointed at him. “Still doesn’t change the fact you don’t know what it exactly says, and misquoting the bibles sends you too-,” He pointed down.
“Misquoting the bible won’t send you to hell,” a deep and cold voice said. The air around them became cooler, like autumn in England cold. “We will.” The creature was grayish blue in color. His head was stretched out like the head of a hammerhead shark. A few starfish clung to his chest and spiny protrusions were on his back.
“Jones,” Barbossa released Lady Phoenix at stared at the inhuman creatures standing around on deck.
“He isn’t here,” The shark man said. He held an ax in his hands that appeared to have been covered in lobster like gauntlets. “Wants to see Sparrow, but he his no where to be found. Decides to settle things with Turner’s whelp instead.
“What the hell is wrong with them?” Jayne asked as a man with an eel in his chest raised a blade. “They all look worse than Reavers.” Without looking at his would be attacker he fired the pistol in his hand at the cursed man’s head. “How come you got a wheel attacked to your back?” He removed a different pistol, pointed at the man with a wheel in his back and placed the one with the spent shot back in its place.
“I believe we should follow Jayne’s example,” Barbossa drew his on blade along with the rest of the men on deck. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lady Phoenix pull out a pair of fans.
The Shark man came at Barbossa with his ax. The curved blade stuck against the edge of his sword as the resurrected pirate deflected the attack.
-
William Turner had removed his gaze from where The Empress exploded to the amazing flying ship that approached them. He had no idea how many or who had survived the explosion.
“Keep firing,” Zoe Washburne instructed. She stared at the entrance into the deck. “Keep-“ she paused at the sudden drop of temperature and wrinkled up her nose. “What is that smell?”
Will knew what the smell was. He had spent a few days amongst the stench. He was surprised he could smell anything afterwards. The foul odor came off the crew of Davy Jones.
The cursed men had materialized aboard The Haven, surrounding the crew. There were only two men Will focused on. One was Davy Jones. The other was the man who stood right before Will.
“William,” Bootstrap Bill Turner smiled weakly. His shoulders and back appeared more sloped than Will had remembered. The shadows around his weary eyes were darker. “When the Kraken attacked the ship you had escaped to I had thought-‘
“I didn’t.” Will said softly and returned the smile. He pointed to Elizabeth. “This is my fiancée, Elizabeth Swann. We want you to be at our wedding.”
“Hello,” Elizabeth greeted in an uncertain tone. Will knew she was staring at the sea life that had collected on his father. She couldn’t help it. It was hard to not notice such things.
Bill’s smile grew slightly larger. “I am honored to meet you.” Laughing from Jones’s crew and a snort from Davy Jones himself followed his words.
“I am honored to meet you,” Jones repeated in a high and mocking tone. He was not moved by the fact Zoe standing next to him and aiming a pistol at him, nor did he notice the air ship hovering behind the stern and a large door opening at the bottom front. “Take care of the rest of the folk, gents.” Jones ordered.
The man with a puffer fish face went after Zoe only to drop his sword when the female soldier shot him in the hand.
The rest of Jones’s men brought their weapons against the rest of those aboard the Haven.
Jones turned his satisfied face from the battle back to Will. “Ye cost me my heart, made me the tool for a pompous English Lord. I thought about killin ye wi irony, but I decided t’ kill ye myself.” He swung at Will with his sword.
Will brought the edge of his sword up against the barnacle-encrusted blade of Jones.
“Bootstrap, kill the girl.” Jones ordered as he reflected Will’s swing.
“My father won’t” Will said as he brought his sword against Jones.
“He has no choice,” Jones said.
Out of the corner of his eye Will could see his father charging against Elizabeth with a shaky arm. Rage filled his entire body. Jones wasn’t a man. He was a true monster, forcing men like his father to kill against their won will. He had hoped what few lessons he had taught her would help.
-
The game plan was solid. Jack would give the heart to Will and the boy would stab it and the whole mess would have been over. Malcolm had wondered why they wouldn’t get it over with and just stab the heart right then and there, but both Jack and Norrington had said the kid had promised his father that he would be the one. Mal could have sort of understood that part.
He and Norrington would provide back up for the pirate. Mal’s other goal was to return Zoe’s weapon to her. He and River had both seen the monstrous crew of Jones on the deck of The Haven.
“Gorram monsters are on my boat,” Mal grunted once the air lock opened. He sought out Zoe and watched as she kicked away the weapon from one of them and proceeded to user her hands and fists.
“Jones is attacking Turner,” Norrington said as one of the slimy and crusty crewmembers had sight of them and came running towards them. “Elizabeth.”
“Not yet,” Mal said as he fired his gun at the cursed pirated, sending him flying back. “Stick with the plan.”
“Hey squishy beard,” Jack called at the top of his lungs, earning glares from both Mal and Norrington. There goes the plan. They were supposed to not attract any unwanted attention. “I’m over here fish breath.”
“Great,” Mal sighed when Davy Jones turned around to face them, allowing the young man he was fighting to slip away assist a young woman with hair the color of dark honey. “Now what do we do?”
“Same as before,” Norrington said as he took lead, removing his sword and running straight up to Jones. He only made it half way before a man with a hermit crab for a head crossed his path. Norrington’s blade met up against the monster’s weapon. “Keep going.”
“Sounds simple,” Mal said as he ran along with Jack.
Davy Jones’s tendrils flared as the two men neared him. He was even more frightening than Mal had remembered. “Sparrow,” Jones’s brow ridges narrowed at the two men.
“Guess what I got, ye slimy git.” Jack held up the bag containing the heart. “Only this time there is no jar attached. What do you think of that eh?”
Jones’s lips trembled. “I suppose ye want to negotiate.”
Jack grinned. “Now ye are singing my song.”
“Ye wer supposed t’ be in my locker as well as yer ship.” The squid faced man did not sheath his sword. “But seeing how that ye escaped has impressed me a wee bit.”
“Doesn’t have to do with the fact that I have this?” Jack tossed the bag in the air and caught it.
“I could switch sides fer ye, Jack. Have my men attack the Navy.”
“No,” Mal said, earning a look from Jones. He shuddered at the image of the monster staring at him.
“I’m trying to negotiate here.” Jack hissed.
“Negotiate?” Mal froze in his steps. “That is not part of the plan.” Where the hell was this guy going?
“Work with me mate,” Jack grinned at him, not seeing the man with the long protruding eyes approach him from behind.
“I am working with you.” Mal shot his gun at the man before he turned to face Jones. “You may not remember me when I was dressed in that frippery back on the navy boat, but there is no way I am going to forget the most hideous face in the ‘verse.”
“Ye are a foolish man aiming yer weapon,” Davy Jones said. “Specially after ye have already spent yer shot.”
Mal smiled. “It may be your playin field but I’m in the advantage here.” He aimed and fired his gun at two more members of Jones’s crew. “Still got more in the cartridge.” He pointed his gun at Jones again. “I bet you are wanting to know my name.”
“Do I now?” Jones’s eyes had widened at Mal’s shooting display but settled back into his stone hard scowl.
“My name is Malcolm Reynolds.” He pulled the trigger. The bullet had struck Davy Jones in the forehead, sending the cursed man reeling back.
“What did ye do that for?” Jack raised his hands in frustration. “Ye ruined it.”
What the hell was this guy on? “What do you mean I ruined it? I thought we were to stick with the plan.”
Jack shook his head. “Clearly we don’t understand each other.”
“Clearly we don’t” Mal agreed with him. He heard someone running for them and turned to shoot at them. His eyes widened at the fact it was Jones.
“Ye are a bigger fool than I had originally thought, Malcolm Reynolds.” Jones said as he brought his blade down towards Mal
“I got this one,” Jack brought the edge of his blade up against Jones’s weapon. “Take care of this.” He tossed the sack to Mal.
“Got it,” Mal caught it and was about to run towards the youth Norrington had pointed out but relying on instinct he turned to Zoe instead. The monster she had been fighting with had retrieved his sword.
“Jarvis,” Mal tossed the bag to the teenager, the closest person to him. “Get this to Turner.”
“Aye, Captain,” Jarvis caught the sack at the same time, as a man covered in seaweed was about to bring his weapon on him.
“Jarvis,” Horace got in between the boy and the monster, taking the full force of the weapon into s own chest while he stabbed at the beast.
“Horace,” Jarvis’s eyes widened.
“Get the heart to Turner.” Mal didn’t turn until Jarvis had started to run.
Zoe had a long cut on the back of her arm when Mal reached her. She had tried to dodge but she did not come out unscathed.
“Got something for you,” Mal said after he released another bullet into the back of the blowfish’s head. He tossed his first mate her favorite gun.
“Just in time, sir,” Zoe said once she had caught her weapon.
“Help me dispense some bullets?” Mal asked as he sought out an enemy to fight. He watched as Jack and Davy Jones continued to duel in way that almost looked like dancing and turned to watch Norrington duel in the same artistic way with his opponent. Best to give his new friends some help, even if bullets only seem to stall the monsters.
Norrington sliced his blade down at the shoulder and chest of Shell face, while the tip of Shell face’s sword cut into Norrington’s stomach.
Mal fired his gun twice. The first bullet struck the soft fleshy part within the conch shell. The second shot was a click. He spent his last gorram bullet.
“Commodore,” Mal grabbed onto the back of Norrington. “Just keep talking buddy.”
“I don’t think he struck to deep,” Norrington said between grunts. “Just the tip of the blade has my blood.”
“Still gotta get you back to the ship. Can you walk?”
“I can manage.” Norrington stumbled back weakly towards Serenity. “Will we be able to-“ he paused to cringe again. “Make it?”
Both pen paused when Zoe fired her gun and they turned towards the fallen cursed pirate.
Mal nodded. “We’ll make it.”
“Keep heading towards the ship,” Inara had joined up with them, wielding a sword she kept in her shuttle. “I will cover your backs.” She kept the sword out as she walked with the men.
“You shouldn’t be doing this,” Mal told her. “I already have enough to worry about.”
“Then don’t worry about me,” Inara gave him one of her looks. “You worry about him.”
Simon had met up with them when they reached the metal docking platform. “I believe they missed most of the vital organs.”
“Keep your medical talk in your infirmary,” Mal said. “Inara, You and the doc will take him to the infirmary.”
“Cap’n,” Kaylee’s voice came out through the speaker. “Can you come to the cock pit?”
Why was his mechanic at the helm? She was in the wrong end of the ship. “Why is Kaylee in the cockpit?”
“I’m not sure,” Simon said as he, Inara and Norrington hobbled to the medical bay.
Mal’s question was answered when River climbed down the stairs. “What are you doing? Is Kaylee trying to fly?”
“She is holding on,” River didn’t even look at him. Mal couldn’t remember the last time she actually looked pissed. “Simon, take care of him.”
“Where are you going?” Mal asked.
“My turn.” She took Inara’s sword and ran past the air lock, towards the deck of the Haven.
“River!” Simon’s eyes widened when the girl’s feet touched the wooden deck. “Don’t do it.”
“She can’t,” Norrington gasped. “Reynolds don’t let her-“ His eyes widened when River sliced through one of Jones’s men, spilling fish and water onto the deck. “Fight.”
“She knows what she is doing,” Mal turned away from the fight. He himself hated the idea of River taking on those mutations, but this was the girl who single handedly took on about a hundred Reavers and killed them all. “Inara, help the doctor get the commodore to the medical bay. I got a ship to fly.”
-
“Can’t kill ye,” Barbossa grunted as he forced all his strength into the back end of his hilt. “This should hold ye.” He felt the blade slide further into the flesh and into the wood of The Pearl’s mizzenmast.
The shark man stared down at the hilt that pressed against his slimy flesh and kept him pinned and then back at Barbossa. Not a word escaped his mouth. He just made a sound like a growl.
“I’ll be taking this,” He ignored the bleeding gouge in his arm and wrenched the ax away and looked for someone else to fight.
Lady Phoenix was doing fine on her own. With her fans she had removed another weapon from one of Jones’s men and was making deep cuts into their cursed flesh.
Pintel and Ragetti were fighting with their backs against each other.
Jayne Cobb had fired off nearly every one of the pistols he carried. He didn’t seem to worried, not when that flying fortress had returned.
The mere presence of the metal animal was enough to give Barbossa a pause.
“Jayne!” A girl’s voice called out as soon as the door on the animal’s chest opened.
“Kaylee?” Jayne stared at the young woman, not much older than Miss Swann herself, as she neared the end of the gangplank
“Cap’n wanted me to give this to you.” She tossed him a large, strange and impressive looking gun.
“Vera,” Jayne gasped when he caught the weapon. “You brought her back.” A smug grin appeared on Jayne’s face as he pointed the weapon at the cursed men. “Gentlemen this is Vera.” He shot at the three men closest to him, not having to bother to reload with further shots or powder. “I don’t think she likes you.”
Barbossa smiled and turned to find someone else to help. Jayne Cobb did not need it.
-
“I have to admit I’m a bit surprised,” Jack Sparrow said as he and Davy Jones continued to duel. “or should I say I’m a bit impressed.” He deflected another blow and leaped back.
“Why would ye say that?” Jones asked as he brought the edge of is crusted blade towards Jack once again.
“Not many get to see a big shiny flying ship from the future, now do they?” Jack ducked and brought the sword up. “Many would stare at such a thing, yet ye don’t even bother to look. Funny isn’t it?”
“We all stared at it on my ship when it first arrived.” Jones hissed when another attempt to strike at Jack was foiled. “I know ye are trying to stall.”
“And I know my friend from the future has never heard of ye,” Jack used the broad end of his blade to perform an uppercut with enough force to knock Jones’s sword out of hand. “I guess that mean’s you do not have much of a future.” He pointed the tip of his sword at Jones’s face.
“I could say the same about ye.” Jack wasn’t even paying attention to Jones’s claw. The hard red appendage grabbed Jack’s other hand when he wasn’t looking whiles the long tentacle like finger wrapped around the hilt of his blade.
-
“Father,” Will stared into the eyes of his father. “You are not like them. You can fight it.” Both Will and Elizabeth stood together, their blades striking against his father’s.
“I’m sorry,” Tears dribbled out of the corners of Bootstrap’s eyes. “I’m trying.”
“Try to make it easier to loose,” Elizabeth instructed.
“I am,” Bootstrap said.
“At the same time,” Will said. Both he and Elizabeth brought their swords together at against his father’s. Bill was able to block Elizabeth’s strike but Not Will’s. He used all of his strength to force the blade out of his father’s clammy hands.
“Thank you, son.” Bill said when the blade struck the deck. “It’s still not stopping me.”
“I will stop you.” Will grabbed onto his father’s shoulders to hold him back away from Elizabeth while picked up the discarded blade.
“I guess I’m not as strong as I used to be,” Bill said weakly.
“You were strong enough for the both of us.”
“It’s that girl,” Elizabeth said. “My god. She is trying to take them all on.”
Will peered over his father’s shoulder and saw a young woman spin around on the deck as if she was dancing. She swung around two weapons, striking against the weaponry of Jones’s crew.
“Mr. Turner.” Jarvis shouted as he ran up to him. “Here.” He tossed a small grubby bag towards him.
Will gave his father a quick shove before he caught the sack. He felt and heard its contents beat in his hands.
“No, Jack!” Elizabeth shouted.
Will looked up just as Jack had released his sword. His other hand was clamped in Davy Jones’s claw.
“No more,” Will said as he removed his father’s knife from his pocket and plunged the blade deep into the sack, all the way to the handle.
-