Power of the Sparrow

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 Title:
Time
and Time Again

Author: Hellborne (the_ferret_mom@yahoo.com)

Disclaimer: Characters, if you saw them in the movie
or if they're real people, not mine. See the Mouse and the Real People.
Story, mine, but I make no money. He does, but not on this.

Typing convention: / is used for thoughts. * - * - *
is used for scene changes and passages of time.

Summary: Will gives Jack a birthday present.
Unfortunately, it's cursed. J/W, O/J.

Warnings: Torture, N/C, SMBD, slash, H/C, angst,
lemon, major sadomasochism.

Betas: The two greatest BetaGoddesses in the world,
Pendragginink and Littlebird! You're both truly magnificent, and I
wouldn't be able to write half as well without you!

Admin Note:  As you know, Hellborne has
passed away, but the follow had been given to her Beta's and we wanted
to make sure we could share as much of her insight into the story with
you, her readers!

Chapter 23 - The Nautilus

"All hands to the orlop deck, move aft 'til you run out of ship!"

Will's voice rang throughout the massive submarine; pirate and naval

personnel alike quavered in their boots as they made their way aft to

the gigantic engine room. By the time Will arrived, everyone had been

accounted for.

He tried to explain what he'd been told of the engines and mechanical

knowledge to run the Nautilus, but as he saw the crew's eyes glazing

over, he gave up. He pulled Norrington aside. "Commodore, as you

know, we're all in this together. You should also know that this ship

will be no threat when we return to normal waters; it is completely

self-sufficient, giving Jack his freedom without having to resort to

the usual pirate raids to maintain the ship. The threat of Captain

Jack Sparrow will be gone forever. But I need you and your men's help

to get back to Port Royal. I noticed your men were trying to

understand what I was saying, and were making better headway than my

crew. I'd like to train them to run the Nautilus. They would, in

turn, train my crew at a more leisurely rate. In return, we all get

out of the area far quicker than the time it would take to train my

crew on my own."

"And how do you know about running this...ship in the first place?"

"The stone dragon out there apparently knows how to speak to a person

inside their head. He gave me the basic instructions directly, and

informed me where the rest of them are to be found. But I can't run

this ship alone. It takes a minimum of a dozen crewmen to work it,

but I assure you your men would not be working hard, as most of the

work is watching things and pushing studs on tables or walls."

The Commodore stared at him for a moment, incredulous. "Watching

things and pushing studs." He shrugged. "If you can teach my men, I

do not see any conflicts, since, as you say, Sparrow and crew will be

out of piracy. I believe I would actually be interested in learning

about this marvelous ship myself."

"Remember this, Commodore; no matter what you or your men learn, they

won't remember a bit of it when they leave. Of course, you and your men

would be welcome to stay..."

"Oh, I think we'll be quite happy going home to our loved ones,Captain Turner."

James gathered the naval crew together and ordered them to listen to Captain Turner's instructions and to learn what he had to say without exception...no matter how ridiculously absurd it may sound.

* - * - *

Three hours later, the Nautilus submerged, descended a full five

fathoms below the surface and moved slowly and majestically out of

the area, leaving Pearl in the good company of Shamir, unable to

pursue them or even move from her new mooring.

* - * - *

Will opened the door to the great cabin cautiously, afraid of finding

a body, and even more leery of whose body it would be. The room was

empty; there wasn't any sign of a scuffle at all. Will smiled.

/Maybe Bootstrap was able to persuade Jack into giving up his quest to see Pearl again./

*Whack!*

Will heard a cry of outrage coming from the First Mate's cabin.

/Oh, good, both still alive then./ He assumed that Bootstrap would have
chosen it for his own anyway, so he headed for that door.

"Father? Are you all right?"

A moment later, Bill answered the door. He was fully dressed, and

grinning. "I'm fine. And Jack will be fine as soon as we're beyond

Pearl's influence."

Will poked his head through the doorway, peeking around the huge man

who was his father. Jack was tied to a chair, also fully clothed, but

head bent forward, fighting the bindings that held him, furious, whimpering and

mumbling.

Will looked up at his father. "What did you do to him?"

"He bit me, so I smacked him in the mouth. I think he may need a new

gold tooth or two..."

"Jack, are you all right?"

Jack looked his direction. His lip was cut and bloody. "Bloody pirate.
Some friend you are, up and hit me. Won't let me go see my Lady

just one last time...bleedin' bastard. William, throw him off the ship."

"We're in a submersible, Jack; there IS no 'off.'"

"Bloody Hell; shove him out the air hatch then."

Will shook his head in pity. "That would be 'air-lock' and there's no

point, you can't go to the Pearl, Jack; we're underway now." Will

turned to his father. "How much longer do you think he'll be like

that?"

Bill shrugged. "Pearl's effect on a man can last a while, and she can
send her influence for miles. Believe me, I felt her power all the way clear

to the Faithful Bride when I first visited. I think he should be fine

when we get into the realm of darkness, though. I'm afraid I did hit

him a bit hard...but it was reflex. He's got a strong bite to him, jaws
like a steel trap and teeth like a barracuda!" He showed Will his hand;

Jack's bite printwas still quite red with a couple of teeth having been sharp

enough to draw blood. "How's the crew taking to this ship?"

"Not well. The technology is so far beyond them they can't tell a

button from a welding stud."

Bill chuckled. "Well, now, be fair son. Not everyone aboard has the
mechanical knowhow of a blacksmith. So who's sailing this ship then?"

"The navy, actually. They were more willing to learn the new

drill...especially after Norrington commanded them to learn it..." He

stood ramrod straight, imitating the Commodore. "'...no matter how

ridiculously absurd it may sound'." Both men laughed.

* - * - *

This time, the only way the crew knew they had reached the realm of

darkness was that the numbers of the crew more than doubled with the

addition of the dead, most of whom seemed to be new faces nobody recognized.

* - * - *

TBC