Chapter 14:  Enter the EIC

 

“The Flying Dutchman?” Jack exclaimed in surprise.  “What’s Will doing here?”

Norrington turned sharply to look at the pirate.  “What?”  Last Norrington had known, Lord Beckett had been in control of the Dutchman.  He knew that, in death, Lord Beckett had lost control of the supernatural ship, but William Turner?  Norrington glanced at Robin, expecting to see confusion similar to his reflected in her eyes.  Instead, he saw a nearly emotionless mask appearing to be calculating odds or some kind.  It was frighteningly similar to the look on Lord Beckett’s face when he plotted the downfall of piracy.

“Will is the captain of the Dutchman,” Elizabeth said somewhat dreamily as she watched the ship approach.

Norrington felt a small pang in his heart at the look on Elizabeth’s face as she thought about her husband.  What Norrington wouldn’t give to have her looking like that while thinking about him…  Norrington noticed that Robin was watching him with a knowing look.  But for once she did not roll her eyes or mutter something about taking her advice.  In fact, she smiled at him slightly.  Instead of comforting Norrington, this confused him greatly.

“Does this mean that we’re planning to go with the Dutchman?” Pintel asked.

Norrington was sure that he saw Robin smirk, as though she knew something that the rest of them didn’t.  Norrington turned back to the approaching ship, seeing that they had now lowered a few jolly boats into the water.  The ship was close enough for Norrington to see that it did not appear exactly as when he had been aboard.  The sides were no longer covered with seaweed and coral, and he suspected that the crew was no longer as fish-like either.  But when Norrington was able to see the people in the jolly boats, he was certain that they were not pirates.

Jack took a step back.  “Those are…that’s…”

The men in the boats were wearing the gold and navy uniforms of the East India Trading Company.

“Will,” Elizabeth breathed, utterly horrified.

Jack was looking frantically from the Pearl to the Dutchman.  The Pearl had also lowered jolly boats, but they were still further away.  Jack cocked his pistol and trained it on Robin.  Norrington and Ragetti both aimed their weapons at Jack.  “You traitor,” Jack said quietly.  “I can’t believe that you, of all people, would work for Beckett!”

Robin failed to hide her shock at this statement.  “I didn’t lead him here!” she exclaimed after a moment.  She lowered her voice.  “I only agreed to help him because he offered to nullify the…contract.”  Her eyes narrowed at Jack, who lowered his weapon.

“Oh,” he said uneasily, appearing to suddenly understand.  “Well then.”  He looked toward the men, who were now standing and drawing elegant swords, ready to leap onto the shore.  The boats from the Pearl were still a few minutes behind.  “For freedom, then?” he asked Robin, who smiled slightly.

“For freedom.”

The men from the East India Company began unloading from the boats and onto the shore.  Norrington could remember only one fight as violent—on the Dauntless, with the cursed pirates.  At least these men could die, though Norrington did not enjoy taking their lives.  They were only following orders, just as Norrington used to.

Pintel retreated into one of the Pearl’s jolly boats as soon as it was close enough to shore.  Norrington shook his head at the man’s cowardice, but quickly began to think that Pintel had the right idea as more of the East India soldiers attacked, making their way to the boats from the Black Pearl.  If Norrington and the others did not head away from the island soon, the soldiers would likely succeed in blocking or destroying their only escape route.  But retreating was not an option, either.  If they all got into the boats, no one would be protecting them, and they would become a clear target.

Norrington grabbed Elizabeth’s arm and pulled her away from her current opponent, stabbing his sword through the man’s chest.  “Into the boat, now!”

“James?”

“Now!  Go!”  He kissed her forehead before shoving her rather roughly towards the nearest boat.  Elizabeth climbed into the boat as Norrington fought off the men who were attempting to reach it.  Jack joined the boat Elizabeth was in as Ragetti entered the boat that Pintel was in, and that boat began heading towards the Pearl.

Norrington and Robin were the last two still on the beach.  One of them had to remain behind to give the other time to escape.  “Go on,” Norrington said quietly.  Robin looked at him incredulously.

“What?” she gasped.

“Get into the boat.  I’ll hold them off while you get away.”  Norrington noticed that Robin did not move.  “Go!” he insisted.  Robin ran her sword through the nearest East India soldier and ran off to the boat.  Jack took her hand and pulled her in as they began rowing away, leaving Norrington behind.

“We can’t just leave him!” Elizabeth said as she and Robin watched Norrington shrinking as they rowed away.  Robin bit her lip as she watched Norrington fighting against multiple East India soldiers.  With every attack, Elizabeth was certain that she was about to see him die—but he somehow managed to stay alive.

“You’ve got a point, love.  Last time he did this he got away with the heart.”  Jack turned to Elizabeth.  “But you’ve got the map, right, Lizzie?”  Elizabeth pulled out the rolled up map from her sleeve slightly to show that she did indeed have it.

Robin suddenly jumped out of the boat and into the water, startling Jack and Elizabeth.  “Robin!” Jack shouted after her a she headed back towards shore, drawing her sword.  “What are you doing?”

“You’re mad!” Elizabeth exclaimed.

“I know!” Robin called back.

Norrington’s sword flew from his hand as he fell to the ground.  He tried to reach for it, but he had no time as a blade headed towards his chest.  He closed his eyes, an image of Jacqueline on a beach appearing in his mind’s eye.

Jacqueline?

But he didn’t die.  Opening his eyes, Norrington was shocked to see Robin standing before him, defending him against the ruthless onslaught of Beckett’s men.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he exclaimed, grabbed his fallen sword from the ground and standing beside her.

“Now that Jack apparently knows that I’ve been working for Lord Beckett, I don’t think I’ll be exactly welcome on the Pearl.”  Robin dodged a blade.  “Don’t you think that it’s about time we told them who we’re working for?”

Norrington was nearly impaled when he turned to her in shock.  Robin deflected it and killed the man as Norrington said, “What?  I thought we decided that we—.”

“It’s no longer in our favor to oppose him, James.”  She grabbed a nearby officer by the collar.  “Take us to Lord Beckett.  We demand to speak with him.”

The frightened officer muttered, “You could have just said Parlay.”

* * *

Lord Beckett watched as the jolly boat lifted into view, revealing a nervous Admiral Norrington and an emotionless Robin.  He smiled slightly and slowly walked forward, his hands clasped behind his back.  As he approached, Beckett held out his hand to Robin, who ignored it and leapt out of the boat and onto the deck without aid.  Norrington followed suit, gazing around at his surroundings apprehensively.

“Admiral Norrington,” Lord Beckett said with a slight bow.  Norrington nodded to him respectfully in return.  Beckett turned to Robin.  “Jacqueline.”  Robin’s eyes narrowed at him dangerously, and Beckett smirked.  “Robin, of course; I do apologize,” he said insincerely.  Out of the corner of his eye, Beckett noticed that Admiral Norrington was giving him a bewildered look.  Beckett filed this in the back of his mind to decipher later.  “I invite you to join me for dinner this afternoon.  You are probably both dying for a decent meal.”  Lord Beckett offered Robin his arm.  “Allow me to show you to your rooms.”  Beckett gazed coolly at Robin until she finally accepted his arm, though she attempted to avoid as much contact with him as possible.  Beckett guided her along with Admiral Norrington following.

“Here is where you will stay, Admiral,” Beckett said as they passed a door.  “Your uniform is waiting for you.”

Robin slowed and turned around as they left Norrington behind.  Beckett glanced back and saw Norrington gazing worriedly after them.  When he saw Beckett watching him, however, he quickly entered his room.  Every step Robin took suddenly seemed slightly hesitant, as though she feared his motives.  Beckett smirked slightly—she probably should.

“Have you and the Admiral grown…close?” Lord Beckett asked, attempting to make his question sound as casual as possible.

“Closer than you and I will ever be,” she responded coldly.

Damn Beckett thought.  Why does she have to be like that?”  Beckett stopped at a rather plain-looking door.  “This is your room.”  He turned the knob and pushed the door open, watching Robin’s face intently to study her reaction.

It was exactly as he had hoped.  When she saw the décor of the room, Robin’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open slightly.  Her eyes sparkled as she stepped into the room.  The walls were draped with curtains of Indian cloth, the wooden floor covered with exquisite Turkish rugs—everything in the room was from an exotic location.  On one wall was a large map, clearly showing the lands and waters that the East India Company controlled.

Robin walked past the canopy bed, her hand running down the smooth wood of one of the four posts as she looked around at the beauty and wealth Beckett had provided for her.  To Beckett, it was obvious that Robin’s desires were just as a pirate’s should be:  wealth, power, and pleasure.  “It’ll do,” she said finally.  Beckett smiled as Robin’s hand ran over the silk sheets on the bed.

“All of the jewelry on the dresser is yours to choose from,” he said.  “I’ll leave you to change.”

Robin whirled around sharply.  “What?”

Beckett was confused by Robin’s reaction.  “Into the dress,” Beckett said, motioning to the dark red dress on the bed.  “For dinner,” he added when she continued staring at him in horror.

Robin looked at the dress with disgust.  “You’re joking.”

“We cannot have you appearing so…unladylike at dinner.”  Robin opened her mouth in protest.  “You will wear that dress, whether you put it on willingly or I force you into it.”  Beckett smirked as Robin’s eyes widened.

Robin’s mouth snapped shut and she glared at him.  “Out!” she exclaimed, pointing to the door.  Beckett smiled as he bowed slightly to her.  Robin picked up a nearby antique Chinese vase, and Beckett quickly ducked out of the room, flinching as he heard the vase shatter against the door as he closed it behind him.