High Tide

[Nikki]

"I don't know," I mumble, "if it's good for you to say you don't scream bloody murder in the middle of the night. Because I can think of a couple people who have been doing that recently."
Famous, brave captain of the High Seas, afraid of a crying child.
This world becomes more and more confusing by the day.

[Jacky]

"Fair enough," I return my gaze to the horizon. "As long as that nonesense passes before you give birth to tha'.." I make a vague handgesture in the direction of her belly, "..none too much damage will be done."

Maybe not. But it's a comforting thought, and one I would gladly put into her head.

[Nikki]

Suddenly I feel a little sick. "I'm just a little afraid that the damage has already been done," I say in little more than a whisper.
What happens when the person you run to is the person you're running from?
I was always the mother here. The mother of the Pearl. I would always look after the men, would always be concerned for Jack above all else, and would aid Cassandra even whilst she hissed and moaned and carried on.
So why, why now is one more child to look after the cause of such vast. . .trouble?
"Tell me that you would betray any of the men on this ship, Jack. When it really came down to it. I know you, and you are a slave to your freedom. You strive for no attachment, but what you are is attached to the idea of freedom. Which is your downfall. And you can't help but love people. You just deny it. But I've seen you save a crew member's life time and time again. You watch over us all, the ones that matter. And those ties bind you deeper than you will ever care to know. This one. . well. It's just more obvious, love, that's all."
I try to give him a warm smile, but my eyes brim over with tears.

[Daz]

In the midst of my light sleep I find myself woken up by the sound of a brewing arguement in the crews quarters beside my cabin. I squint my eyes in the dark, adjusting them as I sit up. I was wondering when this would appear, the general mood of the decks the last few days have been low. We've been on open water for what seems like forever. And the supplies are at their lowest. Seeing as Jack is most probably locked away in the comfort of his own room, I should probably go to calm them all down before a brawl breaks out. Loosing a hand full of men wouldn't be useful at this stage. And neither would a mutiny. I may be sleepin' with my enemy, but I'd rather not have much to do with anyone elses. For now.
Slowly, I stagger out of my doorway and take a lamp as I head along the galley.
"I *saw* ye take that bloody loaf o' bread! With me own EYES, I DID!" One of the crewmen growls, in the middle of the rest, who seem to be involved in similar themes of disagreement.
"Oh jest what we needed, the little Siren turns up." Another glares at Cassandra.
"Ye Idiots." I raise an eyebrow, "Anyone woulda thought ye were new to this. Acting like bloody cabin boys, ye are. Arguin' over bloody food.."
"Some of us 'ave to do a little more than fuck the Captain every blinkin' hour to get our share, luvvy." He mutters, "Ye wouldn't know what it was t' work all day fer bloody nothin'!"
"I bet she's got a whole bloody banquet in tha' cabin o' hers. Those whores and the Captain, takin' it all, while we starve!"
My expression stays perfectly calm, not taking insult to anything they have to say to me..
"You men better grow a bit o' bloody respect, fer eachother and fer the rest o' the crew. I may be a woman, but I'm as much a part o' the crew as you are, and don't think ye don't know that. I do far more than that other whore does. There's no denying that."
"Nah, but yer a whore yerself, non-the-less. Still spend more time in the Captains Quarter's than the deck!"
I frown a little to that, "Don't ye go actin' dumb on me. Ye know what's goin' on here. And ye *all* know that there ain't a port fer weeks yet! This is jest something ye'll have to bloody *deal* with!"
"Go back t' bed, missy, ain't any o' yer business!"
"Oh, by God, ye know it is! Don't act like I don't have any authority around 'ere!"
"Were that a Threat, luv? I wouldn't give one I couldn't keep, if I were you.."
"I'll smash this lamp around yer fat head in a minute, I am no way in the mood t' listen to yer bloody yellin' all night! Maybe if ye all Shut the HELL up, you'd be able to realise how pathetic ye all are. Yer grown MEN! Ye'll survive fer now."
"Feelin' a bit deffensive of yer owner now are ye?!"
"What?"
"Bit deffensive of the bloody Captain, aye?"
One of them snorts, "Unlike yer normal self.."
"Oh fuck off, ye bunch o' idiots. I'm jest tryin' to get a good night's sleep!"
"Can imagine yer in need o' one!" They all laugh.
I scowl now, unimpressed..
"Fuck off to bed and you'll know what it's like to hear yellin' all bloody night, eh?!"
"Shut UP!" I scream now, breathing heavily.
"Yer workin' her up into a bloody hissy fit.." One of them grins.
By that point, though, he is absolutley correct, and I reach up and go to smash the lamp I'm carrying around his head. In a matter of seconds theres oil and shattered glass all over the place, luckily the flame burning out in the strength of the swing. And after that, in the darkness, a brawl begins, mostly fueled at me.
I'm not stupid enough to stay there though, once it gets going I find a way out and up decks, dripping in oil and blood (not my own) as I reach them, with only a vaguely black eye as a battle wound.

[Nikki]

The tears dry up as soon as Cassandra makes an appearance. Anger flares up inside me. "Cassandra. . .it takes a crew, dear, to sail a ship. And if you beat them all senseless, that's more work for yourself." Does she ever think before she hits?
Apparently not.
Normally at this point she and Jack would lapse into an argument which involved a series of lurid insults. But I'm tired of hearing them scream at each other, whether in a good situation or bad.
So I decide to take matters into my own hands.

[Daz]

I frown a little, gathering myself together as I turn to give them both a glare. This time, though, it's further directed at Rae, whom I decide in an instant is rather stupid for even opening her mouth. She never has enough wit for me.

"Fer your information I could take on this ship single-handed if I bloody must. If it meant a little peace I'd give anything for it." I approach them, "Look's like it's headed that way, though.. near-mutiny on our 'ands down there.."

[Jacky]

No wonder, with her stirring things up further. I have no time, patience, or desire to deal with Cassandra at the moment. Instead, I leave her and Rae behind to work out some cropped up anger. I trust they won't beat each other's heads in today. What I don't trust is that more than half of my crew will survive if I leave them to brawl belowdecks, so I head there to break up the fight and make sure they remember who their captain is. Bloody idiots, the lot of them. I seem to have surrounded myself with mental midgets.

[Nikki]

"Mutiny," I pause. "Of course. But they should know that in the end Jack's wild escapades almost always bear fruit."

[Daz]

I can't help but smirk a little, "Yuh, luvvy.. that's how someone with a bloody tinited eye might see it. You'll learn soon enough that these things ain't always full o' yer fairytales."

[Nikki]

"Look, however much your shallow opinion of me may cost you, we can't afford that right now." I frown at her, trying not to let her egg me on. "I'm not ignorant. We need to agree, you, me, and Jack. Because it seems now we're the only ones who believe his tales. If we turn against each other- and it's headed that way- no reward for any of us at the end of it all." I look her in the eye, something I seldom do anymore. "That's the object of the sins. To tear us asunder of each other."
It's a challenge of hilarity, really. The Brethren know that pirates will take any means to get to something they want. But when the means they usually use are worthless. .. it's almost impossible.