(no subject)

[scourgeofpiracy]

The brig of the Flying Dutchman is not a pleasant place even by the usual standards of ship brigs. Norrington tries to avoid going near it, as much as possible.

Tonight he can't. Some choices, once made, can't be gone back on.

He unlocks the door hastily, with a glance over his shoulder.

Comments

[scourgeofpiracy.livejournal.com]

Norrington sets his jaw and turns to Bootstrap, hoping he still has enough authority here.

"Stand down, sailor."

[byhisbootstraps]

He stares at Norrington, swaying slightly.

"No one leaves the ship."

[scourgeofpiracy.livejournal.com]

That... is not promising.

More firmly, with an edge of panic he's trying to hide, "Back to your station. That's an order."

[byhisbootstraps]

"That's an order," he repeats blankly.

The haze in his mind is thicker than ever, a dense fog enfolding him like the walls of the ship; seeing through it, thinking through it, is becoming harder and harder.

But words like order exist on either side of the fog, and mean the same thing.

He has his orders.

"Part of the crew," he mumbles, clouded eyes fixed on the Navy man. "Part of the ship, part of the crew. Part of the ship, part of the crew --"

The Navy man's saying something else. He doesn't hear it. His own voice is rising from a querulous mutter to a hoarse shout.

"Part of the ship, part of the crew. Part of the ship -- All hands! Prisoner escape!"

[scourgeofpiracy.livejournal.com]

Norrington pulls his pistol on the man, makes one last desperate attempt to stop this before it's too late.

"Belay that!"

[try_corsets]

The call goes out and Elizabeth, hanging from the towline, swivels her head to see James draw his pistol. With a gasp, she starts crawling back toward the Dutchman, though she's not sure what she'll do to help when she gets there.

"James!" she shrieks, desperate.

[scourgeofpiracy.livejournal.com]

Norrington's head snaps towards her, and... he can't let her do that. He can't let her come back into danger for him.

The next shot in his pistol goes to break the towline.

[byhisbootstraps]

The words keep repeating even when he stops saying them, part of the fog somehow, filling his head until there isn't room for anything else, part of the crew part of the ship part of the crew.

The woman's frantic cry, her voice, her face, mean nothing on this side of the fog. The desperate courage of the man before him means even less.

No one leaves the ship.

His sword's in his hand, and he's moving even as the towline and those clinging to it fall toward the water, even as the man in uniform turns back toward him.

[scourgeofpiracy.livejournal.com]

Norrington turns, but there's no time to do more than register the sword in the crewman's hand before he can't see it anymore, can't see anything for a moment, because the man in front of him has just run him through.

He staggers, slumps to the deck with his back against the railing, and with cold clarity he knows he's dying.

[try_corsets]

For a long, terrifying moment after plunging into the inky black water, Elizabeth isn't sure what's up or down. When she surfaces, the sight of her friend -- is it too late, she wonders, to call him that -- being stabbed is more alarming still. He slumps to the deck, and she feels her blood run cold.

"James! No!" she screams. "No!"

But her cries won't accomplish anything. It's useless. If she tries to go back now, both their lives will be forfeit. Casting a last anguished look at the scene unfolding on the Dutchman, she turns and strikes out for the Empress with all her strength.

It wouldn't do for them to leave without their captain.

[bringmethatnpc]

The cry has been given - All hands! Prisoner escape! and all hands corwd into the stern- - too late to prevent the escape, but in time to see the man lying againt the railing.

"The Admiral..." says Koleniko.

"The Admiral's dead?" Clanker says, hardly believing this occurence. "The Admiral's dead!"

The cry is picked up: "The Admiral's dead!"

[doyoufeardeath.livejournal.com]

The Captain barrels through the crowd now, looking less then pleased at this turn of events. Then again -- when does Davy Jones look anything less then malicious?

It sends most of the screw scattering below -- and leaves him alone with the dying man. He comes closer to him, looking down, and then says, his voice like the crashing of waves: "James Norrington, do you fear death?"

[scourgeofpiracy.livejournal.com]

Norrington is beyond answering verbally, if he would even have dignified that with an answer.

He is not, however, beyond movement. He draws his sword and he lunges up, stabbing Jones through the place where his heart should be.

The effort takes the last of his strength.

It's the last thing he does.

[doyoufeardeath.livejournal.com]

"Hnnh. I'll take that as a no."

Nonplussed by the man's last action, Jones jerks the sword from his breast as if it were a thorn in his palm; there's not a wince of pain or an ounce of discomfort. He turns the (Turner made) blade over in his hand and considers it a moment.

"Nice sword," he comments to himself, and leaves the cooling corpse behind him. Swords, after all, are far more interesting then dead admirals.