15minuteficlet
Sep. 3rd, 2006 12:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dwgmCatastrophe
The Pearl was safe. Jack had known the storm was no ordinary one. He liked storms, and trusted his dark lady to see him through them, knew exactly how far to push her, what he could ask of each sail, line, and shroud. But this storm was different, a monster, and there was nothing for it, they must find a safe anchorage to wait it out.
The edge of the storm had pushed them, hard, toward the rocky, unfamiliar coastline, but his sixth sense (and maybe a vague memory or two, and perhaps a dash of luck) had enabled him to find a sheltered harbor -- there was even a small settlement with a tavern for those who wanted to take advantage of such things. He wasn't among their number, not this time. He had his ship, and his rum, and he didn't fancy a row across the choppy waters of the bay in the pouring rain, thanks ever so.
Anyway, he wasn't in the mood.
"Ye seem vexed, Captain. We've beat the storm!"
"Which is more than Norrington can say."
Gibbs frowned. "Ye don't think he turned back? That he's out there -- he and his men?"
Jack looked out at the mouth of the bay from the overhang of the quarterdeck steps. "He's out there."
Gibbs followed Jack's gaze and shook his head. "Well, there's naught to be done for 'em if it's so. You'd think Norrington'd have more sense."
"Would you?" Jack lifted his shoulders, shrugging off the vision of the beleaguered Dauntless. "But you're right: there's nothing to be done. Go ashore if y' like."
"Aye, well, if yer sure you won't come along?"
Jack smiled slightly and shooed the man. "Off with you, now."
Gibbs went, and Jack's smile faded. Bloody Norrington. Bloody Davy Jones! He bloody needed some rum, and his Pearl.
And perhaps he would allow himself to indulge in more of those plaguey thoughts of that plaguey rum-burning chit. That'd take his mind off impending catastrophe.
Many thanks to
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hereswith for the quick edit!BTW, I wrote this using Writely, Google's new web-based word processor, and I'm liking it more and more -- many thanks to
viva_gloria for the heads up on that. I went to the html screen, and voilà! there's all the mark up -- rather more coding than I would've put in, but still, it worked, and very conveniently. I use three different computers to write with on a regular basis, and Writely allows me to use any of them without worrying about copying or emailing the files.Oh, and one other thing: I've been updating Black Pearl Tales with lots more fanart and reference sources for writers. I'm adding more stories, too, some of the latest ones that are spoilery for DMC (although I expect we don't need to worry about spoilers so much any more). Check it out if you get a chance!
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Date: 2006-09-03 08:47 pm (UTC)Will check out Google's "Writely" - sounds interesting. Ta, then!
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Date: 2006-09-03 08:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-03 08:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-03 08:59 pm (UTC)Thanks so much for commenting. I'm glad you liked it!
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Date: 2006-09-03 09:40 pm (UTC)Yes. This is one of the things that's interesting about him. He has a brain in there, boiled as it may be!
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Date: 2006-09-03 09:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-03 10:02 pm (UTC)I think Jack can sympathise with obsession, certainly, even to the extent of putting others at risk.
Thanks again for the beta read -- I do appreciate your feedback so much.
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Date: 2006-09-03 11:27 pm (UTC)Chills. Waves of 'em, sliding down my back when I read that. This is a wonderful piece.
that plaguey rum-burning chit
Hee! Love it. (and if Elizabeth had a nameplate for her desk, it would read "Elizabeth Swann Rum Burner")
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Date: 2006-09-04 12:47 am (UTC)E. Swann, Rum Burner has a nice ring to it, no?
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for commenting.
OT: Btw, Julie on BP Sails is
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Date: 2006-09-04 05:13 am (UTC)Lovely little fic! Feels like another piece of the missing year between Curse and DMC falling into place... nicely done, and makes all kinds of sense. Of course I love the last line; but the rest of it is very telling about Jack in other ways, ways that I like. I love the depth of Jack; it's what makes him one of the most fascinating original characters out there, IMO - he's got more layers than an onion.
And Google develops the most awesome programs... haven't heard of Writely, but I'll definitely check it out!
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Date: 2006-09-04 06:19 am (UTC)So, so true. Which is why we love him. Well, one of the reasons.
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Date: 2006-09-04 06:37 am (UTC)But something I've learned about him is that he's a character that seems almost a contradiction - there are things about him that are so *precise*: a writer should characterize his mannerisms just so, his attitude just so, an authentic Jack voice is difficult to find (IMO). Yet, I believe because the surface level of him is a costume, we can make him almost anything we want underneath. Because we've seen so little (if any) of the "true Jack Sparrow", who of us is to say who the true Jack Sparrow is? So in many ways it's like if we keep his outer trappings recognizeable, we can do what we wish underneath. He can be cruel or kind, literate or illiterate, gay or straight, from a nobel background or completely ignoble, and all are Jack Sparrow.
And it begs the question... is it the man himself we are enamored with, or the costume? I suppose it depends on what we imagine underneath.
Ah, the beauty of fanfic, and the beauty of Jack Sparrow for being such a wonderfully flexible and adaptable character. :-)
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Date: 2006-09-04 06:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-04 01:41 am (UTC)And yay for an appearance by Gibbs!
I like how you have him distressed for the Dauntless and her crew. Jack would feel for Norrington even though Norrington is making his life needlessly complicated when he needs to be extricating himself from Jones' trap.
Excellently done, and all in 15 minutes! *is wildly impressed*
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Date: 2006-09-04 06:11 am (UTC)So happy you enjoyed the story -- thanks for letting me know.
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Date: 2006-09-04 05:02 am (UTC)Brava!
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Date: 2006-09-04 06:09 am (UTC)So happy you enjoyed the fic. Thanks for letting me know!
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Date: 2006-09-04 05:06 am (UTC)My husband steered me to it early last week and I've adored it ever since! Writely was the purchase of Google and Googles answer to the word processor that is free and I do hope they kick Microsoft's ASS!
Now, all Writely needs to add to their processor is something to rival Excel. Since I don't have Excel or any spreadsheet software on this computer, I satisfy my need for the most part with using Tables in Word. But I want to get completely AWAY from Word, and haven't found any kind of Tables function there.. *sighs*.. If you've found it and can steer me there...
I'm telling all my friends about Writely and so far, I've converted every single one! The ability to share a document for editing is brilliant for us writers, eh?
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Date: 2006-09-04 06:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-04 12:20 pm (UTC)So, better late, than never:
I did like your little snippet. Jack's reflection on Norrington's possible demise in the face of the hurricane. One captian to another- there's a bond there. A caring for ship and for souls that neither of them can deny that in command, there's a great responsibility. Well done!
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Date: 2006-09-04 01:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-04 05:21 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2006-09-04 07:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-04 07:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-05 08:58 pm (UTC)but his sixth sense about these things (and maybe a vague memory or two, and perhaps a dash of luck) had enabled him to find a sheltered harbor
Really liked this line.
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Date: 2006-09-06 01:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-05 10:30 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2006-09-11 04:46 am (UTC)