Fic: 'Harbinger of Doom'
Feb. 18th, 2008 03:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dwgmA little over 400 words for the current drabble challenge at Black Pearl Sails...
~ Harbinger of Doom ~
We’d just set our course east, out of the Caribbean – headed for Turkey of all places, though we didn’t know that, Jack kept it to himself for the longest time – when we ran into a plump little Dutch merchantman and Jack decided to take her, in spite of the Pearl’s near-full hold. She was an easy mark, and we soon had her laid by the heels, so to speak, her crew trussed up and locked in the foc’sle, our crew makin’ free of the hold and aft cabins. Jack found a few books and charts he liked in the captain’s quarters, though it appeared the man had an execrable taste in spirits.
“Nothing but Genever in there, Gibbs,” Jack said, as he emerged onto the deck. “Can’t stomach the stuff, meself. But what’s this?” He waved a hand forward, where some of the lads had just hoisted a stoutly built, heavy wooden crate up from the hold. “That’s some sort of artwork, if I know anything of the matter. Let’s have a look.”
It took some doing– Jack didn’t want whatever-it-was damaged, and told ‘em to take care opening it. They were finally able to loosen one of the panels and pried it up. Jack himself took his knife and cut the waterproofed canvas that covered the thing, and brushed aside the straw packing. There was a further wrapping of thick soft fabric about it, but you could tell what it was, from the shape.
“A bust!” says Jack. “Let’s see who it is. If it’s one of those old Roman fellas, it might be worth a fair bit.”
Well, it weren’t no old Roman. Jack slit the covering and it curled away from the marble, and it was the cold, white effigy of Cutler Beckett.
I disremember when I’ve seen an expression like that on Jack’s phiz.
“Throw it overboard,” he snapped, when he’d come back to himself enough to speak.
“But Captain—“ one of the lads helping us started to object, but Jack gives him a look and he changed his tune right smart. “Aye, Captain, right away.”
Jack and I stood and watched. They shoved it over and there was a mighty splash, and then it was gone, sinking fast into the briney.
“Good riddance to a bad piece of art, eh?” I said, trying for a lighter air.
Jack’s jaw worked some, but then he gave a sort of shudder, and took a deep breath. “Aye. Let’s hope that’s all it is.”
~.~
Many thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for editing!
~ Harbinger of Doom ~
We’d just set our course east, out of the Caribbean – headed for Turkey of all places, though we didn’t know that, Jack kept it to himself for the longest time – when we ran into a plump little Dutch merchantman and Jack decided to take her, in spite of the Pearl’s near-full hold. She was an easy mark, and we soon had her laid by the heels, so to speak, her crew trussed up and locked in the foc’sle, our crew makin’ free of the hold and aft cabins. Jack found a few books and charts he liked in the captain’s quarters, though it appeared the man had an execrable taste in spirits.
“Nothing but Genever in there, Gibbs,” Jack said, as he emerged onto the deck. “Can’t stomach the stuff, meself. But what’s this?” He waved a hand forward, where some of the lads had just hoisted a stoutly built, heavy wooden crate up from the hold. “That’s some sort of artwork, if I know anything of the matter. Let’s have a look.”
It took some doing– Jack didn’t want whatever-it-was damaged, and told ‘em to take care opening it. They were finally able to loosen one of the panels and pried it up. Jack himself took his knife and cut the waterproofed canvas that covered the thing, and brushed aside the straw packing. There was a further wrapping of thick soft fabric about it, but you could tell what it was, from the shape.
“A bust!” says Jack. “Let’s see who it is. If it’s one of those old Roman fellas, it might be worth a fair bit.”
Well, it weren’t no old Roman. Jack slit the covering and it curled away from the marble, and it was the cold, white effigy of Cutler Beckett.
I disremember when I’ve seen an expression like that on Jack’s phiz.
“Throw it overboard,” he snapped, when he’d come back to himself enough to speak.
“But Captain—“ one of the lads helping us started to object, but Jack gives him a look and he changed his tune right smart. “Aye, Captain, right away.”
Jack and I stood and watched. They shoved it over and there was a mighty splash, and then it was gone, sinking fast into the briney.
“Good riddance to a bad piece of art, eh?” I said, trying for a lighter air.
Jack’s jaw worked some, but then he gave a sort of shudder, and took a deep breath. “Aye. Let’s hope that’s all it is.”
~.~
Many thanks to
hereswith for editing!![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 12:36 am (UTC)Funniest fic I've read all week!
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Date: 2008-02-19 12:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 12:38 am (UTC)As if his normal stare wasn't cold enough, could you imagine having a marble gaze on you as you walked around your house? Now those would be the kind of creepy eyes that would follow you.
*shudders along with Jack*
Great story, though.
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Date: 2008-02-19 12:42 am (UTC)Me likes.
Especially the point of view and the fun title. ^^ *is easily pleased, no?*
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Date: 2008-02-19 01:18 am (UTC)So happy you liked the story. Thanks for letting me know!
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Date: 2008-02-19 01:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 01:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 01:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 02:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 02:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 02:23 am (UTC)I think that answers outinthestorm's question.
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Date: 2008-02-19 02:27 am (UTC)Beckett would want a bust of himself, I'm sure.
Hope throwing it overboard doesn't stir up some new/old spirits and bring CB back again.
Somehow I'm sure Jack wouldn't think it was his fault ;)
Fun ficlet.
Felaine
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Date: 2008-02-19 02:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 10:12 am (UTC)Wonderful moment! I can just see the bust suddenly revealed in the sunshine and the look on Jack's face. Of course, there's only one person in the Caribbean - in the whole entire world - who'd order a marble bust of Cutler Beckett!
Our plot bunnies are stalking each other (either that or we're both working our way through AWE). First Sao Feng, twins, and Singapore, now Beckett. Would it be OK to slip a comment about the bust into Nuts 6 if I can squeeze one in?
no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 11:40 am (UTC)Where would I find the drabble challenges on Black Pearl Sails? I've been browsing Black Pearl Tales this weekend, and the quality of the stories and art is amazing. Great website. :)
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Date: 2008-02-19 01:22 pm (UTC)I'm surprised Jack didn't use the bust for target practice or such!
Does Mr. Gibbs have more of this tale in store for us?
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Date: 2008-02-19 06:18 pm (UTC)Great minds think alike! :-D
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Date: 2008-02-19 06:21 pm (UTC)(Thinking about Beckett, I'd imagine that bust was made of the finest Carraran marble *g*)
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Date: 2008-02-19 06:37 pm (UTC)The drabble challenges have only been posted at the Black Pearl Sails Yahoo Group, but I think tomorrow I'll start crossposting them to LJ at
I'm glad to know you've been enjoying Black Pearl Tales. I've been working on the website all this last weekend, archiving older drabbles particularly, and we used to get so many good ones -- 15 to 20 a week. It's quite a task to archive them, but I think it's a worthwhile project. They'll be pretty much lost, otherwise, unless someone is willing to sift back through the hundreds of messages we used to get in a week. It's nice to have all that were written for a given theme on a single page.
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Date: 2008-02-19 06:46 pm (UTC)That's a good idea, though the flying chips of marble might have been a hazard. I think he just wanted to get rid of it ASAP.
This was a one-shot, but no doubt Mr. Gibbs will be coming up with other stories about Jack and the Black Pearl. I'm so glad you enjoyed it, though -- thanks for letting me know!
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Date: 2008-02-19 06:47 pm (UTC)Glad you enjoyed this one! Thank you for letting me know.
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Date: 2008-02-19 06:51 pm (UTC)So anticipating a lovely bit of plunder in that so carefully wrapped box--he's a little like a kid on Christmas morning--and then...
Shudder, indeed! You convey so much with so little:
>The cold, white effigy of Cutler Beckett" does make him seem icily present in his likeness and the worlds in:
>I disremember when I’ve seen an expression like that on Jack’s phiz<
I love that it's told from Gib's pov, of course i like the relationship anyway, but I especially like your own take on it.
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Date: 2008-02-19 10:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 10:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-19 11:34 pm (UTC)I could, too. *g*
Thanks so much for reading and commenting!