One Shot: Rivalry

[honorat]

by Honorat
Rating: G
Characters: The Dauntless and the Interceptor
Disclaimer: Pirate!

Summary: This has to be the strangest explanation I’ve ever heard for why the entire Royal Navy crew went over to the Dauntless when Jack stole the Interceptor. Late answer to the “I'd do anything” challenge at Black Pearl Sails. 500 words.

Thanks so much for beta-ing geek_mama_2.

* * * * *

You must call them! The words of that bloody little upstart, Interceptor, held a strain of desperation in them. You must! They were yours first, and they will come to you. I can make them all leave, but only if you help me.

The Dauntless towered over her younger compatriot, stately and imposing. Why should I help you? she inquired haughtily. You ask me to neglect my duty, betray their trust. Allow you to escape.

But I must. Don’t you understand? the smaller brig cried.

No. Explain yourself.

The Interceptor’s sails quivered with a breath of painful laughter. You will think me a fool.

I already do, the older ship said dryly.

Ducking her bow in embarrassment, the Interceptor confessed, The moment he first set foot on my deck, I knew I had never been fully alive. The feel of his hands on my helm—it was like fire that burns but does not consume. The dark enchantment of his voice. No one has ever talked to me as he does. He told me I was his, and his telling made it so. To remain here were to be unfaithful. I love him. And I will go with him.

He does not love you, you know, the Dauntless replied cruelly. He uses you to get to another.

I know, the Interceptor admitted sadly. But even to be his for just this one journey, to be the one he has chosen to take him to his beloved, is better than never knowing his touch at all.

There was a long silence when only the small waves lapped and the seabirds cried. Finally the Dauntless said quietly, I understand.

A flash of enlightenment shivered through the Interceptor’s rigging. Ah! So that is it. You want him for yourself. I cannot blame you. But he needs me. Needs my fleet wings and agile hull. You cannot help him.

That was truth. The Dauntless acknowledged the hit.

The Interceptor waited a moment, but no further capitulation seemed forthcoming. She could not fail! For his sake then, she begged. For him, and for our dark sister who waits for him to break her curse and who holds his heart.

The great warship shifted irresolutely against her moorings. Almost, she was convinced.

They will all be yours then. The bold, shining commodore, the brave lieutenants, all of them, the Interceptor suggested slyly. Yours alone, as it was before I came.

The Dauntless brightened and dipped her bow. There is that. She paused, considering. Very well. I will do as you ask.

* * * * *

And so, when the Interceptor pressed her hot flank up against the great side of the Dauntless, every last man left her as though drawn by the songs of sirens. And while the Interceptor strained frantically at her cables, two men dropped quietly to her decks from the Dauntless.

A sigh shivered through the sails of the Interceptor; the lines holding the Dauntless groaned. And then the bright stinging strokes of an axe set the little brig free. She leapt ahead before the last line parted, feeling it snap taut and then burst.

All her rigging thrummed and sang. All her sails filled with the wild free wind. For now, for however long it lasted, she belonged to Captain Jack Sparrow.

The End.

Comments

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

What a delightful confection this is! I love the personalities you've given the two ships.

They will all be yours then. The bold, shining commodore, the brave lieutenants, all of them, the Interceptor suggested slyly. Yours alone, as it was before I came.

The Dauntless brightened and dipped her bow. There is that.

So clever of the Interceptor to know just what will work on her sister ship.

And the last paragraph is perfect.

Really excellent work!

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I'm delighted that you like my two ships. I had fun interpreting their motions as personality.

So clever of the Interceptor to know just what will work on her sister ship.

Since Norrington just became a commodore, the Interceptor had to have newly arrived. So I enjoyed the idea that the Dauntless might have been just a wee bit jealous of having to share her men with the interloper.

And the last paragraph is perfect.

If I were a ship, that's what I'd be thinking! *grin*

Thank you so much for reading and commenting on this.

[nessaancalime.livejournal.com]

Ah, I love sentient ship stories. What about a sequel where the Dauntless meets the Black Pearl? Lots of emotions to work out there ::g::

[honorat.livejournal.com]

This is about as sentient as I've ever written them!

What about a sequel where the Dauntless meets the Black Pearl?

Ooooh! *admires the plot bunny* You never know!
Thank you for commenting.

[nessaancalime.livejournal.com]

Go bunny! Go!

[order_of_chaos]

Ships! Prettyshiny emo-ships!

The Dauntless brightened and dipped her bow. There is that. She paused, considering. Very well. I will do as you ask.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I'm happy you like the pretty ships. I'm rather fond of them myself. Thank you.

[captsparrow4evr.livejournal.com]

On the Sparrington Yahoo group there was a whole series of stories featuring sentient!Dauntless and sentient!Pearl. It had dynamics rather like Sparrington in that they started off as enemies/rivals and ended up . . . well, shall we say "very friendly." Such a nicely done piece. Love it.:)

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Thank you for stopping by to comment. I'm glad you liked my dueling ships. It seems to me that there are only two options for what happens in this scene--naval incompetence or treachery. My version at least absolves the Navy boys of either. Of course the ships are then a bit treacherous, but those daughters of the sea have to be a bit unpredictable.

[classics-lover.livejournal.com]

Ship!Squee!

Well done, that was very well thought out, and very well characterised.

A joy. An absolute joy.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

*bounce* You like my little ships! Thank you so much. I thought that the Dauntless, who had been the power in the Western Caribbean for eight years at least, might have had her bowsprit a little out of joint at the arrival of the Interceptor, whom nothing could match for speed. :D

[aft-and-daft.livejournal.com]

wow, that was *excellent*!! What a neat and creative piece! I love the way you anthropomophize the movements of the ships, very cleverly done, and the way you gave them personalities. A wonderful fic, and it is very touching too, the feelings came across beautifully. A joy to read! :-)

[honorat.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked my characterization of the Dauntless and the Interceptor. They were fun to write. I have my students do a similar exercise in point of view with well-known fairy tales--Cinderella from the POV of the glass slipper, etc. It's rather amusing. I'll never forget the one prima dona slipper with a bad attitude. And one student made me sniffle over the fate of a piece of straw in the Little Pig's house. I'm working on a sequel to this with the Black Pearl and the Interceptor. Thank you so much for your kind words.

[aft-and-daft.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a totally fun exercise. :-D That really puts the "creative" in creative writing. :-)

I'm quite looking forward to the sequel! :-D

[hendercats.livejournal.com]

(grumble, grumble grumble ... my comment got eaten - will try again)

What great fun!! Your sentient ships are wonderful! Love the way you've used their movements as body language:
Ducking her bow in embarrassment
enlightenment shivered through the Interceptor's rigging

bright stinging strokes of an axe
ouch!!

They will all be yours then. The bold, shining commodore, the brave lieutenants, all of them
Hee! Look at the pretties, Dauntless, don't you want them back?

*notes writing exercise mentioned in comment to aft_and_daft*

[honorat.livejournal.com]

Ooh! Thank you for persevering in spite of Internet gremlins. I'm so glad you enjoyed my little ships. They were such fun to write--the Dauntless with her haughty superiority, the Interceptor all wild and adventurously young.

Hee! Look at the pretties, Dauntless, don't you want them back?
Of course she'll want them back. After that little upstart Interceptor stole some of her court, the former reigning toast of the ton would certainly jump at the chance to lose her rival and regain her former place.

Your comments are always something to look forward to.

[equivocal-muse.livejournal.com]

I love the emotions rippling out into the physical parts of the ships. They become believably alive. Believably! Now that's talent! I almost finding myself rooting for the 'Interceptor.' You've got me hooked.

[honorat.livejournal.com]

It probably helps that I genuinely think of ships as alive. One is much more convincing if one forgets that one is writing fiction! I'm glad you're enjoying this weird little series.

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

I am in LOVE!!! Thank you so very much for this delightful truth. I know that Jack has magic in him that he and Pearl have such a fine fine fine and spirited love--very cool how the Interceptor was smitten to follow him as well. I named her a lovely tool in his capable hands.

"it was like fire that burns but does not consume. The dark enchantment of his voice. No one has ever talked to me as he does. He told me I was his, and his telling made it so. To remain here were to be unfaithful. I love him. And I will go with him." Wowie zowie Batman!!!! I am smitten as well, oh yes, what you've writ is sending me joyous to my chores (and yes I do indeed intend to do something today besides read every word you've posted). Oh, I can see exactly what caused all to fall in love with this. Cos it's me too--years later and still powerful, still compelling!! Such is the power of the pirate, "No one has ever talked to me as he does. He told me I was his, and his telling made it so." Yes, it is so!