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At Sarah’s Books:
Ava *shuts Sacred Mists up
and heads to Sarah’s book shop to get some supplies in for the shop. Ava cannot believe how quick the shop was finished
all it needs is it finishing touches. Ava just has to walk a few foot steps to reach Sarahs, she cups her hands and peers
through the window to see if any one is in. Although Ava cannot see any one she tries any way, the door opens and the door
bell rings. peeks around the door* Hello is any one in or are you closed, it's
Ava from next door, I just wanted to buy some books.
Sarah: *hears Ava calling from upstairs where she was doing the very important job of watching Barrie unpack her luggage
from the trip and then continuing packing her belongings into moving-boxes to move it to his house; she did of course want
to help, but he insisted that she’d relax and only make lists of what things went into which boxes. She goes downstairs;
smiles* Hello Ava, how are you? We’re not officially open today. James and I just came back from Scotland. But since it’s you…what books are looking for?
Ava: *turns
and smiles at Sarah* Oh I am sorry Sarah I was just looking for some pregnancy books for Sacred Mist, maybe some herbal ones
too, oh some garden ones too, oh some therapy books too and some animal ones aimed at children. I am sorry for such
the list Sarah but the shop is finally finished and well I wanted to get the finale touches done. *she smiles at Sarah, Ava
starts to read Sarah*
Sarah: That’s great! It’s good to see you moving on with your life after all that happened with Don Juan. *Laughs* That is quite a list! But
I don’t mind, it’s what I’m here for ... *Leads Ava towards a bookshelf with several rows of books about
pregnancy, birth and infants* I have quite a few books on pregnancy and birth
as you can see … *pulls out a copy of “Your Baby – From Conception to Birth”.* I’ve read
this one myself and find it very useful; it has the usual medical facts about what’s happening with the mother’s
body and the development of the child, but the really neat thing is that it has an index in the back and by the end of each
chapter is a box with the most important points of the chapter making it easier to find just the information you’re
looking for. But feel free to browse around and ask if you have questions. *Smiles* I’m expecting myself and
have at least browsed most of the books on pregnancy.
Ava: Congratulations
Sarah, yes I know you are I can sense that little baby of yours I am guessing that you about 14 weeks *smiles* give or
take a couple of days. Sarah if you dont mind me saying that baby of yours is an active one it's going to be smart just like
it's parents.*pauses for a moment* Sarah you should come round to Sacred Mists it's dedicated to woman, we have special birthing
centre in there, like a home from home for woman who dont want to have there child in a the hospital. *smiles and
laughs* yes Don Juan *sighs* but some things still remain the same. *Smiles at Sarah* Ah yes that book willl do nicely indeed.*Ava
looks at the books running her finger along them* Ah thats another one I will be buying *smiles*
Sarah: *looks at Ava in surprise* Wow, that was a good guess! *Smiles at what Ava says about her
baby* Thank you, that’s very sweet of you. *Thoughtfully* I was just planning on having the baby at the hospital, although,
with the things I keep hearing about that hospital, I’ll certainly take your offer into consideration. *Smiles* Great…
Ava: Sure Sarah I am
here for you if you need any advice if you want one day you could come and check Sacred Mists out*smiles* ah yes you
could say it was a guess *pauses* hospitals are not my thing *Ava stops herself she doesnt want to scare Sarah she has enough
fears being a first time mom. Ava looks at Sarah wedding ring* Oh you got married I see wow who is the lucky man. You
know what Sarah when ever you and your husband have any spare time you really should come round to my home *smiles* I live
right on the beach. *Ava walks over to the childrens books and picks up Guess how much I love you*
Sarah *Smiles* Yes, I did. *Puzzled* Oh, I thought you knew … *with pride*
My husband is James Barrie. We went to Edinburgh for the wedding; he went to university there
and I’ve always liked it as well, so it made sense. Plus, my grandparents
weren’t much for taking the long flight and I really wanted them there. *Smiles* On the beach? That sounds lovely! We’re in the process of moving all of my things to James’s house, but
once we’re done, I’m sure we can find time to stop by and pay you a visit.
And go see Sacred Mist too, of course. *Quizzically* If I were to deliver my child at your centre, would there be a doctor present? And what about drugs? I mean, you’ll need a certified
doctor to administer that. Unless … *with a fearful expression* …
do you only do 100% percent natural births? Because I must tell you despite considering
myself open-minded as far as alternative medicine goes, I think I’ll stick to modern western medicine for this one. I’ve heard plenty of stories about childbirth to know that I’ll be having
that epidural. *Smiles again* But
I would still like to see the centre; I like the idea of a place where women can turn if they need it.
Ava: oh I am sorry Sarah
I should have known by any chance was it the paper? I stopped readding the paper when they wrote horrible things about
George. *smiles* Oh that was wonderful Sarah give my congratulations to Mr Barrie.*calmly* Well if you were to
deliver in Sacred Mists of course you could have a doctor present but we do have our own pain killers too Sarah.
*smiles at her* do not fear Sarah I do, do 100 % natural births but I do, do others. For example water births we
have a pool and we offer drugs to. Of course Sarah maybe you and James come come around one day and check it out. I
would be very happy for you to come around *picks a load of books up and puts them down*
Sarah *smiles* Yeah, there was a small notice in the paper; I’ll
make sure to pass on the congratulations. *Nods* Oh,
I see … Well, I’ll give it all some thought. There’s still
plenty of time to make such decisions. James and I will stop by as soon as we’re
settled. *Opens the cash register, rings up the books, and then places them in
a bag. Hands the bag to Ava; smiles* These
are on me, call it a house-warming gift.
Ava: Oh thank you Sarah,
I will let you love birds carry on with what you are up to *looks at her watch* Oh my George will be waiting thank you again.
*Ava is about to leave when she stops* try a little bit of fresh ginger in some hot water that will help with any sickness
you feel. *Ava disappears back out the shop*
In Tortuga:
Ichy *hold onto the rope
so that his knuckles turn white when he climbs down as silently as he can till he reaches the water, he lets go
of the rope and dives, heading for the land. He climbs ashore behind another
ship and steals away farther from the Apparition till he stops, taking a look around. No
one shows any interest in him though his clothes and hair are dripping wet. He
balks at the sight of two wenches with extremely low cut dresses who smile seductively at him, they give a short laugh and
go on. He goes to the nearest inn, sees a man yawning and shuffling a dirty
deck of playing cards and he nervously taps at the counter to get the man's attention. When
the man puts down the cards to squint at him, he blushes at the sight of them. How
can Kat enjoy a place like this, full of filth and sin?* I need dry clothes.
Do you know where I could get some?
The man *assesses him and
his clothes, then nods* Get in. Me
wife will dry them out.
Ichy *relieved* Thanks! *He enters the room behind the counter, goes to a disgusting
bathroom, undresses and takes a towel and peeks out. The man signals for
him to follow and he finds himself in a small bedroom*
The man: Wait 'ere.
Ichy *dries his hair with
the towel, sits down on the bed, having inspected it first, and waits patiently. The
time goes by slowly. He doesn't know for how long he has waited, but then he
decides finally to take a look. He wraps the towel tightly and raps
at the bathroom door politely* Madam? *There's no answer. He returns to the room and starts to feel himself uncomfortable, sits for a while,
then he tries the bathroom again. No answer. He
pushes the door a bit, not to scare the woman drying his clothes, but the door open with a creak to an empty bathroom.
No woman. And no clothes. Even his boots are gone. He wanders back
to the counter, but there's a completely different man behind it, and he does not look friendly at all. He backs to the bedroom and starts to think. Maybe his
clothes are drying on a rack? Sure, with the boots ... And he can't wander around in
the towel. There are no closets nor cupboards in the room, but under the bedcovers he finds a shirt that may
originally have been white. Or gray. It
is repulsive. As bad as the pirate trousers that reach to the knees next to them,
but as there is nothing else, he puts the disgusting garments on, feeling instantly itchy and dirty. There's a pair of slippers under the bed. He walks
through the apartment, if it can be called an apartment. It is more like
a pig sty. When he comes to a small yard, he notes how apt his assessment was. There's
a fence where two huge pigs sleep in the mud, and beside them is a guy with a rum bottle ... No clothes. No rack. He should not have trusted that man. For a moment he considers challenging the man at the counter, but after a brief thinking pause he realizes
that's it better to stay low. And start looking for Kat. He climbs over a rotten fence and finds himself in an alley. Feeling
shame for his clothes, he nevertheless starts to walk down it, looking for Kat*
At Chateau Blanchefort:
Donnie *to Portsmith, as he tries very hard to stay calm and keep his anger in check*
A reputation you ruined … and last I checked, a bad reputation doesn’t give you jail-time. If you dislike Abberline so much, why not just fire him? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind more time to spend with his beautiful wife and children. *He knows that he’s provoking her, but he can’t help it.
And it beats the alternative – leaping over the desk and strangling her till her eyes pop out!* Yes, perhaps Ivan is lying and it’s all just a scheme to damage you.
But hey, we can go arrest Abberline right now and let the court decide who’s lying. I’m sure the judge, jury and reporters would enjoy that little movie immensely. And then of course all the well-respected character witnesses … Sergeant Godley, Mr. Blake, maybe
even Mr. Wonka. Face it, Commander. You’ll
never be able to prove that Abberline did those things beyond reasonable doubt; you won’t get a conviction. But if you want that film revealed in a high profile court case, be my guest. *Smiles a little* And oh yes, destroying that copy of the
film won’t make any difference. Copies of it has already been delivered to several Deppville citizens – who has
it doesn’t matter. *After leaving the office, he turned back and made a
few more copies of the film and made sure to have copies delivered to Godley, Hanson and Manouche*. I did refrain from giving the newspapers a copy, although I’m sure it would make for some interesting
headlines. As far as the warehouse murders, it’s my professional opinion
that it’s only rumours and that you’re behind those rumours as well as the rest.
I have no reason to believe otherwise and I refuse wasting my time investigating made-up cases. *Shakes his head* A promotion?
And what exactly do you want in return?
Portsmith *rolls her eyes* You have no respect for you superiors, do you?
And if I wanted to fire Fred, I could have done that a long time ago. No,
he's more dangerous as a loose cannon. He'll stay in the Office. As for
his beautiful wife, haven't you noticed that the Apparition is gone? You
speak of reliable and respected witnesses. I take it that I am not among
them. That is an insult, Brasco. But
I let it pass for now. I am very impressed of your working and I am in desperate
need of good officers. You have critical mind.
*she smiles evilly* Yes, I admit I started a part of this, but you saw
through it unlike little Hanson. I had good reasons for shaking up Fred a little,
and I am utterly disappointed that he did not care to clear his reputation himself but left it to others. You will see that you will not get a thanks from him. *she
smirks* But what is really ridiculous, is that the warehouse shootings are a
real incident. I saw it all and I can testify. Though it seems that some
bloody thief has been at work. Maybe the tape will be found and you will see that your friend is not as innocent as
you believe. But that's between the two of you. So, in short. I want someone with an open and critical eye and intelligence to relieve me of the practical
burdens of running the Office. I need to concentrate on strategy. And furthermore, we both know where we stand. So, are you
interested in being my Chief Inspector?
Donnie: Oh, I know he’s not going to thank me … *with an expression
of concern* So Kat’s gone? That
explains a few things. *Still not entirely sure what to make of the warehouse
murders; looks at her* Well, when you do locate that tape, let me know. *Smiles a little* Hanson will make a
good investigator some day; he’s still young and has a lot to learn. *Hates
to admit that he does like the idea of being in charge, even though he’s still convinced that there’s a catch
in it somewhere.* Well, as you said we both know that we dislike each other –
to put it nicely – and Chief Inspector does have a nice ring to it. I will
accept your offer, but I won’t be doing your bidding, which I’m sure you already know … *grins* it’s
that lack of respect for my superiors. Oh and one more thing … those Haffner
women. They are horrible! You can
keep them on as your personal staff, but I won’t be working with them. *Smiles
a little as he thinks of the rumours of the Commander and Jack Sparrow* Do we
have an accord?
Portsmith *grins* Well said, Chief Inspector. We will come back later to the
warehouse affair. Why not ask himself about it?
The Haffners are under my command and they will not be involved with any investigations. But I will not fire them. You are to keep an eye on the staff and train Hanson. Constable Crane,
Sergeant Godley *and she smirks* and Inspector Abberline will answer to you. And
see to it that he returns to his work. You can choose any office you want. And now when we both know where we stand, it will work out well. *she stands up and shakes heartily his hand.* Oh, and
I don't dislike you at all. That would be all.
*she sits down abruptly and takes again her papers as if he weren't there anymore.*
Donnie *nods* Alright, then. *He
leaves the Chateau still wondering if he made the right decision by accepting the promotion, but at the same he’s already
wording the memo announcing the promotion and thinking about who to assign to which case.*
At Chez Roux:
Abberline: Thinking about the last words Kat said to me, I would not worry about hurting her. *He stops to think. Getting through one night is all that he
wants from her. He smiles faintly when she reminds of the days they had together. No emotions involved, no promises made ... *
I don't think I am for walking, and I don't care for the beach. *He
gives her one last intense look as he releases her hand* It was nice seeing you,
Daphne. I will hopefully find girl or something even more tempting
at From Hell Court. *and he tips her head upward and kisses her very lightly
on her lips* I best be going then.
Daphne *closes her eyes as
he kisses her, then looks at him, smiles slightly* If you don’t care for
the beach, it’s because you’ve never stood at the water’s edge and held someone special in your arms. *she watches him frown and start away, then she jumps up* Freddie! *she runs after him as he’s headed toward the
door. She throws her arms around him and kisses him, not passionately, but far
from being without feeling for him. She looks into his eyes anxiously* Freddie, remember, you still have children who count on you. Anything
you do affects them, too. See, I’ve learned a lot about … about what
we do an’ how other people see it. Be careful … an’ come see
me again. *she kisses him on the cheek*
Thank you for the drink. *she smiles, turns, goes to the stairway to return
to her room*
At the Security office:
Donnie *finishes typing up the memo and prints it; reads it through one more time on his way to the copy-machine. Returns to his office – formerly Portsmith’s office – and begins
placing the memos in envelopes addressed to the officers. With the memo for Abberline,
he’s written a personal note:*
Inspector Abberline,
I’m happy to inform you that the charges against you have been dropped. We both know that it won’t necessarily
stop Portsmith from harassing you, but I’d say it’s a start. I’m hoping you will return to work soon; I
realize that your mind is elsewhere at the moment with Kat having left, but focusing on work might help you take your mind
off that. Believe it or not, I do understand your situation, as Grace has also taken off to God knows where.
When or if you return to work, you’ll be assigned to the warehouse/Salome case with Sergeant Godley.
Donnie Brasco,
Chief Inspector
*As Donnie attaches the note to the memo, he wonders how Abberline will react to the fact that he is no longer the
highest ranking officer after Portsmith.*
*The memo:*
Deppville Security Officers:
At a meeting with Commander Portsmith the Commander offered me a promotion as Chief Inspector, which I accepted.
The promotion brings with it a few changes: From now on you will be dealing with me instead of the Commander, and so
I will assign you to cases and reports are to be handed in to me. I am certain other changes will come at a later point.
I intend to recruit more officers as we are heavily under-staffed and in need of competent colleagues – I will
personally handle the training of new recruits and the supervision and guidance of newly assigned officers.
If you have questions regarding the promotion or the changes, feel free to stop by my office.
Donnie Brasco
Chief Inspector.
On The Apparition:
Ivy *along with a large entourage,
boards The Apparition. She approaches Trina.*
Be e'erthin' at the ready?
Trina: Aye Cap'n, awaitin' yer orders.
Ivy *Nods, then shouts*
All’s clear!! Te yer positions!!
Deadwood below and crew te their posts. Move along. Signal the Sea Witch, cast off them lines. Get underway ye
lubbers!!!
On Tortuga:
Kat *Sits
leaning against the wall of her cell watching a spider spin its silky web in the corner when the door burst open. Speaks without looking up.* What's wrong Chipper? Someone take yer candy??
Chip *Heatedly* I want to know where they went.
Kat *Lazily* Who went?
Chip *Grabbing
the bars tightly, snarls* You know who.
Them women, the only female that's been seen be you and the Captain of The Brave that docked recently. They all be gone, e'en my sweet Rae Ling. Tell me where they've
taken her!!
Kat *Smiles* E'en iffen I knew why would I be tellin' ye, eh??
Chip: You know cause yer they're leader.
Kat: I fear ye got that bit wrong mate. I
be just the 'ired 'elp as it were. Mayhap if ye'd been a bit more attentive when
she spoke ye'd of seen she actually had a brain capable of great thin's e'en leadership, savvy??
Chip: That's absurd!! She'd ne'er go 'gainst
me. She loves me.
Kat: That be true 'nuff. It were yer fists
she 'ated when e'er ye turned up drunk. There were naught she could do then but
now she 'as options.
Chip *Snarls* Bring them back or I'll kill ye with my bare hands, savvy that!!!
Kat *Coolly* Best go cool off mate. Kill me and she
be ne'er comin' back. *Chip hesitates then storms out cursing. Kat sighs in relief, wonders what brought Gracie here and that she stays on guard*
At the Security office:
Ava *leaves Sarah book shop
with her books in her arms maybe she shouldn't have brought so many with George. She puts them in Sacred Mist counter and
she looks to the side where she sees her annulment papers she's read them over and over again but she can see nothing wrong
with them. She decides it's now or never she signs the papers and put them in
her bag. She locks up Sacred Mists and heads to the security office it's getting dark George must be wondering where she is.
She enters the Security Centre and walks up to Charlie's desk* Hello is there
any one in or is it a day for disappearing *she tries to get Charlie's attention
as she can’t see him* Charlie I have the latest Pirate Magazine wow semi
naked pirates what more could any one ask for. By the way I am not a mad lunatic
so if you’re hiding because of that I am perfectly sane.
Donnie *hears from his office that someone’s at the front desk; emerges from the office and smiles as he sees
Ava. He has been a bit worried about her ever since the twins were taken. Hello Ava. It’s good to see you. What can we do for you?
Ava: Hello Donnie it's great
to see you too well I believe I need to hand this in *pulls a set of papers out
of her bag* Portsmith gave me an annulment of my marriage to Don but, I thought
that you could only get them when you first got married. So I have had it for a while, to read and re read and still I see
nothing wrong with it. However I still do not trust her would you go over them for me just to make sure. *sighs* I don’t
want to be signing my life away to her.
Donnie *smiles reassuringly* Let’s take a look … *reads the
papers* It looks OK to me too, but maybe you should consider having a lawyer
look at it? I might be used to looking at legal documents, but I’m not
a lawyer. I suggest that you have Mr. Webster look at it – as you said,
just to be sure.
Ava: How would be able to contact him I just don’t trust Portsmith along with Don *rolls her eyes* she
couldn't wait to get me out of that office to be alone with Don *smiles and reaches into her bag again* Candy *offers Donnie
a candy* they are good. Donnie while I am here would you know how I would go about a paternity test it's just that well
....
Donnie: Thank you. *Grins* I
wouldn't trust Portsmith either, Ava. Wait one minute, I'll get you Webster's
phone number. *goes into his office, returns with a post-it with Webster's number
written on it; hands it to Ava* Here you go, he can help with this. A paternity test. As far as I know, it requires blood
samples from the children and the possible father so they can compare them. I think your regular family doctor can do it.
So ... I take it you're hoping that Don isn't the twin's father? I can't blame you, he's turned completely insane! Can you believe
he kidnapped me and tried to threaten me into bringing the twins to him? The
really stupid part was when he untied me and actually thought I'd keep such a promise. *shakes
his head* As I said, completely insane. I brought
him to a holding cell, but of course Portsmith had to go and release him dropping all charges. But I guess you know that part, must've been when you ran into him here.
Ava: your very welcome here
have the packet *smiles and hands them over* Donnie thank you so much. *smiles nervously* yes I am hoping so he will compeletly
be out of my life I dont want my son to follow in his foot steps. *turns sombre* I miss my babies no one will tell me where
they are at let alone let me near them. Donnie I am not a bad mother but it all got to much for me I was so depressed I couldn't
think for myself let alone any one else. What happened that day when I left them it wasnt me at all I love my children to
death I hurt so much. *sighs* but I am sure they are happy now without me I will be supprised if they remember me. *looks
at Donnie* I am sorry to bundle that all on you. *forces a smile* Oh he lost the plot all right *shocked* he did what to you
oh my Donnie are you all right he didn't do any thing to hurt you. Donnie did he do any thing to you I mean hit you *sighs*
he's always been obbessed with hitting people or stabbing them*shake her head*. I knew she would after well he had his
way with her *rolls her eyes*
Donnie *laughs a little*
Thanks, it'll be good to have a bit of sugar near the end of the day. *Turns serious; frowns* No one has told you where the twins are?
In that case, I'm happy to tell you that they are well taken care of at
Manouche Blake's children's home, Maison de Paradis. Miranda, the woman
who runs it, is by all accounts a very sweet and friendly person. I'm sure it
won't be a problem getting the twins back. As for the legal part; you never officially
signed them over, did you? If not, then I'd say they still belong to you. *Smiles encouragingly* Something else to discuss with Webster. *Laughs a little* Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine ... I think I'm starting to get immune
to blows on my head ... Anyway, I got my payback. You know, a guy has to wonder why Don has such an effect on women.
He better stay away from Grace! *Quietly*
If she decides to come back that is ... *notices the puzzled expression on Ava's
face* Oh, she ... she went out on the Brave. I'm
sure she'll be back, eventually. *Thinking to himself, I hope!*
At Bournemouth House:
Candy *dresses Chiana and
takes her downstairs to the kitchen to have her breakfast. She knows it is going
to be a fight once again. She has not been her bright self since her parents
left. Candy has no idea of what happened and where they are, or when they will come back. Someone at Grape's told her that the Apparition has sailed away, probably trying to get some information
from her. Another customer was able to tell her that Inspector Abberline has
been convicted of his crimes, and that he is awaiting his sentence locked up at the Security
Center. The next day she heard new rumours - that Kat died
in a drunk fight in Tortuga, and she snapped angrily to the woman. Chiana would have reacted at once if anything fatal
had happened to her parents. But Candy is still worried. Chiana has not cried, nor is she sick. She doesn't want to
eat anything, and she just rests limp in Candy's arms, looking at her with a silent reproach in her eyes* Honey, I can't bring them back. *she tries to feed her a spoonful of
porridge, but she spits it out. Candy sighs* Marta, will you give the milk
bottle. She doesn't eat anything else ...
At the docks:
Alphonse *gazes proudly at
his new ship. Having lost his first one to pirates, his father finally came through,
helped him push through the necessary insurance paperwork, and now he’s the proud owner of a new ship … a bigger
one … a better one. His smile fades a little as he looks at the name on
the hull. Perhaps he’ll change it; after all, it’s under new ownership
… *
Hello Mr. Corso!
Alphonse *turns around, sees
Raven standing behind him* Oh … hello.
Raven, is it?
Raven *nods, glances at the
ship* That’s a beautiful ship, sir.
You just get it?
Alphonse *beams proudly* Why, yes, it’s newly arrived from Russia. Only one owner. Isn’t
she a beauty?
Raven *nods, looks at the
hull* What’s the name mean? *reads
the letters, невеста трупа*
Alphonse *frowns, mumbles* Well … it means “Corpse Bride.”
I’ve been trying to think what I want to call it, somehow that doesn’t seem like a very lucky name for
a boat .. er, ship …
Raven *enthusiastically* I think it’s great. *pauses* Have you taken her out yet?
Alphonse *shakes his head* No, I was just about to. Just a quick
spin, so to speak. *looks at him* Say,
would you like to join me?
Raven *face lights up* Really?
Alphonse *smiles* Sure, I’d love the company. And I know you know a thing
or two about navigation, to say the least. *looks around* Where are your parents? Do you need to let anyone know? Not that we’ll be gone that long …
Raven: It’s okay, they’re busy. If it’s just gonna
be a short ride, they won’t even miss me.
Alphonse: Very well! Come aboard.
*they board the ship, Alphonse shows Raven around. Within the hour, they’re
headed out away from the harbor, Alphonse beaming a smile from ear to ear … and Raven gazing at the horizon, wondering
how he’s going to manage to convince Alphonse to make a little side trip to Tortuga … *
At the beach / From Hell Court:
Abberline
*stops to lean on the wall and light a cigarette, looks toward the beach, he shrugs, and starts to walk uncertainly to the empty
beach. It's not the same place where he kissed Manouche, but he can see her in
front of him as she was then ... * Bloody hell!
*he flicks the cigarette stump into the waves, thinks of going to From Hell Court. He doesn't need a girl, he needs the drug, he wants to
feel it coursing in his veins and he wants to pass out for the night. Absinthe
is not enough. He turns and starts to go unsteadily toward From Hell Court, struggles down
the steps to the first den, fishes a crumpled bank note from his pocket, not caring about the smirk of the den owner
seeing his condition.*
Den owner: The Inspector is back on duty ...
Abberline: Shut up. *he takes a pipe and loads it*
On the Guardians’ ship:
Manouche *slowly inhales
the pungent smoke, feels the effects of the drug … the tired, tawdry surroundings of the opium den recede … floating,
the pain of lost love fading away in a cloud of dreamy visions, thin as gossamer … the
Inspector is back on duty— *
* —watches the man
swear and leave her to her solitude in the cell, thinking, what’d ye expect, mate, ye let th’ drink do yer talkin’—
*
* —sighs, exasperated
… why won’t Chiana eat— *
* —in the cab with
Perhan, tries to calm down, thinks, Malachi will surely know how to find her— *
* —Nothing …
“I remember nothing” … *
Manouche *eyes fly open as
the visions all fade from her mind, and she looks around, trembling. She’s
lying in a berth, covered with a blanket and shivering, though she’s sweating profusely.
She looks to her side, sees the Leader seated, watching her, two of the Shadows behind him. She swallows, her mouth dry as cotton; she manages to quip* Eh,
Prince Charmin’.
Leader *smirks* How are you feeling, Dreamer?
Manouche *blinks* I … I’m not sure … I ‘ad th’ strangest … dreams, I reckon they was
… *she brings a hand up, pushes her hair back, starts to sit up*
Leader: Stay put. Be careful.
Manouche: Wh-what ‘appened t’ me? I don’t remember
a thin’ after … after I left that lil’ cove … *she looks at her hand, sees that it’s bandaged. She sits up suddenly as everything starts to come back to her; she groans at the dizziness,
and winces as the bite on her neck throbs hotly* Where’s th’ bloody
paperweight?
Leader: I told you, stay put. The Sikaimunchon … it’s locked away safely. You did a fine thing
fetching it … probably more good than you’ll ever know.
Manouche
*wearily* I want t’ hear about it, what it does, its power … but
… I don’t think I could ‘andle th’ … input right now, if ye catch me meanin’. I’m … I’m so blasted tired … *she lies back again, fixes a stern eye on the Leader,
scowls* A minor favor, ye said … nothin’ life-threatenin’,
ye said …
Leader: It shouldn’t have gone so badly. We
couldn’t have known those other men would be coming after it at the same time.
As you saw for yourself, the Athinganoi are a peaceful people. You would’ve
gotten no trouble from them.
Manouche
*remembers the massacre, Vero Narvala, squeezes her eyes shut* Bloody ‘ell … *she lies quietly for a few minutes, then looks at the Leader
keenly* What’s ‘appened t’ me?
Leader: What do you mean?
Manouche: C’mon, mate, we know each other better’n that … somethin’ ain’t right, I
know it, an’ ye know what it is. Let’s ‘ave it.
Leader *hesitates, then nods* You were bitten by a snake. *Manouche
brings a hand to her neck, feels a bandage* These islands are full of strange,
mystical creatures, Dreamer. You’re feeling the results of an encounter
with a Kanakoto. It’s a snake, very rare, and though it’s very small,
it moves lightening-quick, usually attacks from above, striking before the victim even realizes what’s happened.
Manouche *stares at him,
a fear growing as he falls silent* And?
Leader: Its poison is quite deadly. When the creature strikes, it
shoots a tiny tooth, which becomes imbedded deep in the victim’s flesh. The
venom spreads from the tooth throughout the body, attacking the central nervous system, and so on. The good news is, it’s extremely slow acting. *he pauses,
Manouche continues to stare at him* The bad news is, it’s fatal.
Manouche: Fatal … *she sits up again* Wh-what’re some o’
th’ effects?
Leader: Well … legend has it that many victims go through a period of amazing cognizance, reading minds,
that sort of thing. We’ve always believed it’s merely hallucination
brought on by fever, but—
Manouche: How ‘bout .. experiencin’ somethin’ that a mate’s goin’ through, firsthand
like? Bein’ in one place, an’ clearly aware o’ what’s
‘appenin’ in another?
Leader *arches a brow* Isn’t that something you’re familiar with already?
Manouche: Not like this. It felt like … like fer a minute I were
th’ person .. *brings a hand up to her eyes*
Leader: There’s no way we can say how the venom would affect a Dreamer, with the Romany blood you were born
with.
Manouche *stares at him,
glances to her side, looks out the porthole at the sea, the blue sky. Turns back
to him* H-how long?
Leader: As I said, it’s very, very slow. It could be years from
now. You could try to have the tooth removed, but … there’s no documented
case of anyone succeeding in that operation. Once the tooth enters the body,
it’s nigh undetectable. The few existing documented cases describe a long
period of little to no discomfort. Once the end is near, the effects accelerate
quite rapidly. It will be most interesting, seeing how you fare with this …
could be most beneficial for the education of others, furthering our understanding of—
*his words are cut off as Manouche lunges forward, grasps his cloak in her fists, draws him close, glares at him*
Manouche *growling, voice
low* Understandin’ be ‘anged, ye bastard. I didn’t come on this lil’ ride ye invited me on t’ become neither snakebait nor a textbook
example, savvy? Ye ‘ave yer paperweight, too many people died to make it
‘appen … what do ye intend t’ do about all this? Do I receive
nothin’ in return?
Leader *coldly* Take your hands off me. *Manouche reluctantly releases him,
breathing heavily from the exertion. The Shadows buzz slightly, are quickly silenced
as the Leader glares at them; he turns to Manouche again* What you did will save
many, many people, and if you must pay for that with your life … well, isn’t that heroic, to your way of thinking? *shakes his head slightly* I apologize. As always, I’ve underestimated this relentless love of life you and your kind
possess. *he waves a hand, one of the Shadows leans closer* Now. *the Shadow scurries from the cabin; Leader turns to
Manouche again* While you were sleeping, we made the decision to see what we
can do for you. You’ll return to Deppville, and we’ll be in touch
with you to keep you aware of our progress. I can’t promise anything, like
I said, very little is known about this creature. But because of what you did
to assist, we’ll do what we can to save you. We have another possible advantage,
besides the slow pace of the poison. Your blood, the fact that you’re a
Dreamer … those things may help. *the Shadow returns to the cabin carrying
a tall pewter mug, hands it to the Leader, who hands it to Manouche* Here, drink
this. It’ll help you rest. We’re
taking you back home now, resting is the best thing you can do for yourself. Later,
when you’ve gotten some of your strength back, we’ll tell you all about the Sikaimunchon. It may help you feel a little better about the choice you
made.
Manouche
*takes the mug with both hands, tries to hold it steady though she’s begun to tremble again. She manages to drink, the warm liquid courses through her, soothing her almost immediately. She looks up at the Leader* What’s this, then?
Leader: Let’s just say it’s a rum you’ve never encountered before. *stands up, looks down at her, speaks in a soft voice few have ever heard from him* On peut toujours esperer. *turns abruptly, leaves the cabin, the Shadows following close behind; shuts the door*
Manouche *lies back on the
pillows, her eyes slowly closing, feels herself falling into unconsciousness from the drink.
She floats into a mist, it could be anytime, anywhere … *
*Smiles at Gibson, pleased
that the fools around her are finally getting it through their thick slack-jawed heads that just because she’s married
an officer doesn’t mean she’s any less pirate— *
* —watches the water,
thinking, perhaps once they’re close enough to Tortuga, he could simply shift and look for Mother, though it’s
rude to leave Mr. Corso alone— *
* —wonders, what on
earth is Charlie so afraid of, she won’t harm him— *
* —through gritted
teeth, tries desperately not to lose it when Cole returns to the Factory from playing in the park, chewing gum. Anger management, it’s a never-ending battle … *
At the docks:
Perhan *to Blake and Malachi,
as they approach The Libertine Trailer* Here we are, all set to go. *to Blake* I have to give you my compliments, she’s
a beauty, and she runs sound an’ true. Manouche told me you were involved
in the shipbuilding. Good work.
Blake *despite his deep concern,
smiles slightly* Thank you. I enjoyed
it more than I thought I would. I wouldn’t mind a chance to work on another
one. *they both look at Malachi, who gazes up at the ship* Are you okay?
Malachi *looks at them, shrugs* No … no, I’m not. I didn’t
like leaving Miranda like that. And I am worried.
I can’t sense Manouche at all. *to Blake* Sorry, Blake, I wish I had something positive to say, but …
Blake: I know. It’s not your fault, just keep trying. *pauses, looks out at the sea* For some
reason ... I have a feeling she’s all right, at least for now ...
Perhan: Think positive, there’s something to be said for that. That’s
what she’d tell you. C’mon.
*he leads them aboard the ship, they start to prepare to sail. He grabs
Malachi’s arm* Don’t worry about Miranda, she’s a good one. She’s strong, an’ she knows you do what you do for good reason. You wrote her a note, she’ll understand. Time is of
the essence.
Malachi *sighs* I know. I tried to wake her, but she was sleeping so soundly
… *smiles dreamily* Those kids just wear her out sometimes.
Perhan *leans closer, grins* The kids?
Malachi *looks at him, arches
a brow* Well, that’s one of … several things. *Perhan laughs, slaps him on the back, heads for the bridge. Malachi
watches him go, finds cigarettes, lights one, turns and looks back in the direction of la Maison de Paradis; murmurs* Stay strong, bright eyes. I’ll
hurry back to you as soon as I can. *he digs in another pocket, finds a little
braided lock of her hair that he’s kept for some time; he brings it to his lips and kisses it, then ties it into a ring,
places it on a finger. He looks in the direction of the shelter one more time,
speaks aloud again, this time to Manouche* Hang on, trouble girl, we’re
coming. *smirks* This better be
good. *he turns to go help prepare to leave.
Within the hour, the ship pulls away from the harbor, heads out to open sea*
At Bournemouth House:
Abberline *weary and disheveled
but calmed down, opens the door to his house. It seems he has been away for weeks
instead of a few days. He stops at the kitchen door. Candy is trying to feed Chiana, but she just shakes her head and turns away. A worried Marta hands over a bottle of milk, and instead of gripping it eagerly, she just stares at it,
then she lifts her gaze and sees her father in the doorway, he eyes light up and start to shine, a huge grin spreads on her
face and she starts to shout Da-da, and then breaks into torrent of baby-talk, reaching her arms toward him. Abberline, swallows, then quickly steps in and lifts her from the baby chair, and presses her against him* Darling, I'm back. *smiling, he takes
the bottle and sits down at the table, and her small fingers curl around his finger when she starts to suck, as if trying
to hold him.*
Candy *greatly relieved, pushes the porridge in front of Abberline, decided that this is not a moment
to ask where he has been and where Kat is; the most important thing is that the listless Chiana is gone* She has been longing for you, Inspector.
At the Security office:
Portsmith *walks briskly
in to the Security Office and is immediately confronted by a pale and worried Charlie*
What is it?
Charlie: Commander, there's someone ... There's someone
in your office, Donnie Brasco just walked in and I ...
Portsmith: Chief
Inspector Brasco, Charlie. He'll be running the Security Office while you and
I have more important things to do.
Charlie: We do?
Portsmith: Yes. Pirates. And not the scantily clad wenches in your miserable magazines. If
he needs a secretary, he can find one himself. You will follow with me as my
personal assistant.
Charlie *flustered* Where?
Portsmith: Upstairs.
To my new office. *she opens the door leading to the second floor which has not been in use yet.*
Charlie *can't but
blink when he sees the magnificent surroundings - the vast waiting room with big plants and still bigger paintings, white
leather sofas and small glass end tables, all in Bauhaus style. There is a huge
desk for him, and a double door leads to the Office of the 'Chancellor and Chief Security Manager, the Honorable Commander
M. Portsmith'.* Wow ...
Portsmith *walks in. The heavy desk is the one that once belonged to the Iron Chancellor, and a painting of Chancellor Bismarck
hangs on the wall behind it together with an eagle with two crowned heads. She
has deemed it best to embrace her German Prussian roots, but by conveniently sidestepping Bitterfeld and concentrating
on the Berlin Prussia in its heyday. There are more paintings with faces that
seem vaguely familiar to the ignorant Charlie, but there is one that even he recognizes - a huge painting with the Commander
herself in full uniform, looking proudly in the distance in some kind of balcony that looms over a square with an equestrian
statue and a cheering crowd. Portsmith throws open the French doors to the balcony*
I can address my people on this balcony from now on.
On the Corpse Bride:
Alphonse *standing at the
wheel, smiling with immense pleasure at his new ship, calls out to Raven, who stands nearby at the railing, watching the horizon* Raven! Isn’t she something? *Raven turns, nods, smiles and gives a thumbs up*
I can hardly wait to plan a lengthy voyage! I do believe this one's better
than my previous ship. *pauses, smile fades slightly* I suppose we should think about getting back.
Raven *looks at him anxiously,
runs up to him* Mr. Corso, I was wonderin’ … long as we’re
out anyway, can we go to Tortuga?
Alphonse *startled, stares
at him* Tortuga! Are you mad? Do you know what a wild, cutthroat place Tortuga is? Good heavens, your parents would
have my head on a platter if they knew I took you there.
Raven: I won’t tell ‘em, I promise. Please? Just a look, an’ then we can head back home.
Alphonse *shakes his head* No, no way. *looks up at the sky* It’s late, we really must turn around.
Raven: C’mon, sir … if you don’t take me, I’ll have to go myself. We’re close enough I think I can make it okay, but … I don’t wanna go alone.
Alphonse *sternly* Why on earth do you want to go so badly, and why now?
Raven *looks down for a moment,
then looks up again* I think my mother is in trouble. I think she’s on Tortuga. I wanna go look for her.
Alphonse *looks at him, stunned* Wh-why … how do you know all this? And
even if it’s true, the best thing would be to return home, collect reinforcements, then go after your mother. Don’t you agree, don’t you see the logic in that? What
on earth do you think the two of us alone could accomplish?
Raven *looks down at his
foot for a moment, then looks up with a small smile* Clearly you’ve never
heard about what my mother did in Singapore.
Alphonse *not sure what to
say; looks out, sees Tortuga in sight* Oh dear … well … we are close,
aren’t we? Raven, I don't know, I just don’t think that this is at
all what—
Raven *sees Tortuga,
jumps up and down excitedly* There it is, there it is! *he throws his arms around Alphonse, who continues to grip the wheel of the ship* Thank you, Mr. Corso! I’ll go on ahead, see if I can
find Mother. I’ll come back an’ … I’ll report my findings,
sir … that is, Captain. *he grins, steps back, salutes Alphonse; he then
starts to shimmer, shifts into white raven, flies away toward the island*
Alphonse *incredulous, watches
him fly away, then shakes his head* Little schemer. *he thinks for a moment, then shrugs, changes course, heads for Tortuga. He remembers suddenly something he heard not long ago, about Raven winning some sort of award for Best
Pirate; he’s got to start paying more attention to things like that, awards are seldom given without good reason …
*
At Rartigillichal:
Chírilo *wandering
through the guest house, finally comes to Alifi’s room, sees the door is ajar; peeks in*
Alifi? May I come in?
Alifi *seated
at a small table, a candle burning, doesn’t look up, waves a hand* Of course,
come in, child.
Chírilo *enters,
approaches the table* What’cha doin’?
Alifi *turns
a card or two* Tarot, luv. *she
pauses, looks up* What’s wrong, are you bored?
Chírilo *shrugs* Elliott took Dawn to look at a house they might buy.
An’ … I miss Raven, I was hopin’ he would come back …
Alifi *smiles* He’ll be back, dear. You remember,
Candy returned, took Chiana back to Bournemouth House. He wanted to go home,
too, wait for his parents.
Chírilo *nods,
eyes downcast, absently playing with the fringe that hangs from the colorful cloth Alifi has placed on the table* I know … I just …
Alifi: He’ll come back, I promise you. He
comes here all the time. Why do you think Manouche and Blake keep a room just
for him? And now he has another reason for coming back. *she leans closer to her, lowers her voice* I can tell he
likes you very much. *Chírilo blushes, Alifi laughs, nods toward the chair across
from her* Sit down, if you like. You
know something about the Tarot, don’t you? I’ve seen you do readings
for the other children.
Chírilo: Yeah, my mama taught me a little. *she
climbs into the chair, watches as Alifi shuffles the cards, her eyes closed, then spreads them out on the table* Do you have your question in mind?
Alifi: Yes, I do. It’s all I’m thinking
about.
Chírilo: She’ll be okay, won’t she?
Alifi:
I hope so. *picks the cards back up, spreads them again, starts positioning them* It seems she’s been gone
a long time, I know that’s not too unusual, but … well, let’s see what the cards say. *they both fall silent for a few minutes, Alifi concentrates, finishes laying out the cards; starts to
turn certain ones, move one here, the other there … finally, she looks down at them all, frowning*
Chírilo *looks
at them, then at her* The Judgment card looks good …
Alifi *looks
at it* To recover from the worst setbacks, and be stronger and wiser …
*she examines the others*
Chírilo: An’ the Devil … the couple’s chained, but the chains are loose,
so they could get away if they want to. *grins*
Manouche an’ Mr. Blake’ll never want to. *Alifi looks at her,
smiles a little uneasily. Encouraged, she goes on* An’ the Tower … see, the solid rock is good, it’ll be okay, it won’t burn. A good ... foun-DA-tion. Isn’t
that right? *looks up at her*
Alifi *smiles* So it would seem. *pauses* Chírilo, I have an idea. Let’s have some tea, and then
walk into town. I think you're ready for your very own Tarot deck.
Chírilo *face
lights up* R-really? You mean …
I’ll have my own cards? An’ will you show me more about how to use
‘em?
Alifi *nods* That I will. Now, how about you go to
the kitchen, put the kettle on to boil. I’ll be there in a few minutes.
Chírilo *jumps
down from the chair, comes to Alifi’s side, hugs her* Thank you, Alifi! *she beams at her, then spins around, dashes out of the room*
Alifi *smiles
after her, then her smile fades as she looks at the cards again. She picks up
The Tower, gazes at it; a phrase goes through her head once or twice, she’s uncertain where the words are coming from* ‘The bolt of lightening, it strikes with force to do maximum damage.’ *after a moment, she sighs, puts the card down, looks them over one more time; gathers
them up, stacks them neatly, puts them back in the sandalwood box she keeps them in.
She stands up, blows out the candle, leaves the room to join Chírilo in the kitchen*
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