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Moments before Jack Sparrow and his dimwitted foes had witnessed the woman falling from the fort, Commodore Norrington's ceremony had come to an end. Norrington fought his way through the crowd that had gathered, making his way to Elizabeth Swann's side. In the afternoon light, she looked angelic. Her face was pale, and her eyelashes fluttered as he gently guided her away from the crowd and came to a stop along the cliff wall.
"This promotion confirms that I have accomplished the goals I set for myself," Norrington began.
Elizabeth strained to pay attention as Norrington spoke, but she found it difficult. Standing in the hot sun throughout the ceremony had caused her to feel faint, and trying to breathe in her new dress and corset was impossible. Every breath she took felt too short, and her vision began to grow blurry.
Unaware of the distress Elizabeth was under, Norrington continued. "But the promotion also casts into sharp relief that which I have not achieved: marriage to a fine woman." He paused before adding, "You have become a fine woman, Elizabeth."
The tightness in Elizabeth's chest grew as Norrington's words sank in. Clutching at her chest, she exclaimed, "I can't breathe." Then, suddenly, she fainted, tumbling over the wall of the fort… and into thin air. Norrington watched in horror as she vanished into the water below. With a cry, he turned and ran, heading to the harbor…
"Aren't you going to save her?" Jack asked the two marines.
"I can't swim," Mullroy replied while Murtogg shook his head. He couldn't swim either.
"Prides of the king's navy, you are," Jack said, lacing his voice with a heavy dose of sarcasm. Sighing, he began to take off his coat. It looked like he would have to wait to steal the Interceptor until after he saved the lassie. Next, he took off his pistol, followed by his bandolier, which jingled with trinkets, and finally, he pulled off his hat. Ceremoniously, he handed them to Murtogg. "Don't lose those," he said, and without another word, he turned and dove into the water.
As Elizabeth drifted toward the sea floor, the Medallion that she still wore around her neck floated up. Suddenly, a shaft of light slanted through the water, illuminating the Medallion. Back on shore, Murtogg and Mullroy felt the dock beneath their feet pulse as if hit by a mighty wave. As the wind picked up and the sky clouded over, they moved closer together.
Meanwhile, underneath the water, Jack swam toward Elizabeth, unaware of the shock on shore or the odd change in the air. Reaching her, Jack wrapped his arm around her waist and began to head for the surface. He took several strokes before realizing he was not moving fast enough. The dress was pulling both of them down. Quickly, he reached around to the back of the flimsy material and ripped it off her. As it came free of her body, it caught in the current and slowly began to sink back to the floor. Jack quickly swam Elizabeth to the dock.
Murtogg and Mullroy, still slightly shaky, helped haul Elizabeth out of the water. When she was safe, Jack pulled himself up onto the dock.
More interested in getting his own breath back, Jack ignored the young woman who now lay before him. But Mullroy leaned over and put his cheek against her nose and mouth. "She's not breathing," he said.
Jack sighed. Did he have to do everything? Stepping forward, he deftly snatched a knife from Murtogg's belt and knelt down beside Elizabeth. In one quick and well-practiced move, he ran the knife down her corset, tearing it in two. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, Elizabeth, finally freed from the confines of the corset, began to cough and sputter. She was breathing!
"I never would have thought of that," Mullroy said in awe.
Jack smiled. "Clearly, you've never been to Singapore," he said mysteriously. But before he could elaborate, his attention was caught by the Medallion around Elizabeth's neck. Reaching down, Jack picked it up and turned it over in his hand.
He was still kneeling at Elizabeth's side when a shadow fell across him, followed by the cold touch of steel against his neck.
"On your feet," a voice ordered.
Slowly, Jack stood. The scene did not bode well for him. The young woman lay across the deck, her corset ripped in half, and her dress gone. Meanwhile, he stood there without his sword, hat, or gun… defenseless against the man standing before him.
"Shoot that man!" Norrington cried out, pointing his sword at Jack.
Jack looked over at Elizabeth who was now being tended to by the very nervous governor.
"Father!" Elizabeth cried. "Commodore. Surely, you don't intend to kill my rescuer?"
Norrington looked down his sword at Jack. Then, ever so slowly, he pulled the sword away from Jack's neck and placed it back in its sheath. With a reluctant sigh, he held out his hand. "I believe thanks are in order," he said.
Gingerly, Jack reached out his hand and began to shake with Norrington. But in one quick move, the commodore tightened his grip and with his other hand yanked Jack's sleeve back. There, for all to see, was the letter P branded on Jack's arm.
"Had a brushup with the East India Trading Company—pirate?" Norrington asked. The men who had followed the commodore from Fort Charles drew their pistols.
As Norrington looked down on the pirate brand, his eyes caught sight of something else. There, right below the P, was a tattoo of a small bird flying across the ocean. It was faded and worn, but it told Norrington exactly what he needed to know. "Well, well… Jack Sparrow, isn't it?"
Jack grimaced. "Captain Jack Sparrow. If you please," he said, dropping into an elaborate bow.
"I don't see your ship—Captain," Norrington sneered.
Murtogg and Mullroy looked at each other. They had been keeping quiet to avoid any questions as to why they let a pirate save the governor's daughter. Murtogg finally spoke up. "He said he'd come to commandeer one."
"These are his, sir," added Mullroy, showing the pistol and bandolier.
Jack remained quiet as Norrington took the items from Mullroy and began to examine them. He peered into the gun and examined the belt, pulling trinkets off as he went—including a compass that dangled from the belt. When he had finished, he looked at Jack and smiled.
"No additional shot nor powder," Norrington began. Then, holding up Jack's Compass, he added, "It doesn't bear true." Lastly, he pulled the sword from its scabbard. Laughing at the pirate's obvious misfortune, he sheathed the sword. "You are, without a doubt, the worst pirate I have ever heard of," he stated in conclusion.
"Ah, but you have heard of me," Jack replied.
Norrington signaled one of his lieutenants to shackle Jack Sparrow. But before the man could get close, Elizabeth stepped forward. The jacket that had been covering her slipped off her shoulders, but she did not seem to care. Her attention was focused solely on the events unfolding in front of her.
"Commodore," she stated, "I must protest. Pirate or not, this man saved my life."
"One good deed is not enough to redeem a man for a lifetime of wickedness," Norrington replied evenly, trying to keep the frustration from his voice. Elizabeth seemed far too concerned with the safety of this pirate.
With another nod to the lieutenants, Jack was quickly shackled. The pirate safely captured, the rest of the men stood down, placing their weapons back in their belts. Only one marine continued to hold his pistol. That was just what Jack wanted to see. Before anyone knew what was happening, Jack snapped the corset that he still held in his hand around the wrist of the marine with the pistol. Flinging the man's hand into the air, Jack dislodged the pistol and sent it sailing smoothly out into the water.
As everyone turned to watch the gun fall, Jack sidestepped across the dock and grabbed Elizabeth. Throwing his manacled hands around her neck, he pulled her back against him.
Too late, the rest of Norrington's men drew their weapons. But now Jack had the perfect shield—Elizabeth. "Commodore Norrington… my pistol and belt, please," he said with a smug smile upon his lips. When Norrington hesitated, Jack pulled the manacles tighter against Elizabeth's neck, causing her to squirm. Norrington grabbed the pistol and belt from Murtogg and held them out. But Jack was not to be fooled. If he released Elizabeth to retrieve the items, his shield would be gone.
"Elizabeth—it is Elizabeth?" Jack whispered into his captive's ear.
Fuming, Elizabeth struggled against Jack's arms, trying to get as far from him as possible. But he simply pulled the manacles tighter and brought her closer. "Miss Swann," she replied.
"Miss Swann, if you'll be so kind?" Jack asked. Leaning forward, Elizabeth took the pistol and belt from Norrington. Before she knew what was happening, Jack had grabbed the pistol and now held it against her temple. With her firmly in his grasp, Jack pulled her around so that they were face-to-face. As he got her to slip his bandolier back on, he smiled deviously.
"You are despicable ," she announced.
"I saved your life; now you've saved mine. We're square," he said. Then turning back to Norrington, the governor, and the marines who had gathered, he smiled.
"Gentleman… milady… you will always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow."
Shoving Elizabeth away, he turned and grabbed a rope that hung from a nearby scaffold. With one quick movement, he pulled the pin that held the rope in place and shot up toward a higher dock. Below him, the marines opened fire but only Norrington's shot flew true. It hit the rope Jack was hanging on and he began to fall. But the manacles Jack was still wearing on his hands caught on yet another rope, and he quickly slid down it, landing safely on the deck of a docked ship. In an instant, Jack disappeared among the crowds of Port Royal.
As Norrington and the others took off after Captain Jack Sparrow, a breeze began to blow. Standing on the docks with her father, Elizabeth shivered and looked out to sea. On the edge of the harbor, a thick and eerie fog made its way toward the town. Drawing her jacket closer, Elizabeth turned and headed to the safety of her home.