Six
Will woke up quite a while after everyone else. Unlike Aragorn, he actually took the time to glance in the mirror before heading out to eat breakfast. He didn’t like what he saw.
Aragorn and Legolas looked up from their seats in the mess hall to see a blue-haired Will Turner stalking towards them. He didn’t even pause to grab any food; he just slammed his fist on the table, causing Aragorn to notice, with some trepidation, that even the hairs on his arm were bright blue.
“Where. Is. Jack?” Will’s voice was deceptively calm, for all that he was breathing as though he had just run a race.
“Gone,” Legolas replied.
“I can see that! Where did he go?” Will fumed.
“He went out drinking with a friend of Luke’s,” Aragorn murmured, trying very hard not to look directly at Will. Somehow, he didn’t think bursting into laughter would help the situation any.
Will really looked at him for the first time. “Your hair is red.”
Aragorn nodded.
“And you’re not mad?”
Aragorn frowned, glanced at Legolas, and shook his head slowly.
“You’re lying.”
Wincing, Aragorn nodded.
“Don’t you want to get back at him?”
Legolas spoke up loudly. “No, he does not, because we have more important things to do.”
Will looked at the elf as though he was crazy. “Like what? I thought we were just waiting until Tarnon came and took us away.”
“We are supposed to be finding out as much as possible about Tarnon. As yet, we have discovered nothing.”
“And who, exactly, are we supposed to ask?” Will demanded.
“Perhaps the Jedi?” Aragorn murmured.
“Tarnon said he had never ‘snared’ a Jedi before. Why should the Jedi know of him?”
Legolas sighed. “Nevertheless, from what I have heard they are the most likely to know anything significant about Tarnon. Either way, it cannot hurt us to ask.”
“Fine. I’ll go find Jack.” Will raised his hands in surrender. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt him. But if he’s drinking this early in the morning, I don’t think he’ll be of any use until tomorrow.”
Legolas nodded. “Good. We can gather information today and show it to him tomorrow.” He smiled wryly. “Somehow, I think it will be easier to gather the information without him.”
---------
Will asked around, and soon discovered where Han and Jack had gone for Ewok brandy. He was beginning to wonder just what these Ewoks were; he had heard many people talking about them, but had yet to see one for himself.
Striding purposefully down the hall toward the downtime area that had been designated a bar, Will was aware of footsteps around the bend. Then voices came, and Will paused to listen as he realized one was quite familiar. It was Jack, and apparently the friend of Luke’s he’d left with.
“C’mon, they won’t let you back in for a while now.”
“I just want some – ” Jack’s words were even more slurred than normal.
“I know you do, buddy, but I think you’ve had enough.”
Jack muttered something under his breath that, roughly translated into kinder language, meant, “And you haven’t?”
Low laughter. “Nah, they won’t let me get drunk here. Leia’s seen to that.”
“Women ruin everything.”
“You can say that again. This one’s worth it, though.”
“Don’t tell me you’re reformed.” Disgust was evident in Jack’s voice, despite his slurred speech.
A snort. “Not me. Personally, I like the sound of ‘scoundrel.’”
“It’s an honorable profession.” Will was surprised that Jack could manage such large words in the state he was in; despite his usual inebriated state, Jack had never seemed this drunk.
Will continued on his way. Han and Jack didn’t even notice him standing in front of them until he cleared his throat.
Jack sighed. “Come to take me home, Mother?”
“Yes. What exactly are you doing getting drunk this early in the morning?” Will accused.
“It’s never too early to get drunk.” Jack smiled winningly. Will just rolled his eyes.
“We have work to do.” Will raised an eyebrow. “Tarnon had to have left us here for a reason.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “Maybe he’s on vacation.” He glanced longingly over his shoulder, back the way they had come.
Will smiled humorlessly at Han. “I can take him from here.”
Han eyed Will’s blue hair. “You sure?”
“Absolutely.” Will grinned. “Don’t worry, I’ll just help him back to his room.”
Han nodded slowly. “Right. Um, I guess I’ll go talk to Leia then.” He winced.
Jack clapped him on the shoulder sympathetically. “You’re a brave man, Han Solo.” He saluted Han sloppily, and would have fallen over if Will hadn’t been there to catch him. “Good luck to you, mate.”
Han trudged slowly away. Jack looked after him with admiration shining in his eyes. “That’s one man that can hold his liquor.”
The pirate turned back to Will. “What do you say, Will? I’m sure you could talk that bartender into letting me back in. That Ewok brandy is fine stuff.” He leaned close as if imparting a great secret. Will shifted his grip so the man didn’t fall over. “Nothing on rum, of course, but it comes pretty close.”
“Jack.....”
“You don’t have to drink it,” Jack protested wildly as Will dragged him towards his room. “Just get me in there and you can do what you want!” His eyes became mournful. “I’m really not as drunk as I’d like to be.”
“That’s terribly sad. I can feel your pain.” Will rolled his eyes. “No, Jack. We’re going to try to find out more about Tarnon, and you are going to sleep this off.”
Jack stopped so suddenly that Will was jerked backwards and forced to let go of the pirate’s arm. Jack swayed dangerously as he leveled an unsteady hand at his friend. “You’re not leaving me alone while you go gallivanting off to find out more about that pool.”
Will sighed. “Jack, you’re in no condition to help us. We’ll tell you everything we find out tomorrow.”
“No!” Jack crossed his arms stubbornly. “I faced my old crew drunk, and I can certainly find out more about some little pool drunk.”
Will just stared. “The whole time we were rescuing Elizabeth, you were drunk?” A muscle in his jaw began to twitch.
Jack balked at the look on Will’s face. “Well, technically speaking.....” he blustered.
“That’s it!” Will stopped outside Jack’s door to puzzle out his lock, glaring furiously at the mechanism. “You are going to stay in here until I say you can leave. What’s your code?”
Jack quailed at his friend’s furious glare and muttered out a string of numbers. The door slid open and Will dragged the pirate in.
Jack pulled free and strode into his room like a conquering hero, sweeping his hat from his head and depositing it on the coat rack by the door. Or rather, where a coat rack would have been had such a coat rack existed in this world. Jack stared in surprise at his hat, which drifted down to the floor. He scratched his head.
“Bloody coat racks keep disappearing on me.....”
Will snorted. “And you say you aren’t that drunk.”
Jack frowned. “I don’t think I ever said that, actually.”
“Sit!” Will indicated the bed in the corner.
Jack sat.
Pacing in front of him, Will said intently, “Now, you will not move from this room. You will stay here, in this room, until either myself, Legolas, or Aragorn comes to get you. You will spend your time sleeping and concentrating on becoming less drunk. If I find you have violated any of these conditions.........I will have to take steps.”
“Take steps?” Jack fairly giggled. “You sound like a schoolmarm.”
“Fine! If I find you have not followed my orders, I will make sure you are banned from the bar.”
Jack gazed at his friend, horrified. “You wouldn’t.”
Will smiled maliciously. “Really? Are you willing to bet your sobriety on that?”
“You couldn’t!”
“Don’t think your friend will help you.” Will winked at him. “I have friends in high places.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“I may be. It’s conceivable. But I wouldn’t risk it if I were you.” Will gave a little wave as he shut the door.
Frowning, he examined the lock. How had Jansen said that worked? He punched a few random numbers, then found the lockdown button. Grinning, he pushed it. A red light flashed, signaling that the door was locked from the outside.
Will sauntered away, content. There was a certain appeal to locking Jack in his room.
He paused, and his brow creased in a frown. He had to find Aragorn and Legolas. It was time to try and figure out just what Tarnon was.
Aragorn and Legolas looked up from their seats in the mess hall to see a blue-haired Will Turner stalking towards them. He didn’t even pause to grab any food; he just slammed his fist on the table, causing Aragorn to notice, with some trepidation, that even the hairs on his arm were bright blue.
“Where. Is. Jack?” Will’s voice was deceptively calm, for all that he was breathing as though he had just run a race.
“Gone,” Legolas replied.
“I can see that! Where did he go?” Will fumed.
“He went out drinking with a friend of Luke’s,” Aragorn murmured, trying very hard not to look directly at Will. Somehow, he didn’t think bursting into laughter would help the situation any.
Will really looked at him for the first time. “Your hair is red.”
Aragorn nodded.
“And you’re not mad?”
Aragorn frowned, glanced at Legolas, and shook his head slowly.
“You’re lying.”
Wincing, Aragorn nodded.
“Don’t you want to get back at him?”
Legolas spoke up loudly. “No, he does not, because we have more important things to do.”
Will looked at the elf as though he was crazy. “Like what? I thought we were just waiting until Tarnon came and took us away.”
“We are supposed to be finding out as much as possible about Tarnon. As yet, we have discovered nothing.”
“And who, exactly, are we supposed to ask?” Will demanded.
“Perhaps the Jedi?” Aragorn murmured.
“Tarnon said he had never ‘snared’ a Jedi before. Why should the Jedi know of him?”
Legolas sighed. “Nevertheless, from what I have heard they are the most likely to know anything significant about Tarnon. Either way, it cannot hurt us to ask.”
“Fine. I’ll go find Jack.” Will raised his hands in surrender. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt him. But if he’s drinking this early in the morning, I don’t think he’ll be of any use until tomorrow.”
Legolas nodded. “Good. We can gather information today and show it to him tomorrow.” He smiled wryly. “Somehow, I think it will be easier to gather the information without him.”
---------
Will asked around, and soon discovered where Han and Jack had gone for Ewok brandy. He was beginning to wonder just what these Ewoks were; he had heard many people talking about them, but had yet to see one for himself.
Striding purposefully down the hall toward the downtime area that had been designated a bar, Will was aware of footsteps around the bend. Then voices came, and Will paused to listen as he realized one was quite familiar. It was Jack, and apparently the friend of Luke’s he’d left with.
“C’mon, they won’t let you back in for a while now.”
“I just want some – ” Jack’s words were even more slurred than normal.
“I know you do, buddy, but I think you’ve had enough.”
Jack muttered something under his breath that, roughly translated into kinder language, meant, “And you haven’t?”
Low laughter. “Nah, they won’t let me get drunk here. Leia’s seen to that.”
“Women ruin everything.”
“You can say that again. This one’s worth it, though.”
“Don’t tell me you’re reformed.” Disgust was evident in Jack’s voice, despite his slurred speech.
A snort. “Not me. Personally, I like the sound of ‘scoundrel.’”
“It’s an honorable profession.” Will was surprised that Jack could manage such large words in the state he was in; despite his usual inebriated state, Jack had never seemed this drunk.
Will continued on his way. Han and Jack didn’t even notice him standing in front of them until he cleared his throat.
Jack sighed. “Come to take me home, Mother?”
“Yes. What exactly are you doing getting drunk this early in the morning?” Will accused.
“It’s never too early to get drunk.” Jack smiled winningly. Will just rolled his eyes.
“We have work to do.” Will raised an eyebrow. “Tarnon had to have left us here for a reason.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “Maybe he’s on vacation.” He glanced longingly over his shoulder, back the way they had come.
Will smiled humorlessly at Han. “I can take him from here.”
Han eyed Will’s blue hair. “You sure?”
“Absolutely.” Will grinned. “Don’t worry, I’ll just help him back to his room.”
Han nodded slowly. “Right. Um, I guess I’ll go talk to Leia then.” He winced.
Jack clapped him on the shoulder sympathetically. “You’re a brave man, Han Solo.” He saluted Han sloppily, and would have fallen over if Will hadn’t been there to catch him. “Good luck to you, mate.”
Han trudged slowly away. Jack looked after him with admiration shining in his eyes. “That’s one man that can hold his liquor.”
The pirate turned back to Will. “What do you say, Will? I’m sure you could talk that bartender into letting me back in. That Ewok brandy is fine stuff.” He leaned close as if imparting a great secret. Will shifted his grip so the man didn’t fall over. “Nothing on rum, of course, but it comes pretty close.”
“Jack.....”
“You don’t have to drink it,” Jack protested wildly as Will dragged him towards his room. “Just get me in there and you can do what you want!” His eyes became mournful. “I’m really not as drunk as I’d like to be.”
“That’s terribly sad. I can feel your pain.” Will rolled his eyes. “No, Jack. We’re going to try to find out more about Tarnon, and you are going to sleep this off.”
Jack stopped so suddenly that Will was jerked backwards and forced to let go of the pirate’s arm. Jack swayed dangerously as he leveled an unsteady hand at his friend. “You’re not leaving me alone while you go gallivanting off to find out more about that pool.”
Will sighed. “Jack, you’re in no condition to help us. We’ll tell you everything we find out tomorrow.”
“No!” Jack crossed his arms stubbornly. “I faced my old crew drunk, and I can certainly find out more about some little pool drunk.”
Will just stared. “The whole time we were rescuing Elizabeth, you were drunk?” A muscle in his jaw began to twitch.
Jack balked at the look on Will’s face. “Well, technically speaking.....” he blustered.
“That’s it!” Will stopped outside Jack’s door to puzzle out his lock, glaring furiously at the mechanism. “You are going to stay in here until I say you can leave. What’s your code?”
Jack quailed at his friend’s furious glare and muttered out a string of numbers. The door slid open and Will dragged the pirate in.
Jack pulled free and strode into his room like a conquering hero, sweeping his hat from his head and depositing it on the coat rack by the door. Or rather, where a coat rack would have been had such a coat rack existed in this world. Jack stared in surprise at his hat, which drifted down to the floor. He scratched his head.
“Bloody coat racks keep disappearing on me.....”
Will snorted. “And you say you aren’t that drunk.”
Jack frowned. “I don’t think I ever said that, actually.”
“Sit!” Will indicated the bed in the corner.
Jack sat.
Pacing in front of him, Will said intently, “Now, you will not move from this room. You will stay here, in this room, until either myself, Legolas, or Aragorn comes to get you. You will spend your time sleeping and concentrating on becoming less drunk. If I find you have violated any of these conditions.........I will have to take steps.”
“Take steps?” Jack fairly giggled. “You sound like a schoolmarm.”
“Fine! If I find you have not followed my orders, I will make sure you are banned from the bar.”
Jack gazed at his friend, horrified. “You wouldn’t.”
Will smiled maliciously. “Really? Are you willing to bet your sobriety on that?”
“You couldn’t!”
“Don’t think your friend will help you.” Will winked at him. “I have friends in high places.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“I may be. It’s conceivable. But I wouldn’t risk it if I were you.” Will gave a little wave as he shut the door.
Frowning, he examined the lock. How had Jansen said that worked? He punched a few random numbers, then found the lockdown button. Grinning, he pushed it. A red light flashed, signaling that the door was locked from the outside.
Will sauntered away, content. There was a certain appeal to locking Jack in his room.
He paused, and his brow creased in a frown. He had to find Aragorn and Legolas. It was time to try and figure out just what Tarnon was.