~ ~ * ~ ~

A wide, spacious cabin inside the Endeavor, a man with a powdered, white wig, seated elegantly on his seat behind his desk, with a quill in hand, writing on important documents. Alone to himself, even as he writes, he thought of how to put his plans to action. Get rid of the pirates, be given the highest honor from the King, have that Jack Sparrow's head, then get on with his happy life. And if he has time, get himself a beautiful bride. Such as the thoughts of Lord Cutler Beckett. He had just finished writing and as he puts aside the quill, he reached for his cup of tea, took a sip, and then came a man in a black coat and a black hat...

"Ah, Mercer," greeted Beckett to his servant who had just entered. "How is your little trip to Tortuga?"

"Quite well enough, sir," answered Mercer. "The Black Pearl made port there."

By hearing the Black Pearl being mentioned, Beckett jerked his head to Mercer. His interest quite caught up just by the mention of the notorious pirate ship.

"It did?" he asked.

"For about a week, sir."

Beckett leaned back to his seat, a finer under his chin. "And it's captain?"

"Unfortunately, sir, it wasn't Sparrow."

The answer made Beckett rather disappointed, but the expressions on his face showed a surprised and confused expression.

"He wasn't? Then who is?"

"It seems, lately, the Pearl has been under the captaincy of a pirate named Hector Barbossa." Mercer was giving out mere facts, and the looks on his face told Beckett enough that whatever it is that the man has to say, are the only ones he have had as information from Tortuga.

"Hector Barbossa," repeated Beckett, contemplating on the name. "Ah, yes, I've heard of him. He has the second highest bounty, I recall. . .Second to Sparrow."

"The part on Sparrow I wasn't able to have much information, sir," Mercer said, moving the topic back to Jack Sparrow. "He hasn't been seen in Tortuga for a grand total of a month."

When Beckett said nothing after waiting for a moment, Mercer thought it best to ask.

"Your. . .order, sir?"

Looking up, what Beckett only said was: "On...same as usual. But I still intend on having Jack Sparrow's head on a silver platter." He then dismissed Mercer with a sway of the hand.

~ ~ * ~ ~

Making his way out to the deck, Barbossa approached Ragetti, who was busy at the rail tying up a rope. The one-eyed pirate doesn't seem to notice his captain had approached him since he almost jumped form where he stood as he turns around and finding the vessel's fearless leader in front of him.

"Apologies Master Ragetti," said Barbossa, although from the tone of his voice, he doesn't seem to mean the apology, "but may I trouble ye in askin' where me daughter, Isabel, could be?"

Ragetti glanced and pointed upwards to the mast. "Aloft, sir."

Turning, Barbossa looked up to the direction Ragetti pointed and saw Isabel high above the sails, but just below the Crow's Nest. She waved at him wearing a big smile on her face, as though expecting to be seen and was only waiting.

"Up here papa!" she called out. "Wait! I'll be down in a moment!"

She got a nearby rope and made her way sliding down from it to join her father. Her smile slowly vanished when she saw he wasn't quite pleased.

"I'll not be havin' ye doing those stunts here," Barabossa said with a serious look on his face.

"Why not?" retorted Isabel. "It's not like it's the first time I've done that."

"Do not be forgettin' that I be the captain of this here ship, an' at the same time, yer father. So I'll not be havin' responses like that, not from the likes of ye, missy."

It wasn't the first time either that Isabel was criticized by her father on things that she do. She found it quite natural and yet at the same time quite annoying. For her, it doesn't seem right to be criticized like that when she's in a proper age.

She turned around on her heels, rolling her eyes. "Oh, papa, you're like this line around my neck that's choking the life out of me. And yet I can't do anything of it," she said, making her way to the quarterdeck with Barabossa close behind her. When they got to the wheel, she turned to face him and said, "You're too protective."

"Can I be blamed?" It was Barbossa's turn to retort.

"No! Of course you can't," answered Isabel, her voice much louder, catching te attention of everyone else on deck. "That's why I said I can't do nothing of it. Because you're my father. . .and I love you."

The last phrase caught Barbossa in silent, making him hesitant to reply. While the crew looked at him in curiosity, waiting to what the captain would say. Even little Jack was unmoving, sitting on a rope.

"I can say as much about ye. That is why-"

But Barbossa was cut off by Marty, the lookout on the Crow's Nest.

"Captain!" shouted the little man, as he pointed out to sea. "Enemy!"

It was too late when everyone looked towards the direction that the lookout pointed. Since a cannon ball had hit the Pearl, making some splinters of wood flying around the deck.

"Orders?!" shouted Isabel to her father, her hand on the wheel, as though knowing what the order would be.

"Hard to starboard!" was Barbossa's, also, shouting response.

Isabel quickly turned the ship around on the starboard side. The crew were all in alert, but still waiting for further orders from their captain.

"Reef sail, men!"

The crew looked blankly at Barbossa. Reef sail? That would lessen their speed. Perhaps the captain is planning to use the oars? No. That would be running away. And Barbossa's not intending to run away. He's planning on a comeback. Isabel knew that. She didn't even flinch when her father gave the order.

"I said reef sail! You deck apes!"

As some of the crew scurried and scattered to do as the captain said, the others see to it that they do the other things. Since the captain wasn't finish bellowing his further orders.

"Let 'em catch up!" came Barbossa's shouts. "I'll not be runnin' away with them havin' damage on my ship! We return the favor! Make ready the guns!"

The crew struggled to execute the orders, as Barbossa looks back to his daughter. He nodded to her once and she nodded a few times in response. No words was to be said. Isabel knows what it meant. Good thing she has her sword and pistol this time.

"Mr. Cotton," she said to the mute crew-member. "We'll be needing you to take over the wheel when I let go. Understand?"

Cotton saluted in response while the parrot said, "Aaaawk! Aye-aye, Captain. Aaaawk!"

The enemy vessel closes in. When the opportune moment came, Barbossa gave his order: "Hard to port!"

Isabel stirred to port side with quick movements of her hands. This caught the other ship by surprise, making it turn at a right angle to it's starboard side. Now, both ships were side to side. The only thing the captain has to say was: "FIRE!"

Flashes of cannons from either ships came. Pirates and marines boarded on either sides, fighting on enemy decks. Isabel had already let go of the wheel, turning it over to Cotton. She joined the others on deck and made swordplay with on of the marines. A few blocks and strikes until she defeated the officer and switch on to another.

The battle went on, but the enemy vessel had signaled a retreat, which came to Barbossa as a relief. Now, all they have to worry about was to fight off the remaining ones that's on board the Pearl. But he should have known that there was something else he should have worried about.

Before the other vessel could stir away, Isabel found herself face to face with Cutler Beckett's right-hand man, assassin and spy - Mercer. Just like her father, Isabel doesn't back out from a fight. She's even a deadly opponent in a duel. Through her experience of being a pirate in her not so long ago past, she learned how to fight dirty.

She and Mercer put into swordplay then, each able to cunningly block the others attack. Isabel spun around and brought her sword to Mercer's right leg. Mercer was able to block it with his own sword but Isabel had manage to gibe him a nice cut. As Mercer backed off a few steps, Isabel saw an opening for her to be able to finally defeat her opponent. But unfortunately, she forgot completely about guarding her back. She could have killed Mercer by then, if not only one of the marines seized the opportunity and hit Isabel on the head, which eventually knocked her off.

The marine was about to put an end to Isabel's life, until Mercer halt the man with a hand. She was still in luck.

"No!" shouted Mercer. "We bring her along. Lord Beckett needs prisoners, we could at least give him one."

They both carried Isabel and jumped to the crystal blue sea. A line was then cast off to them as they were brought on board back to their own ship, with the pirate with them.

A great distance was already between the Black Pearl and the Endeavor, and only Mullroy and Murtogg had witnessed how Isabel was taken to the other ship. They would have to tell it to the Captain, even if it means they would have to face Hector Barbossa's rage.

~ ~ * ~ ~

"Where be Isabel?"

Barbossa had finally noticed that his duaghter was nowhere in sight. All of the crew shook their heads, saying they didn't know and that they haven't seen the lass either. Mullroy and Murtogg then seized the moment. They made their way to the Captain, and tried to hide their fear as best possible.

"W-We may have an idea, sir," started Murtogg.

"We know, actually," corrected Mullroy and gave his companion a death look, which was a means to say that he should be the one saying it instead. "We saw Miss Isabel fight with Mercer," he then said, looking back to the Captain.

"Mercer?" asked Barbossa. It was the first time he ever heard the name.

"He's the right-hand man of Lord Cutler Beckett," replied Mullroy.

"Beckett?" Now that's a name Barbossa knows.

"Yes sir." It was Murtogg who replied that time. "That was the Endeavor back there."

Both Mullroy and Murtogg shuddered in fear when Barbossa gave them a fearful, steely, blue gaze from his eyes. The most deadly look they have ever encountered in all their life.

"Where be me daughter?" came the question with a hint of warning.

Mullroy swallowed hard. "T-They took her...sir."

Barbossa stared blankly at the two, as he slowly turned and walks over the railings. He gripped at the wooden rails of the ship with both hands as though ready to rip it apart. He could feel anger building up in his chest. The anger overflowed within him and made it's way up to his throat. He bursted it out by shouting her name.

"Isabeeeeeeeeel!"