"You need not know our names," said the Chinese man who swaggered down the stairs, and I thought he might have had one too many to drink. "Just know that we are members of the Resistance."

"Against whom are you resisting?" I questioned.

"Against you, Elizabeth Swann, King of the Brethren Court," he said with audible disgust. "The only reason that Sao Feng ever gave you his piece of eight was because you were the only person in the room, and he thought you were Calypso. Therefore, the piece of eight was given under false pretenses and pressured circumstances. Therefore," he said with malice in his eyes, "you have no right to be a pirate lord, let alone a pirate king."

Mistress Ching drew her sword and pointed it at the man. "Enough. I think your men should come out of their hiding places, and then we shall see who has the right to be called pirate lord."

Men began to come out from behind curtains, under tables, and even behind the bar. Now it was completely understandable as to why the bartender looked wary when I walked in. The patrons who hadn't already left were trying to stealthily make their way out of a door or window, but because most of them were drunk, they were having a difficult time with it. It took all of my strength not to burst out laughing. In total, there were five men who were making their stand with the "Resistance", including the one who was currently standing on the staircase, all with swords drawn. Really? These five poorly trained men weren't going to stand a butterfly's chance in a hurricane against me and Mistress Ching.

One of the men ran towards me, and I leaned down and flipped him over my back onto a table. I drew my sword to block the attack from my next opponent, and then gave him a huge gash in his left leg, leaving him crippled on the floor. I turned again to see the first man running back up the staircase. I followed him all the way to the back room, where he was trapped, except for the window. We were two stories up, so I doubt he would want to risk breaking his leg.

"Do not think it will stop here, Swann. It will never stop. Our base is stronger than you could possibly imagine. We will hunt you down for the disgrace you caused our pirate lord. "And," he said, "rather than be disgraced by being killed by you, I will take the alternative route."

He drew a dagger from his boot, and stabbed himself in the heart. He stumbled backwards a few steps, and then his lifeless body fell out of the open window and into the empty street below.

I thought I was incapable of gasping like a damsel in distress anymore, but I did in that moment. Mistress Ching came through the door behind me. "What happened?"

I told her, and then she said, "If you back them into a corner like that, they tend to do that. Extreme loyalty to their cause causes them to take extreme measures." She turned back to the door and said, "If you would like, you may come with me on my ship. We were planning on leaving in two hours." She then left, but I didn't follow immediately. I seemed to have trouble tearing my eyes away from the open window, which stared back at me like a predator staring into the eyes of its prey.

Mistress Ching's cabin was similar to Sao Feng's, except there was a definite feminine touch in her decorations. I sat down in a plush chair, which was placed across from her. I drummed my fingers on her desk. "So what is the problem with the Court?"

Mistress Ching settled in her chair and began her explanation. "According to the Code, when a pirate king is elected, he, or she in your case, must not only receive the popular votes of the nine pirate lords, but he or she must also receive the approval of the pirate lords who did not vote for him within a year. If this does not occur, then the pirate lord revokes all rights to his or her position. If you do manage to get the approvals, you must also appoint another pirate to take your position, because one person cannot be the King of the Brethren Court and be a pirate lord at the same time."

"You certainly have my approval," she added. "You certainly showed your valour in the Battle of Shipwreck Cove. I would also be happy to help you in getting the other six pirates' approvals."

"I may just take you up on that offer, seeing as I have neither a ship nor a crew, but before we embark on this little quest, tell me more about this Resistance," I said.

Mistress Ching sighed. "The Resistance is a group of Sao Feng's men who thinks that you tricked Sao Feng into thinking that you were Calypso and then murdered him for his spot on the Brethren Court."

I laughed. "If anyone tricked Sao Feng into believing that I was Calypso, it was Barbossa, and I certainly didn't murder him, unless they think that I controlled a piece of flying wood with my mind to fly straight into his chest."

"Try convincing them of that."

I thought of the Resistance members that we encountered in the Faithful Bride, and concluded that even trying to convince them that their own head was still attached to their shoulders would most likely be impossible.

"I came to Tortuga with Barbossa," I said. "We should talk to him first."

"We should first try to get to him before he sails away," Mistress Ching said, looking out the window. I craned my neck around to see what she was looking at. I could only make out the faint outline of a familiar ship, sailing fast away from Tortuga and toward the moonlit open ocean.