"Then you agree with my daughter? That this kind of situation demands action?" Alessandra asked. She looked to Norrington for advice. "You know your former commander better than anyone here. What say you?"

"Instate him, my Queen." Norrington murmured. "He is invaluable. He is a scholar, military, and a businessman. And what he may not know, he learns fast. Put him at the head of your armadas. Let him have a flagship. Let him sail with Jadis." Alessandra's eyes crinkled.

"You do not operate on your own modus operandi." She murmured, stepping forward to put her hands on Beckett's shoulders. "If you hurt my daughter, I will bring down hell on your head. There will be no safe place on your map for you to hide. You are innocent until proven guilty, and this unwavering streak of loyalty that Jadis and Norrington show you has earned you the title of Director once more. Only this time you will be operating under a Spanish flag. Use your discretion wisely, Commander. I've no need or want for useless war, but if you think the best answer to this is to combat it immediately, then... the fate of my country is in your hands." Alessandra murmured. "Get him a crew and a ship. And a tailor."

"Of course, my Queen." Norrington bowed as she left. "Guess she saw right through that. Welcome to Spain, Director." Norrington gave a cheeky smile. "You have your choice of ships, your choice of crew... your choice of dress." Beckett wandered the dock yards until he came across a small nondescript ship, weather worn and battle-torn, the red lettering starting to fade.

Crown of Thorns. Lorelai peered over the edge of the ship, seeing him standing there, his hands pressed against the hull, sighing deeply.

"She's still a beaut." Lorelai murmured. "Age old, battle hardened... She's no flagship, but she's still the pride of the Spanish armada. A humble beginning, if she were."

"Aye, she's a beautiful galleon." Beckett murmured. "How soon could she sail?"

"Now, if you really wished. She's been repaired and restocked. Crew's all here. She just needs a captain." Lorelai replied.

"You could make for Port Royal?" Beckett asked.

"Are we going by ourselves? Or are we leading warships into battle?" Lorelai asked. "Should I be contacting Admiral Norrington to board Rogue?"

"That... he usually shadows the Crown, yes?" Beckett murmured.

"Aye, he has to." Lorelai replied. "Queen's orders."

"Then I will have that assurance." Beckett murmured, hoisting himself up the steps and onto the deck.

"Port Royal?" Lorelai asked. "No battle plans?" Beckett shook his head.

"I will cross that bridge when I come to it. For now, just bring me that horizon." Beckett murmured, grabbing a black and white flag and raising it, the Jolly Roger picking up speed in the wind. "Fair currents and fast winds." He murmured. "Will Red be joining us?" He asked, seeing no sign of the red-headed woman among the crew.

Lorelai arched an eyebrow slightly. "You have been instated as Director over Her Majesty's armadas. Surely this position allows you the knowledge of who Red is, and the position she carries over Spain."

"You mean to say that she will not be joining us." Beckett murmured.

"I mean to say that if she does join us, it will most likely be against her Mother's orders." Lorelai replied. "Though most times, it almost always is." Lorelai murmured.

"Then who will be serving as a Quartermaster?"

"I will." A broad shouldered, burly young man stood on the crossing planks. Lorelai shook her head.

"No men aboard the Crown. No exceptions." Lorelai said.

"What does that make him? Chopped bits? Eh?" The man sneered.

"He is the new Commander of Her Majesty's armadas. He goes where he pleases." Lorelai murmured. "Get off, you useless sod!" She hissed, planting both hands on his chest and pushing him overboard. The resounding thud of him hitting the docks and slithering into the water echoed in the surrounding area as they pulled away from the docking edge.

"Well." Josephina peered over the edge. "Good riddance to any man who makes comments about another man's bits."

"Josephina!" Lorelai reprimanded, trying to hide a smile.

"What?" Josephina smirked. "A few well-executed maneuvers with a knife and he wouldn't even have his bits. You should have let me lay into him!"

"Hey Majesty frowns upon you castrating her men!"

"Her men ought to learn that when a lady says no, she means no!" Josephina retorted. "Hm. I swear up and down that half these men are useless. What good is brawn without the brains, mm?" She asked.

The sound of soft laughter brought his attention to the upper decks. Jadis was there, her arms crossed as she leaned across the railing, gazing intently on the scene below.

"So you did decide to board." Lorelai murmured. "I had wondered..."

"And miss out on this kind of entertainment? Not for the sun, moon, or stars."

"And miss out on your dearly beloved capitan?" Lorelai asked. A blush rose to Jadis' cheeks but she willed it away.

"I'd be careful what you say, Lorelai. Commander Beckett has proved to me many times that he is a scholar, capable of mastering many tongues. You do not presume what he speaks... though I know he isn't fluent in Mandarin, he is able to hold fluent in his French. And Captain is an almost universal term. Oui, Capitaine?" Jadis asked.

"Oui." Beckett murmured. Jadis arched an eyebrow toward Lorelai.

"I do not expect it to be long before he is fluent in our mother tongue. So hold yours." Jadis warned.

"Of course, Jadis." Lorelai murmured. "All crew, hands on deck. We sail for Port Royal!" The deck erupted in a flurry of activity as Beckett climbed the steps to the helm.

"You did not need to intervene. I am not concerned with any slights they have to say about me." Beckett murmured.

"It was not something directed towards you, however much you may have been the subject." Jadis replied, still in dress at her Mother's insistence while she remained in Spain. Beckett had to admit that it was breathtaking, even as simple as it was. A flowing red shirt covered her modestly, with a flowing black skirt. "What?" He realized that he must have been staring.

"I... apologize."

"Though I don't know whatever for. You've certainly seen more."

"An action that was certainly imprudent of me."Jadis snorted. "You disagree? At the time I was Director, with little knowledge of your royal bloodline."

"Commander, I... One day I hope you will find it in yourself to overlook your so called oversight... Mother would not have given you control of her armadas so easily. She knows what you mean to me... she would do anything to make you stay."

"Would she not make a match that would secure her throne in good hands?"

"I think she just wants to see me happy, truthfully. No matter where the throne goes. I don't think she would accept it otherwise."

"Norrington told me about your father. Was your royal bloodline not passed by family?" Beckett asked.

"Well.." Jadis shifted uncomfortably. "Of course, provided that her children could find suitable matches and marry appropriately, the throne would have been up for contest between my brother and I. Oh Jacob wanted the throne. He would have made an excellent king."

"What happened?"

"He went to England. He didn't return." Jadis murmured. "Mother thought perhaps he had fallen in love with someone ah... not of an appropriate status of what our Royal Council demands. With your most recent fall from grace, my only option left to ascend to the throne would be to enter into a peace treaty by marrying a royal prince or one of Spain's most eligible bachelors. The gene pool is a little limited... if you didn't get that gist." Jadis shuddered.

"Yeah, I uh... noticed." Beckett murmured. "Is your wrist alright?" Jadis smiled slightly.

"I believe I'll heal but thank you for caring." She murmured. "Until such a time where you've proven your worth to my Mother, and to our Royal Council, it seems that we are fated to dance the lines." Jadis murmured.

"If you can act so, then I can too." Beckett murmured. "After all, it is as it should be, Your Highness." He bowed low, kissing the back of her hand. Her eyes locked in on his for a moment.

"Commander." She whispered, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. "But if we wish to combat your brother and the East India Company then perhaps we should drop our act until we are among such company. My ladies do prefer you more relaxed around them. Besides, Beckett, you're one of us now. Family protects family."

"Familia also teaches familia." Josephina replied. "And as of right now, you're being relieved of captain. Go. Work the masts. Red, the helm." She grabbed Beckett's arm and hauled him away and for once, Jadis laughed, watching him turn to her in confusion. She put a fast current in, setting their course for a chain of islands they would reach well before Port Royal.