Disclaimer: I don't own any of this happy stuff so DO NOT SUE ME!!! I do own Kas SO THERE! Im sorry if some of this stuff isn't historically or whatever correct. Work with me.



"Lets go! Move it up there. I said a STRAIGHT line, what are you, deaf?" Gibbs shouted as he walked along the dock, glaring down at the young men who wanted to serve on the Black Pearl.

The sun shone on them as they waited for the famous Captain Jack Sparrow to come and make his pick. They were all tall, broad, and muscular. Except for the last one. He was a lad of no more than fifteen it seemed. Clean- shaven and dressed in a dark blue shirt and tattered breeches, he stood no taller than 5'4.

"Hey, pipsqueak. This isn't no party, get going," roared one of the men, yet the lad said nothing. The other men chortled but stopped as Jack Sparrow dropped down from one of the ropes.

"Hmmm...not much to choose from," he said, walking the line of ten or so men up and down. "What happened, did the rest get cold feet?" Jack laughed and joked with the men but if one looked closely they could see that his eyes were not laughing. Jack talked to each man, asked him a bit about his background and experience. Most of the men bragged that they had served under so and so and had won so many battles. Jack gave no sign that he favored any over the others.

When Jack reached the small lad he smiled with amusement but decided to question him just the same.

"So, lad where are you from?"

"The name is Kas, and I'm from everywhere," answered Kas.

"Oh really?" said the Captain amused even more, "And how long have you been sailing?"

"My entire life," came the short reply.

Jack turned away and walked back to where the rest of his crew was standing. After a hurried discussion, Jack turned back to the men.

"Well then lads. Before I tell my final pick, I want to tell you what it means to sail under my colours. It means you are a part of my crew. You will treat all other crew member with respect and never doubt and order from the Captain, me," here Jack paused and glared around at the men, "Once you have joined, you must obey not only the code but the rules of the Black Pearl. If you disobey these rules, the result will not be pretty," he looked back at the crew to see if he had gotten everything then nodded. "If you agree to these terms, place your weapons in a pile."

There was a scurry of movement as the men placed their weapons down. When they had back away, Kas came strolling up. He placed his sword on the pile but made no move to remove his dagger.

"Lad, did you not hear what I said?" questioned Jack.

"I heard. But no human being on this earth shall be able to force me to lay down this dagger," Kas answered, undisturbed.

"Very well, we shall see about that. Ana, you take the two we decided on up to the ship. The rest of you can go on your merry way. As for you, Kas, we shall see about that bold statement. Pick up your sword."

The sun was starting to set by the time everything was ready. The crew formed a large ring around Jack and Kas. They both were circling each other. Waiting for the other to move first, sensing out their weaknesses. Jack thrust out at Kas, a simple move meant to throw the enemy of balance. Kas dodged it and returned with a thrust of his own. Jack brought his sword up to block it. This continued for a while. Both testing out their opponents. Just as Jack thought he knew Kas's style, Kas struck. He swung up at Jack's head then brought his sword swiftly down, aiming for Jack's feet making Jack have to jump. Taking advantage of his opponents momentary lose of concentration, Kas swung his sword and nicked Jack's arm.

A stream of blood rushed out but Jack made no sign that he noticed. Jack had decided to show the lad who was boss. He threw himself against Kas forcing him back. Metal clashed against metal as the two fought. Cheered on by the crew. The moment Jack thought he Kas pinned, Kas had flipped over Jack's head and was standing in the middle once more. The battle continued neither seemed to get the better of the other. Then Jack made a mistake, he glanced down at his arm, which was bleeding freely. Kas leapt for him, his sword pressing against Jack's neck. Jack knew he had lost. In vain he tried one last trick slipping under the sword, but he knew it wouldn't work. Kas had to firm a grip for that. Yet when he tried he found himself free and Kas on the floor. Jack quickly pressed his sword against Kas's neck. He had won.

The crew cheered as Jack helped Kas up, a troubled look in Jack's eyes.

"Lad," he muttered so none of his crew would hear, "why did you let me win?"

"It would have looked bad if I had beaten the one and only Jack Sparrow," replied Kas

"Its Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Aye, so it 'tis, Captain Jack Sparrow who lost to a mere lad." Kas knew he was pushing his luck when he said this but Jack just laughed and said, "Welcome aboard."

And so Kas came to be one of the twenty sailors on the Pearl. Jack and the crew watched him carefully but he did no wrong. Every morning he woke at the early hours and donned a dark blue shirt, he then helped with the morning meal and scrubbed the decks while the others ate. Nothing could persuade the lad to talk of his life before or make him sit with the others. He stayed silent answering few questions and working harder then before. At night he was the last one asleep, he took the latest shifts and was never seen without his dark blue shirt on.

Most of the pirates respected his ways and let him be. Others went out of their way to bother him. Kas never struck out at them, he took their remarks quietly, staring at them, his eyes never leaving them. Most of the pirates left him alone once they had seen his eyes. They were the color of the Caribbean water, the purest blue. But when mad they turned the sharpest of grays. There were mutterings that he was an evil spirit come to send them to the bottom of the sea, but theses mutterings were forgotten the next day. But no matter what, there was something strange about Kas that no one knew. So, waddaya think? You like? Review please and then I'll continue, I think Im going to make this my 1# priority, I've kind of given up on OR for the moment but I might update it some time in Sept. REVIEW!
Snuffles