Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updating, I've been rather busy of late, but finally here is the fourth chapter!

Chapter Four

"Captain! The Commodore keeps askin' for ye. Says he wants to talk to ye", Gibbs said. It was morning and Jack was at the helm with his spyglass.

"Well he'll 'ave to wait. The Night is here", Jack replied grimly, "we're gonna have to take her." The Night was another pirate ship that had lately been posing something of a threat to the Pearl and Jack was losing his patience. "Ready the cannons!" he ordered now.

"Aye Cap'n!" Gibbs replied and shouted out Jack's orders to the rest of the crew. "Are we gonna fire sir?" Gibbs asked.

"I'd rather not have to, so we're gonna see if we can talk first" Jack said as he watched the Night come up alongside the Black Pearl. "Bates" Jack snarled when he recognized the Night's captain. Jack had no respect for Bates, who had a reputation for being cruel and merciless.

"Captain Sparrow! How nice to see ye! It's been so long" Bates called out with a smug smile.

"Wish I could say the same Bates, but the fact is, it's not been long enough" Jack said coldly.

"Touché! I'm guessin' ye wanna speak with me?" Bates asked. Jack nodded curtly and Bates said, "Well can ye grant me permission to come aboard then?"

"Permission granted," Jack said, "but just you Bates." Bates gave a mock bow and once he was aboard Jack wasted no time in saying what he wanted to say, "Lately Bates, ye've been makin' yer raids a little to close to the Pearl. Followin' us around like, and raidin' a few of the places we were headed to."

"Hey if ye can't get there fast enough, it's hardly my problem" Bates interrupted smugly.

"The fact is Bates," Jack continued as though he had not been interrupted, "ye've been on me territory, and if ye don't leave and get outta my way I'm gonna take over yer ship and leave it at the bottom of the ocean", Jack snarled.

"Oh really?" Bates sneered, "Ye think ye could do that?"

"Yes" Jack said in very quiet, but nonetheless deadly serious tone. Suddenly Jack spotted Norrington staggering out on deck.

"Sparrow!" Norrington called out but then he abruptly stopped when he noticed Bates and the Night, which was still anchored alongside the Pearl.

"What d'ye think yer doin'? Get back in the cabin!" Jack said to Norrington, "I thought I told ye to lock him in!" Jack yelled angrily to Gibbs.

"Wait a minute" Bates, who had been watching Norrington intently this whole time interrupted suddenly, "I know him! He's that navy officer who goes after pirates and tries to hang them, what's he doin' on yer ship Sparrow?"

"I fail to see how that matters to ye Bates" Jack said coldly. Bates didn't respond, but neither did he take his eyes off Norrington. He slowly started to walk toward him and when he got a couple feet in front of him he stopped. "Bates!" Jack said in a warning voice.

"That's who ye are, isn't it?" Bates whispered to Norrington, his cold eyes glittering.

"Get away from me you despicable piece of pirate filth!" Norrington spat in disgust.

At Norrington's words Bates eyes narrowed dangerously. I oughta teach ye a lesson in manners" he snarled and reached for his sword.

However before he had even touched it Jack had him pressed against a wall with his blade pressed against his throat. "One wrong move Bates" Jack whispered in a tone that implied he was very serious.

"So ye are protectin' naval officers now Sparrow? That's an all time low, even for ye." Bates said quietly, his cold eyes locked on Jack's.

"What I do on me own ship is not yer concern, now I suggest ye get out of here, or I will not hesitate to keep me promise" Jack said and removed his sword.

Bates nodded slowly and said, "By all means, don't hesitate to try, 'cause me crew, and me ship are not going anywhere." Then Bates turned and went back aboard the Night. "So what's it gonna be Captain Sparrow?" Bates called out.

Jack didn't even bother to respond, he just turned to his crew and yelled, "Fire!" Behind him he heard Bates call out the same thing. Jack turned to Norrington, who was still standing watching Jack and said, "Get back in the cabin Norrington!" For once Norrington heeded the word of a pirate and turned back. "See that he's locked in this time" Jack added to Gibbs.

"You're not going to lock me in anywhere Sparrow!" Norrington said angrily turning to face him again, but Gibbs pulled him away and did indeed lock him in Jack's cabin, then went to join the fighting.

On deck Jack had turned his attention back to the Night. The ship did have good firepower, but it was really nothing compared to the Black Pearl, and if Bates hadn't let his arrogant pride cloud his judgment he would have realized that the smart thing to do would have been to leave. Before to long the Night was to damaged to continue firing, as most of it was engulfed in flames, so Bates and his crew swung aboard the Pearl to avoid drowning and drew their swords.

Jack drew his sword and went to meet Bates. "Ye sank my ship" Bates snarled.

"I did warn ye mate" Jack said perfectly calmly.

"I'm just gonna have to take yers now", Bates sneered as he took up a dueling stance.

"Do you think this wise Bates?" Jack asked quietly and rubbed his blade against Bates' blade. Then Bates thrust his sword at Jack who blocked it easily.

"Yer not bad Sparrow," Bates said as they fought, "but I'm gonna take ye down."

"For the most part ye seem to know what yer doin', but yer guard is bad right here" Jack said as he slashed Bates in the shoulder.

Bates hollered in pain and tried to plunge his blade in Jack's chest, but he couldn't get past his guard. After a few more minutes of intense fighting Bates managed to cut Jack's side and he hollered in triumph.

"Very good Bates", Jack said not letting the pain register in any way, "but it's not over yet."

"Ye can't beat me Jack" Bates said.

"I shot the last guy who said that to me" Jack said thinking for a moment of Barbossa. Then with a quick slash he dealt a deep cut to Bates leg, who tried to make a counter attack but Jack thrust again and slashed his stomach open. "Had enough yet?" Jack asked.

"Never" Bates snarled trying to ignore the blood poring out of him.

"Yer losin' a lot of blood mate", Jack said, "it's gonna be over soon, and not for me."

"Yer losin' some blood yerself" Bates noted with a cold smile.

"Ah, it's just a flesh wound, I'll be alright in no time" Jack said with a smile that was infuriating to Bates.

"As ye said earlier Sparrow, it's not over yet" Bates snarled.

"It's getting' there, and if ye would care to glance around ye'd notice that me crew is beatin' yers."

Bates glanced around and noticed Jack was indeed right, his crew was falling, and falling fast. "Just shut up and fight Sparrow," he snarled refusing to give in.

From inside Jack's cabin Norrington could hear the yells of the fighting men outside, he couldn't believe it but he was actually praying Sparrow and his crew would win. He had no doubt if that other pirate won, he would waste no time in seeing him killed. Sparrow had called the other pirate 'Bates' and Norrington knew of a Bates. His reputation preceded him, he was known for being cold and inherently cruel. He was said to be extremely merciless, the type of person who would kill you as soon as look at you. Bates was also said to be a master swordsman but Norrington had heard that Sparrow was said to be very good as well, so he only hoped that he was better.

Even though Norrington did not think terrible much of Captain Jack Sparrow, he at least, did not kill unnecessarily. Norrington, though he hated to admit it, had a grudging respect for Sparrow in that area. From the look in Bates eyes on deck earlier Norrington had no doubt that if Jack had not been there he, Norrington, would be dead by now. 'But why?' he wondered to himself, 'why didn't he just let Bates kill me? It probably would have done him a favor? Why did he defend me?'