He gazed at her, clearly this had not been what he was use to or expecting from the girls that he acquired in the past that had been handed over to the crew as playthings once he had been done with them. Women on ships had been bad luck and so he had only two others, whores to the crew but after enough time had passed they were absorbed into his crew.

But he had thought that she might be daintly, might struggle like the others had so he unhitched the cutlass from his belt setting it on a thick desk as he took a few steps closer to her but she met him part way, her hand caressing his balls, her words arousing.

She seemed to think he had saved her though there was an outside chance that she, knowing what was going to happen, choose to exert some sort of control over the matter rather than savagely being taken.

Part of the thrill escaped him with her being so willing though she shoved him back with surprising strngth, that and he was unprepared for it. He glared at her then.

“Don't start making demands bitch! I am Captain Roberts and when I last checked I didn't need to knock to enter my own cabin.” He stepped forward as those words sankinto her brain, his glare upon his lips as they turned up into a grin, it was obvious what he now intended as he came forth doing his best to cut her off from the door.

Kat smiled he was disarmed and thinking she would go for the door like a scared rabbit. It was the cutlass she was after and it was within reach, Kat took a step towards the door, it was all she needed to reach the cutlass and picked it up, “Well Captain if you’re the one in charge we have things to discuses, from what I’ve seen you will never be one to go down in history as being a great captain, just a second rate want a be pirate. You have a choice to make then be my first mate and follow my orders or die where you stand.” Kat told him placing the blade at his throat and ready to thrust if he went with the wrong answer. Kat thought maybe being a pirate would be kind of fun and turn this person from Robert the pansy to The Dread Pirate Roberts. “If you follow my orders I could make you more infamous then the Great Draco Pirate lover of the Sea.” Kat told him waiting for his answer.

Kat looked deep into his eyes trying to read his thoughts and mind the real Kat of long ago was starting to emerge one who didn’t take shit from no one manners be dam she was around savages and seemed the only one capable to turn them from idiots to true fighters. The only reason they had won over Duncan ship was the fog hid there approach, which was a good tactics to say the least. “So what say you? Become famous under my coaching as an acting Captain or be dead and force me to be the dam Captain?” Kat demanded an answer from this dope and was ready to kill him if she had to.

This was his ship! His crew and he sneered at the offer even as she hefted the blade. The men would not follow her and she had to realize it, otherwise she wouldn't have been considering that he would be her first mate. He considered how foolish it was to disarm himself/

Captain Roberts narrowed his gaze as she spoke about his deceased brother than relaxed a bit, his hand going to the blade attmpting to push it aside.

“Ok, I'll be your first mate ...”

Kat sighed and rolled her eyes. “Are all men really this thick? I don’t want to be the Captain, in fact I really don’t want your ship either, you’re my ticket out of getting forced to get married to an old man, but I am not about to be the ships whore either. So basically I’m off limits, in return I will help you be one of the greatest Pirate know in the world. Or you not really interested in woman? Then I would be no help there? Here something you might like to remember, ‘Behind every great man there was a woman’. remember that quote and you will understand the world a lot better then you think you do now.” Kat told him.

Kat moved the blade away from his throat and placed the back side of it on her shoulder ready to strike with it or the dagger she stole that was used to secure her safety from him. “Now the first thing we need to work on is your image this image you have right now will never attract any woman to come to your banner and if you get the admiration of woman then your legend will quickly grow especially in the courts where all they do is gossip.” Kat informed him looking at him with a critical eye seeing what she could do to turn this wreck of a man into something like prince charming.

He waited until the blade was no longer at his throat. Women were weak, why would he want them to flock to him? The two he had were dainty until he got a hold of them that was … when they were trained up.

“I'll be your first mate …” he sounded a bit defeated though it did not seem to reach is eyes. He then suddenly dropped his posture as he sprun forward even as the sprin loaded shealth concealed beneath his sleeve deposited a dagger into his hand,

His aim was to drive her back and possible drive the ind out of her lungs. “And second mate, ant third,” he chided.

Kat grinned this was going to be fun she though, it had been weeks since she had this kind of entertainment, Duncan was furious that she was fighting with his crew and the worst thing about it she was winning bringing the moral of the once who fought her down. His excuse was that his men was taking it easy on her and that his men knew better then to fight a lady of nobility. Kat had to listen to him rant for about an hour how a woman’s proper place was not in brawling, and trying to make her act like the woman she was, well that didn’t do much but make her mad with him.

Kat easily sidestepped his attack the back of the cutlass knocked the dagger from his hand leaving the stinging reminder that she still had the sword and very skilled with it. “That was your second warning, you attempt to attack me again and I will have no choice but to kill you, don’t let this body fool you that I’m nothing more then a whore, because I am not. My father was the greatest swordsman there was and he taught me well, don’t let your foolish male pride loose you the one opportunity to become a great man.” Kayla said placing the back of the blade back on her shoulder the dagger she had was ready to give the killing blow if he decided to be foolish again.

BOOM!

The entire room shook as the thunderous noise of cannon went off into the ship. There was a cacphony of sound, the clash of blades sounded out soon after and Roberts glanced at the door to the cabin as if expecting it to burst open at any minute.

It was apparent that they were being attacked but there was no warning, nothing before the attack was launched by whomever.

Roberts considered that it was likely to be the British trying to reclaim Kat perhaps or maybe not … he seemed as if he were going to dash to the door, to see what was going on but he dashed at her making use of that distraction leading with his left shoulder as he tried once again to wrap her up in a foootball tackle driving her back down.

A sneer was one his face as if she had deliberately caused this, as if she brought this down upon himself at the moment.

Kat was distracted with the loud boom of cannons and was tackled because of it, she was knocked over loosing the cutlass that was in her hand but the dagger she had in the other hand remained as her instinct kicked in and she stabbed him in his gut. “And that was the last chance you had.” Kat told him and twisted the knife in his gut.

Kat was mad with this smelly scum want a be pirate, he ruined all her plans to get away from getting married. “Get off of me you smelly git, why did you have to go ruin every thing!” Kat grunted placing her feet on his chest and shoved him off knocking him across the room. “Eww now you gone and made me stink like you do.” Kat said noticing the blood on her, gritting her teeth, he ruined the only undergarment she had that she knew of, Kat had no idea where her own clothing was.

Kat looked around the room for any kind of clothing that she could feel clean again keeping an eye on the stupid man she learned was named Roberts as he laid on the floor holding his dagger wound. Where she stabbed him if he got any medical attention he would live, at this point Kat didn’t care anymore, she was never one to enjoy stupid people company. Kat found some trousers and a shirt which smelled clean compared to the other clothing within this room. She would change once the pirate want a be was secured.

Roberts lunged at her barreling her over with the distraction. He reeked of booze and of the sea. His breath was bad … but she bought her dagger up burying it in the gut of the captain who went wide eyed and slackened even before he had a chance to so much as molest her, not that he would have done so with the erupting of those cannon out there.

Her plans ruined by the prate. There was fighting out their, muskets and pistols firing, swords clashing violently, battle raged along the vessel and looking quickly their had been nothing to bind the captain with not that he was doing much more than groanind and clutcing his would, blood seeping through his fingers as he writhed on the floor.

Dressing she left the cabin only to hear screams as pirates where cut down. She did not recognize the dress of the men of the attackers for they did not not have uniforms of any kind. They wielded similar weapons.

“Lady Kathryn ...” the voice belonging to Duncan as he was disarmed and now standing in a dingy that he was ready to launch the digy it seemed, perhaps he was a coward, perhaps he did not know she was still alive … who could say though he saw her as she spilled out of the captain's quarter's holding a hand out in her direction to encourage her to his side.

Kat had undressed to nothing more then her birthday suit her skin flawless to look at, Kat quickly put on the outfit that was to the best of her knowledge was clean, it was a tight fit but molded perfectly to her figure. Kat found a corset that had no support of whalebone just that of the material it was made from and strung it up, the only reason she put that on she didn’t wish her breast bouncing and getting in the way of her defending herself. Kat quickly put the white shirt on and tucked the tail into the trousers and found some tall boots that fit her perfectly.

Kat strapped on a sword sheath and daggers grabbing the cutlass she dropped she was almost ready except she need a few pistols, the outfit was complete except something seemed to be missing as she looked in the mirror, she looked back at the Captain and grin and snatched up his feathered hat. “Guess you wont be needing this will you.” Kat said, the last thing she decided to ad was a mask to hide her face from anyone that didn’t know here, after all artist could never get wanted posters right and lord help her if her family notice her in an outfit like this. Kat walked out of the cabin looking around she heard her name being called out and saw Duncan lowing the dingy, it appeared that he was running away like a coward.

Kat frowned at him, this could have been his chance to take control of the situation, looking around Kat knew the crew would loose there was no organization that she could see, it was time for her to take charge. “Alright crew! Repel boarders, your Captain left me in charge because he wasn’t man enough to take charge, Gunner load grape shot and fire at there decks at will! Swivel Gunner fire hot coal at there sails and for god sake cut their tow lines!” Kat barked orders out seeing the Captain of the other ship she pulled out a pistol and fired at him, Kat didn’t waste time to see if she hit her mark when she pulled out the Cutlass and dived into the fray slashing enemy pirates, though with this action she would have to deal with the crew later, maybe they would be more willing to work with her then Roberts.

Roberts groaned from the floor of his captain, incensed by the girl but too hurt to do anything it seemed as blood oozed through his fingers. Steeping out onto the deck though she had to make sense of all the chaos going around her. It was apparent that the crew was losing. The first mate was killed in the initial wave of attacks and the second mate was inept. As for Roberts? Well she was all too aware of what happened to him.

Normally no one would listen to her but someone thought that they couldn't be doing any worse began to obey.

“My lady, what are you doing!”

And that seemed to gather some attention from the invaders, the closest to here came this way to deal with the noble. She could see that they had not been wearing any uniforms and were not soldiers but burly folks that grabbed her attention as she lowered her smoking pistol from the enemy captain that was wearing an entire bandolier of pistols. Her shot hitting another man that the captain was fighting.

What surprised her was that it was a clear day and that the other ship should have been seen well ahead of time.

But more of an immediate concern were the two burly men, one tall and dark skinned, the other short and caucasian, that were appraching her and that Duncan was imploring her to run.

Kat was displeased that the pistol didn’t hit its mark muttering to herself. “Stupid pistol, no wonder why they are loosing, with crap for weapons.” Kat said throwing the weapon to the side her sword ready to fight the oncoming pirates, if things turned bad she would just abandon ship. “Fire the grape shot at their deck now you fool!” Kat yelled, it was the only way to thin out the army of pirates that was boarding the ship, Kat had no idea if they was good or bad but that wasn’t important now, these men that was boarding was skilled even when there Captain wasn’t given orders, which made them very dangerous to Kat, the men she was commanding seemed like a bunch of idiots compared to them.

Kat had her sword out and tapping the blade on her palm. “Ok boys, which one of you are first to die?” Kat said ready for the two burly men to attack first, it was the tall darker skinned man that made the first move, Kat blocked the attack. The clang of swords sent vibrations through the blade making her hand sting but she wasn’t about to let go of the only thing keeping her alive. This man was really strong and fighting him hand to hand she would most likely loose in the end, but her skill lied within the sword. After parrying the sword it was her attack, with a twist of the sword she reversed the blade and cut his hand off while the shorter man tried to grab her from behind. The butt of the sword smacked hard into his face breaking his nose.

Distracted with her own pressing problem the grape did go off but too of the boarders had already been aboard for the slow reacting crew to get to.

Meanwhile she severed the hand off the larger man, blood splurting from his wrist as she brought back the butt of the blade into the face of the shorter who staggered back, blood oozing form his nose as wood chips flew off the wall of the cabin. A bullet aimed at her by someone up in the rigging of the other ship who mistook her as a man at that distance. He busied himself with clearing the musket, reloading but the old things too forever to fire …

The attacker versus defender ratio was too skewered. Further more the attackers seemed far better skilled.

Duncan hurried up to her side flipping the blade of the dark skinned man up to his hand. Thus armed he dealt with a few more of the attackers that were closing in. Apparently he was not a coward and rather skilled with his weapon.

The fact that he was unarmed previously probably meant he had been captured too and assumed that she was dead perhaps when he was taking advantage of the situation to effect his escape while the pirates where busy.

A thought did occur to Kat, that where the hell did Duncan think he was going in a dingy in the open waters unless there was something to get too!

An island, she could see an island in the near distance and wondered if the attackers used it to hide behind before racing in to atttack, but wouldn't someone have seen it? Too many question.

“Milady we have to fall back!” Duncan turned aside a blow and ran another attacker threw though more were closing in, testing their stamina as much as their skill.

Kat looked around and saw an open rum barrow still filled with rum and kicked it over, Duncan was right there was no saving the crew that could have been her freedom nor did she wish another pirate to win. Kat pulled the last pistol she had this time she aimed not at the other Captain but the one who shot at her from the mast of the other ship who was ready to fire upon her once more. Smoke erupted from the flintlock obscuring her slightly as the man from the mast dropped like a stone to his watery tomb.

The battle was lost as she grabbed a lit lantern and cast it among the spilled rum, fire erupted giving Duncan and herself time to get away as fire started to spread and set the mast of the other ship on fire. Sheathing her sword she followed Duncan who had there escape ready for them. Kat jumped into the dingy knowing both pirates or what was left of the one she had commanded for a brief time and the so called enemy which they both was the enemy to her knowledge was to busy trying to douse the fire that was spreading to both ships.

Kat sighed, “I hate to run from a good fight but that cause was lost before it started.” Kat said to Duncan grinning at him as the both of them quickly lowered the dingy into the water so they could escape. “I thought they killed you and when I saw you trying to escape… I thought you was being the coward. Forgive me for thinking such bad thoughts of you Duncan.” Kat said and lowered her head in shame and embarrassment.

He would have raised her head up had he not been busy rowing the dingy away. Pirates were busy fighting the flames and each other to pay them much attention for now and he put all his strngth into rowing to the island. The victory here could easily go to the island but at least they could try to hide there …

“I thought you were dead milady. They kept myself and the crew, well the survivors anyway below decks in the hold. Using the men for target practice for knives or guns,” he shook his head. “It was a game to them to see who could get closest without hitting the man … laughing when they missed … they are poor shots, no wonder why they are losing. If not for the fog we would have beaten them when they came upon us …

“Suffice it to say they killed all the other crew in their target practice. A rather fortune cannon shot ruptured the and destroyed one of the walls in my cell so I managed to get free. When I got above deck and saw that it was the Revenge that the pirates were dealing with I knew I was as good as dead either way with their new captain ...”

He shook his head though soon they were on the island's beal, black smoke rising into the sky from the ships.

“Certainly the victors will come for us … what is the plan? I'm afraid that fleeing only bought us a little time ...”