The Price of Freedom

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom is a prequel novel about the adventures of Jack Sparrow when he was in the employ of the East India Trading Company. Authored by A.C. Crispin, it was published in hardcover from Disney Publishing, on May 17, 2011.

Synopsis
Twenty-five-year-old Jack Sparrow is a clean-cut merchant seaman pursuing a legitimate career as a first mate for the East India Trading Company. He sometimes thinks back to his boyhood pirating days, but he doesn't miss Teague's scrutiny or the constant threat of the noose. Besides, he doesn't have much choice-he broke the Code when he freed a friend who had been accused of rogue piracy, and he can no longer show his face in Shipwreck Cove. When Jack's ship is attacked by pirates and his captain dies in the altercation, he suddenly finds himself in command. The wily sailor's skillful negotiations with the pirate captain-who turns out to be a woman from his past-result in a favorable outcome that puts Jack in line for an official promotion. After making port in Africa, Jack is summoned by Cutler Beckett, who makes him captain of a ship called the Wicked Wench. Beckett gives Jack an assignment. He has heard a legend about a magical island named Zerzura whose labyrinthine bowels are said to contain a glorious treasure. Beckett suspects that one of his house slaves, a girl named Ayisha, is from Zerzura. He asks Jack to take her along on his voyage and seduce her into divulging the island's whereabouts. In payment for his services, Beckett promises Jack a share of the treasure. But this task isn't as easy as Jack initially believes. Before she agrees to reveal the location of her home, Ayisha insists that Jack take her to the New World to rescue her brother, who has been sold into slavery in the Bahamas. Their voyage is long and arduous, and as they weather a vicious storm and a surprise attack from an old pirate foe, Jack grows to respect and admire Ayisha's bravery. He knows that Beckett intends to enslave her people after robbing them of their treasure, and Jack's moral compass revolts at the idea. It might be possible to deliver Ayisha safely to Zerzura, obtain some of the treasure, and convince Beckett that he never found it... but the greedy E.I.T.C. official has eyes everywhere, and if he learns that Jack has foiled his plans, he could take away the thing that Captain Sparrow loves most: his ship-and his freedom.

The rogue threat
Jack Sparrow is a twenty year old pirate living in Shipwreck Cove. It seems that times cannot be better for the Pirate Brethren, but that will change very quickly. The mysterious rogue pirates begin to slaughter their victims, openly violating the Code of the Pirate Brethren. Instead of the traditional black pirate flag, the rogues fly the red flag with the horned demon skull. Their attacks could cause the war against piracy, and Captain Edward Teague, Keeper of the Code, decides to investigate the case.

Meanwhile, Jack and his older friend Christophe-Julien de Rapièr meet Esmeralda Maria Consuela Anna de Sevilla, the granddaughter of Don Rafael, the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean Sea. Jack and Esmeralda start to go on picnics on hidden inlets around Shipwreck Island, teaching each other in swordfighting and swimming in the process. Christophe soon joins them, and he teaches both youngsters in swordfighting. But Esmeralda later admits to Jack that she likes his company much more, because Christophe never misses an opportunity to touch her during the lessons. It's obvious to Jack that Christophe wishes to seduce Esmeralda.

Captain Barbossa
Suddenly, a pirate captain named Hector Barbossa informs the Pirate Lords that his ship, the Cobra, was attacked and destroyed by the rogues. The Brethren Court decides to destroy the rogues once and for all. A few weeks later, after Jack and Esmeralda took Esmeralda to their favorite tavern, the Drunken Lady, Jack meets One Tooth Tommy, one of Barbossa's crewmen. Tommy tells him how he saw "The Devil", the captain of the rogue pirate sloop that sank the Cobra. But he also tells him that he saw "The Devil" again, in Shipwreck Cove, on the deck of his ship. Initially, Jack doesn't believe Tommy, but when he finds his dead body in the cove two days later, Jack realizes that the rogues are among the Brethren.

Organizations and titles

 * East India Trading Company
 * Brethren of the Coast
 * Brethren Court
 * Templars
 * Lord
 * Captain
 * Director
 * First Mate
 * Second Mate
 * Third Mate
 * Pirate Lord
 * Keeper of the Code
 * Don
 * Doña
 * Lady
 * Viscount
 * Pharaoh
 * Princess
 * Señor
 * British Royal Navy
 * French Royal Navy
 * Spanish Royal Navy
 * Portuguese Royal Navy

Objects

 * Heart of Zerzura
 * Treasure of Zerzura
 * Treasure of Cortés
 * Flag of Holland
 * Flag of France
 * Jolly Roger (flag)
 * Doubloon
 * Shilling
 * Piece of eight (money)
 * My Life Amonge The Pyrates
 * Jack Sparrow's compass

Ships

 * Wicked Wench
 * Fair Wind
 * Sentinel
 * Cobra
 * Koldunya
 * Venganza
 * Marlin
 * Troubadour
 * La Vipère
 * Molly Dover
 * Flying Dutchman
 * Centurion

Miscellanea

 * Pirate code of the Brethren
 * Slavery
 * Rum
 * Tea
 * Wine

Creatures

 * Polly (monkey)
 * Polly (parrot)
 * Shark
 * Siren
 * Mermaid
 * Crocodile