Not by choice, but instead by force, Juan Sebastian DeCruz became a master of the sea. As a slave child of the captain who stole him, he endured cruel sexual abuse during his earlier years of captivity. However, because his mother had made sure her young son was properly educated, Juan became a business commodity to the captain and eventually rose through the ranks. He advanced from a Cabin Boy to Ship's Steward, the highest non-officer position, which requires linguistic, mathematical, and logistical skills.