Shillane looked to the ground. "As we stood in the hangar waiting for a company transport to take us to our home world I had an idea. We should acquire one of Lord D'ark's armoured cargo vessels, as compensation, like. So we took one, this is it, and made it our own. We have been harrying D'ark's chocolate operation for two years now. But it has cost me dear my wife and two of my children died in one of D'ark's prison camps."
"Oh, I am sorry," commiserated Arthur. He looked a bit embarrassed. "By the way, why has he never caught you?"
"Me?" said Why.
"No," said Arthur as he looked at Shillane.
"We have an insider, let's us know where he's looking for us," said the captain.
"So we have scraped the oppressive underbelly of D'ark chocolate," wittered Why.
"I will decide to trust you, you rogue," proffered Arthur. "It is not within my makeup to trust thieves usually, but on this occasion I will make an exception." Arthur turned to Shillane. "Captain Shillane, consider this an alliance between the rebels and the pirates. We shall call ourselves the rebates!"
"Huh?" Huhed Shillane.
"A joining of the names rebels and pirates," said Arthur.
"Why not pibels," suggested Shillane.
"Sounds like a pie with bells," noted Sid.
"Well rebates sounds a little like reprobates or at least like some kind of rebate from the government," retorted Shillane.
"What about pirebs?" offered Biggs.
"Sounds better," said Shillane.
You can buy The Sitting Duck on the Kindle from Amazon.com http://tinyurl.com/6mxpldv
Or Amazon.co.uk http://tinyurl.com/7mu3znf