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  Sam shook his head sadly. Comet’s face dropped, and his moustache sagged so much that the two ends almost touched under his chin. “But we need you!” he exclaimed.

  “I’m sorry, Captain, but we think Sam really needs to be at home,” Stella said, putting an arm around Sam’s shoulders. “He’s got school work to catch up on and we’re not sure he’s really ready for exploring space like this.”

  The rest of the crew were gathering on board the Jolly Apollo. Sam looked up to see Barney, Pegg and Legg, and all his friends staring down at him sadly.

  “So this is … goodbye?” said Comet.

  “I’m afraid so,” said Sam’s dad.

  Sam was too choked up to speak. Barney ran down the plank and grabbed him in an enormous, multi-tentacled hug. Then he returned to the Apollo, sobbing and dabbing his eyes.

  “You’d better have this,” said Comet, taking off his tricorn hat and plonking it on Sam’s head. “Something to remember us by. We’ll come and visit next time we’re at the pirate port on P-Sezov 8.”

  Comet sniffed, shook Sam’s hand and walked sadly up the plank.

  “Raise the anchors, hoist the main sails,” he ordered.

  Sam and his parents watched as the Jolly Apollo hauled herself slowly into the sky. Sam closed his eyes as the pirate ship left. It was a terrible ship – cold, draughty, and always breaking down – but Sam couldn’t bear to watch it fly away.

  The Starbucks returned to their ship and fired up the engines.

  “They did a great job on the repairs,” said Sam’s dad, trying to lighten the mood as their ship rose from the dusty surface of Planet X.

  Sam was in no mood to be cheered up though. He flopped down into a seat and thought sadly about what had just happened. Although he’d only been on the Apollo for a short time, the crew had become the closest friends he had ever known. He could hardly begin to think of the adventures they’d be having while he was stuck in a room listening to his holo-teacher.

  Sam shuffled miserably in his seat and promptly felt a sharp pain in his leg as something stabbed him. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a key – the key to the Apollo’s grum store! He’d forgotten that he’d put it in his pocket, back when Black-Hole Beard had first tried to grab on to the Revenge with his traction beams.

  “Dad, Mum, I’ve still got a key from the Apollo,” cried Sam. “It’s really important to them. We have to take it back! Please, they won’t have gone far.”

  “Oh, I’m sure they’ll cope,” Sam’s mum replied.

  “There’s probably a spare,” said his dad as he pointed the ship in the direction of home.

  “There isn’t!” said Sam. “Please, this would mean a lot to them.” Sam could imagine the state the pirates would be in if they couldn’t get to their grum.

  His parents sighed. “All right, but we’re not hanging around,” said his mother.

  Sam punched the air with joy. His dad reset the controls and their spaceship doubled-back the way they’d come. Sure enough, they soon caught sight of the Apollo’s booster trails … but something wasn’t right.

  “Why is it flying like that?” asked Sam’s dad as he watched the Apollo jerk and stutter on its way.

  “They’ll have forgotten to extend the stabiliser rods, they’re always doing that. Or it might be the hyper-drive needs adjusting,” Sam replied.

  “You know how to do that?” asked Sam’s mum, sounding impressed.

  “Oh yeah, it’s dead easy. I’ve done it loads of times,” Sam replied.

  The Starbucks’ spaceship moored alongside the Apollo and the crew cheered when they saw Sam descending from the ladder – and cheered even louder when they saw what he’d brought with him.

  “I feared another mutiny if we couldn’t get the grum,” said Comet, only half joking. “And I don’t know what’s up with the old Apollo. She won’t fly right now you’re gone! I was trying to work out what was up with her when you arrived.”

  “What about the stabiliser rods? Or the hyper-drive?” Sam suggested.

  “Of course! Why didn’t I think of that?” Comet replied, slapping his forehead. “It’s such a shame that Sam isn’t round here now, to keep us right…”

  Sam’s parents felt the eyes of the crew on them.

  “But his schooling…” said his dad.

  Just then, Sam had an idea and felt so excited he almost yelped with joy.

  “I can do my lessons here!” he cried. “The holoscreen! Professor Argon can link up with the holoscreen. It would be good for all of us. He could teach the captain navigation and Barney how to cook …”

  “I’ll have you know my navigational skills are first rate, but I’m sure Sam and Barney will get a lot out of it,” said Comet.

  “But your safety…” said Sam’s mum.

  “I give you my word that we’ll keep him safe,” said Comet. “After all, I gave away the greatest treasure in the Universe to rescue him, did I not?”

  “Well, yes…” said Sam’s mum.

  “And I’d love Sam to be there on Shan-Greelah when we claim Dwarfstar’s chest,” added Comet. “I’ll even promote him. Instead of cabin boy, he can be … er … thirty-third mate!”

  “You’re going to Shan-Greelah?” said Sam’s dad.

  “Yes, that’s where the Pirate Council is based.”

  “Shan-Greelah, the home of meteor moss?” asked Sam’s mum, suddenly very interested.

  “If you mean that green stuff that sticks to everything, then yes,” Comet replied.

  Sam had another idea. “If you let me go I could bring you back a sample of meteor moss,” he suggested.

  Sam’s parents looked at each other.

  “Oh, let him come!” pleaded Barney.

  “Yeah, let him come,” said Romero.

  “Let him come! Let him come!” the crew chanted.

  “OK, OK,” laughed Sam’s dad. “But you take care of our boy!”

  “And you check in with us every day,” said Sam’s mum to her son. “And do your lessons, and eat your greens…” But the rest of what she was saying was muffled, as Sam gave her the biggest hug of her life.

  The Starbucks were seen back on to their ship with much cheering, and were soon on their way back home. Sam and Comet watched them until their ship disappeared from sight. Sam felt odd watching them go again, especially having spent so long looking for them, but he was happy knowing that they were safe. And, best of all, he could stay with his friends on the Jolly Apollo!

  “So, thirty-third mate, eh?” Sam said happily.

  “Yes, but don’t get too big for your boots,” Comet told him. “There are only thirty-three crew members.”

  Sam laughed. “You might need this back,” he said, handing Comet his hat.

  “Ah yes, thank you, Sam.” Comet settled the tricorn hat on his head and addressed the crew.

  “Right, me hearties, prepare to sail. We’ve got adventures to have and treasure to find! Full speed after Gravity’s Revenge!”

  “Aye aye, Captain,” Sam grinned. “Aye aye!”

  Copyright

  With special thanks to Paul Harrison

  To Sue – the calm in the storm

  SPACE PIRATES: TREASURE

  First published in the UK in 2014 by Nosy Crow Ltd

  The Crow’s Nest, 10a Lant Street

  London, SE1 1QR, UK

  This ebook edition first published 2014

  Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and / or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd

  Text © Hothouse Fiction, 2014

  Cover and interior illustrations © Benji Davies, 2014

  The rights of Hothouse Fiction and Benji Davies to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

  All rights reserved

  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any wa
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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictiously. Any resemblence to actual people, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN: 978 0 85763 301 9

  www.nosycrow.com