The Beginning to My Young Adult Novel

The beginning to my young adult novel,
The Space-Crime Continuum!

"Hand me a beer, will ya?" Shackles said, making grabby motions with his right large, green hand while holding onto the yoke of his spacecraft with the other.

"I don't know, Shack. You're already flying like we lost both engines. I don't think you need anymore booze in your bug eyes," Spiffer said, though he opened up the cooler and pulled a cold beer for himself.

"Come on," Shackles said, his long tongue sliding out of his mouth as he made an exaggerated groan. "You never got all spaced up and given it all ya got in hyperspeed?"

"You never let me fly this thing!"

"Well, that's because you're a drunk!" Shackles bellowed and roared with laughter. He yelled again, "If we don't get out of this space race with these ming-mong cops, then my name ain't Shackles The Stupendous!"

"Nobody calls you that," Spiffer said, clawing open his beer for a tasty first sip.

This was true. Nobody did call him Shackles The Stupendous but himself. In fact, there was a laundry list of nicknames for him, but none of them were that. Most people knew him as Shackles, as most would love to see him tethered and muzzled, but his full name was Graham A.A. Shackleford. He was the captain, owner and minor repairman of the Watership Down, a mesmerizing piece of space junk that was once a respected military spaceship. He was also a frog. And he dressed like the 1930s had never improved upon biplanes.

His co-pilot was Moses Pierre-Auguste Marionette, but he was called "Spiffer" because everyone was surprised how well he dressed when out of his overalls. They were also surprised that he could tolerate his frog pilot. He was the major repairman and bookkeeper of the Watership Down and was significantly more charming than his wild, drunkard of a boss. He was also a badger.

And the space police were in hot pursuit of both of these two yokels for stolen goods.