Detour to Didgery 2 (Troubleshooters 2)

By Dr E J Yeaman

Hi. I’m Tony. While I was walking through the travel centre of the planet Vinson 5 with Bea (my girl cousin) and our Uncle Simon, a transporter door opened, and one of the Sea People of Didgery 2 staggered out and collapsed in front of us. We were sent to Didgery 2 to find out why. We expected a quick trip, but Zabocko, the huge and powerful queen of the Land People, had other ideas.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr E J Yeaman
• Release date: May 11, 2020

Dr E J Yeaman

I retired (early) and started a new career as a writer. I wrote short stories and articles. Some were published; some won prizes; some sank without trace.Having heard my stories, two friends suggested I should write for children. I’d never thought of that, although I’d spent my first career communicating with young people – as a Chemistry teacher, and running clubs for badminton, chess, table tennis and hillwalking.I tried writing for young people – and I loved it. It became my main occupation. I sent samples to publishers. One asked to see a complete story. In excitement, I sent it off. Then nothing. After four months, I rang, and was told the manuscript was being considered: I would be notified. Then more nothing. Now, after eight years, I no longer rush to the door when the letter box rattles.But I kept writing the stories because I enjoyed it so much. Until, in late 2013, I learned I could publish my stories and games as e-books. Since then, I’ve been polishing and issuing some of them. I hope everyone enjoys reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.Check out the series:C: Charades – party game – a new twist to the traditional game.D: Diagags – party game – gags written as plays for two people.M: My Story – novels – classical stories, told by the heroes.O: One-Offs – party game – guess the titles, not quite the classical ones.P: Pop Tales – short stories – inspired by 60s and 70s hit songs.Q: Quote-Outs – word games – can you deduce the missing words?S: Inside Story – novels – a boy’s adventures inside classical stories.T: Troubleshooters – novels – space adventures for young people.

Book preview

1

THE DOOR SLID OPEN.

Simon, the Bean and I were walking along the wide transporter corridor on the planet Vinson 5. At the back of the bays on the right were the doors of transporters that take you to other planets. As we passed one of these bays, the door slid open. A shiny dark green creature wobbled out, staggered forward and collapsed in front of us.

2

DIT-CHERI-SWONGLER 2.

Simon, our uncle, is Commander of the Earth base of the Galactic Federation. He ordered, Tony, Bea, stand at each side of the body. Stop anyone from stepping on it.

He slipped into a quiet bay to call the medical centre on his wrist unit.

That transporter corridor was busy, with people of different shapes, sizes and colours streaming through. As I stood in the middle, I wasn’t popular – until they saw what I was directing them round.

The body was sausage-shaped, about a metre long, with two short spindly legs on one end, and a skinny arm sticking out about halfway up each side. It had no separate head, but, near the upper end were two big eyes, closed, and a small nose and mouth. The hands and feet were webbed, and the whole body was dark green with the wet-looking shine you see on seaweed when the tide is out.

He might look like an animal but he was human. I’d sensed his mind, mainly the agony, as he stumbled out of the transporter. Young people from Earth, like the Bean and me, can sense the feelings of people and animals from other planets.

But I wished I couldn’t do that now. Most of the passing minds were giving out feelings – impatience, boredom, happiness, anger, tiredness – like lots of voices shouting inside my head.

So I was glad when two paramedics rushed up. Without a word, they ran a little black box over the body; without a word, they loaded it on a stretcher; and without a word, they barged away with it, through the crowds.

Simon had dashed away too, so we sat on the seat across the back of the bay opposite where the man had come out. A plate above its door said Dit-Cheri-Swongler 2 in the planet’s language (which we couldn’t read) and in Federation symbols (which we could). I took a deep breath. The storm of emotions wasn’t as strong here but it was still fierce.

The Bean had been carrying Cuddles so the crowds wouldn’t trample on him, but now she put him on the seat between us. He’s a frong – a cat-sized pea-green dragon from Xavu 6. The Bean rescued him from a big, ugly bird that killed his mother. Since then, he’s adored her, and she loves him.

I said, I wonder if we could have a quick look at one of those other planets. We could do it. We’d been appointed temporary agents for a mission to Xavu 6. The transporters would obey our voices.

No, Tony, said the Bean. You don’t know what you might find there. But we could go home. It’s only three transporter trips. That would take us to the secret Earth base of the Federation, under our granny’s house in Edinburgh.

I asked, D’you want to go home?

I don’t know. I hate this babble of minds.

I know what you mean. But isn’t it exciting, just being here?

Y...yes.

Wouldn’t you like to be a Federation agent?

Mm. She frowned.

I’m hoping Simon might invite us. Maybe he can persuade our folks.

The Bean’s my cousin. Simon and her dad are my mum’s brothers. Simon had told us that people could train to be agents at our ages – I’m nearly thirteen, and the Bean’s 11½ – but our parents wouldn’t let him ask us.

Then, nearly three weeks ago, when I accidentally pressed 13 in the lift in our granny’s house, it took us down to the Earth base of the Federation. Cavine, Simon’s assistant, persuaded our folks to let us join the team to look for Simon, who’d failed to return from a mission to Xavu 6.

We’d hit trouble there but we’d helped to free Simon – and the people of Xavu 6 – from a tyrant.

They invited us back as guests of honour for their celebrations. Now we were on our way home from that.

I loved visiting different planets, but this might be the last few seconds I’d have on one. Simon would soon come to take us home.

Yeah. He appeared through the crowd. But he was pushing a kit trolley – a big metal box on wheels. He told us, The body came from a planet called Dit-Cheri-Swongler 2.

I said, Just call it Didgery 2.

He smiled. All right. Two races live on that planet – the Land People and the Sea People. That was one of the Sea People. Their body organs are so soft that it’s dangerous for them to use the transporter.

The Bean asked, Haven’t they been warned?

Yes. They knew.

So why did he do it?

We don’t know. He’s badly injured but he’ll survive. The Vinson 5 doctors know how to treat him: they’ve done it for others. But he’ll be unconscious for several days and he can’t tell us. We’ve been ordered to transport to Didgery 2 to find out.

While my heart jumped in hope, the Bean exclaimed, We? You mean – us?

Yes. We’ve been ordered to leave immediately.

3

RESIGN!

Simon explained, The visit is urgent, and you two are still temporary agents.

But, said the Bean. Won’t it be… risky?

I hope not. The Didgeran may have used the transporter without knowing it could injure him.

But there may be an emergency on the planet, and the man was so desperate that he came here although he knew what the transporter would do to him.

Yes. Our orders are to remain close to the transporter and stay only until we find out why that person transported. It sounds simple, but.... If you wish, you can resign and go home.

I said, I want to go. Resign! I’d dreamed of being a Federation agent. It wouldn’t be a good career move to quit now and run for home. But my guts weren’t as sure as my head.

The Bean looked worried. I’m not sure.

Come on, Bean. Until our Xavu 6 trip, she’d just been my kid cousin. But during that trip, I’d grown to know her and like her – not fancy her, but like her and trust her.

She looked up at me with wide eyes. Then she took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. All right. I’ll come.

Sky-high, Bean!

Thanks, Bea, said Simon. Then let’s get started. We’d better put on our expedition suits. They’re in the kit trolley.

The Bean asked, Won’t our uniforms be enough? Federation uniforms are like pale grey tracksuits. Simon’s had purple bands round the chest and cuffs, showing he was an Administrator. The Bean and I were wearing trainee agents’ uniforms with thin back lines outlining a grey chestband.

Simon told her, We’d be safer with expedition suits. Didgery 2 is colder and wetter than Xavu 6.

From the trolley, Simon also gave us stun-guns, which fitted on clips at the waists of our expedition suits.

The Bean asked, Simon, why do we need these? Do you know something you’re not telling us?

No, Bea. I hope we won’t meet trouble but we must be ready for it.

I asked, Is that a stun-gun you’ve got?

Y...yes.

Why is it blue? Ours, like wide-barrelled pistols, were dark grey.

It’s a new, experimental gun. It works as a stun-gun but, if you press this button, it gives out a burst of energy. He pointed to it, on the side at the top. Ready to go? Leaving the kit trolley at the side of the bay, he faced the transporter door. Open. He went in, and the Bean and I followed, with Cuddles among our feet as usual.

Simon waved us to stand behind him as he called, Close. Operate. My guts twisted. The transporter had worked.

Open. The door slid aside. This was Didgery 2.

4

ATTENTION!

Simon stood in the transporter doorway, looking around.

I eased forward but I couldn’t see much, past him. A dirty grey wall and ceiling.

The place was quiet. No engines. No voices. No birds singing. No insects buzzing. In the distance, waves swished gently. A cold wind sighed past, bringing the faint smell of the sea.

I realised – I should be listening with my mind. I tried it but sensed only Cuddles’s usual happiness.

Waving us to wait, Simon stepped out and looked around. I edged forward so I could see. The transporter was built into the side of a concrete hut about the size of our garage at home on Earth. The floor was bare grey rock. Each end had a wide doorway with no door. Through the one at the right, the rock sloped down about twenty metres to a slate-grey sea under a thick layer of mist. At the left was flattish rock, then the end of a ridge, disappearing up into the mist.

Simon took a step towards the doorway at the right.

Attention! The voice wasn’t loud but it was clear. All visitors must report to the palace immediately. Attention! All visitors must report to the palace immediately.

5

I AM AMI-AMO.

At the sound of the voice, Simon spun round, but his face relaxed to a smile. He held up his left arm to show the voice was coming from his wrist unit.

It’s an automatic warning. He talked over the unit. I triggered it when I stepped into the hut.

Attention! All visitors must report to the palace immediately.

Leaning against the other side of the hut was a slab of wood, bigger than the transporter door. Simon pointed to a black box in the corner above it. That’s the unit. Bea, wait where you are. Tony, come with me. He headed for the doorway at the left.

As soon as I stepped into the hut, my wrist unit turned the warning into a duet, but they stopped when we went outside.

The hut was built beside a cliff about five metres high but not quite vertical, leaving a thin, wedge-shaped gap between.

Wait in there, Simon told me. Keep your eyes – and mind – open. You’re guarding our backs. If you see anything, call. I’d rather you were in the hut, but that voice would give warning we’re around, and I don’t want to switch off the wrist units.

Aren’t you going to report to the palace?

Not immediately. The palace belongs to the Land People. I want to speak to the Sea People first. Thanks, Tony.

As I climbed into the crack, Simon went into the hut, and his wrist unit started again, joined by the Bean’s, until they left by the other doorway. Simon posted the Bean (with Cuddles) in the other end of the crack, but I couldn’t see her: the crack around the transporter was filled with concrete.

My view wasn’t exciting. Beyond the patch of rough grey stone, two rocky ridges disappeared into the mist, with a gap about five metres wide between them. Nothing was growing on the bare rock. But – the ground in the gap might be a paler colour, as if it was often walked on. Was that the road, leading to the palace?

To tell the truth, I was thrilled. I was on an alien planet, covering the back of an exploring party. Yes, me, Tony Trent! I was a Federation agent. Simon trusted me to do the job. I kept my mind, ears and eyes alert. I wouldn’t let him down.

I sensed them; relaxed minds. I heard them; footsteps on the rock. I shrank back into the space, and put my hand on my gun. I saw them; two little men. They appeared out of the mist in the gap.

I whispered into my wrist unit, Simon!

The two men must’ve heard me: they stopped. I sensed the surprise in their minds as they saw me. For a fraction of a second they stood, stiff with alarm, then they turned and ran. Their scampering footsteps faded into the distance.

What’s the matter? Simon was at my side.

Two little men, I said. About a metre high. Not dwarves. Like men, but small. Tanned white, like somebody from Spain. Grey tunics. When I called you, they ran.

That’s a pity. These were two of the Land People. I haven’t seen the Sea People yet but I’ve found traces of them – wet footprints on the rock. Stay where you are.

Even more wary, I looked at the desolate scene of rock and mist. What would the Land People do when the two men reported? We could expect somebody along, demanding why we hadn’t reported to the palace.

But suppose the Land People and the Sea People were at war! That was a likely reason why one of the Sea People would risk using the transporter. In that case, since we hadn’t reported to the palace, the Land People might think we’d come to help the Sea People. They might creep up on us, behind the rocks. Did they have guns? I stared even more tensely into the haze.

Everything stayed peaceful for two or three centuries. I took a peep at my wrist unit. Twenty minutes since Simon had gone. Was he having any luck? Maybe the Bean would know. I put the wrist unit to my mouth and whispered, Anything doing, Bean?

Quiet, Tony! Even in the wrist unit, I heard the sharpness in Simon’s voice. What had I done? As usual, I’d opened my big mouth without thinking. Had I spoiled something?

After another two or three centuries, voices came through the wrist unit.

Greetings.

A pause.

Speak into this. It will translate

Oh. Greetings. The wrist unit copies the speaker’s voice. This one sounded like a man.

My name is Simon.

I am Ami-Amo.

I come from the Federation.

On behalf of the Sea People, I welcome you to Didgery 2.

Thank you. I have come because one of your people transported to Vinson 5.

Yes. Nua-Nea. He… he volunteered to go. Is he… injured?

He is hurt, but the doctors….

What was that? A rattling noise in the distance, growing louder. Something was heading our way. It must be the Land People. And they certainly weren’t creeping up. The noise grew louder and louder.

Once I went to school dinners. Not knowing what to do, I was nervous. I collected my food on a tray. After I’d paid, I swung the wrong way, and the prefect on duty bawled, Hoy! in my ear. I turned quickly and bumped my tray on his arm, spilling lasagne down his trousers and smashing the plate on the floor. We didn’t think it was funny, but everybody else did. They picked up their spoons and banged on anything they could find – plates, tables, chairs, mugs and their mates’ heads. I’ll never forget that racket. I’d heard it in nightmares since, and it sounded like I was hearing it again.

What should I do? If Simon wasn’t disturbed for another minute or two, he might learn why one of the Sea People had risked his life to reach the Federation.

Bean! I called in a loud whisper over my shoulder, keeping the wrist unit well clear. Someone’s coming. I’ll try and delay them.

I dashed into the gap.

6

I AM ZABOCKO.

As I ran through the gap, the racket was louder. As well as the banging, the peeping of a thousand whistles battled against the wheezing of a thousand party trumpets.

The gap wound between the ridges, so I couldn’t see far ahead. I dashed round one bend and skidded to a stop, nearly falling over them.

It was a procession. The little grey-clad men led, marching in fives. The first four rows were banging wooden boards with bits of stick. The next four were going peep, peep, peep, peep, peep on metal whistles, and the last ones were blowing through things that looked like red party trumpets. They weren’t playing together. They were like a bunch of kids, trying to make as much noise as they could. Seeing me, they stuttered to a confused stop.

Behind them was a low, flat carriage about the size of a minibus. Standing on each corner was a little man in a red tunic and a red top hat with a narrow brim. Another little man in the same gear was sitting behind a control stick in the middle of the front.

I hardly noticed the men because I was gawping at the other person on the carriage – a tall woman on a carved throne. Very tall! Sitting down, she was higher than me, so my mind boggled at what she’d be like if she stood up. She could name her price for signing for one of the top American basketball teams. She had a round face, dark eyes and straight black hair. She wore the same red uniform as her attendants, including the top hat. Does that make her sound funny? She wasn’t.

All my life, I’d been frightened of only one woman, and that was Miss Fotheringham, the headmistress of our primary school. We called her, The Foth, (when we were sure she wasn’t around). She never smiled. She glared, with gleaming eyes that bored right through you – and spotted things you didn’t want her to know. It didn’t take much to make the Foth go volcanic and, when she did, somebody got burned.

The female in the carriage immediately joined the Foth on the official list of Women that scare Tony Trent. She had that same suspicious stare. Just by looking at me, she knew I’d done something she wouldn’t like. I stood, gaping at her, while she sat, glaring at me.

She shouted a single word. It wasn’t a quiet, ladylike voice. It was as big as the rest of her. On the telly I saw an army sergeant who had such a loud voice that he could shout commands to hundreds of soldiers at the same time. This woman could have shouted commands to the whole British army – without leaving Didgery 2.

At her shout, her driver called an