Challenge on Teapot 11 (Troubleshooters 5)

By Dr E J Yeaman

Hi. I’m Tony. While Bea (my girl cousin) and I were training to be agents of the Galactic Federation, we went with a laid-back Investigator called Bernard to find out why two traders hadn’t come back from a trip to the half-empty city on the planet Teapot 11. Vlay-O-Vlay (a travelling preacher) and Fortune (a local boy), were friendly, but the robots which ran the city were not.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr E J Yeaman
• Release date: May 12, 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

HE DIDN’T COME BACK.

It started with a transporter.

Transporters are the usual way of travelling between nearby planets. You stand in front of the door. Open. It slides aside. You go in – a metal room like a lift. Close. The door slides shut. Operate. Your guts jump. Open. You go out on the other planet.

The transporter that caused the trouble was the one between Ayanda 7 and Teapot 11. Four days ago, a trader used it to visit Teapot 11. He didn’t come back.

Two days ago, his partner left a message then went to look for him. He didn’t come back.

Which explains why a team from the Galactic Federation were standing at the door of that transporter, wearing expedition suits and carrying wrist units, knives and stun-guns.

In decreasing order of age, we were:

1. Bernard

Investigator.

Age about 35.

Rank 477.

Native planet: I don’t know, but he looked like a white Earthman and he spoke English.

Appearance: Babyish face, curly blonde hair. Broad shoulders; shame about the belly.

Likes: Bernard.

2. Kit

Trainee agent.

Age 14.

Rank 1.

Native planet: Sol 3 (Earth).

Appearance: Not skinny. Sneering grin, spiky fair hair.

Likes: Cream cakes. Not Tony.

3. Tony (That’s me!)

Trainee agent.

Age 12 years 345 days.

Rank 337.

Native planet: Sol 3.

Appearance: Handsome, strong, brainy (I wish!)

Likes: Exploring new planets.

4. Bea, better known as the Bean, my cousin

Trainee agent.

Age 11½.

Rank 360.

Native planet: Sol 3.

Appearance: Skinny girl with short mousy hair. Famous for brains.

Likes: Toffee ice cream. Cuddles (with a capital C).

5. Cuddles

The Bean’s pet.

Age about seven weeks.

Native planet: Xavu 6.

Appearance: pea-green frong – cat-sized dragon.

Loves: The Bean. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts.

After our basic training, the Bean and Kit and I had to go with a senior agent on an investigation. The senior agent was Bernard, and the investigation was to find out what had happened to the two traders.

Bernard faced the transporter door. Open.

It didn’t. A voice announced, The transporter on Teapot 11 is blocked.

Bernard sighed. Well, my little tadpoles, it seems you’re going for a nice trip in a spaceship.

2

ENIGBOTTLE.

Bernard ordered us, Report to me at the door of the spaceport in 4%. Do try to keep out of mischief in that time. He headed for the Federation base.

Kit sloped off. I didn’t know where, and I didn’t care as long as he wasn’t with us.

The Bean and I, with Cuddles, went out on Ayanda 7, where she persuaded me not to buy a luminous map of the Ayanda system, and we dragged Cuddles away from a floral display before he could eat it.

At the door of the spaceport, Bernard told us, I have obtained the use of a ship, 075287, with a Pilot. He ordered the door, Open, and we went out. Five ships – flat-topped black boxes about the size of cottages, were parked on the nearest landing sites.

As we headed for the one with 075287 in Federation numbers beside the door, Kit put his toe under Cuddles’s rear and lifted. Cuddles did two and a half forward somersaults. He’s tough: with a burst of surprise, he jumped to his feet and scampered to the Bean.

I called, Kit, quit it.

He grinned at me. My foot slipped. Freak. Young people from Earth can sense the feelings of people and animals from other planets. During our training, we’d discovered I was better than the others at that, so Kit called me, Freak.

As he walked on, I kicked his heels together, making him stagger forward and fall on his hands and knees. As he glared up at me, I grinned down at him. My foot slipped. Fatso.

You! He jumped up and started towards me – until Bernard stepped between us. Now, now, my warlike little tadpoles. Cease the strife.

Kit ceased the strife, but the look on his face suggested he would start it again at the first chance. I kept away from him as we went into the ship and across the entrance hall to the control room, where the Pilot was waiting.

Her name, on the chestband of her uniform, was Enigbottle, and her rank was 481. She was human-like, with a grumpy face and mind, and she was tiny: as she sat in the command chair, her legs, stretched out in front of her, didn’t reach the edge of the seat. In front of her, the screen of Victor, the Federation computer, showed the pictures from the ship’s outside cameras.

She spoke into a wrist unit, and the translation came through ours. Greetings, Bernard. You three. That was the Bean and Kit and me. I will have discipline in my ship. Bea, if you must bring that creature, leave it in your cabin and don’t let me see it. Kit, Tony, I will stand no nonsense such as I witnessed as you approached the ship. Do you wish a Carrington to accompany you at all times, watching and recording everything you do? (A Carrington is a Federation survey robot, like a flying saucer about a metre across and ten centimetres thick. He can hear, talk, see – and record.)

Kit asked, You mean – everything?

Everything, if I cannot trust you to behave.

No, no!

Tony?

I’ll behave.

You had better. I shall not warn you again. Victor, close the ship’s door and take off for orbit round Teapot 11. She told Bernard, The trip will take 60%. (That’d be 60% of a Federation day – about 15 hours.)

Bernard gave her a bow. I thank you. Now, my lively little tadpoles, we must decide how you will use that time. For reasons known to itself, Teapot 11 has days and nights of about thirty-five Federation days. We shall arrive in the morning, so we need not adapt our time. We shall continue on Federation time. It is now 70%. You may do as you wish for 8%, respecting Enigbottle’s wishes of course. Then you will sleep for 40%, rising at 18%. You will have breakfast and report to me in the entrance hall at 24%. Are you happy with that?

Yes.

Do you have any questions?

Something was worrying me. Er... what cabins can we use? The ship seemed to have the usual four.

Enigbottle answered, I am using Cabin 1. Cabins 2, 3 and 4 are free.

Aha! said Bernard. I shall take Cabin 2. Bea, you and your little companion may use Cabin 3. Can you two young gentlemen share Cabin 4 without bloodshed?

Y...yeah. Kit and I made a chorus. That’s exactly what had worried me.

I asked, May we use the dining room for supper and breakfast?

You may, snapped Enigbottle. Do not leave your used dishes on the table.

The cabins were the usual Federation – bunk at the left; strip of floor along the middle; cupboard door, Victor’s screen and bathroom entrance at the right.

With the door of Cabin 4 safely shut behind Kit and me, I said, Peace, Kit?

Peace. He gave me a sour smile. That little **** will report us if we look at each other.

Thanks. Which bunk d’you want?

The lower one. I reckoned he knew I’d want the upper one, but he wouldn’t say so.

I’ll take the upper. I ordered it to fold down.

We went to the dining room for our supper – toffee sundaes (the Bean and me); chocolate pudding with loads of cream (Kit); two plates of broccoli (Cuddles).

When Kit had gobbled his, he left. The Bean and I leaned back, chatting about the mission, until Enigbottle appeared. Then we shoved our used dishes in the hatch and fled.

We went to the Bean’s cabin to remind ourselves about Teapot 11. For a start, the sun’s name wasn’t Teapot. It started ‘Teapodatacc’, then it got complicated, so we always called it ‘Teapot’.

I was looking forward to seeing the planet, Teapot 11, because its civilisation was much more advanced than other planets I’d visited. The people lived in a city six kilometres square and two storeys high. All the work was done by robots. The gravity and atmosphere wouldn’t worry us. The climate was warm, but it wouldn’t really affect us because the city was totally enclosed.

The Bean ordered an aerial photo onto Victor’s screen. The city was a white square, almost surrounded by thick jungle. Two blocks stuck out at the top right. One, at the top, had the dud transporter, and it must have a door out to the fields which were planted there.

The population had gone down, so the people only lived in that top right corner. They had abandoned the rest.

Unfortunately, the landing sites were outside a small block stuck on the bottom left, so we’d have to go through the empty part of the city to reach the place where the people lived.

With the time heading for 78%, I went to Cabin 4, where Kit was lying down, watching a music video on the screen, but he ordered it off when I climbed to my bunk.

In a few hours, we’d be going out on Teapot 11. What would it be like – an enclosed city with everything done by robots? And – how had the transporter been blocked? Why hadn’t the traders come back?

I didn’t have long to wonder about it before Kit and I had to order, Sleep for 40%.

3

SCOOTERS!

Next morning, being polite to each other, Kit and I took turns to shower and change into clean uniforms, delivered to the cupboard during the night. We had breakfast with the Bean and Cuddles, then put on our expedition suits and waited in the entrance hall for Bernard.

He stuck his head out of the control room door. Assemble the scooters. Tony, would you kindly prepare one for me? Put two spare power packs behind each seat. And make sure the Carrington has a fresh power pack. He ducked in again.

Scooters! We’d be using scooters – one-person hovercraft!

They were in the ship’s store – in parts, but they were easy to put together. The bank of jets, that makes the scooter hover, is more than a metre square and ten centimetres thick. You fix a round, twenty-five-centimetre post on each corner, then the platform – a white grid – on top of them. The seat and control column are fitted on the platform. The power packs are dark grey blocks about the size of a giant packet of cornflakes.

As I finished Bernard’s scooter, I felt the twist inside, showing we’d come out of the fourth dimension in orbit round Teapot 11. Through the door of the control room came loud exclamations – probably curses in Enigbottle’s language, although she didn’t use her wrist unit.

Bernard came through to tell us quietly, Linger here, my keen young travellers. The planet has two landing sites, side by side outside the lower entrance of the city. But some intelligent person has landed a ship half on each, blocking both. As you may have guessed, Enigbottle is not pleased. She can land the ship herself but that will be tricky because there is little space between the other ship and the jungle. I suggest it would be unwise to disturb her during the process.

We hung around in the entrance hall while Enigbottle’s angry orders came through – and stopped as we felt the twist inside. We’d landed – somewhere – on Teapot 11.

4

SHIP 665132.

We’d landed on Teapot 11. Not wanting to go near Enigbottle, I ordered my wrist unit to show the picture from the camera above the ship’s door. Beyond a small open patch was thick jungle. Nobody, and no animals, were in sight.

I sat on my scooter at the ship’s door until Bernard asked, Tony, my gallant little tadpole, what are you doing?

Waiting to go out.

Would that not be rather rash? I suggest a more cautious approach. Perhaps you might shift the scooters to the side of the entrance hall and venture out on foot. I suggest that our first task should be to check that other ship, since we must pass it to reach the track to the city. Which of you keen little tadpoles wish to volunteer for that job?

I said, I don’t mind.

Good. Anyone else?

The Bean said, If Tony’s going, I’ll go.

Thank you. And you, Kit?

Won’t you need someone to help you guard the ship?

Perhaps, my lazy little tadpole. Or are you being wise? That remains to be seen.

The Bean and I put on our helmets and stood at the outside door with Cuddles behind her, and Carrington hovering above my left shoulder.

Silence.

I turned. Bernard was standing in the back corner of the entrance hall, beside the control room door – now shut. You may continue.

Should I take my stun-gun in my hand? I’d feel chicken, pointing a stun-gun at a harmless scene. I glanced at the Bean. She was holding hers. Better chicken then dead. I took mine. Open. The door slid aside.

Spang!

I jumped, and my finger tightened on the trigger, until I saw the reason. We’d landed in the edge of the jungle, and a branch had sprung in.

Warm, sweaty air swirled into the entrance hall. Outside, the landing site hadn’t been used recently: weeds were growing through the gravel, and branches were starting to stretch across.

The jungle wasn’t silent. A chorus of whirs and bleeps came from the trees, although I couldn’t see any birds.

Carrington, I said. Would you have a tour up in the branches and see if you can spot what’s making these noises?

Certainly, Tony sir.

He zoomed up. Angry squawks came out, followed by two birds like blue parrots. They flapped across and disappeared into the trees at the other side.

Carrington, come down. Ducking under the branch, I took one step outside – an awkward step because our ship was sitting on a broken branch.

To my right, beyond the front of the other ship, an overgrown track ran through the jungle to the big, white double doors of the city.

I ordered, Carrington, go forward until you can see the number of that ship. Send your picture to my wrist unit.

He sailed forward, and the picture came up. The other ship’s number, 665132, was scratched but clear. Its door was open, showing the dark entrance hall.

Through the wrist unit, I asked, Victor, whose ship is that?

Ship 665132 is registered on the planet Ziggi 5 to a person named Vlay-O-Vlay on behalf of an organisation called the Heralds of Auba.

Bernard commented, Sounds like a wandering preacher. They roam the Galaxy in ancient ships, trying to convert the natives to their fancy religions.

I asked, Could he have messed up the transporter as well?

Not impossible, my little tadpole. Some of them are mad enough – or stupid enough – for anything. But it is part of our job to find out.

I asked the Bean, Ready to go?

Move this first. She tugged at the branch that was sticking into the airlock.

Brains, Bean. If we came back in a hurry, we might want to shut the door fast.

The branch wasn’t thick but it was tough and springy. We threw our weight on it, but it bent without breaking.

Pull together, I said. Now!

Crack! I landed on my back in the entrance hall with the Bean and the broken branch on top of me. That earned us a laugh from Bernard and Kit.

I stood up, straightened my uniform and grinned. We must’ve looked a pair of prunes. The Bean didn’t seem so happy.

Come on, I said. Now we’ve done our comedy act, let’s get to work. I crept along the front of our ship.

I could just’ve squeezed into the gap between our ship and the other one. Enigbottle must be a good pilot.

I started along the front of the other ship, towards the open doorway.

And froze!

Because I sensed an animal’s feelings.

Savage feelings.

5

IT’S A COBRASAUR.

I whispered to the Bean, Do you…?

She nodded. Her gun was up.

I whispered, Carrington, we reckon an animal’s in there. Would you have a look? Send your picture to my wrist unit. I held my gun, ready for action.

Certainly, Tony si….

A crocodile-like head, on a long, snaky neck, shot out of the doorway and grabbed Carrington in its mouth.

I used my gun. The head sagged – and the animal charged out of the ship.

Imagine a thick, mustard-yellow snake about ten metres long. Give it legs about my height – the front ones about halfway along, and the back ones near the tail, so the front end was like a long, bendy neck.

I backed off as it burst out, its head dangling near the ground with the eyes shut. It galloped across the landing ground, kinda bounced off a tree trunk, and swung right to charge along the track. It hit the city doors with a loud crash and blundered along the front of the building, into the jungle at the left.

As the sounds faded, I breathed again. I grinned to the Bean. She gave me a half-smile.

I edged forward to the other ship’s doorway. The parrots had started their chorus in the trees, but no sound came from the ship. I couldn’t sense any feelings (except fright, still fading in Cuddles’s mind) but, without looking in the doorway, I stuck my gun in and pulled the trigger, swinging the muzzle round.

I poked my head in. The entrance hall was the same as Enigbottle’s, but it was empty except for bits of branches and dead leaves – and things that looked like rugby balls. These looked – and smelled – like monster droppings.

As usual, the entrance hall had doors in both front corners, and one at the back right. They were open. The ceiling wasn’t glowing, but the outside sunshine made the entrance hall bright – and the doorways look dark.

Bean, you wait here, I said. I’ll go in.

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