Trouble on Galling 12 (Troubleshooters 25)

By Dr E J Yeaman

Hi. I’m Tony. Bea (my girl cousin) and I are agents of the Galactic Federation – Troubleshooters. During a training mission, we met Chip and Hais, sisters from the planet Dancer 61. We became mates, and they trained to be agents too.
When the footy team from the planet Galling 12 visited Yband 4, we were given two problems. Hais and I were sent to investigate why their star player collapsed with an agonising headache during matches. Bea and Chip went to the sponsors’ farm, where somebody was stealing valuable venom from the savage little animals. By the time we discovered that the two problems were linked, I didn’t think we’d survive to report.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr E J Yeaman
• Release date: Oct 22, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311823038

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

TROUBLE ON GALLING 12

1

TIND-GALLING!

As the Bean and I crossed the big waiting room on the planet Yband 4, a man appeared in the entrance. We couldn’t miss him: he was wearing a tracksuit with wide red and white stripes, and bawling, Clear the way! Clear the way!

We watched, amazed, as a bunch of young guys passed, also wearing red and white tracksuits. The first one had his nose in the air as if he thought he was the Lord of the Galaxy.

Following them were four men in ordinary blue tracksuits. I grabbed one, who had a cheerful round face. Speaking into my wrist unit, I asked him, Who are they? His wrist unit translated the question into his language.

He spoke into his wrist unit, and mine translated, Don’t you know them?

No, I don’t.

That’s the Galling 12 football team. They’re here to play the Yband 4 team this evening.

Who’s the poser at the front?

That’s Tind-Galling! He said it in a breathless voice as if he was talking about a god. He turned to follow the others but quickly swung back to me. Are you a an agent of the Galactic Federation?

Yeah. Since the Bean and I were coming back from a mission, we were wearing our uniforms – like grey tracksuits with dark green bands round the chests and cuffs.

An Investigator?

No. A Troubleshooter. Investigators have light green bands.

Ah! he said. A Troubleshooter. You must be the one I want. I have a job for you. Come with me. He started to move on.

I held his sleeve. Can’t you ask our boss? We’re on our way to report to him now. You can come with us.

No. I must remain with the team. Where can I find your leader?

I told him how to find Martin’s office.

Thank you. I hope I can escape for a few moments during our visit. Now I must go. He called the last words over his shoulder as he dashed away.

As we walked on, the Bean said, He didn’t even tell us his name. Who is Tingaling?

Not ‘Tingaling’! I couldn’t help laughing. It’s ‘Tind-Galling’. A lot of people think he’s the best footy player in the Galaxy.

I’m sure he would agree with them.

Yeah. I can’t remember his real name, but he changed it to Tind-Galling. It means ‘Spirit of the Sun’. I’d like to see him play. I wonder if we could go to the game tonight.

She frowned. I don’t fancy going to a football match. And we may have a job, if that man goes to Martin.

I hope his job’s not urgent. Chip and Hais would enjoy the game, and I’d like to see their graduation.

The Bean and I were the only Troubleshooters, but our friends, Chip and Hais, had finished their training and, the next day, when they graduated, they would become Troubleshooters too.

Chip and Hais (Say ‘haste’ without the ‘-t’.) are sisters from a planet called Dancer 61. They look like Earth girls except that they’re bright red-brown. Chip’s 12, a little younger than me, and Hais is 11, about the same age as the Bean. They would enjoy the match: Chip was captain of the junior footy team on Dancer 61, and Hais was their star player.

We found them with Martin in his office. The girls hugged, and I had to endure a kiss from Chip. The Federation likes young people from Earth as agents because we can sense the feelings of people and animals from other planets. Hais was pretending to be happy, but we sensed she was upset. The Bean asked, Hais, what’s wrong?

Hais answered, Martin has just told me. At the graduation tomorrow, I’m going to be an Investigator, not a Troubleshooter.

I said, You’re joking!

The Bean asked, Why? We recommended you to be a Troubleshooter.

Martin said, I suspect it was Wellington’s decision.

I might’ve guessed, I said. "Hais was going to be a top-class agent. Wellington, the Commander of the Investigators, would want her working for him. And he doesn’t like us, especially me.

The Bean asked, Can’t we do anything about it? Martin, don’t you want Hais to be a Troubleshooter?

Of course I do. You know….

The door hummed open, showing the guy in the blue tracksuit – the one who’d spoken to us in the waiting room. Is this the Troubleshooters’ office? Seeing us, he said, Ah! I work for Galmster Products on Galling 12. My company sponsors the Galling 12 football team. When I told the President that I was going to Yband 4 with the team, he asked me to find help.

He talked as if he was making a speech. When he stopped for breath, Martin asked, Won’t you sit down?

No. Please don’t interrupt me. I just have time to give you the message. I liked the two agents I met earlier. Please send them to see me. Zez, at Galmster Products on Galling 12. Thank you. He headed for the door.

Can’t you tell us about your problem?

He stopped in the doorway. It is theft – serious theft, and we are sure that the stolen material is leaving Galling 12.

Is it urgent? The agents are busy until tomorrow afternoon.

He frowned. I have given you the message. I shall return to Galling 12 after the football match and I shall expect to see these agents as soon as possible after that. Then he was gone.

Martin smiled at the empty doorway, then asked, Bea, Tony, would you go and see him? When he finally explains what’s bothering him, you can decide if you can tackle it.

In the meantime, said Chip. How are we going to make Wellington change his mind about Hais?

I asked, Martin, can’t you make an official request?

I’ve already done that, said Martin. But Wellington’s rank is higher than mine, and it won’t be easy to change his mind. Did Zez say there’s a football match this evening? Would you like to go? I can arrange it.

That cheered Hais a little. The four of us had tea together, then the Bean went to find out about Galling 12 while Chip and Hais and I headed for the stadium.

Federation headquarters is enclosed, but the stadium ceiling is bright blue like a summer sky. Our seats were almost opposite the middle of the pitch, but high in one stand. So high that some of the people near us had binoculars and telescopes.

Federation football is played on a sand pitch surrounded by wooden boards. The goals are slots under the boards across each end. It’s strictly football. If a player touches the ball with any part of the body above the knee, it’s a foul.

The Galling 12 team were called the Galmsters. They wore red and white striped shirts, white shorts, red socks and white trainers. Tingaling marched out among them with his nose in the air. In the stand opposite us, the Galmsters fans, a big patch of red and white, yelled like maniacs.

The Yband 4 team jogged out. They were called the Administrators – the ‘Minnies’ for short – because Yband 4 has the local Federation headquarters. Their strips were like the uniforms of Administrators – grey with purple bands round the chest. In the stand below us, a smaller bunch of maniacs, wearing grey and purple, broke into wild cheers.

Teams are eight-a-side with two reserves. The Galmsters were all men, but the Minnies had seven men and three women.

From his platform above the middle of the side-board, the ref rang a bell to start the game.

The Galmsters tried to get the ball to Tingaling, but the Minnies had put two people to mark him. When he did collect the ball, we saw why they had him so well covered. He teased the defenders with all sorts of tricks. By half time, he had scored four, and the Galling 12 team had a 6-3 lead.

Every time he did a fancy trick, the red and white army chanted, Tind-Galling! Tind-Galling! Tind-Galling! He bowed to them, giving a smug smile.

At the start of the second half, the Galmsters tried to get the ball to Tingaling. One of the markers intercepted it and sent a long pass up the right wing, bouncing it off the side-board, round one defender to a Minnie attacker, who stroked it neatly past another defender and under the slot.

Goal! 6-4! Below us, the grey and purple bunch gave a joyful shout – and I admit I joined in.

Tony! Hais grabbed my arm. Look at Tind-Galling! The Galmsters star was staggering around, holding his hands to his head. As we watched, he sank to his knees, then sprawled forward on the sand.

2

TIND-GALLING OR HAIS?

The other players gathered round Tingaling. The noisy excitement of the crowd died to an anxious silence. The loud-mouthed man in his red and white striped tracksuit rushed onto the pitch and knelt beside Tingaling. Then he ran up the steps to the ref, who announced, Tind-Galling has been taken ill. We hope it is not serious. When it has happened before, he has made a full recovery. The game will continue. Two Galmsters helped Tingaling off, and a reserve came on.

After that, the game was hard-fought and level. The Minnies couldn’t quite catch up, so the Galmsters came off with a 10-9 win, to relieved cheers from the red and white part of the crowd.

As we left the stadium, I said, I wonder what happened to Tingaling. He’s a brilliant player.

Did you think so? said Chip. He’s OK, I suppose, but not as good as that.

Not good! D’you see his ball control?

He’s tricky – I’ll not argue with that – but it’s all show. I reckon Hais is a better player.

Hais gasped, No! while I said, Hais!

Yes, Tony. Hais. Who would you rather have in your team – Tind-Galling or Hais?

That did make me think. I said, I know what you mean.

"Exactly! Tind-Galling is so big-headed