The Pirates of Shan: A Rick Brant Science-Adventure Story “Dangerous Discovery” - Chapter 1 The Missing Scientists

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Dream Audio Books presents the Pirates of Shan a Rick
Brandt's science adventure story Dangerous Discovery.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
By Harold L. Goodwin. Chapter one, the missing Scientists. We'd
better do something, Rick Brandt stated grimly, and we'd better
do it fast. He picked up a stone and threw
it far out into the green waters of the Atlantic,
a gesture that did little to relieve his worry and anxiety.

(00:29):
Don Scott, nicknamed Scottie, said soothingly, I know how you feel.
I feel the same way. But don't forget that Dad
is just as worried as we are, maybe even more
so because he feels responsible. Besides, I don't think we
have long to wait, not with Colonel Rojas here. Rick

(00:49):
knew that his dark haired pal was right, but in action,
even under ordinary circumstances, made him restless. And now the
two staff scientists and mysterious disappeared. His normal desire to
keep things moving swiftly was augmented by fear for their safety.
The Spindrift Scientific Foundation, with headquarters on famed Spindrift Island

(01:12):
off the New Jersey Coast, was regarded by most people
as a typical group of scientists, impersonal and efficient who
sometimes made important discoveries or got involved in scientific adventures,
but the picture of the foundation, given mostly through impersonal
scientific publications, was wrong. The scientific efficiency and purpose of

(01:33):
Spindrift could not be denied, but what the public failed
to appreciate was that the staff, headed by Rick Brandt's
scientist father, was more like a family than a corporation.
The center of activity was the big Brandt House and
the adjoining laboratory on Spindrift Island. The scientists were not
only colleagues but close personal friends. As a consequence, when

(01:58):
the staff zoologist, doctor Howard Shannon and the staff archaeologist,
doctor Anthony Briotti failed to turn up on schedule from
an expedition to the Sulu See, the entire foundation became
personally concerned. All works stopped while the staff speculated on
what might have happened, what course of action to take.

(02:20):
Rick Brandt and his Palascotti were particularly upset when the
days passed and Harts and Brandt failed to decide on
a course of action. Rick knew, of course, that his
father was proceeding logically obtaining information by cable and phone
from the Philippines, but he resented the passing days I'm
glad Rojas is here. Rick said. That must mean Dad

(02:42):
is making up his mind. And you know what I
hope for, don't you? Same as I do. But don't
hope too much. Maybe Dad will decide this is a
job for professionals and not for us. Harts and Brandt
had returned only a few minutes ago from a hurried
trip to New York. He had brought with him Colonel
Felix Rojas of the Philippines Constabulary. The tall, slender officer

(03:04):
was at present on duty with his country's United Nations delegation.
He was an old friend dating back to the Adventure
of the Golden Skull, when Rick, Scottie Shahada, and Tony
Briotti had gone to the fabulous Rice terraces of off Wigo.
The colonel was having a belated lunch with doctor and

(03:25):
Missus Brandt, and Rick's father had indicated politely but firmly
that the two boys were not to broach the subject
of the missing scientist until the colonel had finished eating.
Doctor Brandt had promised to call them for the meeting,
which was to take place immediately after lunch. Both boys
were so impatient for the meeting to begin that it
seemed to them the others were taking an unduly long

(03:47):
time to consume the meal. Rick Scotty come on into
the library. The boys turned swiftly at Hartson Brandt's call
and hurried from the waterfront to the Big Brant House.
As they entered, Hobart Zirkun was just coming down the
stairs from his room. The distinguished nuclear physicists greeted them
with a camaraderie wink. So you two are attending the

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meeting too, eh, I have an idea we may be
joining forces again. Zirkon had shared many adventures with the boys.
More than once his enormous size and legendary strength had
gotten them out of a tight spot. The physicist was
considerably over six feet tall and built like a fighting bull,
and he had a booming voice that fitted his physique.

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Harts and Brandt introduced Zirkon to Colonel Rojas, waived the
group to seats, and got down to business. He addressed
the Filipino officer. First, let me say for all of
us that we are indebted to you for leaving your
office on such short notice to give us the benefit
of your advice and counsel. It is nothing if I

(04:53):
can be of help. I will be grateful. Perhaps if
you will start at the beginning, it will clarify things.
The scientist nodded, assent, I'll be glad to As I
told you on the way over. Two of our staff
members are missing. You know. One of them doctor Anthony Briotti.
The other is doctor Howard Shannon. Our zoologist. Tony, of course,

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is an archaeologist. They departed for the Sulu Si several
weeks ago on a joint expedition to try to find
new evidence for a theory of migration of the early
peoples in the Pacific. Hobart Zirkon added, we started on
this theory some time ago with a trip to an
island in the western Pacific. Doctor Briotti continued that work

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during the Rice terrorist expedition. I believe you met him
then I did. Colonel Rojas agreed, how is the present
expedition connected with your previous work. The combination of an
archaeologist at a zoologist seems unusual. Tony's determined that the
origins of the Bajoos the see Gypsies of Zulu may

(05:58):
be of importance, hearts and Brand explained. In addition, he
wanted to check some details of Bogalvo culture. Doctor Shannon
hoped to contribute some evidence based on the early migration
of some animals from the Asian mainland to the islands.
Colonel Roha nodded, I understand the presence of some animals

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may show that a land bridge existed between Sulu and
the mainland, across which the early peoples may have migrated exactly.
I'm sure you also know that our staff have been
cooperating with the doctor Remedios Okolo of the University of Philippines.
It was from him that we learned that our friends
had vanished when they failed to keep an important appointment.

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You know their itinerary. Yes, they flew to Manila and
spent a few days with doctor Ocolo. At that time,
he persuaded them to revise their schedule to return to
Manila long enough to join him on a trip to
the rice terraces. They flew to zambo Agua, yuarded a
boat of some sort and sailed to Davao by way

(07:03):
of Cotabato. They were supposed to leave the boat at
Davao and fly back to Manila to take the trip
with Okolo, after which they would return to Devao pick
up the boat and go into the Sulu Sea. The
scientist's lips tightened, and then he added, they never kept
the appointment with Okolo. What did Okola do about it?

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He got a touch with the constabulary and asked for
check on their whereabouts, thinking they might have been delayed.
The Constablaria at Davao reported that Shannon and Briotti have
reached Davao and hired a truck to take them to
a Bogobo village. The truck driver let them off at
a foot trail to the village. No one has seen
them since. Rojas rubbed his chin thoughtfully. You've heard from

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the American Consulate in Manila yes by phone. On the
same day that I talked to Okolo. The consulate has
asked your government for help. Over Yesterday, I received a
cable stating that a second investigation has uncovered nothing new.
It appears that both our governments have done all they can,
but obviously we cannot stop there. So I've decided to

(08:13):
send doctor Zirkon with Rick and Scotty to hunt for
our friends. Rick and Scotty exchanged relief glances. It was
what they had hoped and expected. The Colonel nodded, I
have not had the pleasure of meeting doctor Zurkon until now,
but I have seen Rick and Scotty in action. They
are resourceful and they are lucky, two necessary qualities for

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an expedition such as this. Do you also plan to
use their Hindu friend, Shahada? Rick leaned forward anxiously. He
had suggested getting Shahada to help out several days ago,
but his father was at that time waiting for further
word from the American Consulate. Shahada, a one time bombay
beggar boy, had been a close friend since the Tibet

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relay expedition. He was a real whist at uncovering information. Yes,
Hartston Brandt replied, I have sent him a cable through
his organization, but he has not yet replied. Shahada was
now a combination assistant and secretary to the Chief Far
East Agent for JANIG, the secret government agency charged with

(09:19):
a protection of United States top secrets. The Hindu Boy's boss,
Carl Bradley, was an old friend of Harts and Brandt.
Rick knew that Bradley would release Shahada at once if
assistance to Spendrift was involved, not only because of his
friendship for the brands, but because the island scientists had
once helped to solve the case for the Far East,

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Agent Shahada would be especially helpful in the search for
the missing scientists because he knew his way around the
Philippines and had friends there. It occurred to Rick that
his father had probably wired Shahada in care of Bradley
via the Spindrift contact. In Janig, special Agent Steve Ames
Colonel Rojas led out a Manila cigar and settled back

(10:02):
in his chair. First of all, let us examine the
area in which your friends have disappeared. Devao is on
the island of Mindevnaw, the largest in the Philippines. It
is peaceful for the most part, even though we have
a mix of Moros, Christians and Pagans there. Rick knew
about the Moros Filipinos of the Moslem faith. They were

(10:22):
known as valiant and deadly fighting men. The Pagans were
primitive people, like the Bogobos. Devoo is a large, fairly
modern city, but once outside the city itself, the country
becomes wild. Some of the Bogobo villages are quite close
to Devao. They are peaceful folk and quite harmless, but
there are savages in the back country who may not

(10:44):
be Perhaps we should take arms, Zirkon said, I would
say so, at least a rifle and a sidearm of
some kind. Scotty spoke up, I can take my rifle
and I can borrow Hartson's forty five automatic. Urkhan added,
that's enough. True. The colonel agreed, you can always call
in the constabulary for help. I will give you letters

(11:06):
to all commanding officers in the area. Rick knew that
would open many doors, because Rojas was not only a
former commandant of the constabulary but popular with the entire force.
How about clothing, Colonel Rick asked, I assume you will
go by air. That means very little baggage. One tropical
suit and the rest rough clothing would be my suggestion.

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Scotty changed the subject, Sir, have you had any idea
what might have happened to our friends? The officer shrugged,
No more than you have. Scientists generally are not rich
enough to rob, but they are not so poor as
they can be harmed with impunity. Robbery is always possible,
although unlikely, with one exception. Did they have any weapons

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with them? Shannon had a hunting bow, and arrows. Mister
Brandt replied he planned to collect some specimens. Briotty had
no weapon at all, then that eliminates the only robbery
possibility I can think of. Had they been well armed,
Morrows might have attacked to get their weapons. The moral
love weapons of all kinds, and may even kill to

(12:11):
get them. A point you might remember, Rick shook his head.
It's hard to imagine why anyone would want to harm them,
if anyone did, I think we'd better get to Min
Dunnu as soon as possible. When do we leave Dad
tomorrow night? Sun. I made resolutions for you while I
was in New York this morning. Are we going to

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take special equipment? Scott? He asked. Rick had been thinking
about that very point. I'm planning to take the Megabuck network.
It will be useful if we have to separate. The
little network of three miniature radio units, transmitters and receivers
combined had been of invaluable help in rounding up a
group of foreign agents bent on stealing the plans for

(12:53):
United States intercontinental ballistic missile. The unusual name Megabuck had
grown out of a joke Ricky conceived about a million
bucks television quiz program. Two of the sets were pocket
sized and used hearing aid type for earphones. The third
had been made in the form of an ornamental hair
band for Rick's sister Barbie to wear. The tiny microphone

(13:14):
worked by sound induction through the bones in the head.
The earphone was incorporated into one end of the band.
Zircon and Scotti agreed that the radio units might come
in handy, and the physicist added, I have a pocket
sized battery operated wire recorder I use for making notes.
I think I'll take that they may be helpful recording
conversations for later translation. A good idea, the colonel approved.

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The local dialect is called Shibuko. Of course, many people
speak some English. Have you an atlas? I think it
might be useful if we went over a map of
Mindano and the Sulusi area. The map study was very helpful.
The three absorbed Colonel Rojas fund of information about the area.
It was a part of the world none of them
had ever seen. Located only a few degrees above the

(14:02):
equator in the deep tropics. To the west of Mindanao
was the Sulu See, with a Salibris Sea to the south.
The widely scattered centers of civilization had famous imaginations, steering
names like Holo, Tawi, Tawi, Kotobato, and Zambangwana. Later, the

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Filipino officer dictated letters of introduction to Rick's sister, Barbie,
a pretty blonde girl a year younger than her brother.
Barbie took the dictation directly on the typewriter. Once the
letters were signed and turned over to doctor Zirkon, Harts
and Brandt escorted the colonel to the mainland, where arrangements
have been made for a local taxi service to drive
him back to New York. Roja's parting statement was this

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affair worries me. I shall be most interested in developments,
and you may hear from me sooner than you think. Later,
Scotti and Rick gathered in the latter's room and talked
while loading the radio units with fresh batteries. Wonder how
long it'll take to hear from Shahada, Rick asked, depends

(15:08):
on where he is and how fast Steve Ames can
get a message to him. He'll join us if he can.
You can bet on it, I hope, so, Rick said, thoughtfully.
We'll be in Manila in a couple of days and
we'll need him We've got a job ahead of us.
Because Tony and Shannon aren't lost. You can be sure
of that they're not the kind to get lost. And
if they had been in an accident of some kind,

(15:30):
we'd have heard, meaning what Rick's eyes met Scotties. That
leaves only one logical answer, doesn't it. They've either been
killed or captured. End of Chapter one.

Speaker 1 (15:44):
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