Trouble on Zhozo 18 (Troubleshooters 13)

By Dr E J Yeaman

Hi. I’m Tony. Bea (my girl cousin) and I are agents – Troubleshooters – of the Galactic Federation. We were ordered to guard an obnoxious young prince at an Outdoor Centre on the planet Zhozo 14. He ran away and got himself kidnapped. We traced him to Zhozo 18, and that’s when the real trouble began.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr E J Yeaman
• Release date: Oct 22, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311659941

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 ZHOZO 18

1

THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE!

I knew it would get me in trouble!

Test 1 was a square pool with a small square island in the middle, and two long planks lying on the edge. It had two posts with buttons on top – one on the island and one on the bank.

Gloggy pressed the nearest button. Instructions came through our wrist units in our own languages. Your challenge is to reach the island without getting your feet wet. You may use only the two planks.

Gloggy picked up a plank. That’s easy. He put one end at the edge of the pool, and let the other end fall towards the island. It splashed in the water about half a metre short. The plank floated away while he snorted and said, That’s impossible!

It’s not, I said. Come on, Gloggy. You can do better than that.

Gloggy! How dare you call me Gloggy!

I’m trying to be friendly.

Friendly! I do not wish to be friendly with you. You were ordered to address me as ‘Your Excellency’.

I really wanted to smack him one. I’m sorry, Your Excellency. Use your intelligence and initiative.

It’s impossible. Take me home.

There’s nothing I’d like better, Your Excellency, but your father will be angry if you go home early. I sat, leaning against the pole. We’re stuck here for another five days, so you might as well get on with it.

He shared a glare between me and the pool, then demanded, Carry me across.

You’re joking! Your Excellency. Try and work it out.

He picked up the other plank, frowned at it for about three and a half seconds, then chucked it in the pool. No. You do it.

No, Your Excellency. It’s your….

You don’t know how.

Yes I do. It’s easy if you think about it. Go on. Have a….

Prove it!

I sighed. All right. Partly I wanted to get the stupid test done, and partly I wanted to show off in front of this big-headed prince.

I knelt on the edge of the pool to fish out the planks – and he kicked my butt. I nosedived into the water.

I spluttered to my feet with the water pouring off me. The pool wasn’t deep: only up to my knees. Gloggy was standing on the edge, choking with laughter.

He had time for one frightened squeal before I pulled him in. I let him splash around for a while, then I hauled him to his feet. "I hope you think that’s funny." I climbed out of the pool and squelched away, leaving a wet trail.

Test 2 had a wall with slots in it. I walked round that and found the Bean sitting at the entrance to the park. She smiled but, being tactful, she didn’t laugh. Tony, what happened?

Gloggy pushed me in a pool.

He what? She looked alarmed. What did you do?

What d’you expect me to do? I pulled him in after me.

Tony! His father will be furious.

I don’t care. But she’d made me start thinking.

Gloggy – proper name Prince Gloglon Glargon Glilligon Glunt – was the son of the Emperor of the planet Nasti Nurvi 4. His dad had decided he should learn to mix with other young people by going to an outdoor centre on Zhozo 14.

The Emperor asked the leaders of the Galactic Federation for two agents about Gloggy’s age – 11 – to guard him. Since I’m just 13, and the Bean, my cousin, is 11½, we got the job.

And Gloggy was a pain. In the first two days, he fell out with the others on the course. So, on the third day, when they went on an expedition, Gloggy was sent to the ‘Challenge Course’ – ten tests of intelligence and initiative.

I knew it would get me in trouble!

The Bean asked, Where’s Prince Gloglon?

I left him standing in the pool. He’ll be along.

Shouldn’t we have seen him by now?

With worry rising, I ran to the end of the wall. The planks floated quietly in the pool, but Gloggy wasn’t in sight.

A frantic five-minute search told us he wasn’t in the park. He’d used his intelligence and initiative to find a side entrance.

There’s one chance, I said. He wanted to go home.

We sprinted to the travel centre. The waiting room was empty but, at the far end, the door to the spaceport was closing – behind a woman who was dragging Gloggy out. I raced across, called, Open, and waited impatiently as the door slid wide enough to let me through.

Four ships were in sight – flat-topped black boxes about the size of cottages, with white Federation numbers beside their doors. A woman was dragging Gloggy, struggling feebly, into the nearest one. I ran after them but I knew I was too late.

The door slid shut. Ships ‘take off’ into the fourth dimension so they disappear from the usual three. By the time I reached the place, the ship had vanished.

2

HIS SMILE WENT.

The Bean panted out to the spaceport. I walked slowly back to her, my heart sinking. We’ve lost him. A woman took him away in a ship – but I got its number. 779155. We’ll have to go after him. Come on!

I ran to the terminal in the waiting room. Wake, Victor. Tell me about ship 779155. Who owns it?

The answer came from the speaker under the screen. Egagie, the Commander of the base on Spyring 5, owns ship 779155. He said, Ee-gay-jee.

How long would a ship take to go from Spyring 5 to Zhozo 14?

The flight would take four hours and fourteen minutes.

How do I reach Spyring 5 from here?

Take the transporter.

Thanks. Sleep.

I would’ve dashed off, but the Bean grabbed my arm. Tony, where are you going?

Where d’you think? Spyring 5. To ask a few questions, and be ready to meet that Egagie woman when she arrives with Gloggy.

Wait, Tony. Victor, wake. Give basic information about agent Egagie.

The picture came up on the screen – an old guy with yellow skin – bright yellow, like a daffodil, with an orange sheen on his bald head. He was wearing a happy smile and a Federation uniform – like a grey tracksuit. The purple bands round the chest and cuffs showed he was an Administrator.

Victor announced, Agent Egagie. Administrator. Age 68. Rank 388. Native planet Fotch 4.

The Bean said, Tony, you can’t accuse him of kidnapping Prince Gloglon.

Maybe not, but I can ask him why he let his ship be used for the snatch.

Can’t we ask Martin first? We’re Troubleshooters for the Federation, and Martin’s our boss. He’d given us the job of guarding Gloggy, although somebody else had ordered it.

Our talk had given me time to calm a bit – and know the Bean was right. I gave a quick report to Victor, and ordered him to send it to Martin in Federation headquarters on Yband 4.

In less than twenty minutes – twenty long minutes – Martin’s answer came. Meet me in the waiting room on Spyring 5. Don’t do anything until we’ve discussed it.

We took the transporter to Spyring 5 – a one-minute trip – but Martin would use a shuttle, which takes more than an hour.

The Spyring 5 base was bigger than the Zhozo 14 one. It had a dining room, so we had a toffee sundae while we were waiting. Not that I noticed what I was eating: I was too worried.

When Martin arrived – at last – he asked what we’d done.

Nothing, I said. Not since we called you.

Good. Have you told Prince Gloglon’s father?

No. He’s not expecting Gloggy home for another five days. I kinda hoped we might find him by then.

He stared at us for a while, as my worry went up a notch, but he said, All right. We needn’t tell the Emperor immediately. We can make a few enquiries first. Let’s have a look in the spaceport.

I asked, Why?

To make sure ship 779155 is not there.

How can it be there? It hasn’t had time.

Please do me a favour, Tony. Let’s check the spaceport before we go to see Egagie.

Well, I bet we won’t see that ship – or Egagie.

We could easily breathe the planet’s air, so we didn’t need breathing masks to go out to the spaceport. It had twelve landing sites, marked by squares of white gravel. Five were occupied, and all the ships were facing the entrance, so we could see the numbers – which didn’t include 779155.

Believe me now? I asked.

We had too be sure. We can see Egagie now.

I bet we won’t.

Then we can speak to the Assistant Commander. And please, Tony, let me do the talking.

Well, don’t take too long. I want to be back here in time to meet Egagie.

In the entrance hall of the base, Martin spoke to the terminal. Victor, wake. Agents Martin, Bea and Tony wish to speak to the Commander.

After about five seconds, the answer came. Egagie will be pleased to see agents Martin, Bea and Tony in the control room.

As we crossed the waiting room, Martin said, Tony, it appears that Egagie is here.

Well, don’t let him fool you.

In the control room, Egagie was standing, smiling. Martin, Bea, Tony, I am pleased to meet you.

He meant that! Like all young people from Earth, the Bean and I can sense the feelings of people and animals from most other planets. This guy was the fussy type, but honest. No guilt. He didn’t know his ship had been used for the snatch.

Please take a seat. He sat in his command chair, the bottom of the U of seats facing Victor’s terminal. Martin sat on the settee at his right, and the Bean and I took the one at his left.

Martin said, We’re enquiring about ship 779155.

That is mine.

It’s not in the spaceport here.

I know. I lent it to someone.

May I ask who?

If you can give me a good reason for wanting to know.

We believe it may have been used in a crime. Kidnapping.

What! His smile turned to a frown. I can assure you that is not true.

We have a good reason to ask. Tony, here, was a witness.

Egagie turned the frown on me. What did you witness?

I saw a boy being dragged, struggling, into your ship.

Where?

At the spaceport on Zhozo 14.

Hmm. He turned to Martin. Since the boy is an agent, I hesitate to accuse him of lying. I can only assure you that he is mistaken.

And I can assure you, sir, that Tony is reliable. And, if there is some mistake, I’m sure you want to clear it up. Are you refusing to tell us who borrowed your ship?

Not at all. I lent it to a lady, Alveola, a native of this planet.

Why did you lend it to her?

She has been badly troubled by arthritis. It became so painful that she could hardly move. She has gone for treatment.

Where?

I cannot tell you that. She said that the location of the clinic is a secret.

I asked, Didn’t that seem strange?

He glared at me. It was none of my business.

Is she honest?

The glare grew fiercer. "Are you accusing me of lending my ship to a criminal? Alveola is a thoroughly good person. If you do not take my word, I can refer you to a thousand citizens of this planet who would confirm it."

Martin stood. Then there must have been some mistake. Thank you for your time and trouble.

The Bean stood too, and asked Egagie, Sir, how long do you expect Alveola to be away?

Egagie shifted the glare to her, but couldn’t refuse to answer the polite question. She told me that her treatment will take twenty-five days.

Twenty-five days. Won’t you want your ship in that time?

Do not ask foolish questions. The ship will return here later today, then go to fetch Alveola after her treatment.

Who will pilot it?

I do not know. Alveola said she would arrange that.

Thank you, sir. The Bea gave him her sweet smile.

You will not pester the pilot.

Martin said, We won’t do anything without consulting you.

When Martin and the Bean started for the door, I hung back. I wanted to ask the stupid old git a few more questions. But Martin pulled my arm. Come on, Tony. I couldn’t argue.

As we crossed the waiting room, Martin asked, Tony, having heard Egagie, are you absolutely sure of the number of the ship you saw?

Am I likely to forget?

Where are you going?

Where d’you think I’m going? The spaceport. When that ship comes in, I can ask the pilot one or two questions.

Tony! Egagie said not to pester the pilot.

I wouldn’t dream of pestering the pilot. I just want to ask him – or her – one or two simple questions.

Martin followed the Bean and me to the spaceport door, but he looked worried. Tony, we must be careful.

Careful! Our ranks are higher than that old goat’s. We could order him to shut his moaning face, and the pilot to answer as many questions as we want to ask.

It’s not as simple as that. I know you believe what you’ve said. He must’ve seen my face: he lifted a hand. I don’t doubt you, but we must not annoy the local Commander if we can avoid it.

After a moment, he went on, I agree we should watch for that ship returning. But you must let me speak to the pilot. Unless you promise not to interfere, I’ll order you to wait in the base. Is that clear?

I suppose. I like Martin. He’s a good boss. I would never fall out with him.

So the three of us went out to the spaceport and hung around near the door. Luckily,