Trouble on Fazgo 15 (Troubleshooters 47)

By Dr E J Yeaman

Hi. I’m Tony. Bea (my girl cousin) and I are agents of the Galactic Federation – Troubleshooters. Hais, Bea’s best friend, went to look for a missing girl on the planet Fazgo 15. When Hais disappeared too, her father called us. Could we find the girls – and escape from the planet – in time for the big footy match?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr E J Yeaman
• Release date: Dec 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310600081

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

TROUBLESHOOTERS 47

TROUBLE ON FAZGO 15

Published by EJY at Smashwords

Copyright 2019 Dr E J Yeaman

All characters in this publication are fictional. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be resold, or given away, to other people. If you would like to share this e-book with other people, please buy additional copies. If you did not buy this e-book, or it was not bought for you, then please go to Smashwords.com and buy your own copy. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

CONTENTS

1. HAIS HASN’T COME BACK.

2. DO YOU REMEMBER JEJU?

3. FAZGOATS?

4. RAKI, BURI’S BROTHER.

5. JEJU, I THINK.

6. WHERE IS HAIS?

7. THAT’S THE GURZUM TREE.

8. THAT WAS HOT.

9. COULD WE...?

10. WE CAN DO IT.

11. CAREFUL, JEJU.

TROUBLESHOOTERS

INSIDE STORY

TROUBLE ON FAZGO 15

1

HAIS HASN’T COME BACK.

When the Bean and I came out of the transporter on the planet Dancer 61, Hais’s dad was waiting for us. Bea! Tony! Thank you for coming so quickly. I’m anxious about Hais. She left yesterday afternoon and she hasn’t come back. When she goes on missions, she’s often away for some time, so I tried not to worry. I decided to wait until this morning before I called you, but I couldn’t sleep.

The Bean said, If you tell us what you know, we’ll see what we can do.

Of course. Thanks! He took a deep breath. Yesterday afternoon, we were in the stadium, practising for this afternoon’s football match against Fazgo 15, when Goya, the Fazgo 15 coach, arrived. She spoke to Hais, and they left together. Hais hasn’t come back.

Didn’t she tell you where she was going?

She said something, but I didn’t pay attention because I was watching the practice. I think there was trouble on Fazgo 15. Early this morning, I tried to send a message to Fazgo 15, but the planet has no terminal of the Federation computer. I didn’t know if I should go there or call you.

The Bean said, We’ll go right away.

I may be worrying for no reason. It may be a longer job than Hais expected. He gave a thin smile. She’ll be annoyed that I’ve called you. When you find her, remind her to come back in time to play in this afternoon’s match. He tried to make a joke of it, but I knew how anxious he was.

I said, We’ll do that. Don’t worry. I’m sure she’s fine. That was a waste of breath: none of us was sure she was fine.

The Bean and I are agents – Troubleshooters – of the Galactic Federation. The Federation likes young people from Earth as agents because we can sense the feelings of people and animals from other planets. Hais is also a Troubleshooter, but she’s from the planet Dancer 61. She looks like an Earth girl but she’s bright red-brown. She’s the Bean’s best friend in the Federation, so I knew the Bean would be anxious.

As the Bean and I left the transporter on Dancer 88, I asked, What d’you reckon, Bean? Has Hais hit trouble?

We can’t be sure. We know where she went, and who she was with. Hais is careful. The job may have taken longer than she expected.

Yeah, I said. She wouldn’t worry about being away overnight, but she’d want to tell her dad. Let’s head for that planet. What’s its name? Fazgo 15.

We should speak to Victor first. Perhaps Hais left a message. Victor’s the Federation computer.

Why would she leave a message? She’d told her dad. We should go to Fazgo 15 as soon as possible. We can ask Goya.

No, Tony. It won’t take long to check.

So we went to a cabin in the Federation base on Dancer 88, and asked Victor. Then I had to grovel to the Bean because Hais had left a message – a long one. Victor could’ve summarised it for us, but the Bean wanted to hear it all. Victor gave the translation in English, using Hais’s quiet voice.

2

DO YOU REMEMBER JEJU?

Hais (Troubleshooter) is making this report.

I dribbled up the right wing and faced a wary defender. I pretended to pass the ball left to Zeem. When the defender moved that way to block it, I flicked the ball to his right and sprinted past him.

Dad, our coach, called from our team box in the fifth row of the stand, That was good, Hais. Would you come up here? There’s someone to see you.

A woman was sitting beside him. When I ran up to them, Dad asked, Hais, do you remember Goya?

Yes. The Fazgo 15 team coach. I smiled politely. Like all natives of Fazgo 15, Goya was white with a blue tinge. She was rather obese, with a round, shiny face and straggly black hair. She was wearing a Fazgo 15 football tracksuit – orange with black bands down the arms and legs. I can faintly sense the feelings of human-like people from other planets. I had never sensed anything bad in Goya’s mind, but I didn’t like her.

She spoke into a wrist unit, and gave me one so that I’d hear the translation. Would you like to sit down? She tapped the seat beside her. As I sat, she asked, Hais, how old are you?

Eleven.

Eleven! And how old is that boy?

Zeem? He’s fourteen.

"An eleven-year-old girl and a fourteen-year-old boy, playing for the Dancer 61 team in the interplanetary league.