Trouble on Eppe 4 (Troubleshooters 22)

By Dr E J Yeaman

Hi. I’m Tony. Bea (my girl cousin) and I are agents – Troubleshooters – of the Galactic Federation. We thought the visit to the planet Eppe 4 would be boring. Until the kidnapping and murder started.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr E J Yeaman
• Release date: Oct 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370055746

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 22

TROUBLE

ON

EPPE 4

Published by EJY at Smashwords

Copyright 2017 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. REGARD IT AS A HOLIDAY.

2. HI, EUAX.

3. THAT LOOKS COMFORTABLE.

4. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

5. LET’S LEAVE WHILE WE CAN.

6. ENTRANCE TO THE NEXT WORLD.

7. MORE VIOLENCE.

8. MORE TROUBLE.

9. WHY NOT SAY SIX HOURS?

10. THE BLACKEST CRIME.

11. DOWN THE TUNNEL.

12. WHY, BEAN?

13. ANDREAS HERE.

TROUBLESHOOTERS

INSIDE STORY

TROUBLE ON EPPE 4

1

REGARD IT AS A HOLIDAY.

Bea, Tony, pleased to meet you. She even looked as if she meant it. The purple chestband and cuffs of her uniform showed she was an Administrator, and it gave her name and rank: Angela 491. She looked older than my mum, but I liked the smile in the corners of her mouth and the twinkle in her eyes.

She said, I’m leading an Assessment Team visit to Eppe 4. I’ve asked that you two should join it.

Why? I asked suspiciously. I love visiting new planets and, with the Assessment Team, I’d be one of the first to see Eppe 4. But… an Assessment Team’s job is to find out if a planet can join the Galactic Federation. That means endless meetings, with talk, talk, talking. We wouldn’t see much of the planet – just boring old people in stuffy rooms.

Angela answered, We need your help, Tony. During the Contact Team visit, the people seemed friendly, but RR didn’t trust them. She turned to the other person at our meeting. RR, tell them.

RR said, Er… I… I… I thought I sensed… dislike in some of the minds. He looked about 17, tall and skinny. His uniform had the red bands of a Negotiator with his name and rank, 185.

I asked, Are you sure?

Well, I… I thought….

Sure enough, said Angela. So I consulted Wellington, and he suggested I should take you two along.

Wellington! That wasn’t good news. The Bean and I are agents of the Galactic Federation – Troubleshooters. Wellington is Commander of the Investigators, so he thinks he can give us missions. And he doesn’t like us. He’d give us the dullest jobs. I asked, What d’you want us to do?

Tell me if I can trust the Eppe 4 people. I thought you might work with their Queen.

The Federation likes young people from Earth as agents because we can sense the feelings of people of other planets. As you get older, the power fades. That’d be why RR wasn’t sure.

But I could imagine the job. Touring the planet with a fussy old wrinkly. Being polite all day, every day. Meeting thousands of people, all dressed in their best, all smarming to their ruler. Boring!

Before I could think of a way of sliming out, the Bean asked, What’s the planet like?

Angela smiled. Don’t look so worried, Bea. Its gravity and atmosphere are similar to here. We’ll land at their main town, where the climate is mild.

How long would the job last?

About three days each way on the flight, and maybe five or six days for the discussions. The people are intelligent and seem keen to join. If you report we can trust them, everything should go well.

I asked, If we report you can’t trust them?

Then we’ll have to decide what to do about it. But you can leave these behind. She touched the stun-gun at the Bean’s waist.

I said, We’ve been ordered to carry them at all times.

I wouldn’t’ve bothered to explain, but the Bean did. We’ve made enemies on some of our missions.

I hardly think..., Angela began, then went on, If you must take them, I suppose you must take them. I’ll have to make up a story to explain them to the Eppeans. Would you report to me at the entrance to the spaceport on Obuzzo 3 at 15% on Day 35?

I didn’t like the sound of the whole job. I reckoned Angela didn’t believe RR, but she couldn’t ignore his report. So she’d spoken to Wellington – who’d dumped it on us.

What a waste of time! At least eleven days, including six in the ship, when our parents expect us to do school work with Victor the Federation computer. I hoped we might get an emergency call to some other planet, but no luck.

So, four days later, we were standing with Angela, RR and the rest of the team, four Negotiators, in the entrance hall of a ship, ready to go out on Eppe 4.

The Bean whispered, Cheer up, Tony. It might not be as bad as you expect.

I bet it’s worse!

Artimax, one of the Negotiators, leaned forward to say, Don’t worry, young man. Angela reported that this is a delightful planet with friendly people. The talks will be easy. Regard it as a holiday.

Yeah. Thanks.

Angela called, Open. The door slid aside, and we had our first look at Eppe 4.

2

HI, EUAX.

After the ship’s lighting, the Eppe 4 sunshine seemed bright. A bunch of natives walked towards us. They might’ve been white Europeans wearing long, cream-coloured gowns with wide sleeves.

At the front of