Trouble for Doc Y (Troubleshooters 68)

By Dr E J Yeaman

Hi. I’m Tony. Bea (my girl cousin) and I are agents – Troubleshooters – of the Galactic Federation. When we found an old guy, Dr Yeaman, wandering on a cold, dark, uninhabited planet, he led us to a remote cottage in Scotland, where the eccentric Professor White was – or wasn’t – doing weird experiments.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr E J Yeaman
• Release date: Jan 23, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463979051

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 68

TROUBLE

FOR

DOC Y

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. All the major places – Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee and Arbroath – do exist, and the walk along the Arbroath cliffs, which are as spectacular as Tony says. But Easton Den, the cottage and the wood are purely fictional, and bear no relationship to any actual places.

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 WHERE AM I?

2. HUT?

3. THE GALACTIC FEDERATION?

4. GO ON – CAREFULLY.

5. PROFESSOR WHITE.

6 MRS AMELIA BROCKETT.

7. A GLASS OF WATER.

8. WHAT CAN WE DO?

9. WAS THAT...?

10. CHECK THE PLACE.

11. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

12. AGENT X01-03.

13. IT’S A STRNGE STORY.

14. IS THAT AN EXCUSE?

15. THE CHEST WAS OPEN.

16. DISCUSS?

17. THUMP. THUMP.

18. FSST!

19. THAT WOMAN!

20. WHERE’S SHE GOING?

21. WHAT’S TO CHOOSE?

22. P.S. BY DOC Y.

TROUBLESHOOTERS

INSIDE STORY

TROUBLE FOR DOC Y

1

WHERE AM I?

Open. The door slid aside. The Bean and I went into the transporter – like a lift – on the planet Vinson 5. Close. The door slid shut. Operate. A twist in my guts showed the transporter had worked. Open. The door opened, and we went out on the planet 17-41-47-23-10.

I swung right. That transporter is the end one of three in alcoves along a wide passage. The one at the other end leads to Sol 3 (Earth) and home.

But the Bean grabbed my arm. Tony! She was looking in the other direction.

17-41-47-23-10 is a stepping-stone planet on the transporter route to Earth. Outside that small travel centre is a cold, stony desert, uninhabited. We’d never seen anybody there. But....

At the end of the passage is the door leading to the surface of the planet. And, standing beside it was a tall old guy with specs, a tartan scarf, navy blue fleece, grey trousers tucked into brown socks, and big hiking boots. Fine for tramping the hills of Scotland, but weird in the travel centre of that empty planet.

When we appeared, he kinda half-smiled and took a step towards us, but stopped and looked worried.

The Bean said, Tony, come on. We went along to the guy, and she asked, Can we help you?

Yes. He answered in English. Tell me – where am I?

This is a restricted zone, said the Bean. How did you reach here?

Restricted? He looked around. What... what planet is this?

I’m sorry. For security reasons, we can’t answer questions until we know who you are, and how you reached here.

He stared at us, and I thought he was going to act the big-headed adult, asking why he should explain to a couple of kids. But he said, It’s... it’s a complicated story.

Would you make a report about it?

Why all this mystery? Why can’t you tell me where I am?

I’m sorry. After you’ve made a report, we’ll tell you as much as we can.

He stared at us again but at last said, OK. I’ll make a report. Any chance of doing it somewhere warmer?

Despite his outdoor gear, the guy did look cold. That travel centre isn’t heated.

So the Bean said, This way. She led us along to the Sol 3 transporter.

On the way, the guy asked, Bea, are you allowed to tell me your age? He’d seen her name on the chestband of her uniform.

The Bean frowned but answered, Eleven.

And you, Tony?

Thirteen.

Are those... guns? He touched the stun-gun on its clip at my waist.

Yeah.

Hmm. He looked thoughtful as we transported to the Sol 3 travel centre. That part looks like the one on planet 17-41-47-23-10, with three bays, but it’s heated.

The guy shook himself. Thank you. That’s warmer.

I’d kinda thought we’d go along the passage to the waiting room, but the Bean waved the guy to the seat in the bay opposite the transporter. When she sat at his left, I sat at his right.

The Bean put her wrist unit to her mouth. Victor, please open a line to this wrist unit. We met a gentleman in an unexpected place. He has kindly agreed to explain how he got there. Please record his report. She took off the wrist unit and gave it to the guy. Would you speak into that? Please start with your name and the date.

The guy hesitated, frowning.

I said, Sorry! She’s the bossy type. She can’t help it.

The Bean said, Tony! But, knowing I was kidding, she couldn’t help smiling.

At that, the guy took the wrist unit and began his report.

2

HUT?

This is the guy’s report.

My name is Yeaman, Dr Eric Yeaman. I have agreed to make this report reluctantly, not kindly. After I have done so, I expect these two young people, Bea and Tony, to keep their promise to explain where I am.

The date? It’s October 12th. This morning, I went for a walk near Arbroath. Should I explain? That’s on the east coast of Scotland.

I’d been out for about forty minutes when I glimpsed the back of a man disappearing into a dark wood. I noticed him because... well, because he seemed to have no head.

Curious, I followed him into the wood. In a clearing, I found a hut. Hut? It was smooth and black, about the size of a cottage, with a flat roof. It had no windows, but bright light streamed from an open doorway in the side facing me. I thought it might be a workmen’s hut, although I didn’t know what workmen would be doing in the middle of that wood.

I looked inside – a bare room with grey walls and a glowing ceiling. It had an open door in each front corner, and a closed door at the back right. The man wasn’t in sight.

I stepped in. Everything remained quiet. I went to the door at the front right and stood there, not knowing what to do. I wanted to explore this strange hut – but I didn’t want to be caught in it.

To my surprise, not to say worry, a door slid across the outside doorway behind me, shutting me in. I took a step towards it, but stopped. I couldn’t get out: that door had no handle.

Perhaps I should have called out, but I was nervous about admitting I was there.

I leaned through the doorway – into a passage with four doors, all shut, on the right. On the left, beyond the wall of the entrance hall, was an open door.

I crept along the passage and peeped through that. My eyes hadn’t deceived me. The man had no head. He was standing with his back to me, facing a big screen at the other side of the room. Facing? The screen had strange symbols on it, so he must have had eyes although I hadn’t seen them. At his right hip