Rescue on Xavu 6 (Troubleshooters 1)

By Dr E J Yeaman

Hi. I’m Tony. When I pressed 13 in my granny’s lift, it took me and Bea, my girl cousin, down to the secret Earth base of the Galactic Federation. Our Uncle Simon, the Commander of the base, hadn’t returned from the planet Xavu 6. He’d expected a simple trip, but had he hit trouble? We were asked to join the team to find out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr E J Yeaman
• Release date: May 11, 2020

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

1

WHERE DID HE GO?

I sighed and wrote the title, Jet Powers, Space Explorer, at the top of the page. Now what? Where could Jet Powers explore? If he…. I looked up, and forgot Jet Powers.

Our family had come to Granny Harrison’s. Dad and Mum said it was an emergency family meeting but they wouldn’t tell me what it was about. They were in the dining room with Granny, Uncle Richard and Aunt Angela while my sister and cousins were upstairs, and I was at a table in Granny’s lounge, doing my English homework.

The door was open a crack – letting me see a guy who appeared outside the lift in the hall, glancing around as if he was checking nobody was watching him. The lift door opened, he went in and the door slid shut.

What was he doing in Granny’s house? I left Jet Powers, went to the lift and pressed the button. After a few seconds, the door opened. The lift was small, with room for two or three. I went in and pressed button 2. The lift went up silently, and the door opened at the second floor.

Roy, my three-year-old cousin, was crawling around the floor of the landing, surrounded by model cars, while loud American voices came through the half-open door of the spare room: the girls must be watching a film.

Hi, Roy, I said. Did anybody come out of the lift here just now?

He steered a car round my toes. No.

Are you sure? A guy got in the lift…. Oh, hi, Bean. My eleven-year-old cousin came out of the spare room. Her dad calls her Beatrice, and she calls herself Bea, but I’ve always called her the Bean.

She asked, Finished your homework already, Tony?

No. A guy got in the lift. I wondered where he’d gone.

Who was he?

I haven’t a clue. When I saw him, he was standing at the lift door. He can’t’ve come in the front door, and Granny didn’t mention anybody else in the house.

She frowned. He certainly didn’t come out here. Why would he go up to the attics?

I’ll go up and find out. I pressed button 3 in the lift.

The door shut, the lift went up, and the door opened to the small square landing outside the attics. I was nervous, wondering what I would say to the guy, but he wasn’t there. The three attic doors were slightly open, and I couldn’t hear anybody in any of the rooms.

The Bean came up the stairs. Where is he?

I shrugged.

She stuck her head round the doors. No one here. Are you sure you saw someone going into the lift? Her dad says I have less sense than a two-year-old. I think she agrees with him but she’s too polite to say so.

Course I’m sure. I saw him. A small guy. Not much taller than me. Wearing a grey tracksuit with purple bands round the chest and cuffs. He was limping. Had a crutch in his left hand.

Are you sure it wasn’t a magic wand?

Don’t be cheeky, Bean.

Tony. She came into the lift and pointed. Three buttons. 1. 2. 3. You saw him at 1. I’m sure he didn’t come out at 2. We’ve just checked – he didn’t come out at 3. So where did he go?

I’m telling you, Bean. The guy got in this lift.

He can’t have. Maybe she realised that would bug me: she quickly went on, I’m sorry. He didn’t go to floor 2 or floor 3. So where did he go?

Maybe it was floor 13. Miffed, I hit button 1 then button 3.

The Bean had time to say, Tony! before the lift door shut, and we felt ourselves going down. I’d hit button 1 first, so I thought we’d go to the ground floor. I just had time to think we’d taken longer than usual to go down, when the door opened. Not into the hall but into the side of a wide corridor.

We went out, mouths open. The lift was at the back of a shallow bay – the end one of three along one side of the corridor. The other side had matching bays with seats across the back. The walls and floor were pale grey, and the ceiling was glowing.

I whispered, Well, Bean, it looks like Granny has a cellar.

She asked in a snippy voice, Tony, did you know about this?

No! I just pressed the two buttons. I swear!

Then we’ve found out where your stranger went. Perhaps we should go up again.

I fancy a look around first.

But… this place must be secret.

Well, we know about it now. You go up if you want. Now I’m here, I’m going to have a look.

Tony, you shouldn’t…. Oh! She dived for the lift door – too late to stop it shutting. She turned to me. There’s no button to open it.

Then we’ll have to find somebody to ask.

Pretending I was more confident than I felt, I crept along the corridor. The floor felt springy under my trainers. A metal plate above the door of our lift had Edinburgh at the top. That figured in a weird kind of way. Granny lives in Edinburgh.

The plate over the next door said, London, and the third one had 17-41-47-23-10. The Bean stood outside the Edinburgh lift, watching me.

The other end of the corridor went into a big square room with seats round the sides and an open door opposite. It also had grey walls and a glowing ceiling.

For a while, I stood at the end of the corridor. This place was secret. We ought to get out – fast. But – I wanted to see what was through that doorway. I took a deep breath and started across the room.

The Bean stood in the end of the corridor, looking worried. Tony, what are you doing?

I’m going to have a look in there.

I’m not sure that’s a good idea.

I’d nearly reached the door when somebody came through it. The guy I’d seen in Granny’s hall. The tracksuit was the same. The crutch was the same. But there was one difference. Now his right hand held a gun. Pointing at me.

2

CAVINE.

He looked as old as my dad, with a round face that wanted to smile – but the eyes were narrowed, and the happy mouth was upside-down. Girl, come here.

The Bean glanced over her shoulder but walked slowly across to me.

The guy leaned on his crutch, studying us for a long time while his gun covered us.

What’s…? I began.

Shush! He swung the gun towards me. I shushed.

At last, he spoke. Where did you come from?

We came down in the lift.

What’s your name?

Tony. Tony Trent.

And yours?

Bea Harrison.

Ah! The frown relaxed – a little. He said to the Bean, Tell me about your family.

My family? Not very bright, especially for the Bean, but it was a weird question.

Yes. Your father and mother, uncles, aunts and so on.

Why do you ask me that?

I’ll tell you later. I don’t mean you any harm but I must be certain about you. Please do as I say.

The Bean told him about her family (including me). The man listened carefully but he didn’t show much interest in anybody (even me) until she said, There’s Simon. Simon Harrison. He’s my father’s brother. He’s not married. He lives with Granny er… upstairs, but…. She stopped and frowned at him.

But?

He’s often away and he’s not there just now.

I see. He relaxed, leaning against the side of the doorway. He lowered the gun but didn’t put it away. How did you find your way down here?

Tony…. She stopped. Good old Bean! She was about to say it was my fault. Which it was, but she didn’t want to get me in trouble.

I said, It was my fault.

Tell me about it.

When I explained, he said, Well, now we know who you are and how you got here, we have to work out what to do with you. I could have done without…. He stared at us.

I began, Couldn’t we…? but he waved the gun again. Shush. I want to think.

After an age, he asked, Tony, how old are you?

Thirteen.

The Bean frowned at me. I wasn’t quite thirteen, but near enough.

The man didn’t question it. And you, Bea?

Eleven and a half.

He stared at us for another two or three centuries, then asked, Would you like to help your Uncle Simon?

Yeah, of course. I looked at the Bean. She nodded.

I’ll need to explain, he said. Come through here. He stood aside to let us through the doorway.

I started forward, but the Bean held my sleeve. Wait, Tony. She asked the man, How do we know we can trust you?

You have little choice. He smiled. I’m sorry. I don’t mean that as a threat. If you wish – or if you cause trouble – I’ll use this gun on you. It’ll put you to sleep. You’ll waken in your grandmother’s house. You’ll remember coming down here but you won’t be able to tell anyone about it.

I asked, Could you do that?

I could, but it would cause problems which I can do without because your Uncle Simon has disappeared. You two may be the best ones to go looking for him. If you wish, I’ll explain before you decide.

The Bean gave me a worried look. I nodded.

She bit her lower lip, but told the man, We’ll hear what you have to say.

Through the doorway was a big square room with the same grey walls and glowing ceiling. The order came from behind us. The door at the back right.

As he followed us across the room – crutch, foot, crutch, foot, crutch, foot – the Bean dropped back to ask him, Are you a friend of Simon’s?

Yes. We work together.

What’s your name?

Cavine.

Gavin?

No. Cavine. Look. He stopped and leaned on the crutch to point to ‘Cavine 427’ in white at the right of his purple chestband. It sounded like ‘Cah-vin’.

The door led to a smaller room with a U of seats facing a huge screen on the wall opposite. All this under Granny’s house, and we never knew!

Sit there, please. Cavine pointed to the settee that made the left arm of the U. He sat on the other one, facing us. Now tell me – what do you know about Simon’s job?

Not much, I answered. He won’t speak about it. Mum says he does top-secret work for the Government.

Yes. When was your grandmother’s birthday?

Yesterday. He asked the weirdest questions.

Simon went out on a job about twenty-five days ago. He promised his mother he would be home for her birthday.

But he wasn’t.

He wasn’t. That’s the reason for your parents’ meeting this evening. I went up to tell them what I know. Which isn’t much. I hope he’s simply been delayed. But someone must go looking for him soon. I can’t go, with this broken leg.

The Bean asked, Hasn’t he reported?

No. He’s in a place where he can’t report.

Where is that?

He hesitated but smiled. I must tell you sooner or later. Your Uncle Simon has failed to return from a planet at the edge of the known part of the Galaxy.

3

WHAT DID HE SAY?

You’re…, I began, then said, joking, in a quieter voice ’cause I knew he wasn’t.

He said, You have stumbled into the Sol 3 base of the Galactic Federation.

The Galactic Federation? What’s that? asked the Bean. I was still too gobsmacked to speak.

It’s an association of planets.

I’ve never heard of it. Is Earth a member?

No. The Federation only invites peaceful planets to join. He smiled. Earth is not a peaceful planet. No one on Earth must learn of the Federation.

How many planets are in your Federation?

Over a hundred and twenty thousand. We can find out the exact number. That screen is a terminal of Victor, the Federation computer. He turned to it. Victor, wake. How many planets are in the Federation?

Current membership is 123 701. Victor talked like a confident young man.

Victor, would Xavu 6 be comfortable for a native of Sol 3? (It sounded like, ‘Zavoo’.)

The gravity and atmosphere of Xavu 6 would cause no discomfort to a native of Sol 3. The place where the Contact Team landed has a climate similar to that of the south of France on Sol 3.

Tell us how the Federation found out about it.

About 40 days ago, an explorer noticed signs of civilisation on Xavu 6, at the edge of the known part of the Galaxy. Agent Simon led the Contact Team visit.

Thanks, Victor, said Cavine. He told us, "When a planet has signs of intelligent life, the Federation sends a two-person Contact Team to visit it. They take a language-learning robot and speak to the people.

"Simon was leader of the Contact Team that went to Xavu 6. He returned to report that the people were peaceful and friendly. They were interested in joining the Federation, and he saw no reason why they shouldn’t.

"So he took a six-person Assessment Team to the planet for detailed discussions. The Assessment Team would learn about the people, and tell them about the Federation. Then, if the people wanted to join, and the Assessment Team agreed, Simon would issue the invitation.

"The flight to Xavu 6 takes about two days, and the discussions usually take eight or ten days. But that Assessment Team has now been away for twenty-five days. The discussions may