Trouble for Cheli (Troubleshooters 73)

By Dr E J Yeaman

My name is now Cheli. While I was a maidservant in the palace on Striffo 4, I saved my beloved Queen from a killer from another planet. I was sure someone would try again, but no one on Striffo 4 would believe me, so I went for help to Yband 4, where I met Bea and Tony, agents of the Galactic Federation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr E J Yeaman
• Release date: Jul 29, 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

TROUBLESHOOTERS 73

TROUBLE

FOR

CHELI

Published by EJY at Smashwords

Copyright 2020 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. STEWED ZOOMAS

2. THOUGHTS

3. FREE!

4. BEA

5. SOCIAL AREA

6. TRAP

7. ACCUSATION

8. REWARD

9. COLLEGE

10. THE CAPE

11. PRISONER

12. TO STRIFFO 4

13. ATTACK

TROUBLESHOOTERS

INSIDE STORY

SIXY AND BB

MY STORY

TROUBLE FOR CHELI

1

STEWED ZOOMAS

Princess Cawa ordered, Maidservant 1, come here.

From my place at the door of the day room, I ran forward to Princess Cawa’s lounging chair. Yes, Princess Cawa?

Bring me a dish of stewed zoomas. Queen Pylo, do you want some stewed zoomas?

From the other lounging chair, Queen Pylo answered, No, thank you, Princess Cawa.

So Princess Cawa ordered me, One dish of stewed zoomas. And be quick about it.

Yes, Princess Cawa. I ran to the palace kitchen, where Cook 1 and Maidservant 2 were washing the lunch dishes.

I told Cook 1, Princess Cawa wants a dish of stewed zoomas.

Stewed zoomas! exclaimed Cook 1. She has just finished her lunch! Doesn’t she realise the time and trouble needed to stew zoomas? Go and tell Princess Cawa we have no zoomas. If she must have something, she can have boiled ocrams. Maidservant 2 can prepare them.

I hesitated. If I gave that message to Princess Cawa, she would be furious. I would be punished.

Cook 1 would be punished too, and she realised it in time to call me back. Maidservant 1, tell Princess Cawa I am sorry: we have no zoomas. Someone has gone to buy some, but there may be a delay. Ask if she would care for boiled ocrams instead.

That sounded better, but I could expect trouble when I gave that message to Princess Cawa. I took a deep breath before I pushed aside the curtain to go into the day room.

Queen Pylo and Princess Cawa were on their lounging chairs with their eyes closed, not moving. And a dark figure was bending over Queen Pylo with his hands round her throat.

The man was strangling my beloved Queen! I ran towards him, knowing I had to stop him but not knowing how. He must have heard me: he turned, and I glimpsed his evil face. He snatched a gun from his belt and pointed it at me. A horrible pain hit my right shoulder. I screamed. The pain moved to my head. It was so sore that I fell, unconscious.

2

THOUGHTS

When I wakened, Maidservant 2 was kneeling beside me. She asked, Maidservant 1, are you hurt?

N…no. I sat up. The pain tingled in my head and shoulder but it was fading.

Lots of people were gathered round the lounging chairs, so I couldn’t see Queen Pylo or Princess Cawa, but only Maidservant 2 was beside me. She helped me to the side of the room, where we were out of the way of the people rushing out and in.

She asked, Maidservant 1, what happened?

I gasped – because I could sense Maidservant 2’s thoughts. Not exactly what she was thinking, but her feelings. She liked me and was worried about me.

My shock must have shown in my face: her worry turned to alarm. Maidservant 1! What’s wrong?

I… I’m sorry, Maidservant 2. Give me a moment. I’ll be all right.

Her worry calmed a little, but she fussed over me as I tried to work out what had happened. Until then, I had never sensed what anyone was thinking. The man’s gun must have done something to my brain. Something I didn’t like. It made me uncomfortable to sense Maidservant 2’s feelings, especially since she didn’t seem to know I was doing it.

I asked, Maidservant 2, would you… would you get me some water? I did want water, but I really wanted her to go so that I’d have time to think.

Water? she said. Yes. She hurried away. It was a relief when her mind went out of range. I closed my eyes, leaned against the wall and took deep breaths.

As I sat, I realised that some of the worry in my mind wasn’t mine. It came from the people round the chairs. That frightened me more. It wasn’t only Maidservant 2’s mind I could sense.

During the rest of that day, I learned that I could sense everyone else’s minds. Cook 1 was strict but not cruel. She kept me hard at work in the kitchen. Maidservant 2 was worried about me but proud to have my usual job of serving Queen Pylo’s evening meal. Maidservant 2 told us that Queen Pylo had red marks on her neck but she didn’t seem too upset. Princess Cawa wasn’t hurt.

That night, I couldn’t sleep. I was frightened by what had happened to me. It seemed wrong to pry into people’s minds without them knowing, even if I couldn’t help it. But I couldn’t decide if I should tell anyone. That was the honest thing to do but, if I did, no one would want me near them.

I almost decided to swear Maidservant 2 to secrecy and tell her. I would sense how she felt. If she still liked and trusted me, I could ask her advice about telling others.

I wasn’t certain, so I hadn’t done it by next morning after breakfast, when I was summoned to the day room. Queen Pylo and Princess Cawa were on their usual chairs, sitting up, not lounging. A solemn-faced man sat on a hard chair beside Queen Pylo’s.

He pointed to an empty chair, facing them. Sit.

I sat on the edge of the chair, looking at the floor, embarrassed because I could sense Queen Pylo’s mind. She liked me and was trying to ignore the soreness in her neck. Princess Cawa didn’t like me – and she was nastier than I’d thought. The man was serious.