The Mystery of Eden Homeworld

In fact, it was Hana who had been the slowest because everything was so new to her and she was a girl with infinite curiosity. She gave her aunt a guilty smile.

"How can we know which of the staff-members is in on it? It might be them all," Hestia asked.

"Yes. ..." Hana began, but she went quiet, thinking.

"Hana?"

"Sorry Auntie. I think I've just worked something out."

"Tell me."

"How can the jewel be stolen when the security system has been proved to work properly?"

"I don't know."

"By persuading Mr Atherson that his system is faulty and suggesting he reboots it, to see if it clears the fault."

"I get it. Meanwhile, the thief is in the exhibition room. When the alarm is temporarily turned off, he pockets the jewel. Very clever."

"If we're right, then we can set a trap for the thief. Mr Atherson can tell everyone he'll reboot the system, then someone can monitor the video source. Whoever approaches the display stand when the system reboots is the thief."

"But the problem is?" Hestia prompted.

"The same problem. I don't know whom to tell to set the trap. Suppose I tell one of the conspirators?"

"Is there a time-limit? I mean, how long will the microwave beam emitters work?"

"I don't know. They can have their own battery power, in which case they might last weeks. Or they can pick up power from the lights, so it might be a few hours or a day."

"What can we do?"

Hana looked around.

The inspector, sergeant and constables were in conference with some of the museum staff at the other end of the hall. Only Jill Coburn and Mike Baddage were not involved. Jill was with the tour-group and Mike was by the exit and cloakrooms. They could see Colin Atherson in his office through his open door, studying the security videos.

"I'd like to see that video footage."

"How can I help?"

"If we go to the bathroom, you can distract Mr Baddage while I look over Mr Atherson's shoulder."

Having gained Jill's permission to go to the toilet, Hestia came out first and engaged Mike Baddage in conversation while waiting for her niece. She did not need to do much to provide a distraction. Mike was happy to have a good reason to gaze at her lovely face.

Hestia was one of the most beautiful women in the galaxy. She twiddled her chestnut hair a little, pretending to be shy, while Hana snuck past and loitered outside the communications room, around the corner by the entrance and the stairs up to the gallery, hidden from view by those in the hall.

Hana memorised a good few minutes of the video footage when a loud cough from the inspector caused Mike Baddage to look up. Hana also reacted, skipping up to her aunt as if she had just arrived from the cloakroom.

5 Suspicion

"What did you learn?" Hestia asked Hana when they were in their seats again.

"I saw some of the earlier video. The display stand from before our group arrived is identical to how I remember it when we visited, so we can say that no one in our group interfered with it."

"Good, that exonerates Grace."

"Yes, but Tom may still be involved."

"We're running out of time," Hestia said. "What if we just announce what you think to everyone, the innocent as well as the culprits?"

Hana paused for a moment to think it through.

"You mean that the thief won't be able to go through with the crime if everyone knows how it'll be done? It might mean we never know who the culprit is, but if we're right, we'll prove the jewel's still there, and the inspector must let us go."

"If we suggest this plan to Inspector Masham but he's actually the thief, then it'll look like he's guilty if he refuses."

"We have to make the announcement in public, so he can't refuse."

"Yes, we must. Ready?" Hestia asked.

"Now?"

"No time like the present."

Hestia stood up.

"Inspector Masham, Sergeant Wren: Hana and I have something to say. Can everyone come here so we can explain?"

"Madam," Sergeant Wren said, coming over to deal with the unusual request, "we're conducting an investigation and there's less than an hour until your tour-group must board its flight. We can't waste time with distractions."

"We think we know how to get the jewel back."

"Well, then, tell us and let us act on the matter."

"I'm sorry, sergeant. We're not telling you what we know until everyone's here to listen to us."

"What it is, sergeant? Are they confessing?" the inspector asked.

"No, Sir."

"We're not confessing, inspector," Hestia explained, "but we think we know where the jewel is. Hana worked it out."

"Well, I have something to confess," Inspector Masham said. "We're at a dead-end in our investigation, so any change of tack may be beneficial. I would like to hear what Hana has to say. Gather around everyone."

With everyone together, Hestia pushed Hana forward to say her piece.

"We think the jewel is still on its display stand," Hana said, giving her theory of the beam emitters.

"We also think the culprit is one of us here. Someone who's waiting for the display stand's security system to be rebooted so he can take the jewel without triggering the alarm."

There was not much discussion. Just a few murmurs from the policemen and the museum staff, until the inspector said:

"I think it's an excellent theory, Miss Jeffries, and I propose that we test it straight away. We'll all go to the exhibition room now, except for you, Colin. Will you stay in contact with me by radio, and turn off the security system when I ask? If the jewel's there, then we'll all be witnesses."

"And I will be most gratefully relieved," Colin said.

With the police and museum staff hurrying them along, they were all soon standing around the empty display stand. Inspector Masham radioed Colin and asked him to turn off the security system.

"Miss Jeffries, come forward if you will," the inspector said. "You should have the honour of picking up the jewel."

With a glance at Hestia and a shy smile, Hana stepped forward and put out her hand to where the jewel should have been.

Her hand passed through empty air. With a puzzled look, she passed her hand through the space again. The jewel was genuinely gone. Her theory was wrong.

She felt around the edge of the stand for the microwave beam emitters. There were none of those either.

Hana looked astonished. Hestia came to her side, to defend her niece from the inspector's displeasure.

"Well, that's a disappointment," Inspector Masham said, sounding resigned rather than angry. "Now we need a new theory to explain our mystery. Suggestions anyone?"

There was silence.

"Well, how about this theory?" he proposed to Hana. "The jewel was stolen hours ago, and what everyone looked at was a 3d projection."

"I don't think so," Hana answered, "because a holograph wouldn't show the fractal effects. It had to have been the real crystal we saw."

"Then we have a problem," the inspector said. "From the time that Grace Martens triggered the alarm until we saw the image of the jewel disappear on the video, the only people who looked at the jewel were you and Miss Smith. We have only your word that it was a real jewel you were looking at, not a holographic image that replaced the jewel, which had already been swiped and hidden someplace."

"Cor!" exclaimed Hestia. "That's some fancy reasoning."

"It can't be true," Hana said. "While the security system still worked, we couldn't have taken the jewel without setting off the alarm. I know you've only my word that the jewel was real and the microdots on the display stand must have been removed, but we would need to be able to bypass the security system."

"Well someone managed to bypass the security system and steal the jewel without setting off the alarm," the inspector said.

"Whoever turned the security system off temporarily and came here to swipe the jewel," he continued, "most likely also removed the microwave beam emitters. But the only people who left the hall since the jewel was seen to be missing are those members of this tour-group who went to the toilet.

"And the only one of those who wasn't watched the whole time, but snuck away while her aunt was distracting Mike Baddage again ..."

The inspector paused meaningfully.

"... was you, Miss Jeffries."

6 Solution

A policeman escorted Hestia and Hana back to their seats. Inspector Masham followed mournfully behind them. Sergeant Wren arrived having completed an errand for the inspector. She whispered something to him. He nodded silently and sighed.

"Miss Dae," he said. "How long does the tour group have before its flight?"

"Forty minutes," Min replied.

"Then there's still time to take the monorail. Your group is free to leave. I apologise for detaining you all this time."

The group began to collect their bags. Min handed their bags to Hestia and Hana but the inspector said: "Not those two. They still have some questions to answer."

"What about their connection to the hyperspace liner?" Min asked.

"Sergeant Wren has contacted the transportation company on their behalf. I'm sorry to inconvenience you, ladies, but I would be in dereliction of my duty were I to let you leave while there is such a mystery surrounding the missing jewel."

There was nothing Min could do. She looked as sad as the inspector and tried to reassure Hestia and Hana. The other members of the tour group, led by Grace and Tom, discussed refusing to leave out of solidarity with Hestia and Hana, but it would be a useless gesture. There was no time to waste and the sergeant hurried them out of the town hall.

"I'm going to interview Miss Jeffries alone now. Colin, I'll use your office once more."

"Go ahead, Sir," Colin Atherson said. "I have to close up the museum anyway."

Despite her police guard, Hestia followed Hana and the inspector, not wanting to leave the girl alone. She heard the inspector say to Hana:

"Miss Jeffries, are you prepared to save us all time by confessing now?"

"Yes, Sir," Hana said, "I'll tell you everything."

"Hana!" Hestia protested. "What on Earth do you mean?"

"Miss Smith," the inspector stopped and turned to Hestia. "You could assist my investigation by fascinating Mr Baddage one more time."

"Fascinating?"

"You are the most charming woman I've ever met. I say that as a happily married man, so I know you understand what I mean."

"Well, really!"

"Go along, please, Ma'am."

Hestia turned on her heel and went to find Mike Baddage. Her police escort followed discretely at a distance.

Hana and the inspector were in Colin's office when Sergeant Wren returned.

"The tour-group is on the monorail," she said, "and we're ready in the exhibition room."

"Very good. You can make the arrest whenever you like. I believe Mr Baddage is agreeably occupied?"

"Yes, indeed, sir. She's a siren, that one. I doubt he'll interfere when Miss Smith is paying him attention."

She left the inspector and Hana alone in the room.

The inspector looked miserably at Hana and sighed.

"It was there, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Sir. There's a kind of trap-door on the top of the display stand that's a fraction of a millimetre higher than it was before. I think the jewel is lying flat under it."

"So a mechanical device, not the clever advanced technology you suspected?"

"No, Sir. I was wrong."

"You were the inspiration for solving the case, Miss Jeffries, and you almost solved it alone. Thank you for not revealing the secret. Now we can catch the thief in the act. You know who it is?"

"Mr Atherson."

"Quite so. How did you work it out?"

"It's only a guess, really. His Chinese puzzle box has a trap-door, which might have given him the idea. I thought of it when I saw the top of the display stand had a square gap. Mr Atherson would have had access to the display stand while the exhibition was being set up. He could have made a mechanical device with a trap-door to fit in the square gap.

"Very good. What else?"

"Mr Atherson has access to the security video footage. His office shows he has a tidy mind, and sometimes people like that are skilled with computers, so he might be able to doctor the video, to hide the evidence of the device. The video shimmered when the jewel disappeared, which may be evidence of doctoring."

"Anything else?"

"Only that we might catch Mr Atherson in the act because we forced his hand, compelling him to rescue the jewel and maybe hide the trapdoor mechanism, replacing it with a blank. If we hadn't intervened, he could have turned off the security system or rebooted it at his leisure, maybe at night; but he must do it now, before he's found out."

"I think you've covered it, Miss Jeffries. Thanks to you, Atherson has the perfect opportunity to collect the jewel and hide it somewhere safe. Also, thanks to you, we may catch him red-handed. Do you want to watch the arrest?"

"Is there time?"

"Yes. The sergeant made arrangements."

"Oh," Hana realised something. "Will there be a news report about the crime?"

"For sure. It's a famous jewel."

"Can I call my parents?"

"Do you think they'll worry?"

"My Dad will. Mum's not a worrier."

"Use the computer here."

Hana put through a call to the police station on Capella Space Station. Arthur Jeffries, Constable of Capella Space Station, answered.

"Hello?" he said warily before the distorted image came fully into focus.

"Daddy, it's me!"

"Hana, sweetheart! What's going on? Where are you? Are you in trouble?"

"No trouble, and I don't have much time. I'm on Eden Homeworld with Aunt Hestia. We just helped Inspector Masham solve a crime. I wanted you to know because our names will be in the police gazette and probably on the galactic news."

"Inspector Masham? 'Misery' Masham? Is he on Eden? I heard about him at the police academy twenty or more years ago. What kind of help? You didn't lend him money or buy him alcohol did you?"

"Of course not, Daddy!"

There was a snort from the inspector.

"What kind of crime was it?"

"The theft of a jewel. Sergeant Wren and the constables are arresting the museum manager now. I'll tell you the rest when we're back on the hyperspace liner. Love you, Daddy!"

"Well done, sweetheart! I love you!"

"So Arthur Jeffries is your father? I'll call him sometime and tell him what a lucky man he is. Off you go and fetch your aunt."

Hana ran to get her backpack and collect Hestia, so they could make the shuttlecraft in time. On the way, they saw Colin Atherson being led away by Sergeant Wren and the constables, with Mike Baddage looking very confused.

"Are you ready?" asked the inspector.

"Yes, Sir," Hana said.

"What's happening?" Hestia asked, as Hana grabbed her hand to pull her along.

"This way," Inspector Masham said, opening the main doors to a dusky evening.

As they emerged onto the cobbled plaza outside the town hall, a police jetcopter with flashing lights made a roaring descent and landed fifty feet from them, blowing dust and leaves around the square.

"Come on," Inspector Masham shouted over the racket. "In you get."

He helped Hestia into a seat, passing her the harness so she could strap herself in.

"Do you want to sit up with the pilot?" he asked Hana.

"Do I?"

He helped Hana clamber up into the front seat and leant over to strap her in. He got into the back with Hestia and put on his own harness.

With a tap on the pilot's shoulder, he shouted: "Daughter City Astroport. The direct route. And you can break the speed limit if you like."

The pilot nodded and checked they were clear to take off. He pushed the lever for maximum thrust. The roar was immense. The jetcopter wobbled and then leapt straight up leaving a cloud of dust.

At 500 feet above the castle, pointing at Daughter City thirteen miles away, the pilot lit the rearward jets and the 'copter launched forward.

The wind whistled around them as they raced on a straight path, nose down, houses and terraces flashing past them far below. To the west, the sunset was a thin orange strip, with pink streaks reflecting in a dark-blue sky.

Daughter City was lit up. There were red, green and white landing lights for the astroport and yellow street lights in the suburbs that clung to the mountainside. It was a magical view of a magical place on a magical day. Hana was enchanted.

Coming in hot to the roof of the astroport terminal, the pilot banked and spun 180 degrees with full forward jets, stopping their motion in a second, giving the passengers an exciting shake and jolt as they landed firmly. Hana laughed happily while Hestia wondered where her stomach went.

To the sound of whining jets cooling off, Hestia and Hana hugged the sad inspector. Shouting "Goodbye" they ran off into the terminal building to join the tour-group in the lines for the shuttlecraft.

There were hugs all around again, especially for Min, whose relief was profound. Explanations had to wait, though, because the line began to move as soon as they arrived and, within minutes, they were on the shuttlecraft and secured in their seats for take-off.

7 The journey resumes

Back on the hyperspace liner, detached from the engineering station and accelerating toward the next hyperspace beacon, the eight members of the tour-group went to dinner together.

Hana explained how the inspector had solved the crime.

"Everyone was a suspect," she said, "but Inspector Masham deflected suspicion from Mr Atherson onto Aunt Hestia and me, to encourage him to retrieve the jewel before anyone looked too closely at the display stand."

"Why did he send me out to 'fascinate' Mike Baddage (a thoroughly nice bloke, by the way)?" Hestia asked.

"To keep him out of Mr Atherson's way. All the museum guards except Mr Baddage were given jobs by Sergeant Wren. They were so loyal, they would have gone with Mr Atherson to help him, but the inspector's plan needed Atherson to be in the exhibition room alone.

"Auntie, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you the right answer when I realised it in the exhibition room, but I had to play along with the inspector. After that, we weren't alone long enough."

There was more to explain, about the mechanical device in the display stand, the puzzle box on Colin Atherson's desk, the doctored video and the elaborate plan to steal the jewel while people were in the exhibition room, rather than in the dead of night, when Colin would be the prime suspect because he alone had both access to the museum and control over the security system.

"I feel sorry for him," Hestia said.

"I know," Tom agreed. "To live with all that beauty and wealth and not to have it oneself."

They talked long into the night, until the flight manager announced that the restaurant was closing because they were soon be in weightless cruising before entering the hyperspace beacon.

By the time they were through the beacon and diverted by a Goldrick Junction toward the spa planet Erythos, it was time for bed. Even Hana felt tired.

In their cabin, at the end of an adventurous day in the most magical place she had ever been, Hana hugged her honorary aunt one more time.

"Thank you for everything, Auntie. I love you."

"I love you too, Sweetie. No one's ever had a niece quite like you."

Snuggling up to her soft rabbit, Hana Jeffries, 'Saviour of the Space Station' and now successful detective, went blissfully to sleep and dreamed of a pink and white fairy-tale castle.