Nelson was on duty at the MTS controls with Toff at his side. Harrick, Hendon and Clinton stood against the wall paying close attention but staying out of the way.

  Nelson thought it felt like the first VIP hunts but this time there was more tension in the air. While the system of running a hunt was settled in and very professional, today’s hunting party was special. Normal VIPs were happy to be treated with extra attention and made to feel important. Sir Nitram and his party were different. They came from The Capital and their lives were totally immersed in that special environment where every aspect of that world centred on them. Their attitude wasn’t conscious. They just had no idea how the rest of the universe lived their lives.

  The door swooshed open and Sir Nitram swayed in, his four upper tentacles raised in the air, “The wait is over! I am here. Let’s go on a little hunt!”

  Lady Natalia bobbed and weaved gracefully around Sir Nitram’s waving arms and smiled for the camera.

  Lurch moved the floating camera skilfully while Sugen stayed next to him and pointed out camera angles like a sniper’s spotter.

  Behind him marched the Imperial Security Force in formation, wearing their classic fluorescent orange reflective armour, orange helmets with traditional feathers peeking out the top. Their blast visors were raised so only their eyes were visible, looking straight ahead according to their honour guard training.

  Sir Nitram walked straight to the control panel and asked Nelson and Toff, “So, where are we going to hunt today? I’m sure it will be exciting.”

  Toff stepped forward and said, “We have chosen a beautiful location on this small island off the coast of this continent here.” He pointed at a mostly empty Muskeget Island, off the coast near Rhode Island, United States of America. There were only two shacks on the island with colonies of seals and small voles which should limit the trouble Sir Nitram’s party could get into, while giving them plenty of trophies.

  Sir Nitram peered closer at the monitor and said, “No! Definitely not. That looks boring.” He looked across to Lady Natalia who gave a snort of laughter in agreement.

  Toff went to his second option, “We have another excellent location, a little bit further along.” The viewer rested on Tuckernuck Island, which had thirty or so dwellings, plus some wildlife. Toff wanted to minimise contact with the Dirtlings if he could.

  “Outrageous!” cried Sir Nitram, “I have heard about the Dirtlings and I will hunt a Dirtling. We will go there!”

  Sir Nitram pointed to the next larger island, Nantucket Island. Toff looked up in surprise and said hesitatingly, “Are you sure, Sir? It has many Dirtlings.”

  “Exactly!” said Sir Nitram, “That is why we will go there. Make it so!”

  He marched on to the transmission pads followed by Lady Natalia and the Guard Leader, Solcrend and six Imperial security guards. Sugen and Lurch quickly followed. The rings went from green to blue. Ready.

  “Well?” said Sir Nitram slowly as if talking to an idiot, “We’re ready.”

  Toff gave a quick glance at Harrick who gave a slight shake of his head indicating he should go ahead.

  Sir Nitram and his party dematerialised and the transmission pads were clear.

  Harrick walked quickly across to Toff and said, “Keep the shuttle in piston above the hunting party. Do not orbit the planet. We need to be able to respond quickly when they get in trouble.”

  “When? Are you sure?” said Toff.

  “Positive!” said Harrick as he gestured to Hendon and Clinton, “Get everyone ready and fully armed. I expect we will need to go down sooner than Sir Nitram expects.”

  ****

  The hunting party materialised on the highest point of the island and were immediately buffeted by a blistering cold wind.

  “Typical!” said Sir Nitram as the heating functions of his suit of armour immediately activated, “This is supposed to be a paradise!”

  The Imperial Guards quickly dropped their visors in place and surrounded Sir Nitram and Lady Natalia.

  “Not so close!” said Sir Nitram as he slapped two of the Imperial Guards back a few feet, “I must have room for my hunting prowess to shine!”

  The guards reorganised into a looser hexagon shaped formation giving Sir Nitram enough room to brandish his custom laser rifle and look all around him. The lead Guard, Solcrend, directed Sugen and Lurch to stay outside the defensive perimeter formed by the guards.

  “It’s for your own safety,” he explained.

  They shrugged. This was business as usual for them, operating as the successful reporting team they had been for many years.

  “Where are my trophies?” Sir Nitram asked, looking all around him at beautiful trees and moors.

  Lurch threw up his VideoBot 1200 camera drone and looked around. He was getting some great views of the beautiful landscape despite the winds whistling around them.

  “We are surrounded by woods. There is a track not far this way, we could head there,” suggested Lurch looking into the view finder that showed on his helmet visor.

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  Sir Nitram stopped still and turned to face Lurch. He stared at Lurch and said with an imperious tone, “Who is in charge here?”

  Lurch noticed that Sir Nitram did not apply any of the gun safety instructions all hunters normally received, made a step to the left and said, “You are, Sir. I was just helping to explain the local terrain.”

  Sir Nitram pressed two of his tentacles close together indicating for Lurch to stop talking. Satisfied at Lurch’s response he announced, “We will go that way to the track. I have decided!”

  The group walked off towards the track Lurch had discovered with Sugen and Lurch following. Surgen whispered to Lurch, “Keep a lookout via the drone, but don’t tell them anything.”

  Lurch whispered back, “But if something attacks us, shouldn’t we tell them?”

  Surgen nodded in negation, “No. What they don’t know won’t hurt us. Besides, we are strictly recording this hunt. We’re not officially part of the hunt.”

  Lurch looked at the armour and weapons with which Sugen and he were equipped and looked at the guards surrounding Sir Nitram and Lady Natalia. “As you command,” said Lurch capturing the images of the hunt.

  A short while later his VideoBot detected a creature moving in the woods making their way directly in front of the party. A few moments later the guard Solcrend turned to Sir Nitram and said, “A creature approaches, Sir. Let us stop so you can try for your first trophy.”

  Sir Nitram shook his head in agreement and aimed his rifle forward along the track. The two lead guards quickly stepped backwards to be out of the line of fire.

  A short distance ahead a deer leapt from the woods and lightly touched the track before leaping into the woods on the other side. Sir Nitram fired and the track exploded leaving a crater about ten metres wide with trees and dirt flying in all directions. A piece of dirt hit Sir Nitram on his helmet and peppered the guards’ armour. Lady Natalia deftly dodged all the falling debris using her hover belt.

  “That’s more like it!” shouted Sir Nitram.

  “Get me my trophy,” he ordered Guard Solcrend. Solcrend approached the crater knowing even if the creature had been hit, there would be little evidence. As an experienced elite guard, he said, “Sir, your power was too much for this puny creature. It either was too fast or it was destroyed completely.”

  Solcrend did not think it would be wise mentioning that Sir Nitram could reduce the power of his rifle to a level more appropriate to the target.

  “Hmmph,” snorted Sir Nitram, disappointed he had no trophy. Turning to Sugen he asked, “Did you get that? I am sure I looked impressive. Show me!”

  Sugen came forward with Lurch and played back the recording. Sir Nitram watched impassively and said, “Yes. The explosion was excellent but the lighting was all wrong. Next time, use your lighting to improve the images.”

  He then turned to the guards and ordered, “Let us continue.”

  Sugen and Lurch shrugged as Lurch attached the powerful spot light fitting to the VideoBot 1200 and muttered under his breath, “You want lots of light, you get lots of light. Sir.”

  Not much further along Lurch noticed two more of the creatures approaching and a few seconds later the guard advised Sir Nitram, “More trophies approach, Sir.”

  “Lights!” ordered Sir Nitram and Lurch activated the floodlights from the floating VideoBot. The cloudy day transformed to a brilliant day in moments. One of the guards who was watching the VideoBot quickly looked away and tried to regain his sight.

  “Perfect,” said Sir Nitram as the two deer leapt onto the track and stopped, staring at the lights.

  The laser bolt hit a bit wide and struck one of the deer. It exploded together with part of the woods on the side of the track. The other deer panicked and raced towards the party.

  Sir Nitram fired again. Click! “What?” and fired again. “Click!”

  The deer leapt towards Sir Nitram as Solcrend and another guard leapt and squashed the deer under their weight. It was too close for them to fire.

  Sir Nitram looked down at the two guards atop the squashed deer and looked at his gun. “What is wrong with this stupid thing?”

  Solcrend explained, “It is out of ammunition sir. The energy clip is exhausted.”

  “What a stupid idea!” exclaimed Sir Nitram.

  “Each energy clip contains ten energy units. You can set your gun to use between one and five energy units or EU. You had yours set to the maximum of five,” explained Solcrend until Sir Nitram looked at him sternly.

  “Enough,” he said, “How many guns do I have?”

  “Two, Sir,” said Solcrend.

  “Good. I will fire one twice and then you will give me the second one. As each one is used, pass me the reloaded replacement,” ordered Sir Nitram, “Is that clear?”

  “Yes, Sir,” answered Solcrend as his assistant reloaded the first laser rifle.

  Sir Nitram looked down and waved a tentacle, “Show me my trophy.”

  The guards stood up and revealed a squashed deer. “Fine,” said Sir Nitram, mildly satisfied, “Tag it. My first trophy.”

  “Show me the replay,” ordered Sir Nitram to Sugen who rushed forward to show the replay.

  “Hmmm,” said Sir Nitram, “The explosion looks good, but I don’t like the guards interfering with my action. Mix it properly in the final product.”

  He held out his hand and a guard passed him a newly reloaded rifle. “Onwards,” he ordered.

  Once they began moving, both Sugen and Lurch checked the EU setting on their weapons, and dropped them down to one.

  A gunshot rang out in the woods and a bullet pinged off the armour of one of the guards.

  Four guards immediately surrounded Sir Nitram and Lady Penelope while the two leading guards advanced towards the source of the gun sound.

  Sir Nitram pushed back at the guards surrounding him, “Back! Back! I can’t see my next target!”

  Lurch guided the VideoBot to view in the direction the bullet had come from. He had picked up the sound of the minor gun explosion and soon saw a Dirtling, dressed in the same ceremonial orange as the guards. Interesting, they recognised the impact of the fluorescent orange camouflage.

  Another shot rang out and this time the bullet struck just under the visor of one of the guards next to Sir Nitram. The guard fell down with a gurgle, holding his hand to his face. The lead two guards fired into the woods and Lurch noticed the Dirtling running away from them very fast. Sir Nitram then fired in the same direction, narrowly missing the two lead guards who had dropped to the ground as soon as they knew they were under fire. The woods and ground exploded in fury, leaving another mighty crater. Lurch smiled as the Dirtling was startled and ran away from them even faster.

  Another guard was assisting his fallen comrade who had been shot. Taking off the helmet, he saw the impact of the bullet which had rattled around the inside of the bullet proof helmet. The wounded guard’s head was very badly injured. Sugen directed Lurch to get some close ups and they caught the moment the assisting guard retrieved the bullet from the back of the helmet. It had ricocheted multiple time around the downed guard’s head and caused great damage.

  Sugen asked to see the bullet and realised it was just a small metal pointy slug of metal, battered but not complex. He wondered if it was an accident the Dirtling just happened to detect the small gap in the guard’s armour between visor and helmet. He looked up into the woods and gulped.

  He stepped back and whispered to Lurch, “Hide your weapon under your jacket. Make it look as if we are unarmed.”

  “Why?” asked Lurch, moving his laser pistol to an inner pocket and closing his jacket.

  “Just a hunch,” said Sugen, “And stay back when any fighting happens. Better room for our camera angles.”

  Lurch looked at Sugen who looked back at him earnestly and whispered, “I have been in the streets when the Imperials fought. Trust me.”

  “Did we get the Dirtling?” asked Sir Nitram, looking towards the blasted and wrecked woods a short distance away.

  “We can’t tell, Sir,” said Solcrend, “Too much damage.”

  “Yes, well,” said Sir Nitram, “He won’t be bothering us again!”

  ****