Harrick stood with his assistant and faced the four rat-like creatures standing on the transmission pad of the scout ship orbiting above Dirt. The creatures were the special preliminary HTI Scout Team that would prepare the hunting area for the Very Important People and ensure surprises were kept within bounds. HTI Scout teams were specially selected from elite military forces from across the Federation.

  Individual member planets were permitted limited internal security forces. Anything more powerful was part of The Imperial Army from combat ships to ground forces. There were a number of elite fighting units on a number of planets but these were always unofficial and often formed the basis of private armies of corporations or planetary governments. Whenever these private forces became a concern the dreaded Imperial Space Marines were called in to sort out the mess.

  The four scouts were dressed in a non reflective body covering black armour serving as both camouflage and protection from projectiles and limited energy fire. As they were meant to be fast and secretive, their weapons were mixed but not overly powerful including quiet projectile weapons and some standard powered energy weapons and a collection of explosives and destructive tools.

  Harrick was to be the Hunt Master of these first hunts and, with his assistant, they did not want any trouble. It was Harrick’s responsibility to ensure the hunters enjoyed the thrill of the hunt without being in any actual life threatening danger. As these Very Important People were the opinion makers and influencers of those in power, it was very important to present them with a positive view of hunting.

  “You know what to do,” said Harrick, “But I will go over the mission one last time.”

  A map appeared in the air between them showing part of the planet below and Harrick continued his briefing, “This is the hunt location. It is in a valley nestled in tall hills. There is only one road in to the valley containing what look like farming homes, buildings, fields and forests. There are some planet bound military forces,”

  At this the scouts sneered with contempt and one even gave a short barking laugh. They were not at all worried about local military on a NC planet.

  Harrick stopped and stared the scouts back into attention, “Being untested, be wary of the local military. You are to cut the road here,” Harrick indicated the road at the entrance to the valley, “and ensure nothing gets through to interrupt our private party.”

  One of the scouts muttered, “I hope their military does try coming through. Then we’ll get some fun too.”

  “If they attempt to get through stop them and call me immediately. Extraction will be when the Hunting Party is returned. Clear?”

  “Clear, Sir!” the scouts answered.

  “Good hunting,” said Harrick as he indicated to his assistant to start transmission. The scouts disappeared from the pad and Harrick looked towards his assistant.

  “Let’s get back to the Party and start this hunt,” he said as his assistant manipulated the controls and sent the ship towards the special Hunting Lodge Shuttle.

  ****

  The four prestige hunters were pretending not be nervous as they stood before the transmission pad of the Hunting Lodge Shuttle. Director Hiss was decked in an expensive long dress which doubled as protective armour, the brief flashes of reflecting light displaying the energy weapon protection as well as insanely expensive designs. The silver shimmer offset her glistening green scales and silver helmet. Her only weapon was a pair of matching silver laser pistols and her equipment was limited to a collection of items adorning her utility belt. Overall the impact was stunning and the pre hunt glamour photography was almost guaranteed to grace the pages of many fashion magazines upon her return.

  Her fellow hunters were a governor of some minor planet who was nonetheless an influential member of the Imperial Outer Court, a director of Honest Al’s Emporium, the past official supplier of HTI hunting equipment and the son of one of the Imperial family relatives HTI must have been trying to influence. Director Hiss was definitely the most prestigious of this party and that suited her fine.

  “Lady Hiss, Governor Randall, Director Alphonse and Sir Robert,” said the Leader of the special support crew, “Please allow me to express my pleasure at seeing you all here today.”

  He bowed obsequiously and let his hand almost touch the floor in a sweeping motion before returning upright, “My team and I have given you all the instructions you should need and you have the best equipment money can buy. Our most experienced Hunt Master, Harrick, and his assistant will be with you on your hunt. You are in the safest of hands I can assure you.”

  He looked over the group of Very Important People and smiled a gracious smile. Director Hiss grinned back, flashing her fine array of sharp teeth, grateful for all the courtesies to which she was entitled. Governor Randall, a stone creature about five feet tall and wearing only a many pocketed jacket which contained a profusion of weapons and equipment, wiped the brow of his stony head on which condensation had once more begun as it always did when he was nervous. Director Alphonse was a small winged creature about three feet long with two legs, two mid arms and two top claws and a bulbous nosed face. He popped the smoking root out of his mouth and smiled at the crew leader and popped it back in just as promptly. Sir Robert just stood there and yawned, apparently bored. He was a skinny, six feet tall white creature with a simple two legs and two arms and a small tail and ears that joined to his neck.

  “Are we going now?” Sir Robert drawled.

  “Yes, Sir Robert,” said the Hunt Master, “Right this way.”

  Harrick led the four hunters on to the transmission pad and his assistant joined them. He nodded at the Crew Leader who pressed the transmission button and they all disappeared from the ship.

  Moments later they reappeared on the planet’s surface. The ground was covered by short green thin leafed plants and surrounding them was a lot of trees shrouded in mist.

  “Do not be concerned,” said Harrick, “This mist is typical in the morning and will soon lift. Let us proceed this way,” and he indicated to his assistant to lead the party in the direction they had planned earlier while he took the rear.

  ****

  “Brian,” a worried female voice said as the farmer Brian Simmons sat on the edge of his bed putting on his rubber boots, “Where are you going?”

  “I’m just going to check on the cows, Love,” he said to Anne, his wife of twenty years, “You heard about those cattle rustlers? Bob said he heard someone at the pub saying they would try our valley soon. I’m going to wake up Peter and we’re just going to have a look around.”

  “Oh, be careful, Brian. And tell Peter to remember to take more ammunition. Last time he forgot and that was just embarrassing,” Anne said, remembering how Peter went to a shooting competition and lost because he had only brought eight bullets. All eight were bulls-eyes, but he had ten targets. Silly boy.

  “Yes dear,” Brian said as he put on his jacket and went to wake up Peter. His pockets had plenty of spare ammunition clips. No rustler was going to get his cows.

  ****

  “Hey Lenny,” whispered Danny as he leaned hard into the side of the cow, “Are you sure Mr Simmons won’t mind?”

  Danny sneered, “Mind? Of course he’ll bloody mind. We’re tipping his bloody cows. Now Push!”

  Lenny and Danny heaved with all their strength and the cow they had been leaning against teetered and then fell sideways onto the ground with a startled “Moooo!”

  Laughing, Lenny and Danny watched the cow struggle to regain her feet when they heard the sound of engines approaching and their laughs suddenly stopped. Lenny grabbed Danny’s arm and shouted, “Run! Simmon’s coming and I don’t think he’s happy!”

  ****

  Drongo silently pushed the last cow onto the back of his truck and fastened the bolt. The late night mist had been a boon to his rustling expedition and he had picked up eight superb cows, compliments of the farmer in this valley. Tomorrow he and Harry would be home free and this lot should fetch a fine price in the stock yards down the coast. An excellent reward for a short night’s work. As he lifted the ramp and fastened it to the back of the truck he heard a voice, “Excuse me, where are we going?”

  Drongo looked around, “Harry, is that you?”

  “What?” said a grizzled, tired voice.

  “Did you ask where we was going?” Drongo said.

  “Na,” said Harry, “What are ya?”

  “Just nervous I guess,” said Drongo, as he hopped down to the ground.

  “Will we be long?” a voice said, “Milking will be soon.”

  Drongo looked around and didn’t see anyone, just the mist swirling around the van. He hurried to the passenger seat of the truck and poked Harry in the side.

  ‘Let’s get goin’” he said, “And don’t put on the headlights, ya dopey bugger.”

  “But it’s dark!” protested Harry, pointing into the swirling mists in front of him.

  “Use your parking lights then,” said Drongo, “And get a move on!”

  Shaking his head, Harry turned on the parking lights and peered into the dark, misty road ahead. Drongo was just being too careful. They had the cows all safe in the back and the farmer wouldn’t be able to get them in time. Nothing could go wrong now.

  ****

  “Mooo!” Brian and Peter heard the cow’s cry over the gentle roar of the four wheeled farm bikes.

  “Dad!” Peter yelled over the noise, pointing towards the source of the sound.

  “Buggers!” cried Brian as he revved the engines and raced towards the noise.

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  Peter grinned and raced after his father. It looked like they would be getting some action tonight.

  In a few minutes they reached the side of the cow that was getting to her feet and Brian leapt off his bike and examined the cow. “Are you all right?” he asked the cow who gave a soft “Moo” in response.

  Peter gave a small smile at his father’s manner with the cow.Since about a year ago he had treated the cows with a lot more care than he had before. The results in milk production were amazing, but the locals all thought Brian was a bit odd.

  Peter looked around and said, “Dad. Footprints.”

  Brian came over and examined the footprints by torchlight and used his fingers to sample the indentations in the ground. “They’ve just left and ran when they heard our engines. Just dumb kids doing some cow tipping.”

  “I bet you it’s Danny and Lenny,” said Peter, “Can I fire some warning shots? That’ll scare ‘em.”

  Brain smiled, “Sure. Just fire them high in the air. We only want to scare them, not hurt them.”

  Peter raised his rifle in the air and fired four shots in quick succession. The sounds echoed in the misty morning.

  “What now?” Peter asked his father.

  “Let’s just wait and listen,” he said, “I have a feeling about tonight. Listen closely.”

  As Brian settled down to watch and wait on his farm bike he pulled out his mobile phone and dialled home. Anne answered with a sleepy, “Hello, Brian.”

  “Hi Anne. It looks like we interrupted a couple of kids cow tipping,” Brian said.

  “Cow Tipping?” said Anne in surprise, “That’s not even a Kiwi thing!”

  “Bloody television,” commented Brian and continued, “Peter fired a few shots in the air and we heard quite a bit of crashing about in the woods. Peter and I will just wait here a while and see what happens.”

  “Should we call the police?” asked Anne.

  Nah,” said Brian, “It’s just a couple of stupid kids. Peter reckons its Lenny and Danny which is probably right.”

  Anne yawned and replied, “OK. I love you.”

  “See you soon,” said Brian and he hung up the phone.

  The four bullets that fired high missed the panicked two boys, but one bullet did graze an owl returning from an evening hunt which in reaction loosened its grip on the mouse in her claws. With a loud “Whooo!” the owl dived back down to catch the falling mouse. That was supper!

  ****

  Harrick heard gunfire and shouted “Down!” as he dived to the ground. The hunters immediately stopped moving and looked down around their feet.

  Harrick looked up and saw something swooping down towards them and fired upwards with his laser rifle. Seeing his actions, all the hunters also fired upwards and the area was immediately covered with a profusion of laser and projectile shots in the air. As the firing ceased a badly singed feathered creature fell to the ground at Director Hiss’s feet and with a small plop a small creature landed next to it. As Director Hiss leaned down closer to examine the smaller creature that looked disturbingly similar to Patter and Harrick, it suddenly popped up and scurried into the forest. Director Hiss stifled her wish to scream and stood upright.

  Harrick walked over and picked up the bedraggled winged creature by one singed wing and announced, “Your first kill. Would anyone like to take the honours?”

  The hunters looked at the remains of the owl and decided to refrain from the honour. Harrick nodded at his assistant who stepped over, pulled a plastic bag from his pack and placed the bird carefully inside. Applying an automatic vacuum seal, the first trophy was placed back in his pack.

  “Congratulations,” said Harrick, “We have our first trophy. You may wish to conserve some of your energy as we still have some time to go before completing this hunt.”

  The hunters looked blankly at him as he went and showed each hunter how to adjust the settings on their weapons, “You can set them from a strength of one to a strength of five. For this creature, a strength of one would have been more than sufficient.”

  He nodded at his assistant once more and indicated to the party they should move on.

  “Well, that relieved the boredom,” said Sir Robert, stifling another yawn.

  Meanwhile, Harrick wondered about the sounds of gunfire before the winged creature attacked them. Was it related to the attack?

  ****

  Harry and Drongo were travelling slowly in order to keep the engine noise down and because the misty evening made driving very tricky.

  “Bang!” they heard the sound of Peter’s firing and looked at each other in shock.

  “They’ve spotted us! Go!” said Drongo.

  Harry pushed hit foot down on the accelerator and raced forward into the gloom. As he reached down to turn on the headlights he caught a glimpse of something up ahead and there was an almighty crash as a body hit the front of the truck and was flung into the windscreen and over the truck. The windscreen shattered into a million glass pebbles as Drongo and Harry covered their faces and slammed into a nearby tree. The truck crashed to a stop and a rear end of a cow was forced through the wall between the cabin and the cargo area and stopped just above the two drivers.

  Drongo and Harry had been wearing seat belts by habit and it saved their lives during this crash. Stunned by the impact, Drongo reached up to his head and groaned and tried to sit upright before hitting the end of the cow. He heard a “Moo!” at the other end of the cow and realised this wasn’t the best place to be sitting.

  “Get out Harry,” he said, “What didja hit?”

  “Dunno,” said Harry as he undid his seat belt and opened the door, staggering onto the edge of the road, “But it wasn’t a deer.”

  Drongo got out on the other side of the truck and slipped slightly on the dew soaked grass verge. Struggling upright he joined Harry in front of the truck and examined the grill in the light of the one remaining headlight.

  “It hit here,” said Drongo, trying to work out the size by the dent in the grill, “and then it bounced onto the windscreen and over the roof. Can you see it up the road?”

  “It’s dark,” said Harry as he looked back into the gloomy road.

  “Good point,” said Drongo, “I’ll get the light.”

  As he stepped away he noticed something caught in the smashed hood ornament. He reached over and untangled a ripped piece of black cloth that had been caught on the truck ornament that looked like a small dog.

  “Hey, Harry,” Drongo said, “This is a piece of cloth. We didn’t kill someone did we?”

  “Bugger, man,” Harry said and rushed to the glove box in the cab and retrieved the light.

  Rushing to the back of the truck he flashed the light down the road and saw a crumpled heap in the centre.

  “Oh. No,” said Harry as he moved slowly towards the body.

  ****

  The assistant was approaching the edge of the woods and motioned to the hunters to stop.

  Harrick looked at the hunters and gave them an important hunting safety lesson, “We are at the edge of the woods and approaching a local road. It is very important when approaching local roads that you look both ways before crossing. Local vehicles do not have automatic systems to prevent collisions so it pays to be careful. Understand?”

  The hunters nodded in mixed collection of understanding and ignorance.

  Harrick sighed, and indicated to his assistant to proceed. The assistant stepped forward and with some exaggeration to demonstrate correct procedure, he looked one way and went to look the other.

  That was when the truck hit him full in the body and slammed him along the road about three hundred feet. The impact mostly killed the assistant, followed by the scraping up the grill, hood ornament and then roof of the the truck and ending with the rapid deceleration along the gravel road. He was definitely dead by then.

  Shocked at the sudden death of his assistant, Harrick yelled, “Down!” and demonstrated what he meant by pushing each of the Very Important People to the ground as he ran past them to the roadside. He saw the native vehicle smashed against the edge of the woods further up the road and his assistant lying between them, unmoving in the centre of the road. Harrick took out his rifle and focussed into the swirling mists ahead and waited.

  He soon saw a light approaching focussed on the body of his assistant. Estimating the height of the Dirtling holding the light by the light’s position, he aimed his laser rifle to hit the Dirtling in the shoulders. Two energy units should make short work of him.

  Harrick fired and the laser bolt highlighted the top of the Dirtling’s head as it missed by a hair’s breadth. The cap on top of the Dirtling’s head caught fire and the Dirtling started running.

  “Drongo!” he yelled, running towards the truck, “Me hat’s on fire!”

  Harrick raced towards the Dirtling but quickly dropped to the ground as a cacophony of noise broke out behind him and the hunters all began firing towards the running Dirtling, barely missing Harrick who was in the direct line of fire.

  “I say, this is fun!” shouted Sir Robert happily.

  All of the Hunter’s shots missed Harry, but the top and rear of the truck was struck by a number of laser shots. The back door fell open with a sharp metallic clang as it hit the road and six startled cows came charging out the back, directly towards Harrick and the hunters.

  Harrick rolled to the side and the cows raced past on a direct route to his Very Important People who were all rooted to the spot as these large creatures pounded the ground towards them.

  “Aargh!” yelled Harrick in frustration as he raised his laser rifle to his shoulder and fired carefully at the charging cows. His first four shots brought down the four rear cows and then his gun clicked on empty. He speed reloaded and fired two more shots bringing down the remaining two cows who fell down only a few inches from the feet of Sir Robert.

  Face pale in fright, Sir Robert said quietly, “I think I have had enough fun for now.”

  Governor Randall now stepped forward and fired at the downed cows and stood proudly over them. “There. Finished them off,” he said proudly, “Now you’re safe.”

  Harrick walked slowly back and examined the scene with his hunting party safe in front of a pile of six dead cows, one very dead, and then looked back at his dead assistant.

  “Please stand to the side of the road in those trees over there,” said Harrick pointing to the road’s edge, “and I will check on my assistant and that Dirtling vehicle.”

  The hunters quickly complied and sat or stood in the forest edge and watched Harrick slowly walking back towards danger. “He is very brave, isn’t he?” said Director Alphonse.

  “I’m glad he’s on our side,” said Director Hiss as she considered what could have happened had Harrick not been such a calm Hunt Master when those Dirtlings attacked them, “Very glad.”

  Harrick knelt down and examined his assistant. He was dead. It was too late now to try the nano technology pills that could have revived him as too much time had passed. “He probably wouldn’t have wanted to survive that way,” thought Harrick, “he was a soldier and preferred to die in action.”

  Leaving him for the moment, Harrick approached the vehicle carefully. He heard a sound inside the truck and moved quickly, crouching low, underneath the level of the edge of the rear area. Popping up quickly he braced his gun and looked at the situation inside. He held his fire as he saw two more cows in the truck. One was mooing pitifully as it’s rear end was wedged into the back wall. The other was trying to pry her loose using her head for leverage. The free cow stopped when she heard Harrick climb up the tail of the truck and stared at him.

  “Excuse me,” the cow said, “Can you help me free Bessy here? I’m afraid she’s stuck.”

  Harrick was surprised and stepped closer, “You look familiar,” he said, “Why is that?”

  Then he remembered.

  “Did you answer questions by some big blue people?” he asked, using his arms and face to give an example of the size and shape of Heron, Byron and Nelson.

  “Oh, yes,” said Cow, “They were very nice. They helped me speak to my farmer. Very nice indeed.”

  Surprised at life’s little twists, Harrick shrugged and stepped forward, grabbed the rear legs of the trapped cow and pulled her free.

  ‘Thank you very much,” said Cow.

  “No problems, Miss,” said Harrick, “I’m sorry about your friends out there.”

  “Oh, they were just stupid cows, panicked by anything,” said Cow.

  “But aren’t you a cow?” asked Harrick, practicing the new word.

  “Why, yes,” replied Cow, “but since I had that nice little chat with those blue fellows, something triggered in me and I realise I might be a little special.”

  “Huh,” said Harrick and then froze as he heard footsteps outside. He placed his hand over Cow’s mouth and said, “Shhhh.”

  “They’re rustlers,” mumbled Cow around Harrick’s quieting hand.

  “Harry. Can you see anything?” Drongo said from behind Harry as they moved slowly along the edge of the truck.

  “Why am I in front, Drongo?” asked Harry as he moved as slowly as possible.

  “Because you’ve got the light. Now come on,” answered Drongo.

  Harry peered around the edge just out of sight of Harrick patiently waiting inside the truck.

  “All the cows are dead!” said a shocked Harry.

  “What!” cried Drongo as he raced ahead, looking at the pile of dead cows. Once he broke into the open Harrick lined up Drongo and was about to fire when another fusillade of shots rang out from the hunters and he dived to the floor of the truck.

  Drongo was hit in the shoulder and leg and cried out in pain. As he fell to the ground, Governor Randall raced out to the downed man and fired his full clip and killed Drongo. Harry threw his torch at the monster that had just killed his friend and then ran into the forest. The torch shattered on the Governor’s stone surface but some glass lodged into one of his eyes. The Governor screamed in pain yelling, “My eye! My eye!” and fell on to the ground holding his hands to his eye.

  Harrick raced out of the truck and with great strength moved Governor Randall’s hands away from his eye. The eye was slightly scratched bit otherwise unharmed. Harrick said calmly, “Now this may sting a little,” and reached into his professional first aid kit, pulled out a small spray bottle and sprayed some solution into the Governor’s eye.

  The Governor screamed as the little sting was more than he wanted. Harrick grinned and then suppressed the smile saying, “Sir, your eye will now be restored and healed in a short time. Let us move back to the rest of the party.”

  He then gently lifted the Governor to his feet and led him back to the waiting hunters.

  “What about my trophy?” the Governor asked as he was led away.

  “Later, Later,” soothed Harrick, “I think it is time for us just to rest and recover, don’t you think?”

  ****