Oakwood Factory:
In the factory control rooms, a select group of Commoner peasants piloted training-bots. Each pilot was in a separate room suspended above the floor by machines and harnesses. The rooms were amazing as the wallpaper in each room doubled as a wrap around monitor showing the world around the bot that each pilot controlled. Holographic projectors displayed items closer to the bot adding to the illusion. The pilots even wore special suits applying pressure to the pilot as the bots made contact with their surroundings. Every footstep, every button press, even the grip on a rifle was felt by the pilots. A pilot only needed to act naturally and a bot would follow suit.
However, it was unnatural to act such a way in those conditions. Some pilots were naturally better than others. Among the most efficient were Mahari Gan and Dusk Yi. These two worked so well on the “sticks” they were trusted with the flying speeder patrol. They usually worked as store clerks so the steep increase in today’s excitement and pay were welcome.
Today was all good fun, for them. They could do so much more with the bots than they could in reality. The experience was like being super heroes. It was also a great mental challenge because everything moved so fast. The strength, speed, and special abilities of the training-bots meant little if the pilots couldn’t keep up on the sticks.
Driving the speeders with their bots, the two clerks conducted routine scans of the area. Apparently, a student was training and their expertise was needed. With the scanners to aid them, it didn’t take long for them to spot an anomaly in the area. The sudden discovery interrupted their playful banter.
Dusk was using their intercom link to tell a riveting story of how his Character had defeated three others with little effort in the Champions of Battle game. Mahari was commenting on the fact that he was attacking a low level city when he interrupted himself.
“Why is that dumpster hot?”
“I wouldn’t know that,” was Dusk’s answer. The story was fun but distracting. They were there to do a job and it was time to get back to work, “Want to ask it?”
“Why not?”
With little effort, the two guided their speeders into the alleyway that held the odd dumpster. They kept a close watch on their surroundings as many fatal traps often accompanied a decoy. Nearing the ground, they both scanned the ground checking for electronic signals and trip wires.
Seeing the ground was safe, they set the speeders to hover and jumped a decimeter to the ground. The hydraulic legs on the training-bots absorbed all of the ground’s shock easily. It made more than a little noise though.
Dusk was first to prepare his rifle while the Mahari prepared to open the dumpster with one hand rifle grasped and ready to aim in the other. Now ready, there was only the issue of timing.
“Count of three,” Mahari whispered.
“Just open it,” Dusk shouted. Role Playing was all fun but, there was no need when no one else could hear them.
“Fine.”
The door flipped open. Heat rushed out. No one was inside.
At this realisation, Dusk spun around immediately and scanned the ground. The other settings on his rifle checked for more than just heat.
Looking through the scope, Dusk noted something all too important. “Footprints,” he commented.
At that, they both jumped back up to their speeders. Dusk followed the prints careful to fly high enough not to disturb them. Meanwhile, Mahari signal the factory computer about the anomalies and prepared to follow Dusk.
The hunt was on.