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B-12 loaded the catapult and let fly another glowing clay pigeon. Gov. Bright took aim with the pistol blaster and zapped the target into dust as it reached its flight apex.

"Very good shooting, Gov. Xavier," Security Leader Clyden congratulated his boss.

"It pays for a leader to keep in shape and be able to defend himself," Gov. Xavier Bright answered.

"Well, look who it is!" The Governor spotted the McCleers walking across the back field from the Governor’s House and heading over to them at the shooting range. "I didn't expect you to show up, George,” said Xavier Bright.

"Why not?”

Xavier Bright shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you might have thought me uncooperative at the environment-generator this afternoon. I thought maybe I got your nose out of joint."

Nina, hanging onto her husband's arm, smiled. "Xavier, it is not the first time we've found you uncooperative. Besides, George knows I am getting tired of being cooped up in our suite. So here we are.”

"Oh, that's nice. George is so considerate," Xavier teased.

"Yes, I am,” George McCleer agreed. “Besides, I had made plans with you to meet you here tonight, remember? You know I like to keep my commitments. My word is my bond."

"Okay then, I guess it's your turn," said Xavier Bright, handing George the blaster. "As you use this, reflect on how blasters could not have been developed without the technology made possible by the fuel ore that comes from our humble little world."

"Certainly."

Sec. Ldr. Clyden ordered the robot to launch another bird. While George McCleer concentrated on the flying pigeon, Xavier Bright focused on Nina McCleer, talking cheerily with her.

“I am glad you came tonight, Nina. If I can help keep your trip to our wonderful world from getting too boring, by all means, let me know. I will keep it exciting," the Governor graciously offered, adding, “I guess being around George all day can get a little dull."

His slight jibe annoyed George, throwing  off his aim. George McCleer missed the clay pigeon by a hair. The energy blast shot past it, to dissipate harmlessly in the dusk sky.

Xavier Bright chuckled. "Oh oh, George, I am surprised at you, I guess you've gotten rusty since college. I hope your aim isn't so rusty in everything these days."

Nina McCleer quickly replied, "I assure you, there's nothing wrong with George's aim where it counts."

Xavier Bright tried to hide how annoyed he now became as Nina defended her husband, but his irritation managed to slip through his poker mask by way of his perturbed tone. "Well, that's good to know, Nina. George, if you ever need any help-"

George McCleer gritted his teeth. He clenched the blaster tightly in his grip but did nothing.

Sec. Ldr. Clyden changed the flow of conversation, getting tired of this silliness. He found it very undignified for the Governor to be acting this way, like a jealous schoolboy. “Here comes Sheila. Oh great, look who she's brought with her."

Sheila Bright led Osmo Martin over the grass to the tiny group. The young adults looked a bit sheepish because of this afternoon's incident, but it was obvious it wouldn't keep Osmo from having a good time.

The Governor  told his Security man, “I asked Sheila to invite him. Like I said to you earlier, I think it is a good idea for me to get to know him better. Especially since I am footing his bill at the Hope Hotel."

Xavier Bright introduced the McCleers to Osmo Martin. The Governor kidded, "I hope you enjoy yourself tonight, although we are shooting only clay birds. Perhaps you will show us what you can do with a blaster. I know this isn't the same as robot hunting, Mr. Martin, but I hope you can appreciate that we can't kill all our robots on foolish whims."

"Oh, um, yeah, about that- sorry..." said Osmo Martin.

Xavier Bright burst out in mirth. "Oh, come on, Osmo- I may call you Osmo, right? I was young once, too. Besides, I know my niece is a bad influence on an upstanding young fellow like you."

"No, Sir, she influences me for good," protested Osmo Martin.

“Oh? Do tell.”

“”Yes, Osmo, do,” chorused Sheila Bight, definitely interested to hear this.

"Like, Sheila scolds me when I drink too much, Gov. Bright... In fact, maybe I will cut back when we are out having a good time together, I guess."

The Governor smiled to hear such news. “Why, Sheila, you're Mom would be proud to hear that you are an influence for good. But tell me, you two, where are the others you were going to bring tonight? I thought you had some friends of yours who came with you on this vacation to our wonderful World of Hope.”

Osmo Martin didn't know where his friends were. "Maybe Albert and Jane were mad because I stood them up at the beach when we went robot hunting. When we got back to the hotel tonight, they were nowhere around." Then a thought hit him and Osmo Martin chuckled. " I hope they aren't still at the beach, waiting for us."

George McCleer inquired, "Don't you think now that you are a young man, you should act a bit more responsibly? I remember you acting like a spoiled kid on the rocket. If you told them you were meeting them at the beach-"

"Nonsense, George," Xavier Bright contradicted. He turned to Osmo Martin. “Let me get this straight- You stood up your pals because you and my niece had better plans, correct?”

“Er, basically yes.”

“Ah, that was the smart move, Osmo,” said Gov. Bright. “Why shouldn't you break a commitment, if a better opportunity presents itself?” Then the Governor looked over his shoulder at his other guests. “I suppose the McCleers may not agree with me... Osmo, I hope you think coming over here and meeting Sheila's Uncle is at least somewhat of a worthwhile way to spend your time tonight,unless a better opportunity comes up. I know it is not as exciting as going robot hunting, but I hope at least Sheila didn't have to drag you here."

"Not at all, Sir,” Osmo Martin answered. "I wanted to meet you. She's told me so many good things about you. If you are only half as wise as Sheila says, I hope I can learn from you. After all, you lead this whole planet. One day I will lead my Father’s business, so I should learn how to inspire people.”

Gov. Bright nodded. “If that is your attitude, I am sure you will be able to lead Martinology very successfully.”

“Of course, at the moment I want to enjoy myself,” Osmo clarified. “I don't want to tie myself down to working for my Father just yet."

Sheila Bright said, "Osmo, I may have told you some of the great things Uncle Xavier has done, but if I am going to be able to give you a more accurate picture of Uncle, I should have to tell you twice as many more wonderful things.”

Xavier Bright beamed. “Thank you for your appreciation, Sheila.”

George McCleer almost gagged.

“You know,” said Gov. Bright, “I can tell you that it will be hard for you or anyone to fill Mr. Gunther Martin’s shoes. From time to time I have marginal dealings with him. Mostly, though, I only deal with the Steering Committee that tries to run this world by proxy- George, give Osmo the blaster. Let's see how good he is at hitting that thing."

Security Leader Clyden grumbled to himself at how the Governor behaved so cordially toward Osmo Martin, but he said nothing aloud. Osmo didn't have Clyden fooled, though. The head of security told B-12 to fire another clay target into the air.

Osmo blasted it into a million pieces. "Ya-hoo! Bull's eye!"

Sheila Bright cheered him. "Why, Osmo, I didn't know you were so handy with a blaster! You're better tonight with the pigeon than you were with the robot. I guess now when I'm with you, I can relax. I am sure I will be well-protected!"

"You have nothing to fear, as long as I am here, Sheila," pledged Osmo Martin. "Anyone who just looks at you cross-eyed, he will answer to me!"

"Great! That is just great to hear,” Xavier Bright said enthusiastically. “Isn't Osmo a great kid- oh, I mean, isn't Osmo a great man, Sec.Ldr. Clyden? Don't you think he shows notable signs of being a leader?"

"Yeah, he's just marvelous," Sec. Ldr. Clyden answered flatly. “A regular Alexander the Great."

The Governor shook Osmo's hand. "I am pleased to see my niece finds you fun to be around. It makes me happy to know if you are about, that you are willing to protect her and her honor, and that you won't let anybody insult her. That is very important, to protect the woman you love. Isn't that important, George? Like, for instance,  if somebody hits on her right in your very presence-"

"It's very important," said George McCleer. "But sometimes in such a situation, it is a frustrated man speaking aloud his unfulfilled fantasies- a man who turns out to be not nearly as important as he thinks he is- There's a lesson for you, Mr. Martin. Probably your father already told you this. Some foolish people just aren't worth your time responding to."

Xavier Bright laughed. The chuckle sounded hollow. "Oh, George, I know you don't mean that. Don’t you think a man who thinks that is a coward, or he no longer loves his woman that he was supposed to protect from unwanted attention- assuming it is unwanted attention-“

"You make sense, Gov. Xavier," said Sec. Ldr. Clyden, thinking of Gazelle.

Nina McCleer said nothing, curious to see what answer her husband would give.

George McCleer told them, "I don’t see that a man has to answer every dog that barks.”

“Oh, I thought we were talking about people, not dogs. Haha, anyway, we must watch even the dogs, then, in case we underestimate them, and they turn out to be wild and bite us!" Xavier Bright jibed.

"I guess if it comes to that, then, if the dog turns out to be mad and wild, then it’s best if it’s put down and taken out of its misery,” sighed George McCleer, “like the way mad dogs have been dealt with over and over again throughout history. How sad.”

(c) drk 2011