The Bounty Hunter (TV story)

The Bounty Hunter was the fourth episode of Series 1 of K9 and revealed the circumstances of K9's experiences before his regeneration.

Synopsis
K9 becomes confused about his memory loss when an alien “bounty hunter” arrives and teams up with an evil Department inspector called Drake. Ahab, the Bounty Hunter claims there is a price on K9’s head for murdering a Galactic peace delegate in the 50th century! K9 goes underground to hide and assess his memory fragments, whilst Starkey, Darius and Jorjie sleep he analyses the data and convinces himself he must be guilty and hands himself over to Drake and Ahab to face the consequences.

Plot
Gryffen is at work trying to fix K9's memory, he manages to find a brief fragment from just before he transported here of an alien called Zanthus Pia, head of the Galactic Peace Commission who orders him to leave immediately. He warns that assassinating him will gain his assassin nothing and others will replace him, he vows that they will have peace in this Galaxy. Gryffen tells K9 he'll have to work with him harder if he's going to retrieve his memories, he assures Gryffen he's working as hard as he can as that fragment is all the memory in his own time. Starkey tells Gryffen he can't get blood out of a stone, K9 corrects him and references the rocks of Nebulax 4. Gryffen finds K9 can retrieve data but not memories, Starkey offers to take K9 for a walk to get is mind off it, Gryffen says he's suggesting that Walkies may have a stimulating effect on Artificial Intelligence. As they walk Gryffen watches them on the monitor and notes how much the surroundings have changed, a common effect for someone who hasn't gone outside their house for ten years. They go and see a Ferris Wheel which starts to accelerate in speed rapidly and as a group of CCPCs walk in. Starkey thinks he's been found and tells K9 to save himself, K9 declines that order. Meanwhile at the mansion as Gryffen instructs them to leave a strange man comes through the STM.

The CCPC's keep the worried crowd under control, Drake informs them of a dissident attack. A bomb has been connected to the Speed Clutch in the Control Centre and if they try to stop or even slow the wheel the bomb will detonate. K9 decides to help them, Starkey argues that the place is swarming with CCPCs. K9 says it is a compulsion as he is programmed to assist humans in distress, Starkey takes note of a CCTV camera suddenly arriving on the scene. As Gryffen investigates the state of the man, he grabs him telling him to stay where he can see him. Gryffen asks how was he able to control the portal, he says he didn't. As he had a long journey Gryffen decides to get him some tea. On the scene, Drake talks to a news camera assuring the dissident threat will be tracked down and eliminated, he says to stay within site of a CCTV surveilance point and report any suspicions. Starkey tells K9 it's a publicity stunt with the story of the Department saving the day from rogue dissidents, K9 says it's unlikely. Starkey argues that place was surrounded by CCPC before a bomb was found, K9 says they were contacted by an informant. Starkey asks about the news cameras, K9 says it's news and turning up at news is what they do. Starkey asks if it's such big news and such a big threat then why haven't the CCPCs done anything, they're waiting for more cameras. K9 agrees and says unlike the CCPCs he isn't interested in camera and he has to help them.

Back at the mansion, Gryffen apologises for being inquisitive but he tells him he hasn't been able to control the STM. The man tells him he followed someone here, a cybernetic device known as K9. Starkey asks the crowd why doesn't Drake do anything, a mother whose children are stuck on the wheel asks Drake the same question. As this distracts Drake, K9 and Starkey sneak into the control room and find the bomb which is strangely non-explosive, they realise that this was a publicity stunt planned by the Department. K9 destroys it which slows the Wheel down, saving the people on it. Starkey and K9 are praised by the crowd, to Drake's dismay, they then quickly leave. Back at the mansion the man grows impatient and demands to know where K9 is. Gryffen says he has no idea where he'd be able to find a device like that around here, he asks why he wants to find K9. He says that his name is Ahab and he is the most renowned bounty hunter in the galaxy and that he's here to bring K9 to stand trial before Galactic Council for murder. He says that K9 is wanted in the year 50,000 for the unlawful diisintergration of Zanthus Pia, president of Galactic Peace Assembly. Gryffen says there is no K9 here, Ahab's voice analyser reveals he's lying. When Gryffen refuses to tell him where K9 is, Ahab grabs his face, Gryffen adds no matter what he does to him and the voice analyser confirms he's telling the truth. They are interrupted by a Department broadcast from Drake claiming that the "Mechanical Dog" was not the hero of the Ferris Wheel incident. Ahab asks how he finds the Department, he tells him to get to the nearest CCTV camera. He does so and tells Drake they need to talk.

The team are shocked at what Gryffen told them and refuse to believe K9 is a murderer, Starkey says his programming forbids it. Gryffen says that according to Ahab, K9 disintergrated Zanthus Pia with extreme predjudice. K9 says he doesn't remember it, Darius says even if he did do it he can't arrest him for doing something they don't remember. K9 says amnesia is not a defence in a court of law and calls his statement "embarrasingly faulty", Darius says he's trying to help him. K9 says a quantum increase in intelligent logic is required, Jorjie says that K9 isn't even the same dog anymore as the old one blew himself up and sacrificed himself and this is a new K9. Gryffen explains it's a new body but the brain is the same, making him the same dog. Starkey and Darius are confused because Ahab is after K9 for something he will do in the future and Zanthus hasn't been killed yet. Gryffen calls it a temporal conundrum, Starkey is worried that Ahab sounds like an "arrest now, conundrum later kinda guy". Jorjie says K9 has to hide, Gryffen agrees but says he don't think it will be easy as he has the impression there weren't to many bounties Ahab had hunted down, Darius offers his services as he is someone who knows where to hide.

At the Department Mobile HQ June and Drake argue about K9's presence, he blames the incompetence of June's section as she is responsible of monitoring alien activity and K9 was clearly of alien origin. She says she knows his name, that he came through a time-space portal and that Gryffen was currently examining it. When Drake says she was aware of a dangerous alien yet she failed to alert his section, she says she didn't alert him because K9 isn't dangerous and on the contrary his technology could be of great value to the Department. Drake agrees and decides to have him apprehended and dismantled so he can learn its secrets. June says his section has no jurisdiction as K9 poses no security threat. Drake consults Lomax, he replies by saying he will consider the matter, and orders them in the meantime to keep doing what they're doing. June assumes he now agreed K9 is under her control, Drake simply agrees to keep doing what he's doing.

Darius takes Jorjie, Starkey and K9 to his secret storage facility in the sewers, made up mostly of food and supplies that fell off the back of trucks and vans. June comes to Gryffen's house and tells Gryffen to inform her if Drake comes looking for K9. Gryffen tells her of his encounter with Ahab and that the kids are hiding K9. She asks him to have Jorjie come home with her, he says he doesn't know where she is as they agreed he wouldn't be told so he wouldn't reveal their location even under pressure. She is shocked that her daughter is with a dissident, a petty thief and a suspected murderer and also fearful of what could happen if she is caught in a battle between Ahab and K9. Ahab arrives at Department Mobile HQ and shows Drake the means he intends to use to subdue K9. He says Drake must find it, Drake tells him he gives the orders on Earth. Ahab says as he doesn't know London, Drake uses his network of cameras to find K9 and he shows him how to unlock his secrets, they make a deal. As Starkey, Darius and Jorjie eat Starkey tells Jorjie he's "de-fraging", Jorjie wonders if it's possible K9 assassinated Zanthus Pia. Starkey refuses to believe it but Darius argues neither they or him know what he did before he came here. Starkey asks if he has done anything suspicious, Darius acts sarcastic saying he's so gentle he wouldn't hurt a fly. He warns one day he'll be petting him and then K9 will blast his arm off, Darius jokes around impersonating Starkey in the event that happens. Jorjie tells them to give it a rest as she needs her sleep. They all rest, as Starkey pets K9, he accesses the remains of his memory and encounter with Zanthus Pia. The clip shows K9's HUD stating Zanthus must be destroyed, the clip then glitches and cuts to a burning corpse which K9 identifies as Zanthus's remains. As everyone is asleep, he determines he is Guilty and he is a murderer.

K9 decides to surrender himself to the Department and leaves the storage facility, he is spotted by a CCTV camera. At the Department Mobile HQ, June uses this to trace his location, she finds it's in the sewer. She tells Gryffen and is angry that Jorjie spent the night there, she decides to go down there and tells him if he hears anything from them to tell them to stay there. Gryffen wonders why K9 would be so careless as to miss a motion detector. He contacts him, K9 shows him his memory of Zanthus Pia's corpse. He says his human life protection protocol was comprimised and is progressing with it's resolution. Starkey and the others look for K9, Darius spots him. They try to stop him but he persists that he must surrender to the authorities and stand trial. He tells them while de-fraging he recalled commiting the crime for which he was charged. Darius says he was right, Jorjie suggests he was dreaming. He says that as he does not dream and has no imagination he is a criminal. Drake and Ahab arrive, Starkey tells K9 to run, he says he can run but he cannot hide and he must face justice. June is contacted by Drake who tells her that Ahab betrayed him and took K9 and the kids to Gryffen's house. He explains he had an arrangement with Ahab which would have gave the Department access to K9's technology. She decides from now on all matters concerning K9 will be handled by her section and she can't afford for Drake to keep doing what he's doing.

At the house, Ahab pulls K9 to the STM vortex. The lesh like device Ahab uses on K9 turns him into a conductor, restoring some of his memory of Zanthus Pia. It turns out that K9 did not kill him, he was in fact killed by Ahab. When K9 reveals that the device Ahab uses generates extreme cold which weakens him, Jorjie throws a cup of tea on the beam disabling it. The force of the device throws Ahab into the STM and he disappears. June arrives at the house, saying that K9 is under the control of the Department. Her section and not security, she gives Gryffen responsibility of K9 and made K9 and the team the Official "K9 Unit". As Jorjie leaves with June, Darius asks what's stopping Ahab from coming back. Gryffen says that he went to the time of his destination but not the place, he's been landed in this exact spot 50,000 years from now. Darius thinks he's home safe and sound but Gryffen explains that as the planets are continually moving through space in 50,000 years the Earth won't be in it's current location. Darius asks where he is, K9 replies "Lost in Space".

Cast

 * K9 Mark 2 - John Leeson
 * Starkey - Keegan Joyce
 * Jorjie Turner - Philippa Coulthard
 * Darius Pike - Daniel Webber
 * Professor Alistair Gryffen - Robert Moloney
 * June Turner - Robyn Moore
 * Drake - Connor Van Vuuren
 * Ahab - Brad McMurray
 * Zanthus Pia - Warwick Comber
 * Mother - Alica Laidlaw
 * Daughter - Alice Thorn
 * Son - Jake Alexander
 * Lomax - Peter Kent
 * Jixen - Tarek Beheiry
 * CCPC - Josh Norbido
 * CCPC - Dane Paltman
 * CCPC - Eugen Bekafigo
 * CCPC - Jason McNamara

Production crew

 * Writer - Ian McFadyen
 * Director - James Bogle
 * Producers - Penny Wall, Richard Stewart, Simon Barnes
 * Executive producers - Jim Howell, Grant Bradley, Steve Robbins
 * Associate producers - Bob Baker, Paul Tams
 * Supervising producer - Dale Bradley
 * Co-Executive producers - Mark Blythe, Sam Tromans
 * Line producer - Pam Collis
 * VFX Director - David Napier
 * Series Production Designer - Jon Dowding
 * Episodic Designer - Adam Head
 * New K9 Design by - Paul Tams, Alex Kubalsky
 * Series Director of Photography - Ben Nott
 * Episodic Director of Photography - Tony O'Loughlan
 * Music by - Christopher Elves
 * K9 theme music by - Michael Lira
 * Editor - Patrick Stewart
 * Casting - Faith Martin and associates
 * Episodic casting - Lisa Maloney
 * Drama/Dialogue coach - Peter Kent
 * Story Producer - Greg Walters
 * Script Editor - Anthony Morris
 * Script Adaption - Michaeley O'Brien
 * Production Accountant - Pru Donovan
 * 1st Assistant Director - Peter McLennan
 * Script Supervisor - Sue Ketchington
 * Costume Designer - Joanne Thompson
 * Makeup Designer - Sharon Robbins
 * Puppeteer - David Pawsey
 * Location Manager - Charles Boyle
 * Sound Recordist - Ian Grant
 * B Camera Operator - Dan Maxwell
 * Gaffer - Steve Monk
 * Key Grip - Billy Harmer
 * Special thanks to - Space Furniture, Shredox, J. Barbour & Sons Ltd, Heath Williams at Firefly Lighting, Videopro
 * Safety Supervisor/Stunt Coordinator - Danny Baldwin
 * Transport Manager - Alister Ward
 * Unit Manager - Graeme Suhr
 * Post Production Facility - Cutting Edge Australia
 * Head of Post Production - John Lee
 * Sound Design - Warren Pearson
 * Sound Mix - Ben Vlad
 * K9 Theme Music Recorded - Supersonic
 * The Postworks - Bob Blasdall
 * Marshalls and Dent Lawyers - Shaun Miller, Bryce Menzies
 * Completion Guarantor - First Australian Completion Bond Company Pty Ltd
 * Executive producer Network Ten Australia - Cherrie Bottger

Story notes

 * On Drake's appearance in the news. The other news at the bottom notes the first flight of the NX-2000 (USS Excelsior of Star Trek).
 * The same broadcast also mentions a self-aware oven known as THX1138, a reference to the movie of the same name.

Ratings
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Myths
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Filming locations
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Production errors

 * Publicity for this episode states Ahab came from the 51st century, however in the episode he states he is from the year 50000 which is in the 501st century, 45,000 years from then.

Continuity

 * Gryffen suggests that the Jixen in league with Ahab was the same one which followed K9 in Regeneration.
 * The team manage to defeat Ahab by sending him to a place other than his intended destination, similar to how Torchwood Three did with Mary in TW: Greeks Bearing Gifts.

Home video releases

 * This episode is featured in the Series One complete boxset which is due to be released in Australia in 29 September 2010, UK release is unknown.
 * This episode is featured in a "vanilla" DVD called The Bounty Hunter along with Regeneration, Liberation, The Korven. Sirens of Ceres and Fear Itself, which is due to be released in Australia in 29 September 2010, UK release is unknown.