[mvisconte]

When I saw it shake DS by the scruff of the neck, I bristled. I thought, "distraction, confusion, misdirection..." -- and I called out in a conversational tone, hoping to catch him off guard, give DS a chance to regroup...

When I saw it cuff DS upside the head, and DS' body go limp, I didn't think anything else... I tensed, and clenched my fists, and prepared to launch myself.

I've done stupid things before. I've done rash things before. I've done things that, in retrospect, should have been examined more closely before I started the endeavor. But sometimes, I don't have time to think about how stupid something might be, in retrospect.

Here I was in the dark, with something that looked human but was scaled out of proportion... It had lifted a pretty hefty guy up, one-handed, and pretty much shook him like a toy rattle. I had no light, no BOOM-STICK, no weapon, no nothin', and I was getting ready to jump it with my bear fists.

It looked at me and grinned, and started towards me, howling, with happy malice in mind -- and I was going to punch him/it in the nose. See? Thinking and planning is MUCH better than doing -- at least when the doing would involved getting smashed to a pulp.

I imagined a little, female, robotic voice in the back of my head, stating "Brace for impact."



And then, demons started shrieking in my ears. I heard a "KI YI YI YI YI YI YI!!!" from behind me on my left. Fearing that I was beset by tall, rabid chihuahuas, I spun left, trying to keep one eye on the giant. I heard a growl behind me to my RIGHT now. This was NOT going to be a good night.

As I tried to get my back to everything around me, I saw one inky piece of darkness detach itself from another and go flying past me towards the giant. A black, leather-clad, sandal-bound, mini-skirt-wearing, black-haired, metal-cuirassed figure. Screaming. Loudly. Flying past me. Looked kind of like Lucy Lawless, but I didn't book her for our series, so that was probably out.

I turned back towards tall, dark, and misshapen, and saw the two inky-figures collide and collapse into a heap.

The ship's running lights flickered into existence, followed by bright, white loading and cargo lights. Whatever we had, it was bigger than I thought, and had a familiar looking female figured standing atop it. DEB! Always happy to see her, I was doubly happy. At least I'd have witnesses.

It stood up with little effort, tumbling Deb to the ground. The thing shook itself like a dog after a nap and looked down at Deb. "YOU'RE A LADY! You hit pretty hard, for a lady!"

"Maybe, yes, but not to you, " as she climbed to her feet again.

I think she felt the impact more than the giant. He turned to face her and backed away warily. He had his back to me, and I wondered if it was worth trying to clobber him... my luck had been pretty strong -- I hadn't even broken a sweat, and already he'd been punched, and beaten to the ground. As if he'd ready my thoughts, he turned to me and smiled, saying "if you hit me, and I find out about it, I'm gonna be plenty mad. In fact, I might just roll you up into a little ball."

I noticed a dog sitting between the giant and DSVick... watching, patiently, his head tilted a little to the right.

The thing looked from me, to the dog, and beyond to Vick, saying "Looks like I get a chance to work out a little tonight... 'm gonna get to beat up three of you."

WD(E) tilted his head to the left and calmly stated "that might not be as easy as you think."

The giants eyes grew round, and he looked back to me. "Your dog... talks!"

"He's not my dog, he's a free-agent. Good poker player too. He gave up human flesh for lent. If I were you, I'd not tempt him."

"Heh. I don't care, I'll take him and you at the same time."

From up on the side of the fuselage came a cry "OY! Yer not thinkin' of leavin' ME out, are ye?" A man in cook's garb stood on the inclined surface of the dirigible, with a spatula the size of a shovel in his hand.

"Damn, this gon' be FUN!" said the giant gleefully. "I'm gon' gets to kill me someon' 'fore the night's over!"

"You like to count your chickens before they're hatched, don't you?" KK was standing near me, with a small cannon pointed at the giant.

"KK!" I nodded at her, "Good to see you... the more the merrier."

"Lights are back on."

"I see that."

The giant looked from me to KK, then interrupted "You know, it ain't fair, you havin' TWO wimmen. And it ain't fair she's got a rifle! I ain't got MAH rifle, I'm a honerable fighter." As an after-thought (if at all), he added "Them ain't mah chickens, they don't look right."

"You can always try to take the gun away from her, 'though I would advise against it. While you're still all in one piece, let me set the record straight... they aren't MY women. They are also free=agents, and they don't really belong to me." I smiled at the last, hoping to break the tension before someone got his neck broke. KK and Deb were snickering, so I figured he was safe for the time being.

"Hey! Don't forget about me!" Am was at the rear cargo hatch, chocolate in one hand and whiskey in her other.

"You got lepercans, too!"

"Again, not "mine", just on loan."

"I'm a guard, you know, and I'm not a leprechaun, I'm just short. And cuddly."

He could have carried her around under his arm and not been terribly inconvenienced, I'm sure.

"Still, I take all three you on."

"Three? How do you figure?"

"Well, I cain't fight no wimmen! What ya think I am!?"

"We don't mind fighting YOU... and I promise not to shoot you much. With 50 calibre, you don't have to shoot much."

He didn't look very happy with the prospect... "I cain't fight no wimmen. If y'all ain't guine fight fair, I ain't fightin'!"


"Just out of curiosity, why not?"

"Wimmen scare me. Especially that one what yelled."