Ninurta had gained the relative freedom of the airfield - "relative" being defined by the fact that he was outside the wire rather than confined within it. He of course had no idea which way to go from there, but that, too, was relative. Nin had not the foggiest idea of where or when he was, and when one does not know his own location, one location is as good as any other... one never had to make the decision to go right or left, because both were equally unknown, just like the path behind him.
In other words, "wherever you are, be there". Wherever Ninurta was, there he was, and under the circumstances one "there" was much the same as any other "there" - which included potential destinations. Ninurta jogged left and tossed another grenade set for 5 seconds or so under an aircraft that looked like it might be more or less airworthy. He didn't need any airborne pursuit... and he jogged on.
It was just after he passed the doomed aircraft that he realized he WAS the subject of an airborne pursuit already, and what a pursuit it was. The pursuing machine was a sight to behold, looking like a giant metallic chestnut burr. That, by itself, would be enough to excite a bit of curiosity, and indeed some of the denizens of the mining camp WERE halted, gaping at the flying machine... but there was more.
MUCH more.
Dangling from a hatch in the side of the machine was an apparition that would inhabit many a nightmare this night for the inhabitants of this corner of the Tetula system. A being in a short red dress dangled and flailed, but flailed with a purpose it appeared. The skirt on the red dress had succumbed to gravity's spell and hung down from the being's waist - but "down" would have been "up" if the individual had been upright, which he wasn't... and it was very clearly a "he", for all the world to behold. The flailing about had allowed gravity to also free one of "his" upper-story assets from it's restricting superstructure, and that flailed about, too - although it created a dichotomy in the average mind that screamed "I've gone insane!" in the perceptions of average folk. It was a good thing Ninurta was not average folk.
It was hard not to recognize BIAD in that state of affairs. Ninurta felt a sense of guarded relief. He was happy to see his old friend BIAD, but usually, meeting up with him presaged an "adventure", which was the cause of the guarded part of the relief. "Adventures" that involved BIAD and Ninurta tended towards the... intense.
The singular reason BIAD was dangling and flailing from the machine was... Mucklebones. It was hard to miss her, for she had a firm grasp on BIAD's ankles, hence the dangling, and in order to brace herself so that she was not dangling too, Muckles had firmly planted one foot on each side of the hatch, against the bulkheads on either side.
That sight was bad enough, adding in BIAD's state of wardrobe malfunction, but to top things off the backdraft blowing across the hatch had flung Mucklebones' poncho over her right shoulder, leaving not much guesswork as to her gender at all. There was a bit of flailing and flopping going on there, too. Having both her hands tied up in preventing BIAD from doing a face-plant from the vehicle, and both feet planted to brace herself, left no appendages free to rearrange her clothes - not that it bothered Muckles very much. She was just that way, gave nary a shit but generally took a perverse pleasure in the shock value of her actions or inactions.
The sight was doubtless the inspiration for the Sheela na Gigs of the British Isles on old Earth.
Ninurta mended his pace and destination towards the prickly craft. He had to do something, or Sheela na Gigs would start popping up all over the Tetula System in commemoration of the event.
.
In other words, "wherever you are, be there". Wherever Ninurta was, there he was, and under the circumstances one "there" was much the same as any other "there" - which included potential destinations. Ninurta jogged left and tossed another grenade set for 5 seconds or so under an aircraft that looked like it might be more or less airworthy. He didn't need any airborne pursuit... and he jogged on.
It was just after he passed the doomed aircraft that he realized he WAS the subject of an airborne pursuit already, and what a pursuit it was. The pursuing machine was a sight to behold, looking like a giant metallic chestnut burr. That, by itself, would be enough to excite a bit of curiosity, and indeed some of the denizens of the mining camp WERE halted, gaping at the flying machine... but there was more.
MUCH more.
Dangling from a hatch in the side of the machine was an apparition that would inhabit many a nightmare this night for the inhabitants of this corner of the Tetula system. A being in a short red dress dangled and flailed, but flailed with a purpose it appeared. The skirt on the red dress had succumbed to gravity's spell and hung down from the being's waist - but "down" would have been "up" if the individual had been upright, which he wasn't... and it was very clearly a "he", for all the world to behold. The flailing about had allowed gravity to also free one of "his" upper-story assets from it's restricting superstructure, and that flailed about, too - although it created a dichotomy in the average mind that screamed "I've gone insane!" in the perceptions of average folk. It was a good thing Ninurta was not average folk.
It was hard not to recognize BIAD in that state of affairs. Ninurta felt a sense of guarded relief. He was happy to see his old friend BIAD, but usually, meeting up with him presaged an "adventure", which was the cause of the guarded part of the relief. "Adventures" that involved BIAD and Ninurta tended towards the... intense.
The singular reason BIAD was dangling and flailing from the machine was... Mucklebones. It was hard to miss her, for she had a firm grasp on BIAD's ankles, hence the dangling, and in order to brace herself so that she was not dangling too, Muckles had firmly planted one foot on each side of the hatch, against the bulkheads on either side.
That sight was bad enough, adding in BIAD's state of wardrobe malfunction, but to top things off the backdraft blowing across the hatch had flung Mucklebones' poncho over her right shoulder, leaving not much guesswork as to her gender at all. There was a bit of flailing and flopping going on there, too. Having both her hands tied up in preventing BIAD from doing a face-plant from the vehicle, and both feet planted to brace herself, left no appendages free to rearrange her clothes - not that it bothered Muckles very much. She was just that way, gave nary a shit but generally took a perverse pleasure in the shock value of her actions or inactions.
The sight was doubtless the inspiration for the Sheela na Gigs of the British Isles on old Earth.
Ninurta mended his pace and destination towards the prickly craft. He had to do something, or Sheela na Gigs would start popping up all over the Tetula System in commemoration of the event.
.
Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king.
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’