Yep... back from my vacation, and yes I did get to spend some time visiting with everyone's most hated Saborlion...in fact, I'm
writting about it. Enjoy, and it's great to be back.
Viva Las Vegas
A Chanur Vs. Thunderwolf riff.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? This is you pilot speaking and we are beginning our final decent into the
Las Vegas valley. Please make sure your tray tables are stowed, and you seats are in their full, upright position. The current time is
11:10 Pm and the current temperature is 74 degrees with a light south wind. We hope you enjoy your stay and wish you good luck at the
tables."
The hani straightened up, pausing for a final glance outside at the onrushing lights of the Las Vegas strip. He'd planned the trip
from Tcatgr for some time now, with most of his time gathering enough money to take to the tables with him. He shook his head, the rings
chiming softly. All was going to be perfect this time, he knew it. A vacation, finally. The wheels slammed down, jarring him in the seat
and Nakur winced, positive had he been at the controls, the landing would have been much smother. Well, that's what you get for flying a
budget airline. His stomach growled, also remembering the other consequences of flying the cheapest way. The "Snack" they'd served
was small. Very small. In fact, the first time they'd set it down in front of him, he'd sneezed and it had flown across the cabin. Well,
no matter. He was here! In the land of the endless buffet, the 24 hour coffee shop the….
Land of Thunderwolf.
Oh, shit.
That too, he reminded himself of, as the plane taxied into the terminal. The saborlion had moved out here about a year before,
claiming he needed the space. Well, moved perhaps wasn't quite the right word.More like banished. The other Thundercats had determined
that if they couldn't kill him, at least they could get him as far as possible from them. Not that it worked all the time, but at least now
they had some advance warning. As the plane powered down and the front door opened, Nakur caught himself sniffing the air, trying to
catch the least whiff of unwashed Saborlion. After all, the lion wasn't a mind reader, there was no way to know he was here,
"CHANUR!!!" The hani paused, looking up the jet way, a momentary stab of fear slicing into his heart. Oh, please no, he
thought to himself, his feet caring him foreword even as his brain was trying to escape through his feet. The only one I told I was
coming out here was….. Spark.
Of course, Nakur sighed, she told him just so she could watch the chaos in her pool. Cursing inwardly, the hani gave the finger in
the general direction of Mexico and stepped off the end of the ramp into the waiting clutches of the saborlion.
"I got the booze right here, hani. Say goodbye to your few remaining brain cells, it's not like you use them anyway!" Bellowed
Thunderwolf, mace slung over his shoulder.
This is going to be a long week.
**********************************************************************
"Goddamit, they sure don't make it easy to pick up your bags here, do they?" Thunderwolf bellowed, the alcohol fumes enough to
light on their own. "What the fuck did yours look like anyway?"
Behind him a group of nuns fell over, either from the fumes or the language, the hani couldn't tell. The ground was already slick with
the blood of one passenger who'd taken offence at Thunderwolf pushing his way forward to the baggage claim.
"The blue one that doesn't have any marks…"
CRUNCH! Thunderwolf brought up the suitcase, now impaled on the edge of his mace. "This one right?"
"Um….yeah. That's the one." Answered Chanur, already wondering just where in Vegas he was going to find someone who could
replace the breaches inside. Good thing he traveled light. He followed the saborlion toward the exit, pausing at a nearby slot
machine. The lion stopped as well, looking back at the hani.
"Aw, shit, Chanur. You going to play that damn thing?"
"Naw, we just need some quarters to feed the parking meter outside. You did bring something to pick me up in, right?"
"Hell, yes." Thunderwolf beamed. "We're going in style. Ripped off the Thundertank while Panthro wasn't paying attention."
The hani winced again. The lion stepped up, and pulled Chanur's suitcase off of the mace. "Don't bother getting change, I'll take
care of it." And with that he swung the mace, the thundrainum spikes connecting with the slot glass, hopper and electronic circuitry
inside.
"Jackpot!"
"You do realize," Chanur muttered as quarters, glass shards and other assorted debris fell around the pair, "that tampering with
a gamming devise here in Nevada is a felony, right?" Thunderwolf pointed at the panicked people running behind them.
"Just one more to add to the list. They aren't going to do anything about it. Now, get your fucking quarters and let's get out
of here. This place makes me itch. Don't know why you bother, it ain't like I'm gonna pay the meter anyway." The reached the short
term parking area. Indeed, thought the hani. The parking meter in front of the `tank had been bent flat by the lion's method of
parking. That wouldn't be so bad, if the entire row wasn't the same way.
"Remind me never to let you drive anything I own." The hani muttered, looking at all the twisted poles down the row. "You still
can't park worth a damn."
"Fuck you, the `tank can take it." The saber growled, leaping over the windshield and tossing the now near shredded bag into the
back . "Hard to believe such an awesome piece of machinery can be built by such a pussy as Panthro."
Chanur glanced back at the mangled piece of metal that prior to his arrival had been an innocent parking meter. "What do I do with
the quarters?"
"Shove `em up your ass. I tell you, hani. This is going to be a GREAT vacation!"
If I live that long, thought the hani as he leapt into the tank himself.
**********************************************************************
"Where we staying at anyway, hani?" Thunderwolf asked, pausing just long enough to pop another beer and a CD into the
player. Beside them, limo windows blew out from the base. Chanur screwed his ears down tight.
"Does that have to be so loud?"
` "What?"
"I said, does it have to be so loud?"
"I can't hear you cause I got it up so loud! Say what?"
Chanur jumped up on the seat and screamed, "I said, Does it have…" And at that, the lion turned down the music. "TO BE SO FUCKING
LOUD??????" Beside them, a family of four in a minivan stared at the hani in shock, the mother covering the children's ears. Chanur
blushed so fast the inside of his ears turned beet red. Thunderwolf grinned.
"Just like a hani, to be the cause of trouble, wherever he goes."
"Shut up, Thunderwolf." Nakur muttered as the light turned green and the minivan floored it. Thunderwolf reached up and yanked
the feline back into the seat. "The Tropicana, lion. That's where we're staying."
Thunderwolf moved back into traffic, pushing a taxicab out of the way as he did so, the occupants cries becoming muffled as the
tank drove on. "Huh," he mused. "Never trashed a room there before."
Chanur locked eyes with the saborlion. "Don't you even think about it, asshole. You are not trashing my hotel room.'
Thunderwolf looked over at the anxious hani. "You came to town to gamble. Let's bet on it."
"No way in a Mahan hell." Returned Chanur as they pulled into the hotel driveway. A couple of admiring glances from the hotel
valets as the lion hopped out, and not all of them were directed at the `tank.
Like it or not, Nakur thought to himself, the guy's got style. Well, if he can do it… Chanur leapt out of the tank, just like the lion.
And promptly fell flat on his face, much to the amusement of the passers-by.
"Oh, yeah." Mumbled the hani as her picked himself up, "This is going to be a great week." The Saborlion was already gone. Shit….
Shouldn't be too hard to find, just follow the sound of breaking glass and cries of pain.