EPISODE CCXXIV - SKOOCHING ACROSS THE CARPET WITH FIDO




Pu' Chabba simply nodded his head in acknowledgement, hiding his surprise at finding one of the fabled Wyzenhumans standing before him.  He was beginning to wish he'd turned down the Wyzenhymer's offer, and simply made off with the partial fee he'd already received.  His silence must have unnerved the the alien hybrid, for he began studying the bounty hunter's ship with poorly feigned interest.

"Nice ship you have there", Slile observed.  "Go a lot of antennas and stuff."

"Mph wph", Pu' Chabba replied.

Slile cocked his head, clearly confused.  "I don't think I'm familiar with that particular dialect."

Pu' Chabba irritably undid the clasps on his trademark helmet.  "I said 'thank you'."  He tucked the headgear into the crook of his arm.  "I call her the Spastic Cheese."

"Nice name", Slile said, running an inexpert hand over what he assumed was an engine.  "Is he fast."

"She made the Parcep Run in twelve Kessles", the bounty hunter remarked, clearly offended.  "She's fast enough, old man."

"Who are you calling 'old man'?", the Chancellor demanded.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir", Pu' Chabba answered hastily.  "It just seemed like the appropriate thing to say."

Slile gave the bounty hunter a practiced scowl.  "Perhaps you should think before you speak."

Pu' Chabba took three steps down the ramp and grabbed the Wyzenhuman roughly by the lapels.  "And maybe you should shut you sploogus-hole, freak!!"

He hauled back his meaty, gauntleted fist, preparing to deliver a debilitating punch, when he was seized roughly from behind and tossed unceremoniously against his ship.

The bounty hunter felt blood trickle down the side of his face as he swung around to confront his attacker, but there was no one there.  Sure, Slile lay unconscious on the floor, having feinted when Pu' Chabba grabbed him, but he was otherwise alone.

"Very impressive", a low, hollow voice resonated from every corner of the docking bay.  "Very impressive, indeed."

From the corner of his eye, Pu' Chabba caught sight of a dark figure emerging from the still darker shadows beyond his ship.

"You fight well", Sky Marshal Wincus breathed, seemingly amused by the confrontation.  "However", he continued, his voice turning Pu' Chabba's bowels to water, "your strength is no match for...The Hooch."