The clamor of footfalls through the corridors of the worst parts of the station wasn't anything new. Zack was used to that. People had all kinds of reasons to want the hell out of Down Below and he wasn't the kind to argue about it. This, though- this was different. Mostly because the first runner had all but flattened him coming around a corner, and had bolted off in a flash of- well- he wasn't sure what the guy had on, but it looked suspiciously like leather and metal. That kind of thing wasn't too common in these parts. By the time Zack had managed to pick himself up off the floor, the sonofabitch was long gone, and not a clue was left to which way he'd taken.
Of course, there was the other set of footfalls. The one coming his way at top speed. Silently, he drew his PPG and flattened himself against the wall. Come on, you, he thought. Just try it, go on, I dare you.
They were getting nearer- the footfalls, and a weird mix of jingling and creaking noises that didn't match with any sort of machinery Zack could think of. Still, he grinned. As the humaniform shape darted past he stepped out, PPG first, and yelled, "Yo! Hold it right there!"
The figure stopped, turned; it was human. Dressed very, very strangely, but human. Zack sure as hell didn't remember any of the alien races on B5 smoking cigars, or making quite that sort of face. "Put that thing down, you bloody git," the man said with an air of deep disgust. "You're interrupting a hot pursuit."
"Ah- hate to break it to you, buddy, but if anyone around here's gonna be pursuing, it's me." Zack jerked his chin towards the logo on his uniform. "Zack Allen. Babylon 5's Chief of Security. Who the hell are you?"
The man- was that chain mail he was wearing? He looked like a museum piece!- rolled his eyes. Covering his face with one hand briefly, he finally said, "Samuel Vimes, Commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch."
"The wha- ?"
"I am going to murder those bloody wizards," Vimes growled to no one in particular. "You didn't see a man go running through here oh, about two minutes ago, did you? Fellow about your height, leather jerkin, half a brass hippo under one arm?"
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Of course, there was the other set of footfalls. The one coming his way at top speed. Silently, he drew his PPG and flattened himself against the wall. Come on, you, he thought. Just try it, go on, I dare you.
They were getting nearer- the footfalls, and a weird mix of jingling and creaking noises that didn't match with any sort of machinery Zack could think of. Still, he grinned. As the humaniform shape darted past he stepped out, PPG first, and yelled, "Yo! Hold it right there!"
The figure stopped, turned; it was human. Dressed very, very strangely, but human. Zack sure as hell didn't remember any of the alien races on B5 smoking cigars, or making quite that sort of face. "Put that thing down, you bloody git," the man said with an air of deep disgust. "You're interrupting a hot pursuit."
"Ah- hate to break it to you, buddy, but if anyone around here's gonna be pursuing, it's me." Zack jerked his chin towards the logo on his uniform. "Zack Allen. Babylon 5's Chief of Security. Who the hell are you?"
The man- was that chain mail he was wearing? He looked like a museum piece!- rolled his eyes. Covering his face with one hand briefly, he finally said, "Samuel Vimes, Commander of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch."
"The wha- ?"
"I am going to murder those bloody wizards," Vimes growled to no one in particular. "You didn't see a man go running through here oh, about two minutes ago, did you? Fellow about your height, leather jerkin, half a brass hippo under one arm?"
"I. . . maybe?"