Ptichka involved a LOT more risk for the folks waving it, because it was an actual space-program vessel and drew a lot more attention as they were in the process of working on it.
All of the crew working on Pegasus were minors and would likely have gotten off with a slap on the wrist, unless they chose to try the ringleader as an adult. If the Feds had caught the proto-VVS, they would have been looking at time in Leavenworth or Guantanamo Bay.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''
-- James Nicoll
All of the crew working on Pegasus were minors and would likely have gotten off with a slap on the wrist, unless they chose to try the ringleader as an adult. If the Feds had caught the proto-VVS, they would have been looking at time in Leavenworth or Guantanamo Bay.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''
-- James Nicoll