diff --git a/colour.lua b/colour.lua
index ddca2e9..1ee7049 100644
--- a/colour.lua
+++ b/colour.lua
@@ -13,78 +13,48 @@ local colour = {}
 -- hex handling routines
 -- pack and unpack into 24 or 32 bit hex numbers
 
-local ok, bit = pcall(require, "bit")
-if not ok then
-	for _, v in ipairs{
-		"pack_rgb",
-		"unpack_rgb",
-		"pack_argb",
-		"unpack_argb",
-		"pack_rgba",
-		"unpack_rgba",
-	} do
-		colour[v] = function()
-			error(
-				"batteries.colour requires the bit operations module for pack/unpack functionality.\n"
-				.."\tsee https://bitop.luajit.org/\n\n"
-				.."error from require(\"bit\"):\n\n"..bit)
-		end
-	end
-else
-	local band, bor = bit.band, bit.bor
-	local lshift, rshift = bit.lshift, bit.rshift
+local floor = math.floor
 
-	--rgb only (no alpha)
+--rgb only (no alpha)
 
-	function colour.pack_rgb(r, g, b)
-		local br = lshift(band(0xff, r * 255), 16)
-		local bg = lshift(band(0xff, g * 255), 8)
-		local bb = lshift(band(0xff, b * 255), 0)
-		return bor( br, bg, bb )
-	end
+function colour.pack_rgb(r, g, b)
+	local br = floor(0xff * r) % 0x100 * 0x10000
+	local bg = floor(0xff * g) % 0x100 * 0x100
+	local bb = floor(0xff * b) % 0x100
+	return br + bg + bb
+end
 
-	function colour.unpack_rgb(rgb)
-		local r = rshift(band(rgb, 0x00ff0000), 16) / 255
-		local g = rshift(band(rgb, 0x0000ff00), 8)  / 255
-		local b = rshift(band(rgb, 0x000000ff), 0)  / 255
-		return r, g, b
-	end
+function colour.unpack_rgb(rgb)
+	local r = floor(rgb / 0x10000) % 0x100
+	local g = floor(rgb / 0x100) % 0x100
+	local b = floor(rgb) % 0x100
+	return r / 255, g / 255, b / 255
+end
 
-	--argb format (common for shared hex)
+--argb format (common for shared hex)
 
-	function colour.pack_argb(r, g, b, a)
-		local ba = lshift(band(0xff, a * 255), 24)
-		local br = lshift(band(0xff, r * 255), 16)
-		local bg = lshift(band(0xff, g * 255), 8)
-		local bb = lshift(band(0xff, b * 255), 0)
-		return bor( br, bg, bb, ba )
-	end
+function colour.pack_argb(r, g, b, a)
+	local ba = floor(0xff * a) % 0x100 * 0x1000000
+	return colour.pack_rgb(r, g, b) + ba
+end
 
-	function colour.unpack_argb(argb)
-		local r = rshift(band(argb, 0x00ff0000), 16) / 255
-		local g = rshift(band(argb, 0x0000ff00), 8)  / 255
-		local b = rshift(band(argb, 0x000000ff), 0)  / 255
-		local a = rshift(band(argb, 0xff000000), 24) / 255
-		return r, g, b, a
-	end
+function colour.unpack_argb(argb)
+	local r, g, b = colour.unpack_rgb(argb)
+	local a = floor(argb / 0x1000000) % 0x100
+	return r, g, b, a / 255
+end
 
-	--rgba format
+--rgba format
 
-	function colour.pack_rgba(r, g, b, a)
-		local br = lshift(band(0xff, r * 255), 24)
-		local bg = lshift(band(0xff, g * 255), 16)
-		local bb = lshift(band(0xff, b * 255), 8)
-		local ba = lshift(band(0xff, a * 255), 0)
-		return bor( br, bg, bb, ba )
-	end
+function colour.pack_rgba(r, g, b, a)
+	local ba = floor(0xff * a) % 0x100
+	return colour.pack_rgb(r, g, b) * 0x100 + ba
+end
 
-	function colour.unpack_rgba(rgba)
-		local r = rshift(band(rgba, 0xff000000), 24) / 255
-		local g = rshift(band(rgba, 0x00ff0000), 16) / 255
-		local b = rshift(band(rgba, 0x0000ff00), 8)  / 255
-		local a = rshift(band(rgba, 0x000000ff), 0)  / 255
-		return r, g, b, a
-	end
+function colour.unpack_rgba(rgba)
+	local r, g, b = colour.unpack_rgb(floor(rgba / 0x100))
+	local a = floor(rgba) % 0x100
+	return r, g, b, a
 end