Part 1: The Scrap Yards, Dave and Donny

Boss Dave

Donny

The Scrap Yards are vast. And deep in the Scrap Yards, somewhere between Crushers and the Rad Lakes, you'll find Dave's gang. Well, they'll probably find you. And nick your shoes. And probably kill you. But that's where they are. Slowly migrating through the debris. Sifting, scrounging, collecting and stashing. And right now, if you were to zoom in through the ash clouds and rising fumes, and a little way out from the rest of the gang, you'd see Dave (Boss Dave. Sometimes Big Hand Dave), sitting on a box and trying to dig something out of his foot, when a concerned looking Donny walks onto the scene.

"Hey Donny, how's tricks?" asked Dave, working away at his foot.

"Oh, hey, boss. Didn't see you there. Yeah, not bad. You?"

"All good mate. Apart from my bloody foot. What brings you over here?"

"Nothing much," replied Donny, waving something around in the dark with a swishing sound. "Just needed to have a bit of a think."

Dave half smiled at that, attention still on his foot. "That's not like you, mate. Thinking."

"Hah, yeah," Donny chuckled. And after a pause, "it's just I was sneaking around near the Van Saar camp we're raiding tonight .."

Still digging away, Dave's lips peeled back, revealing a bunch of fangs. "Those boys strayed too far from home," he muttered.

.. and I noticed they have this fancy new gear."

"That so?" asked Dave.

"Yeah, one of them even has some kind of energy shield."

"Well, Van Saar are always poncing about with fancy gear. Nothing new there."

"I know that, boss," said Donny, his words taking on a more urgent tone and starting to tumble over each other, and all the while swinging something around in the dark, "it's just we don't have anything new! Same old stuff. And they've got these radiation guns and plasma up the ying yang and .."

.. and with that Dave looked up from his foot for the first time and met Donny's gaze. And the Scrap Yards went quiet.


....


"Come over here, mate. In the light where I can see you."

Donny slowly scuffed his way over, hands behind his back.

"What's that you've got there?" Dave asked. "Behind your back. The thing you've been waving around."

Looking embarrassed now, "it's nothing boss, just something I made."

"Show me."

Donny held out his stick. "It's just a sharp stick."

"We can both see that's not just a sharp stick," said Dave, trying to hold back a grin.

"Well no," said Donny. "I covered it in shit."

"Yeah you did. And you made that. Looks pretty new to me."

"Yeah, I guess, it's just .."

"Sit down next to me, Donny" Dave interrupted, shifting over to one side and waiting for Donny to hop up.

"I've been doing this for more years than anyone has any right to. And trust me when I tell you this - there is nothing more terrifying on this world, or on any other, than a Scavvy armed with a shitty stick."

"Yeah?" asked Donny, looking at the creation in his hand.

"I know so, mate. I'm terrified just sitting next to it. You bring it to the fight tonight and I guarantee the Van Saar with the shield will soil his damn amour when he sees you coming."

"Haha, you reckon?!"

"I reckon, mate!"

And with that Donny pushed himself off the box and started swinging his stick around, foulness flying in all directions. This lasted a little while, both of them grinning like idiots.

"Cheers, boss!" beamed Donny. "I'm going to go back and hang out with the guys now."

"No worries, mate. Anytime."

Dave turned his attention back to his foot and before Donny disappeared completely into the dark and without looking up, "bring your gun along tonight anyways, Donny. You know, just in case"

"Right you are, boss."