Part 2: Spike, Moobs and Big Lennie

Spike

Moobs

Big Lennie

Spike was on patrol, which is Scavvy for scrounging or stealing stuff.

"Hey Spike," said Moobs, jogging to catch up and falling into stride.

"Watcha Moobs. You good? Hell of a scrap last night."

"Sure was, mate." Moobs took a deep drag on a rollie and offered it over. "You see Donny and that poor sod with the shield?"

"Yeah," said Spike, taking the rollie with his weirdly long blue fingers. "Hell of a way to go that. Might have won us the fight, you know."

"Haha yup," Moobs laughed. "They totally bottled it. All started retching and puking - like they never seen someone get shit sticked before! And Donny afterwards. Gods, you never seen someone looking so proud. The way he turned round to make sure we'd all seen it, big dumb grin on his face!"

Spike smiled, nodding. "He's a sweet kid that one. Proper Scavvy." And handed back the rollie.

They walked on for a while in a comfortable silence. The kind of comfortable you only get with someone you'd grown up with. And fought with. And Spike and Moobs had been fighting and surviving together for as long as they could remember. As kids, in the unnaturally long winters caused by the smog that blocked out the sun millennia ago, they'd slept in the boots of old cars together to keep warm (not easy when one of you is covered in 10 inch spikes!).

"Shame about Big Lennie, though." said Moobs, shaking his head and breaking the quiet.

"Why, what happened? I was over on the other side."

"Well, you had to see it to believe it, Spike. This Van Saar, with the BIGGEST plasma gun you ever seen, popped out from behind a wall, fired off a shot, and scarpered back behind cover. All in the blink of an eye."

Spike frowned. "Not very sporting."

"Not sporting at all, mate." Moobs agreed. "Nuffin' anyone could do about it."

"And he got Lennie?"

"Yup," replied Moobs, spitting out the bad taste. "Totally one-shotted him. All that was left was his boots and a puddle."

"Gods," Spike breathed, taking a moment to digest things. "You all start fighting for his boots?"

"Damn right. Good pair of boots." Moobs held out a leg for inspection. "I got one of 'em."

"Hah good work, mate."

Moobs handed him back the rollie as they turned a corner and started down an alley way of ancient speeders and rusting kitchen ware.

"See, it's what I always say," Said Spike. "There's good that comes out of every bad."

Moobs grinned and carefully - that lesson was learned long ago - clapped Spike on the back.

"That's why I like you, mate. Always looking on the bright side."