Where did the Arctic Flea come from?

The Arctic Flea was once a normal man. He worked, played, ate and slept like other normal men. He had friends. And it was with one of these friends, on dark and stormy night, that he played a game of space-ships-shooting-things on a Mac LCII. This friend had just finished his turn, and typed into the table of high-scores the name 'Arctic Flea'. The Flea was awe-struck. What a great name... and so much catchier than his current 'game-name' of the Devil in Blue.

Many years later, and the Flea was working for IBM. In the dungeons in which they worked, the creative team (then known as the IMC - a mysterious name from a mysterious past) on occasion played a network game to de-stress after a long day at the grind stone. This game was Unreal Tournament. Or Counter Strike. It depended on the mood at the time. The Flea spotted his chance to steal his closest friend's game-name... he entered into the games arena as Arctic Flea. At first he was hesitant, realising that this was an affront to his friend. But as time wore on, he became less concerned with the morals of the situation. He shamelessly took the name for his own, and thereby became the Arctic Flea.

Still more years later, and people referred to him as Flea. The name had stuck and his friend, upon discovering his plagiarism (as was bound to one day happen), disavowed himself of ever having known the Flea. And so it is, that the tale of the Arctic Flea is one of envy, of thievery, of immoral attitudes, and of vengeance... for lo... the wounded friend has yet to have his moment...