Cyberpunk: Asuka Vektor

The scrapyard in Watson had become a bit of a regular hangout for Asuka. She didn't mind lending Judy a hand with the firetruck. Today, the sun was setting slowly over the heaps of rusted metal, casting long shadows as they worked, and the air was filled with the metallic scent of old machinery. Judy had been tinkering with the engine, grumbling about some part that wouldn’t budge, when Asuka stepped in.

"Let me get that, kid," Asuka said, giving Judy a confident smirk. She grabbed the heavy metal part, lifting it with ease thanks to her cybernetic arms. The glow from her pink chrome glinted in the fading sunlight, her strength on full display.

"Yeah, yeah, show-off," Judy muttered, though her eyes kept drifting toward Asuka whenever she thought she wouldn’t be caught. It was hard not to—Asuka’s figure, highlighted by her tight, pink, revealing clothes, seemed to be designed to draw attention. Her hips, her bust, the confidence she carried—it was all... distracting. Judy tried to focus on her work, but her gaze kept sneaking back to Asuka when she wasn't looking.

Asuka, oblivious to Judy’s stolen glances, continued to help with the heavier work, tossing aside old parts and clearing the way.

Two Maelstrom gangoons stepped in the scrapyard their chrome reflecting the fading light. They had that unmistakable look—wired, faces half-covered in metal, eyes glowing with that eerie red light. One of them, a lanky guy with more implants than skin, sneered at the sight of Asuka and Judy.

“Hey, what do we have here?” the Maelstrom ganger called out, his voice rough, almost mocking. He looked at Judy, then at Asuka, his gaze lingering over her outfit and cyberware. “A little kid and... what, some kind of joytoy? You lost or somethin’, sweetheart?”

The other ganger laughed, stepping forward as if they had just found easy prey. “Yeah, what you doin’ out here with all that chrome, huh? You lookin' to lose it?”

Judy stiffened, glancing nervously at Asuka, but Asuka didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. Instead, she slowly straightened up, a wicked smile playing on her lips. “A joytoy, huh? You sure about that?”

She stepped forward, her stance suddenly shifting—more menacing, more controlled. The soft snikt of her Mantis Blades extending from her arms cut through the scrapyard air, the gleaming blades catching the light, their razor-sharp edges reflecting the pink hue of her chrome. Asuka’s eyes narrowed, her voice taking on a deadly edge. “You two think you’re gonna get anything from us? I’d think twice if I were you.”

The Maelstrom gangoons took a step back, their grins faltering, replaced by a look of realization—and fear. The blades, the confidence, the sheer readiness in Asuka’s eyes—it wasn’t what they had expected at all. They had thought they were dealing with some weak street kid and her escort, not a fully-chromed-out edgerunner.

“Shit,” the lanky ganger muttered, his glowing eyes wide. He nudged his partner, both of them starting to backpedal, the bravado quickly draining from their faces. “Yeah, uh, maybe we should... find somewhere else to be.”

“Yeah, you do that,” Asuka said, her voice cold, her eyes locked on them as they turned and hurried off, the clank of their boots fading into the distance.

Once they were out of sight, Asuka retracted her Mantis Blades with another soft snikt, turning back to Judy with a casual grin as if nothing had happened. “See? No big deal. Not even worth the energy to mess ‘em up.”

Judy let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, trying to shake off the nerves. “Damn, Asuka... You really scared them off.”

Asuka shrugged, flexing her arms playfully. “What can I say? I’m good at what I do.” She shot Judy a wink. “Plus, nobody’s messin’ with you while I’m around, alright?”

Judy couldn’t help but smile, her gaze lingering on Asuka again, but this time it was out of a mix of admiration and something else she couldn’t quite place. “Yeah... I guess that’s one of the perks of having you around.”

Asuka gave her a quick pat on the shoulder before turning back to the firetruck, her tone playful. “Now, come on, let’s get back to this junker. We’ve still got work to do, and I’m not letting a couple of half-wit gangoons ruin our day.”

As they continued working on the fire truck, Asuka wiped some grease off her pink chrome arm, her curiosity finally getting the better of her. She glanced over at Judy, who was busy tinkering with some wiring, her face focused and determined.

“Hey, Judy,” Asuka said, her tone casual but with a hint of curiosity, “why are you letting this fire truck just stay out here in the scrapyard? I mean, aren’t you worried someone’s gonna come by and wreck it or klep it when we’re not around?”

Judy paused for a moment, glancing up at Asuka with a small smile. “Nah, no worries about that,” she said, shaking her head. “The owner of the scrapyard is actually an old friend of my grandpa’s. He’s the one who gave it to me, kind of as a gift. I guess he knew it was just gonna sit here and rust away otherwise, so he said I could have it.”

Asuka raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed. “A gift, huh? That’s pretty nice of him. You must’ve made a hell of an impression for him to just give you a firetruck like that.”

Judy shrugged, her smile turning a little nostalgic as she focused back on the wires. “I dunno, I guess he saw how much I liked messing around with stuff like this. I used to come by here with my grandpa all the time when I was a kid, and I’d always end up poking around the scrap. He’d let me take little bits and pieces home to play with. When this old thing rolled in, he said it was mine if I wanted it.”

Asuka smiled at that, leaning against the truck and crossing her arms. “That’s pretty preem. Not a lot of people in Night City who’d do something like that, y’know? Seems like you lucked out.”

Judy nodded, her expression softening as she looked at the fire truck, her fingers running along the edge of the frame. “Yeah, I know. It’s... kinda nice, you know? Having something like this that I can work on. Most people here are just trying to survive, but this... this is something for me, something I get to build, piece by piece. It makes me feel like I’m actually making something that matters.”

Asuka could feel the sincerity in Judy’s voice, and she smiled. “I get that, kid. It’s good to have something that’s yours—something that makes you feel like you’re building, not just tearing things down all the time.”

Judy glanced at Asuka, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Exactly. And, I guess, it helps to have someone like you around to help me with all the heavy lifting.”

Asuka laughed, giving her a playful nudge. “Hey, that’s what friends are for, right? Plus, it’s kinda fun getting my hands dirty now and then. Not everything’s about chrome and gigs.”

Judy nodded, her smile growing as she looked back at the truck. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks, Asuka. It means a lot that you’re here.”

Asuka gave her a wink, her voice full of warmth. “No problem, Judy. We’ll get this thing running one day, and when we do, we’ll take it out for a spin—show this city what we’re made of.”

Judy’s eyes lit up at that, the thought of cruising through Night City in their very own fire truck sparking something inside her. “Yeah, I’d like that,” she said softly, her determination renewed.

Asuka pulled up outside Judy's apartment complex, her Yaiba Kusanagi purring softly as she came to a stop. Judy climbed off the bike, giving Asuka a quick smile before glancing toward the building. Standing outside, leaning against the wall, was an older man—Judy's grandpa. He looked up as they approached, his eyes narrowing slightly before softening at the sight of his granddaughter.

“Hey, Grandpa!” Judy called, waving as she made her way over.

The older man nodded, his eyes shifting to Asuka, appraising her carefully. His expression was stern, the kind of look that said he’d seen a lot of things in his time. Asuka got off the bike and approached, her demeanor relaxed but respectful, knowing when to read the room.

“Evening, sir,” Asuka said, nodding at him. She glanced at Judy, then back at her grandpa, a slight grin on her lips. “You’re not worried about your granddaughter getting into trouble, hanging out with someone like me?”

The old man gave her a long look, his gaze flicking briefly over Asuka’s pink chrome, the tight outfit, and then back to her face. He was quiet for a moment before he finally spoke, his voice rough but with a hint of warmth. “I know who you are, girl. Viktor Vektor’s daughter, right?”

Asuka’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, and she nodded. “Yeah, that’s me. You know my dad?”

The old man let out a dry chuckle, nodding slowly. “Oh, I know Vik. We go way back. Used to drink together and even now. He’s a good man—one of the best ripperdocs in Night City.”

He looked her up and down again, his gaze a little softer this time. “So no, I’m not worried about my Judy here getting into trouble with you. If you’re Viktor’s daughter, then I know you’ve got more sense than some gonk scav. Vik always talked about raising you right, even in this damned city.”

Asuka felt a warmth in her chest at that. The corners of her lips lifted into a genuine smile, her usual cocky grin replaced by something a little softer. “Thanks, old man. Means a lot, really. I try my best, y’know? I mean, it’s Night City, but I still try to keep it on the level.”

Judy’s grandpa nodded, his gaze shifting to Judy. “And you, kiddo, I know you’ve got big dreams and all, but just remember—this place doesn’t care if you live or die. You stick close to people like her, you hear me? People who know how to keep you safe.”

Judy smiled at her grandpa, rolling her eyes a little but with clear affection. “Yeah, yeah, Grandpa. I know. Asuka’s got my back.”

Asuka nodded, reaching out to give Judy’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Always. You’ve got nothing to worry about. I’ll make sure she’s safe, no matter what.”

Judy’s grandpa gave a small smile, tipping his head toward Asuka. “Good. You take care of yourself, girl. And tell Vik I said hi.”

Asuka gave him a nod, a smile tugging at her lips. “I will. Take care, sir.”

With that, Asuka climbed back onto her Yaiba, giving Judy a quick wink before revving the engine. “I’ll see you later, kid. Keep working on that fire truck, alright? We’re gonna get that thing running eventually.”

Judy nodded, her eyes shining with determination. “You got it, Asuka. Drive safe.”

As Asuka sped off from Judy's apartment, the neon lights of Night City flashing by, she felt the wind whipping through her hair, the pulse of the city alive beneath her wheels. It was only a few moments into her ride when her HUD lit up, and the familiar ringtone of an incoming call played in her head. The name flashed across her vision—Vik.

Without missing a beat, she answered, mentally connecting to the call. “Hey, Dad, what’s up?”

Vik's voice came through, steady and comforting as always. “Hey, kiddo. I’ve got some good news for you. Remember those cyberlungs you wanted? Well, I managed to get my hands on some preem ones—top quality, enhanced filtration, extra stamina, better durability.”

Asuka’s face lit up with excitement, her heart picking up pace. “No way! You actually got them?” She couldn’t help but grin, twisting the throttle slightly as her excitement translated into speed. “You’re the best, Dad. Seriously. When can I come by to get them chipped in?”

Vik chuckled on the other end. “Easy there, Asuka. I know you’re eager, but you’ve been pushing yourself a lot lately. How about tomorrow morning? I’ll prep the clinic tonight, and we’ll have you breathing better than ever before lunch.”

Asuka couldn’t wipe the smile from her face, the thrill of another upgrade setting in. “Tomorrow morning works for me. I can’t wait. Honestly, Dad, I owe you one.”