Cyberpunk: Asuka Vektor

After what felt like an eternity in the Badlands, Asuka and Jackie finally rode back towards the bright lights of Night City. A full month of eating sand, sweating under the relentless sun, and dodging the occasional ambush from Raffen Shiv had been more than enough for both of them. The open expanse of the Badlands might have been freeing at first, but the endless dust and the lack of action had gotten old quickly.

The place they stayed in was arranged by Wakako with the help of Dakota Smith, one of the more reliable fixers in the Badlands. The setup had been adequate—comfortable, if you didn’t mind the constant grit of sand in your teeth. But for Asuka and Jackie, it had been boring. The kind of boredom that led to long races across desert highways, skidding across dunes for the hell of it, and occasionally fighting off Raffen Shiv that decided two flashy mercs were worth the trouble. They could never risk staying in any of the nomad camps either—Jackie and Asuka had been "too hot." Word of the corporate hunt for them had reached even out here, and no one wanted to deal with potential fallout from a major corporation’s wrath.

It wasn’t all bad—Jackie had kept her spirits up, constantly talking about their eventual return to Night City, about the things they would do, the gigs they would pick up. He kept her sane with his jokes, his stories about growing up in Heywood, and all the dreams he still had of becoming someone in the city. Asuka, in turn, had tried to make the best of it—tuning her Yaiba, practicing her mantis blades against the dummies she had set up in the sand, and sometimes even racing Jackie just to feel some kind of adrenaline rush.

Eventually, the news had come through. The corporation the target had worked for—the one trying to enter Night City—had decided the city wasn’t worth the effort. They had been scared off by the united front of Arasaka and Militech—two giants that didn’t like outsiders messing with their turf. And in a strange twist of irony, it had turned out that both Arasaka and Militech had hired Wakako Okada to get rid of the guy in the first place, and she, in turn, had hired Asuka and Jackie to do the dirty work.

It was almost funny—Asuka had spent a month hiding from the very corporations that had set the hit in motion. Now that the corporation was backing off, there was no more reason for her and Jackie to stay in the dust. They could finally return to the city, and as Wakako had mentioned in her message to them, they could even boast about the job—though perhaps not too loudly, and only in certain circles.
Asuka and Jackie rode through the edge of the Badlands, the skyline of Night City slowly coming into view, shimmering in the distance like a beacon. The bright neon lights, the towering buildings, the chaos—all of it made them feel like they were finally coming back home.
Jackie glanced over at Asuka, his face lit up with excitement. “Chica, I gotta tell ya, I’ve never been so happy to see that skyline. I swear, if I had to eat one more meal made of sand, I’d have lost it.”

Asuka laughed, her voice carrying over the roar of their bikes. “Tell me about it, Jack. I thought the Badlands might be some kind of adventure, but it’s just one big sandbox—and not the fun kind.” She looked at the city, her heart pounding with a mix of excitement and relief. “Feels good to be coming back, though. Time to show everyone we’re still here.”

Jackie grinned, his eyes narrowing in that familiar way that signaled trouble. “And we got stories to tell, too. You know, I’ve been thinkin’... when we’re back, we should stop by El Coyote Cojo. I bet Mama Welles will wanna hear all about how her son and his badass partner survived out there.”

Asuka nodded, the thought of El Coyote Cojo making her smile. She could already picture Mama Welles, shaking her head, telling them they were both locos while pouring them drinks on the house. “Oh, you know we’re stopping by. I need something other than synth water or moonshine in my system.”

They crossed the bridge that led them back into Heywood, the transition from empty desert to urban sprawl almost overwhelming after weeks of nothing but sand. The city felt alive, the noise, the lights, the people all coming back to them in a rush. It was chaotic, messy, and dangerous—but it was home.

Jackie took a deep breath as they pulled up in front of El Coyote Cojo, turning off his ARCH. He looked over at Asuka, a big grin on his face. “Ready to tell everyone how we spent a month as two of the baddest bastards in the Badlands?”

Asuka chuckled, pulling off her helmet, her long hair falling down around her shoulders. “Damn right, Jack. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll leave out the parts where we got bored out of our minds.”

Jackie laughed as they both dismounted, making their way towards the door of the bar. “Hey, just tell ‘em about the Raffen Shiv we took out and those races across the dunes. No one needs to know about the rest.”

They pushed open the door to El Coyote Cojo, the warm light and familiar smell washing over them. Asuka could see Mama Welles behind the bar, her eyes widening in surprise as she caught sight of them. Jackie gave her a big wave, his voice booming through the bar.

“Mama! Guess who’s back!”

Mama Welles shook her head, her face breaking into a wide smile. “Jackie, Asuka—you two! I thought maybe the Badlands swallowed you up for good!”

Asuka smiled, making her way over to the bar. “Not this time, Mama. We’re too stubborn to let a little sand take us down.”

Mama Welles poured two drinks, sliding them over to Asuka and Jackie. “Well, I’m glad you’re back. Now sit, both of you—I want to hear everything.”

After telling Mama Welles what had gone down in the Badlands—the sand, the races, and how they had taken out a high-ranking corpo with the help of Wakako Okada—Asuka and Jackie settled into their seats at El Coyote Cojo. The warmth of Mama Welles' presence made them feel at home, despite all the craziness they'd just endured.

Not long after, Asuka received a call from Wakako Okada. She answered, and Wakako's smooth, composed voice came through immediately. “Asuka, darling, I have some good news. The situation has cooled off, and I’ve completed the transfers for you and your team. You receive 150,000 eddies, Jackie gets 100,000, and Sasha gets another 100,000. Consider it a well-earned reward for a very well-executed gig.”

The transfer confirmation blinked into Asuka’s HUD, and a grin spread across her face. She turned to Jackie, giving him a nod, her eyes twinkling.

“How much did we get?” Jackie asked, his voice full of excitement.

“150 for me, 100 for you, and 100 for Sasha,” Asuka said, her smile widening. “We’re a lot richer now.”

Jackie whistled in surprise, a grin lighting up his face. “Damn, chica! Knew that job was gonna be worth it, but this is the real deal.”

Asuka laughed, taking a sip from her drink. “Yeah, makes all that sand a little more tolerable, right?”

“Right,” Jackie replied, chuckling. “But I don’t wanna see another sand dune for a long time.”

Later that evening, the two of them called Sasha to meet up at Joe’s Diner, where they usually planned their next moves. Sasha arrived, a slight smile on her lips, and she joined them at their usual table. They all had their steaming cups of synth-coffee, the comforting sounds of clinking cutlery and hushed conversations surrounding them.

“So,” Jackie began, leaning forward, his tone more serious now. “We got a lot of eddies now, but I’ve been thinking... Before we blow it all on fun or cyberware, we should put some away for something big, something that’ll help us long term.”

Sasha looked at Jackie, raising an eyebrow. “What are you thinking, Jack? You’ve already got the bike, and we all know Asuka’s gonna keep adding mods to her setup.”

Jackie shook his head. “Nah, I’m not talkin’ about a bike or chrome. I mean something that’s gonna help us on the job—something practical. What I’m thinking is an armored truck.”

Asuka leaned back, her expression shifting to one of interest. “An armored truck? You mean something we can use for gigs, maybe for moving bigger gear? A ride that can take a hit?”

Jackie nodded, his face lighting up. “Exactly. We’re always on the move, and the bikes are great for getting around, but they can’t carry much. If we need to haul something, or even just have a solid plan for when things go sideways—a good armored truck could save our asses. Plus, it gives us some real versatility.”

Sasha considered it, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “That’s... actually not a bad idea. If we’re talking something with proper plating, some mounted defenses even, it could be a game-changer. But it’s gonna cost us. This isn’t just a weekend ride.”

Jackie smiled, leaning in. “That’s why I’m thinkin’ we take 25% of our cut from this gig—and from all future gigs—and set it aside. Put it towards buying a truck. And not just any truck. I mean one that’s built to handle everything Night City can throw at us. A real fortress on wheels.”

Asuka nodded slowly, a grin tugging at her lips. “You know, Jack, I like it. It’s smart. We could use something like that—something that makes us tougher to mess with. And imagine rolling up to a gig in that. No more having to stash gear or wonder if we can make a quick getaway.”

Sasha gave a small smile, her eyes glinting in agreement. “I’m in. Twenty-five percent from each gig until we get there. Then, we’ll kit it out exactly how we want it—make it a real edge for us.”

Jackie raised his cup of synth-coffee, a wide grin on his face. “To future gigs, eddies, and one badass armored truck!”

After finishing their meal at Joe's Diner, Asuka, Jackie, and Sasha decided it was time to look into getting some serious upgrades. The Badlands might be behind them, but Night City wasn't going to get any safer. They needed better gear, and they knew just where to start. They made their way to Viktor’s clinic—Asuka's dad and their trusted ripperdoc.

Descending the narrow stairs into the basement, the familiar smell of sterile metal and antiseptic filled the air. Vik was leaning over his workbench, adjusting something small and intricate under the bright lights when he noticed them walking in.

“Well, well, look who’s back. Haven’t seen you three in a while. Must’ve been quite the adventure, huh?” Vik said, turning to face them, a slight smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

Asuka nodded, a grin spreading across her face. “You could say that, old man. Survived the Badlands, took down a big corpo rat. But we’re here now because we need some new upgrades—some serious ones.”

Vik raised an eyebrow, looking between Asuka, Jackie, and Sasha. “Alright, lay it on me. What are you looking for?”

Jackie, his face lighting up with excitement, stepped forward first. “I’ve been thinking about getting a Berserker, Vik. Something to give me an extra boost when things get heavy, y’know?”

Asuka chimed in next. “And I’ve been considering a Sandevistan—something that'll let me move faster, hit harder. If we’re getting into bigger gigs, we’re gonna need every edge we can get.”

Sasha stayed silent for a moment, glancing at Vik before speaking. “I’ve been running on a Rippler Mk. 2, but I want something stronger. If you’ve got an upgrade, I’d like to see it.”

Vik let out a sigh, running a hand over his head, clearly a bit conflicted. He gave them a look that was equal parts fatherly concern and exasperation. “You two,” he said, looking directly at Asuka and Jackie, “always pushing yourselves to the edge. You know a Berserker and Sandevistan aren’t just regular chrome, right? You’re talking about heavy strain on your systems. Your nerves, your reflexes—this isn’t something you can just swap out like a new pair of shoes.”

Asuka gave him an earnest look, her eyes serious. “I know, Dad. But we’ve been through a lot, and we need every advantage we can get. You know that as well as I do.”

Jackie nodded, his face softening slightly. “We got each other's backs, Vik. But it’s getting tougher out there. We need to keep up. We trust you to make sure we’re not overdoing it.”

Vik shook his head, letting out a low chuckle. “Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll see what I can do. I don’t have a Sandevistan or a Berserker on hand right now—those aren’t exactly easy to come by, especially good ones. But I’ll make some calls, see what I can dig up. You know I’ll only bring in the best.”

Jackie and Asuka nodded, grateful smiles on their faces. Vik always knew how to push back when needed but never left them high and dry. He wanted them to be prepared, but more importantly, he wanted them to stay alive.

Then Vik turned his attention to Sasha, his expression softening. “Now, as for you... I might have something you’ll like.” He walked over to a cabinet at the side of the room, opening it and pulling out a sleek-looking cyberdeck. It was clearly newer, with its polished surface glinting under the lights.

“This here is a Rippler Mk. 4,” Vik said, holding it up so Sasha could get a good look. “It’s a real preem deck, top of the line. Fast netrunning capabilities, more daemon slots, stronger defenses. If you’re used to the Mk. 2, this will feel like a real upgrade without losing that familiar setup. You think you can handle it?”

Sasha's eyes lit up, her interest piqued as she reached out, running her fingers along the edges of the cyberdeck. “Yeah,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips. “I’ve been on the Mk. 2 for a while now. This is just what I need.”

Vik gave her a nod, setting the deck down on the operating table. “Alright, let’s get you set up, then. You’ll need a bit of time to get used to the extra processing power, but it shouldn’t be anything you can’t handle.”

Sasha took a seat in the chair, adjusting herself as Vik got his tools ready. As he worked, Asuka and Jackie watched from the side, Jackie glancing at Asuka.

“Y’know, once Vik finds us those upgrades, we’re gonna be real choom-level badasses, chica,” Jackie said with a grin.

Asuka smirked, nodding. “Damn right, Jack. We’ve already been through the fire, and this is just gonna make us stronger.”

Vik glanced over, a small smile playing on his lips. “Just remember, kids—chrome’s only as good as the person it’s in. You’ve got the heart, the guts. Don’t let the upgrades make you think you’re invincible.”

Asuka gave him a wink. “You know us, dad. We’re careful.”

Vik let out a laugh. “Yeah, sure you are. Just promise me you’ll come back in one piece, alright?”