Cyberpunk: Asuka Vektor

Asuka sat comfortably on the familiar seat of her father's clinic, the cold metal resting beneath her back, her head tilted slightly upward to make it easier for Vik to work on her new Kiroshi "The Oracle" Optics. The hum of machinery filled the room, and the sharp scent of sterilized tools mingled with the metallic tang of chrome. The optics were top-tier—far superior to her old Kiroshi. She’d be able to scan the battlefield with new, incredible precision, picking up enemies, traps, and even cameras from distances that seemed almost impossible.

Her father, Viktor Vektor, worked with a steady hand, his face a mask of focus. Asuka appreciated these quiet moments with Vik—times when she wasn’t out risking her neck, but instead had her trusted father nearby, installing chrome that would make her even deadlier.

Across the room, Jackie Welles sat in a similar chair, recovering from his own recent install—brand new Gorilla Arms. The freshly installed cyberware looked powerful, giving Jackie an almost imposing presence even while he was reclining. The hydraulic-powered pistons and synthetic muscles inside those chrome arms would give him the kind of raw strength that would intimidate anyone on the street.

Jackie shifted a bit, testing out his new chrome, the distinct sound of mechanics shifting filling the room. He flexed his hands, his knuckles popping as he balled his fists, a wide grin stretching across his face. The synthetic muscles moved seamlessly, the Realskinn covering them making the arms look almost human—if not for the custom tattoos and the occasional gleam of chrome under the artificial skin.

"Man, Vik, these gorilla arms are something else," Jackie said, his voice full of that excitement that always accompanied new chrome. He gave a couple of experimental punches into the air, his movements creating a small gust that Asuka could feel even from across the room.

Vik didn’t even glance up from his work, though a small smile tugged at his lips. “I’m glad you like them, but listen, Jackie, I’ve gotta be straight with you—no more installs for a while. You’re not like Asuka. She’s a special case; she can stack chrome like nobody I’ve seen. You need to let your body recover, or you’ll be risking some serious cyberpsychosis symptoms.”

Jackie let out a small groan, rolling his eyes as he lowered his arms. “Yeah, yeah, Vik. I get it. Just sayin’, you do good work, you know?” He looked over at Asuka, who was now blinking her eyes as Vik checked the final calibration of her new optics. “Look at you, chica. One of these days, you’re just gonna be a head attached to a pile of chrome. You’re like a damn cyberware sponge—soaking up installs left and right.”

Asuka grinned, her blue eyes glowing faintly as the new Oracle system activated, the detailed HUD of the upgraded Kiroshi overlaying across her vision. She looked over at Jackie, zooming in on his face to an almost comically close degree, a chuckle escaping her lips.

“Hey, maybe,” she said, still chuckling, “but as long as it makes me deadlier and keeps me one step ahead of the gonks out there, I’m good with that. Besides, somebody’s gotta keep you in one piece.” She shot Jackie a playful wink.

Jackie shook his head, laughing. “Yeah, and I guess I’m that somebody for you too, huh? Gotta make sure you don’t get too cocky.”

Vik finally leaned back, his tools retracting with a soft clink as he stood straight, his eyes moving between his daughter and her best friend. “You both need to keep your heads about you,” he said, his tone shifting to something more serious. “Asuka, I know you’re handling the installs well, but it’s still not something to take lightly. You’re lucky your body adapts so well, but don’t take that for granted.”

Asuka gave her father a small smile, her expression softening. “Don’t worry, Dad. I know. I’m not about to go overboard. I just... need to keep up, you know? Stay ahead of the game. It’s getting rough out there.” She looked over at Jackie, who nodded in agreement.

Vik sighed, shaking his head slightly, but a hint of pride shone through his tired eyes. “Alright, alright. Just—be careful, both of you. And Jackie, really, take it easy for a bit. Those Gorilla Arms are powerful, but your body needs time to adjust.”

Jackie pushed himself up from the chair, giving Vik a thumbs-up, his usual grin back in place. “Yeah, doc, I hear ya. No heavy lifting—unless someone asks for it.” He flexed his new Gorilla Arms, striking a mock bodybuilder pose that had Asuka laughing.

“Just don’t break anything in here,” Asuka said, rolling her eyes, her optics zooming in on Jackie as she smirked. “That chrome’s supposed to keep you in the fight, not put dents in Vik’s clinic.”

Jackie gave her a mock salute. “Aye, aye, cap’n. Promise I’ll keep the property damage to a minimum.”

Vik just shook his head, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards. “I swear, you two are gonna be the end of me.”

Asuka hopped off the chair, rolling her shoulders and giving her eyes a few more experimental blinks, zooming in and out, the detail sharper and more precise than anything she’d used before. “Nah, Dad,” she said, grinning at Vik, “we’ll keep you around for a while longer. Besides, who else am I gonna trust to make sure my chrome’s shiny and top-notch?”

“Yeah,” Jackie added, patting Vik on the back, his voice genuine. “You’re the best, Vik. We wouldn’t trust anyone else.”

Vik’s stern demeanor cracked completely, a warm smile spreading across his face as he looked at the two young edgerunners. “Alright, alright. Just remember, Night City doesn’t care how good your chrome is. Keep your heads down, don’t get reckless... and don’t make me regret putting all this shiny new tech in you.”

Asuka gave her father a hug, her arms wrapping around his broad shoulders. “You know me, Dad. Always careful.”

Jackie snorted, earning a playful punch in the shoulder from Asuka.

“Well, relatively careful,” she amended, winking at Vik.

The old ripperdoc just shook his head again, the warmth not leaving his eyes. “Get outta here, you two. I’ve got real patients to see.”

Walking through the bustling, neon-soaked streets of Heywood, the chaos and vibrancy of Night City surrounded Asuka and Jackie. Vendors were shouting out their offers, a group of Valentinos were hanging out near a corner talking loudly, and the ever-present hum of distant engines and shouting echoed around them. The sun was setting, painting the sky in a burnt orange and purple haze, creating that familiar mix of beauty and grime that Night City was famous for.

Jackie had a noticeable spring in his step. His usual broad grin seemed even brighter today, his whole demeanor buzzing with excitement. Asuka, walking alongside him, couldn't help but notice the unusually good mood he was in. She tilted her head towards him, arching an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Alright, spill it, big guy. Why're you so damn happy?" Asuka asked, a smirk tugging at her lips as she poked his shoulder.

Jackie looked over at her, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. He spread his arms wide, as if to embrace the whole of Night City. "C’mon, chica, take a good look at us!" he said, his voice filled with pride. "We’re badass mercs now! We’ve got top-notch cyberware, the rides to match, and all the hottest fixers reaching out for our help. Man, we’re so close—so close to walkin' through the doors of Afterlife, takin' on the biggest gigs in the city. Just think about it! Better chrome, bigger eddies... all that preem shit we’ve always talked about."

Asuka couldn’t help but smile at Jackie’s enthusiasm. She loved his optimism; it was infectious. There was a sparkle in his eyes that reminded her why she enjoyed running the streets with him. Jackie wasn’t just about the eddies—he wanted to be someone, to carve out a legacy that people in Night City would remember.

"Legends," Jackie continued, his voice taking on a dream-like quality. "That’s what we’re talking, chica. Just imagine it—our names up there with the big ones. Morgan Blackhand, Andrew 'Boa Boa' Weyland, Susan Forrest, Rache Bartmoss... I mean, just think about it! People across this whole goddamn city knowing our names, talking about what we did."

He gave her an eager grin, the kind of smile that came from real, deep-down dreams—the ones they had when they were just starting out.

Asuka looked at him for a moment, her own smile softening. She wanted to share in his excitement, but there was a part of her that stayed grounded, perhaps a bit more cynical, shaped by the ruthless reality of the city.

"Becoming legends, huh?" she repeated, her eyes narrowing slightly as she considered the idea. She gave Jackie a lopsided grin, the kind that usually came before a sarcastic remark. "Yeah, sure, let’s be legends, but let’s make sure we’re the living ones. Not just names carved in some wall, or whispered in a bar over cheap drinks."

Jackie laughed, a loud, genuine sound that filled the street, earning a few curious glances from people passing by. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving her a friendly squeeze as they continued walking. “You always gotta be the realist, huh? Always gotta keep things grounded.”

“Hey,” Asuka shrugged, her grin widening, “If we're aiming to be legends, I’d rather be like Adam Smasher—a legend that’s still alive and kicking, not some ghost with a nice story to tell."

Jackie’s grin turned a bit mischievous. “Adam Smasher, huh? You’re aiming high, chica. Though, gotta admit, having half the city's gonks scared shitless of us wouldn’t be too bad.”

Asuka let out a soft laugh, giving him a nudge. "Not scared, Jackie. I want respect but some fear is also good."

They kept walking, the hum of the city around them a constant reminder of just how chaotic, vibrant, and dangerous Night City could be. The people who became legends here were the ones who managed to carve out a story that couldn’t be erased, even when the city tried to swallow them whole. They walked past a graffiti-covered wall, and Asuka caught sight of a mural dedicated to the fallen—the nameless who’d been swallowed by Night City’s shadows.

The streets of Watson were always alive, always restless. The neon lights blinked above, reflecting off the puddles scattered across the cracked concrete, and the air was heavy with the mix of food vendors, exhaust, and the low hum of Night City's chaos. Asuka and Jackie strolled together, still riding the high of their earlier conversation.

But then, something shifted.

The sounds around them changed, the faint echo of hurried footsteps resonating from behind, the kind that were too deliberate to be just passersby. Asuka's cyberware-enhanced senses kicked in, her hearing zoning in on the pace of those footsteps—quick, purposeful, approaching fast.

She glanced at Jackie, catching the flicker of awareness in his eyes. He knew it too. They’d been around enough to recognize that something was about to go down. The way the footsteps closed in—it screamed trouble. Without missing a beat, Asuka’s hand flexed, the familiar hum of the Mantis Blades within her arms, ready to deploy.

In sync, Asuka and Jackie turned on their heels. The sudden movement caught their pursuers off guard—two young guys, barely older than teenagers, dressed like they'd just graduated from some back-alley wannabe merc school. They held shotguns, faces set with nervous determination, clearly expecting an easier mark. They weren't even aiming properly, their hands trembling as they hesitated at the sight of their targets now facing them head-on.

“Shit!” One of them barely had time to blurt out, his eyes widening as he tried to raise his weapon.

Asuka didn’t give him the chance. Her Mantis Blades shot out from her cybernetic arms, the blades extending with a mechanical snap, shimmering with deadly precision. She lunged forward, her body moving in a smooth, almost effortless arc, the blade slicing cleanly through the neck of the nearest attacker. His head separated from his body, rolling onto the grimy Watson street as his shotgun fell with a useless clatter.

At the same time, Jackie moved like a freight train, his Gorilla Arms slamming forward with the kind of force that sent a shiver through the pavement beneath them. The second would-be attacker barely registered what was happening before Jackie's fist collided with his chest. Bones cracked, and the impact sent the gonk sprawling backward, his chest cavity crushed under the sheer force. The shotgun slipped from his lifeless grip, clattering to the ground as his body crumpled beside it.

The street was quiet for a heartbeat, the usual hum of Night City swallowed by the intensity of the moment. The two attackers lay on the ground, lifeless and broken, a harsh reminder of how the city chewed up the overconfident and spat them out without a second thought.

Jackie’s breath came in a short huff as he looked at the scene in front of them, his knuckles still raised and flexed from the hit. He looked over at Asuka, who pulled her blades back into her arms with a smooth, seamless motion, her face calm.

“What the fuck was that, chica?” Jackie muttered, stepping over the bodies, his eyes darting around, scanning for any more surprises.

Asuka knelt down, her Kiroshi optics flickering as they zoomed in on one of the attackers' jackets. No gang colors, nothing that stood out, just some cheap imitation chrome, a few barely noticeable tats on their necks—wannabe mercs, trying to prove themselves, perhaps. But this wasn’t random. She glanced at Jackie, her face hardening slightly.

"Jackie," she said, her voice carrying a note of suspicion. "This ain't just a random hit. These gonks were lookin' for us specifically."

Jackie frowned, his eyes narrowing as he glanced back at the two corpses. "You think... someone put a hit out on us? They knew where we were."

Asuka stood up, her Mantis Blades retracting fully, a faint shimmer of their presence remaining in her eyes. “Yeah, looks like it. But who? We’ve pissed off a lotta people, but enough to put some rookies on our ass? Doesn’t make sense.”

Jackie sighed, running a hand over his mohawk, his jaw setting with a mix of frustration and adrenaline-fueled excitement. “Someone must be testing the waters. Wanna see if we’re soft enough to take out.”

“Well, we just sent a pretty clear answer, didn’t we?” Asuka said, her eyes glinting dangerously.

Jackie chuckled, nodding. "Yeah. These punks ain't walking away from this one. But if someone’s got it out for us, we need to be ready, chica. We ain’t gonna let anyone take us down without a fight."