Cyberpunk: Asuka Vektor

Asuka was leaning against Pink Kitty, idly chatting with some mercs while the music thumped in the background. The merc party was in full swing, the smoky haze and neon lights creating a familiar, almost comforting chaos around her. She noticed a guy, tall and broad-shouldered, with cyberware embedded at his temples and neck, talking to Maine. He had an intense aura, his demeanor controlled and serious. His dark leather jacket with red lining gave him an imposing presence.

Their conversation seemed tense, and Asuka couldn't help but watch as the interaction unfolded. After a few heated words, the guy shook his head, clearly upset, and stormed off into the crowd. Maine stood there, his face showing a mix of frustration and a hint of something like regret.

Intrigued, Asuka pushed herself off Pink Kitty, her chrome limbs reflecting the dim light, and made her way over to Maine. He was already pulling out a cigar, lighting it with a sigh as Asuka approached.

“Hey, Maine,” Asuka began casually, leaning in a bit, her curiosity piqued. “What’s up with your friend? Never seen you argue with someone like that.”

Maine looked up, the red glow from his cigar reflecting in his eyes. He gave her a half-smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Ah, you caught that, huh? Man, that’s an old friend from back in the day. We served together in NUSA SpecOps.”

Asuka blinked, genuinely surprised. She hadn’t expected that—she knew Maine was a tough guy, ex-military, but she hadn’t imagined the depths of his past connections. “SpecOps, huh? No kidding,” she said, her tone shifting from casual to curious. “Where’d you serve?”

Maine looked away for a moment, his gaze distant, as though he was looking at something far off in his memories rather than the party around them. He took a long drag on his cigar before answering. “South America,” he said, his voice rougher than usual. “Back when the corps wanted their grip tighter on that place, a lot of shit went down.”

He paused, his eyes hardening as he continued. “Burned villages, guerrilla fights, civilians caught in the crossfire. All of it, Asuka.” He shook his head, his voice almost a growl. “It was hell. I was with a unit for two years, and by the end, I couldn’t find a single reason why we were even there. Wasn’t nothing left of those places but ashes and screams. That’s when I decided I had enough. Put in my discharge, and came back here, to the NUSA. Wasn’t any glory in that kind of fight, only shame.”

Asuka watched Maine as he spoke, her usual confident demeanor softened for a moment by his words. She could see the weight in his eyes—a kind of exhaustion that came from witnessing too much, from trying to reconcile what he had done and seen.

“Damn, Maine,” Asuka said, her voice quieter, almost respectful. “I didn’t know it went that deep.”

Maine gave a dry chuckle, shrugging as he blew out smoke, the tension easing slightly. “Yeah, well, it ain’t something I bring up much. Too many dark memories. But he,” Maine gestured vaguely in the direction the guy had left, “he was there too. He’s been dealing with his own ghosts since then. Came to ask me for help with some kind of trouble he’s in now, but…” Maine trailed off, shaking his head, his expression hardening again. “I can’t get dragged back into all that. Not now.”

Asuka nodded slowly, the pieces falling into place. It was a messy past that didn’t just stay buried, even when people tried to leave it behind. She glanced toward where the guy had disappeared into the crowd, a slight frown forming on her lips.

“Sometimes, those ghosts are a lot harder to shake than people think,” she said, looking back at Maine. “You think he’s in deep shit?”

Maine shrugged, his massive frame shifting as he sighed again. “Probably. The guy's always had a way of getting into trouble. But I can’t go back into that life, and I don’t think there’s much I can do for him now. Gotta keep my crew safe—keep looking forward, you know?”

Asuka nodded, her respect for Maine deepening a bit more. She knew he was tough, but seeing this side—this weight he carried from his past—it added layers she hadn’t expected. She placed a hand on his arm, a gentle touch that contrasted her usual energy.

“Yeah, I get it,” she said. “And you know, if you ever need to talk, I got your back, big guy.”

Maine gave her a small but genuine smile, his eyes softening for a moment. “Appreciate that, Asuka. Don’t let all this old shit weigh you down, alright? Just keep being you. World needs more people like that.”

Asuka smirked, her playful edge returning as she gave Maine a light punch on the arm. “Don’t worry, Maine. I’m always me—pink, flashy, and ready to cut through whatever crap this city throws at us. You keep lookin’ out for your crew, and I’ll keep looking out for mine.”

Maine laughed, shaking his head, some of the heaviness lifting from his demeanor. “Damn straight. Now, let’s get back to this party. Enough of the deep shit for one night.”

The day started as one of the quieter ones—a rare luxury in Night City. The sun peeked through the cracks of the rundown buildings, creating long streaks of light across the street in front of Vik's clinic. Asuka was inside, Vik was already at his boxing club with Jackie leaving Asuka alone to help Sasha upgrade her chrome—a set of rippers to her cyberhands, simple but effective enhancement. Sasha, always stoic, watched as Asuka worked with the expertise of someone who had spent years around cyberware.

Once the installation was done, Asuka cleaned up, grinning at Sasha. "Alright, your hands should feel preem now," she said, giving Sasha a playful pat on her shoulder.

Sasha flexed her fingers, the new rippers ejecting and gleaming under the overhead light. "You know, you’re not bad at this," she said, her voice betraying a hint of appreciation she rarely voiced aloud.

"Yeah, yeah, don’t get too emotional on me," Asuka replied, smirking as they made their way outside. Misty was leaning against the wall, looking at some tarot cards while waiting for them. The three settled into conversation, talking about things and what they might do with their day when Asuka’s attention was suddenly pulled by movement on the street.

A girl with white hair, distinctly a mix of Japanese and European descent, was walking with a brisk pace, her eyes darting around like she was trying to avoid being noticed. Something about her seemed off. Asuka felt the itch in the back of her mind—something that warned her of trouble. Before she could overthink it, Sasha nudged her, their eyes meeting in silent agreement.

As the girl walked past them, Asuka reached out, her chrome hand wrapping around the girl’s wrist. With a swift movement, she pulled her towards the wall, pressing her back against it. The girl’s eyes went wide, her body tensing.

"Whoa, easy there!" Misty exclaimed, her brows furrowing, though she stayed where she was. The unease on her face didn’t go away, but she knew better than to interfere without knowing what was happening.

The girl was young—couldn’t be older than fourteen. But despite her youth, she was tall, probably around 170 cm, which put her over Sasha, Asuka, and even Misty. The white hair was striking, and her face held a mix of panic and defiance.

Sasha leaned in, her face devoid of emotion as she looked the girl up and down, then turned her eyes to Asuka. "She’s the one who hacked us—tried to eject our chips with eddies and data," she said. Asuka’s grip tightened slightly, enough to keep the girl from running.

The girl looked even more terrified now. "What are you talking about? I-I didn’t do anything!" she stammered, her eyes darting between the three women.

"Really?" Sasha said, arching a brow, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "You wanna try that again, kid? I'm also a Netrunner so that you know.". The girl's face paled even further as she realized that Sasha had traced her hack.

The girl's eyes narrowed, and there was a flicker of resolve. Suddenly, she moved, her eyes glowing red slightly as she tried to hack again—an instinctive attempt to free herself from Asuka's grip. But it didn’t work. Sasha had anticipated it, and the girl’s cyberdeck had already been neutralized.

"Nice try," Sasha said, her voice as cold as her expression. "But I’ve already locked down your cyberdeck, so whatever you’re trying—forget it."

The girl slumped, her shoulders sagging as she realized there was no escape. The panic in her eyes grew, her breathing becoming shallow, and her face lost its color. She started to hyperventilate, her breaths coming too fast, her gaze unfocused as fear overwhelmed her.

Misty, ever the calming presence, moved in quickly. She pulled a small injector from her pocket and, without hesitation, pressed it against the girl’s neck. The hiss of the injector filled the silence, and within seconds, the girl’s breathing started to slow, her eyes regaining some focus.

"Easy now," Misty said gently, her voice soft. She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, her expression kind, almost maternal. "Just breathe. You’re alright."

Asuka eased her grip, watching the girl's reaction carefully. Misty had always been good with calming people, knowing how to handle those on the verge of breaking.

The girl looked up at Asuka, her voice shaky. "I—I’m just trying to make some money," she whispered, her eyes darting to Sasha. "I’m new here... I thought I could score, that’s all."

Sasha sighed, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, well, trying to hack the wrong edgerunners is one way to learn a hard lesson, kid," she said.

Asuka looked the girl over again, her own curiosity growing. "What’s your name?" she asked, her voice firm but not unkind.

The girl hesitated, her eyes filled with distrust. She didn’t respond, but Sasha was already ahead of her. "Lucyna Kushinada," Sasha said, her tone dry. "Picked that up when I hacked you."

Hearing her full name made the girl tense again, her eyes widening in fear. Her breath hitched, and she looked as though she might spiral back into another panic attack. Misty, still close, gave her a reassuring smile and spoke softly, "Just stay calm, okay? No one's here to hurt you."

But it was too late—the knowledge that they had her name seemed to hit a vulnerable spot. Lucyna’s breathing sped up again, her eyes glazing over as her fear overtook her.

Misty acted quickly, this time speaking with more authority. "Alright, alright. Just focus on me, Lucy. In, out. Breathe slowly." She produced another calming dose but waited, giving Lucyna a chance to respond. After a few shaky breaths, Misty decided against using the injector again.

Asuka frowned, watching the fear in Lucyna’s eyes. This wasn’t the usual fear of getting caught—it was deeper, like she was scared for her life and even her freedom.

"Hey," Asuka said, her voice a little softer now. "We're not gonks, alright? We’re not here to mess you up—unless you give us a reason. Just... why did you try to hack us?"

Lucyna took a shaky breath, her eyes searching Asuka's face. She seemed to decide something in that moment, her body relaxing, if only a little. "I don’t know anyone here. I’m just trying to get by," she said, her voice small. "Thought if I could get enough money, I’d have a chance. A way out."

Sasha crossed her arms, her expression softening just slightly. "A way out of what?" she asked.

Lucyna didn’t answer right away, her gaze dropping to the ground. "Just... a way out," she said, her voice barely audible.

Asuka exchanged a glance with Sasha, and then with Misty, who was still keeping a watchful eye on Lucyna. There was more to this kid than just a desperate street thief trying to make some quick eddies. Asuka didn’t know what her story was, but she knew one thing—Lucyna looked scared, and scared people did dangerous things.

“Well, Lucy,” Asuka said, her tone still firm, but with a hint of compassion. “You’re in Night City now. It’s a tough place, and if you’re gonna survive, you’re gonna need more than just a cyberdeck and desperation. You got skills, but you clearly need a better plan.”

Lucyna swallowed, her gaze flicking between the three women. “What... what happens now?” she asked.

Asuka smiled, though it was more of a smirk. “That depends. You’re not bad for a newbie, and you’re lucky you ran into us instead of someone who’d just flatline you for trying to steal from them.”

Lucyna looked hesitant, but there was a spark of something in her eyes—maybe hope, maybe curiosity. She nodded slowly, still unsure but willing to listen.

Sasha rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. “We’ll see what we can do with you, kid. But no more funny business, got it?”

Lucyna gave a small nod, her fear subsiding. Asuka stepped back, giving her some space, but keeping her eyes on her.

“Alright, Lucy. Stick with us for now,” Asuka said. “Maybe you’ll learn a thing or two. Just try not to hack us again, alright?”

Lucyna gave a small, shaky smile. “I’ll try.”