Cyberpunk: Asuka Vektor

As they swam through the haunting, submerged halls of the church, the water carrying the echoes of their movements, Judy paused for a moment, lost in thought. Her eyes wandered over the stone pillars and the eerily preserved stained-glass windows, their colors dulled by years beneath the surface.

"You know," Judy began, her voice soft through the link, "I snuck into this church when I was little."

Asuka glanced over, intrigued, waiting for her to continue.

Judy chuckled softly, the sound carrying a hint of nostalgia. "I must’ve been around nine or ten. I came in here and decided to shout at the top of my lungs to test the acoustics. I thought the place would absorb the sound, but instead, it echoed back to me, and I freaked out." She paused, her voice taking on a more reflective tone. "I remember thinking it was my guilt coming back to haunt me. Guilt about... having a crush on Jenni Chapman. Like I’d screamed it out, and it came bouncing right back at me."

Asuka smiled softly, floating beside her in the dim water. "Guess your younger self didn’t realize churches aren’t designed to handle pre-teen crushes, huh?"

Judy laughed at that, her eyes warm despite the slightly eerie surroundings. "Yeah, something like that. I probably just needed to scream back then. It’s funny, though—how it’s the things we feel guilty about as kids that stick with us the longest."

They swam on in silence for a bit, exploring the ruins of the church as they ventured through submerged pews and decaying statues that once held meaning in a world now forgotten. Eventually, after what felt like both an eternity and no time at all, they surfaced, the world above water feeling almost too bright and clear compared to the murky depths below.

As they stepped out of the water, dripping and breathing in the fresh air, their wetsuits clung to their forms, shimmering under the sun. In the distance, they spotted a convoy of Nomad cars passing along the road near Laguna Bend, their rugged vehicles kicking up dust as they sped by. The convoy rumbled past the edge of the lake, leaving the peaceful water untouched as they made their way deeper into the Badlands.

Asuka turned toward Judy, nodding toward the convoy. "I heard they’re new around here. Dakota told me they just showed up a little while ago. They’re part of the Aldecaldos—called themselves the Bright family."

Judy raised an eyebrow, watching the vehicles disappear over the horizon. "Aldecaldos, huh? Wonder what brought them out this way."

Asuka shrugged. "Could be anything—looking for new territory, maybe some trade routes. But Dakota said they’re good people, so we shouldn’t have any trouble with them. Might even be worth meeting them sometime."

Judy glanced at Asuka with a smile, shaking some water from her hair. "You thinking of making friends out here in the Badlands now?"

Asuka grinned. "Hey, never hurts to know a few more Nomads. They’ve always got stories to tell."

---

The next morning, the soft aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the apartment as Judy moved around the kitchen, making herself and Asuka a cup. Asuka stretched lazily in bed before getting up and wandering over to the counter, her hair still tousled from sleep. She grabbed the coffee Judy handed her, taking a slow sip and savoring the taste.

"I don’t really need coffee anymore," Asuka said, glancing down at the cup with a grin. "But damn, I still love the taste of the ones you make."

Judy smiled, leaning against the counter as she sipped from her own mug. "Well, I’m glad someone appreciates it."

Without missing a beat, Asuka leaned over, giving Judy a slow, deep French kiss. When they finally parted, Asuka smirked. "I think I like it even more now."

Judy chuckled, shaking her head. "You’re insufferable," she teased, though the warmth in her eyes said otherwise.

After finishing their coffee, they geared up for the day and climbed into their heavily armored and modified Quadra. The vehicle rumbled to life as they headed out of the apartment, ready to hit the streets. But as they were pulling onto the road, a Raffen Shiv car screeched to a halt in front of them, cutting them off.

Two guys hopped out of the car, each looking as rough and dangerous as the usual Raffen Shiv gangers. They swaggered toward Judy and Asuka’s Quadra with bad intentions written all over their faces. Asuka glanced over at Judy, a silent question in her eyes.

"You want me to handle this?" Asuka asked, her hand already drifting toward her weapon.

But Judy shook her head, her expression hardening as she grabbed her pink-and-green Carnage shotgun. "Let me deal with them," she said firmly. "Just cover me. I need to adapt to this kind of thing anyway."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, but her lips curved into a proud smile. "Alright, babe. I’ve got your back."

Judy stepped out of the Quadra with the Carnage in hand, her demeanor completely focused as she faced down the Raffen Shivs. The first guy opened his mouth to say something, but Judy didn’t give him the chance. With one fluid motion, she raised the shotgun and fired a powerful blast straight into his chest.

The force of the shot sent the ganger flying backward, his torso mangled beyond recognition as he hit the ground in a lifeless heap. The second guy barely had time to react before Judy turned the Carnage on him, firing a second shot that obliterated his head, leaving nothing but a gruesome mess behind.

The entire encounter lasted mere seconds, and when it was over, the road was eerily silent, save for the distant hum of the city.

Asuka leaned against the Quadra, a playful grin spreading across her face. "Damn, Judes. Remind me never to get on your bad side."

Judy, still holding the smoking shotgun, exhaled slowly, her shoulders relaxing. "Yeah, well... it’s something I’ve gotta get used to." She turned to Asuka, her gaze softening. "But thanks for letting me handle it."

Asuka walked over to her, brushing a hand along Judy’s arm. "You did more than handle it. You nailed it. Now come on, let’s get out of here before the rest of the Raffen Shiv show up looking for revenge."

Judy smiled, sliding the Carnage back into the car as they climbed in and drove off, leaving the wreckage of the encounter behind.

As Asuka drove, the hum of the engine filling the space between them, she glanced over at Judy, her usual playfulness replaced with a note of concern. "You good, Judes?" she asked, her voice soft, genuine.

Judy stared out the window for a moment before nodding slowly. "Yeah... I mean, it’s hard, you know? First time flatlining some gonks. At first, it messed me up, but now... I don’t know, it’s easier. Not sure I’ll ever fully accept it, though."

Asuka nodded, her hands steady on the wheel. "Killing’s not for everybody. Some people can handle it, some people can't. It’s normal. You just gotta figure out where you stand."
Judy gave a small smile, appreciating Asuka’s understanding. "Yeah, I guess so."

As they continued down the dusty road, a car caught Asuka’s eye—an Aldecaldo vehicle parked on the side of the road. A guy was crouched down by the hood, looking frustrated as he fiddled with something in the engine. Asuka slowed the Quadra and pulled over beside him, parking the car with a smooth stop. Both she and Judy stepped out, and Asuka called over.

"You need some help?" she asked, glancing at the guy who looked up, surprised but relieved.

The man had black hair, though it was thinning at the top, and a pair of striking blue eyes that locked onto them as they approached. He wiped his hands on a rag and shrugged, looking at the car. "Yeah, just some piece got broken, and I’ve been having trouble fixing it."

Judy immediately stepped forward, curious and eager to help. "Let me take a look," she said, already crouching down to inspect the damage. After a few minutes of tinkering with the engine and adjusting some parts, she stood up, wiping grease from her hands with a satisfied smile.

"There you go," Judy said, nodding toward the car. "Should be good as new."

The man looked at the car in surprise, clearly impressed by Judy’s skill. He turned to them, gratitude clear in his eyes. "Wow, I didn’t expect you to fix it that quickly. Name’s Mitch—Mitch Anderson," he introduced himself, offering his hand.

Asuka shook his hand with a nod. "Asuka, and this is Judy. No problem. Glad we could help."

Mitch smiled, looking between them. "Thanks again. And hey, if you ever find yourselves near our camp, you’re more than welcome."

Asuka exchanged a glance with Judy, both of them smiling. "We’ll keep that in mind," Asuka said as they got back into their Quadra.

As they pulled away, Asuka’s HUD pinged with a new notification flashing across her vision. A new contact had been added: Mitch Anderson, this name is a bit familiar.

---

Asuka returned home after dropping Judy off at their apartment, deciding to swing by Vik’s clinic to check in. Walking through the familiar doorway, she immediately noticed V sitting in the chair, clearly mid-installation.

"Hey V, what are you getting done this time?" Asuka asked, her curiosity piqued.

Vik, standing over her, responded while adjusting the interface. "Microvibration Generator, Microrotors, Neofiber, and a little optical camo for good measure."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, impressed. "All that at once?"

Vik nodded, though his expression was a bit more cautious. "Yeah, she insisted. Said she’s done more than this at the same time before."

Taking Asuka a little aside, Vik lowered his voice. "To be honest, I’m not sure what to make of her. She’s either got an unusually high tolerance for these installs, or... well, she might be like you and Smasher. Could already be a little insane, but I’m not sure yet."

Asuka glanced back at V, who was casually scrolling, looking completely unbothered by the extreme installs. "Sounds like you’re not far off, Vik."

Once V’s installs were finished, she stood up, flexing her limbs and testing out the new enhancements. A brief conversation followed before they all headed back to Asuka and Judy’s place, V tagging along for a visit. The three of them settled in, but Asuka couldn’t shake a strange feeling. As the evening wore on, V and Judy exchanged glances, their conversations dipping into whispers whenever Asuka wasn’t directly paying attention. The occasional lustful looks toward her didn’t help, and Asuka’s curiosity quickly turned into mild suspicion.

After a while, Asuka decided to test her enhanced hearing cyberware, just to catch what was being said. She activated it, hoping to get a glimpse into the cryptic conversation. But the moment she did, the whispers stopped. V and Judy both shifted gears, suddenly talking about mundane, everyday things, the sort of chat that felt forced and flat.

"Yeah, so I told him it was no big deal," V said, her voice unnaturally casual.

"Right, like, who even cares about that?" Judy added, her words seemingly random.

Asuka sat back, her enhanced hearing picking up nothing interesting. It was as if the two had sensed her eavesdropping and switched the conversation to something Rebecca would’ve called "not nova." Asuka narrowed her eyes but let it go.