Deciding to go full in on netrunning for a bit to make myself feel better about getting my ass kicked, and failing a gig. I went full ham into grinding.
Breaching through the ICE with full intent, it did an I wasnt doing much besides thinking about the puzzle of code in front of , and thanks to Ghost Touch, If I was having a lot of problems, I could slow down, and work my way around the ICE.
Acting as if it wasnt even there.
The actual chanic behind the perk was weird. In essence, I was sending my data through back channels, sending bytes worth of data, at a ti through old ports, and system code that hadnt been used in Forever.
But then those little bits of code would all collect together behind the ICE and create a channel that bypassed the ICE entirely.
It took a long ti though. The one ti I tried to use it, Took over an hour just to set up on the system. Thats with the ICE being sothing I could break in a few minutes or work normally, and it being against a laptop, and not a corpo server.
But it worked. The sort of crazy hacking trick that only soone that truly understood computers, could ever hope to pull off.
Completing it the first ti had even given a couple of Breaching alerts throughout the attempt.
I kept at the grind though. As much as my guitar was calling for , the fact was I needed the self improvent.
I hated feeling sorry for myself, and if a few days grinding like crazy to get so level ups was all I needed to feel better then it was worth it.
In the end, even though it cost all the rest of the WET ICE, I gained two levels thanks to nonstop hardcore and experintal grinding.
Mixing what I learned from Ghost Touch, into my normal Breaching. I did the opposite. Breaching loudly, without care about the alerts sent up just to see how the program would react, and over the course of three hours, figuring out how to not just hard breach an ICE system, but how to muffle the alerts At least sowhat. It was basically learning what the Perk would have taught if I picked it instead of Ghost touch, but of course not as skillfully.
Thought it didnt an I didnt get so level ups over the entire course.
*Breach Protocol skill level up!*
Level 7 Breach!
When I got the alert, I hadnt actually noticed at first and kept working on Ghost Touching through an ICE I had already breached before, just because of how distracted I was.
Done. I grumbled, rubbing my eyes. They felt tired despite not being actually able to feel weariness. My body didnt feel stiff, in fact I stood up and stretched a bit and felt physically fine, but I could feel the tiredness in my mind.
I had gone without sleep before, but never when I was simply slamming my head into a complex ntal problem like this.
I walked into my bedroom and flopped on my bed. Jun was out. So I would sleep.
--
I was at the ran joint in the Cherry Blossom Market the next morning. Slurping up a bowl of noodles for breakfast as I ran through a few things in my head.
I had a few responsibilities, and a few things I needed to keep doing.
Grinding. Doing gigs. Helping out my chooms with work. Making sure Jun ate sothing besides his XXL burritos.
But honestly, the grinding kept busy, the gigs paid more than any amount of bills I might have, and helping out my chooms wasnt too hard. Find so evil gonks, kill them, steal everything.
But what was it that I wanted?
It wasnt eddies. I was pretty comfy in the apartnt that Jun and I shared, although I knew soday we would probably get sothing bigger, or split up.
But I wasnt planning on jumping off the edge like David. I liked living. I liked waking up every morning and deciding for myself what the day will be full of.
But in order to keep that comfy pace, I was gonna need to get stronger. The fact was the more of a rep I built by doing fun stuff, the more dangerous my life would beco.
So I would have to keep growing stronger and stronger to ensure that I could have my fun filled life.
Which ant I needed to kill. I needed enemies, and a lot of them. But, I needed them at my pace. I didnt want to go piss of Arasaka and end up overwheld.
With the gang war over, things were quiet.
But there were still plenty of Maelstrom gonks around. Lots of Scavs, or just evil people in general.
But as easy as it was to say I have plenty of people I could kill it was really hard to know where they were.
Which is why I realized I needed to stop fucking around with the most powerful weapon in my arsenal.
It was ti to step into the net.
To stand among the ones and zeroes, and find out just how much it would open up for . Problem was. I didnt have a lot of gear for it. If I was going into the net, I would need a full Netrunner suit to start with, since I didnt have a bathtub in the apartnt.
Or I would need to netrun from sowhere other than ho.
Ugh!
I swirled the last bits of Ran in the bowl and downed it like a thirty year old Japanese businessman downing Yebisu after work.
I suppose I could go talk to Yoko at the Dewdrop Inn. Maybe rent her Netrunning chair?
But what if I embarrassed myself? I had never really gone into the net except for that one ti, and I had nearly lted by brain then!
No, I couldnt allow anyone to see my first Netrunning experience. They might think Im a noob!
So I needed to get so supplies
Wait. I knew how to set up all the equipnt for a netrunner thanks to Technical attribute.
I could just steal everything I needed! I nodded to myself that would make it all easier, and I already had a crew capable of hauling everything out of so gonks Netrunning den.
Now I just needed to find a target!
Wait That was the problem I had in the first place! God dammit!
--
So thats the problem. I explained to Wakako a few minutes later. In the end I realized I needed to stop trying to handle everything myself. I simply didnt have the knowledge I needed to start my new plan, but that was what contacts were for!
Wakako took a drag on her cigarette and nodded. You seek info on soone who has a full set of Netrunning equipnt, you could steal?
Loot! The correct terminology is looting Wakako! Cmon get with the tis! I joked only to instantly cough and settle back down as I realized what I had just said could be taken negatively.
Thankfully Wakako seed to ignore .
Hmm, I can gather the information. The price will be high.
Aww Cmon Wakako, you know Im not just ssing around. Im good for pay, and work. I tried to argue, and maybe, just maybe I saw a hint of give in the old dragon lady.
I will give you the information you want, but you will kill the one that has your equipnt. The information itself will be your pay. She said smirking at , as if she thought I wouldnt accept!
I blinked. Wait. Did Wakako just ask to murder a gangbanger who had my future loot, and the paynt would be the info to find them!?
Wakako! I love you!
Sure! I chirped happily, not earning direct eddies from Wakako was one thing, but this all started because I needed to find more people to kill! Wakako? Tell everything.
--
I looked over the rundown apartnt building that my new target was inhabiting. It was more complicated than I liked. The netrunner I was after had taken over the fifth floor of the building according to reports, run everyone out of the apartnts, and turned it into a little kingdom. Not so different than what the scavs did.
But this wasnt scavs.
But only barely.
The netrunner had made a gang. No rather it was one of the netrunners chooms, had made the gang around the netrunner. To protect him, while using his information.
I was on the roof of a nearby building looking over the side at the building. And at all the security that had been put up all of it turned the building into a secure vault.
The street gang would have been ignored, maybe even been a non entity to Wakako if not for one fact.
They had a Netrunner, and he was a pretty good one.
One of the first acts the small gang had done was hijack an electronics store delivery. The Netrunner had known exactly where to hit it, and it had been the first in a string of successes. The only problem?
The Netrunner was a greedy bastard, and had stolen things he shouldnt. Stolen from soone he shouldnt.
Wakako hadnt been interested in taking the gig beforehand. Pay wasnt high enough, and it was in her interest to leave them be as they werent stealing from her.
But suddenly I showed up, asking for gear, and Wakako realized she could use this.
Shed get paid for a gig, I would clean up, and I would beco even more useful. Netrunners are always useful after all.
I had just co by to get so images of the place and look around their security, but just from what I had seen, made realize this wasnt going to be a one woman job.
Not even my chooms who still called themselves Section 9 in the group chat they had put together!
Traitors!
They wouldnt be enough. I was gonna need another gun. There were too many of them, and no way I would be able to sneak in. Sure. I could probably hack the system, shut down the caras, but the mont I did the gang would know.
There was one other problem.
From the rooftop I looked over at the party that was going on. The gang was hanging out on the roof drinking and partying.
But they were kids.
Most of them were teenagers. Even if I knew their boss was in his thirties.
So thats how it was. The fucker had grown so fast by hiring street kids.
Its why the gang was closer to fifty gonks from what I could see, than Wakakos report that only listed ten. I watched from the shadows as the kids enjoyed themselves, girls from the apartnt, and from neighboring apartnts, joining in as the boys that had beco mbers of a gang used their new clout to attract the cuties.
Almost all of the gang was on the roof, a lot of kids more than ready to fight.
This was a fucking ss.
Dammit Wakako. I hate you. I mumbled as I stared at the party, gathered info, morized faces, while taking pictures.
I was gonna need to figure this shit out.
Why did all my gigs have to be so hard!? Where are all of Vs super easy go in and murder forty faceless gonks gigs! I want to murder forty gonks!
Thats 20,000XP! Minimum!
This was like the stolen car gig all over again. Wakako We really need to talk about this.
I switched to my scan mode, looking over all the electronics set up all over the building. I would have to figure this out.
I had to.
Slowly I gathered information, checked every angle of the building. Scanned everything I could. I even slowly slipped a ping into the cara system just to see everything I was working with.
I winced as I looked at the absolute spider web of light. So much was connected to that system.
No way I could break it. No way I could beat this netrunner, not on his ho turf.
I sighed as I started taking note of where all the lights went. They would at least lead to the Netrunner
Found him.
It would have to be enough.
--
Hey Malcolm, Youre late! I called out waving over my head as the last of our troupe showed up.
Yeah yeah, sorry my folks needed to run an errand. Of course they only asked, as I was walking out the door. He grumbled but settled into the booth at Ho-Oh club.
So apparently this was still our hangout.
Well with Jotaro dead, it was fine I guess.
Okay Motoko, explain why we all had to et up. Hiromi demands, and Ichi nods cradling a beer he had picked up from the bar.
My eyes flashed gold as I called all of them into a conference call. Which they all joined in quietly. Of course Malcolm didnt have the internal agent pickup, so he would have to speak up verbally to talk to us so he wouldnt be able to share much, unless he decided to send a text.
This was a serious gig, and deserved secrecy
And Ho-Oh was packed, and so even if we got a booth it wasnt exactly private And it was cool to be all secret agent levels of secrecy. Good practice too.
*Okay I got a new gig from Wakako. Should be tons of loot, and particularly, so netrunner gear that I absolutely need. Problem? Its a small gang with a skilled Netrunner hidden away And they hired about forty kids to be their muscle.*
I didnt get a response right away as I started sending pictures of what I had seen, security systems, even the floor plans that Wakako had given for my gig.
Then I waited, letting my chooms get a chance to go through everything.
*So we kill them and loot? Whats the issue?* Ichi asked, confused as he looked over everything. *We could probably set up the truck with Malcolm and I in the back, if they try to run, just open the back door and mow them down.*
*We arent murdering a bunch of kids.* I denied frowning at my chooms with my frowniest face.
Really guys?
*How are we going to get in then? Look.* Ichi pointed out a dozen pictures that all showed the guns the kids were carrying.
*Maybe we can just talk to them, make them give up or sothing.* I offered but Hiromi scoffed out loud.
*Dont be stupid Motoko. Those kids are probably making more eddies than they have ever seen before. They are powerful now, at least in their minds. There is no chance they will let us get in and take out the Netrunner. Besides, this says Wakako wants the gang removed. While the gang will break apart if we kill their Netrunner and this other guy. How are you going to get to them through that?* Hiromi pointed out and I winced.
Dammit.
I nibbled on my lips as everyone talked around for a bit. Obviously the killing would mostly be done by . So it was really my decision how this would work.
Could I kill a bunch of teenagers just trying to make themselves a life here in Night City? Even if I didnt kill them, that would leave fourty-ish teenagers with guns and a bone to pick against the world.
Well I didnt have to kill them. If I took them all out and just stole all their weapons that would work
Fuck. Even if I could disable all of them, thats still a lot of people to disarm. The danger level of the gig only grew with every step.
Wakako! I hate you!
You guys are overthinking this. Malcolm offered with a roll of his eyes as he went silent, obviously sending a text.
*Just take over the gang you gonk.*
I blinked, wincing at the thought. I didnt like the idea of taking over a bunch of street kids!
*Im in.* Hiromi offered with a nod. *That many gonks? We could do so serious heists with that much muscle.*
*It would be nice to have soone else drive trucks for .* Ichi offered but he laughed after showing he was joking. *But more seriously its not a terrible idea Motoko. We can do it. Take over the gang. Clean up the older guys leading them. Hell just tell them your pay structure and they would be yours.* He said laughing in reality.
*But I dont want to lead a bunch of teenagers!* I whined! Even my little group was almost more than I wanted to deal with!
*Then kill them.* Hiromi said looking a little sympathetic but giving a shrug. *Or cancel the gig.*
Fuck. I said aloud, shaking my head but Hiromi shrugged.
My chooms continued to pour over the information I had brought. My own hesitation wasnt shared. There were eddies to be made, and that was that.
They werent even being cruel, it was just the way Street Kids and I guess Corpo kids were raised.
The data I had was gone over. Interesting things were pointed out and I let the chatter filter through .
There had to be sothing. So way this could be done Soone poked .
I looked up into Malcolms face as he had a shit eating grin.
Malcolm? I said waving the others to be silent as I looked over the data he was pointing out. I nodded.
Good job.
--
I still dont know about this. I muttered as I left my chooms behind. We all had so ideas on what to do, but I had decided to put a pause on it after a point.
This city, the culture It was so weird. It still hit sotis that despite being in California, I wasnt actually in the United States.
Hell. There wasnt a USA anymore. It was New United States of Arica, or the NUSA. That was how weird it all was.
I had gotten so irritated that despite heading ho I had gone on a walk. Traveling through the Cherry Blossom Market, just looking around as I thought.
I could cancel this gig too.
I could find Netrunner gear sowhere else. Wakako would probably be annoyed though
And I didnt like giving up. I could do this. I could take over this little gang, its not like any of the kids would have much real experience.
I just didnt want the responsibility. I didnt want to lead a gang! That was an escalation in my life that I really didnt want to deal with.
I leaned over a railing looking down at the market below , watching the people co and go.
I didnt have to lead them. Not really. They would already have their own leaders among the kids. No way so thirty sothing gangbanger was properly acting as a ntor to forty teenagers.
I could just Set them up to be able to protect their apartnt complex and deal with them as I would any other gang after
I sighed. This was going to be such a ss.
I stood to head ho. I was going to need to talk to Jun.
--
So thats the sitch. I explained shoveling a bit of food into my mouth to catch up.
Jun, who had been eating as I explained my frustration, only shook his head.
Stop taking stupid gigs. He said simply and then nodded his head like he was giving sage wisdom.
The only reason I didnt kick him is because Jun kicked harder.
Thats so useful Jun-Nii! Truly I would be useless without your ad- FUCK OFF! I scread, cutting off my chipper tone and flipping him off. I ca to you for actual advice!
I cant really help you Motoko. Kill them. He said with a shrug. They picked up weapons and knew what they were getting into.
Theyre teenagers We never know what we are getting into. I said, a little sad at that fact.
Its just how it is. Do you need help? He asked, gently.
I just shook my head. No, I can handle it, and if you ca along they would just think its the Tyger Claws trying to press in No, I guess Ill have to talk to them. To find out whats really going on. I decided with a nod. I sotis wish I did have the mories of Motoko before the coma. It would make dealing with peers a little easier
Actually. That gave an idea. I knew exactly who I needed to call in for information gathering, my eyes went yellow as I walked away from Jun. Maybe I could actually actually get sowhere with so help!
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