Broken People Part Four

     V and Judy are enjoying some alone time in the observation garden of the Fortress of Unending Fire.

     Judy: "What is this furniture she has provided for us? I swear it is big enough for three to relax on."

     V: "I do not know what it is called but if ever we have our own place, I want one for us."

     Judy turns from her back, where she had been watching the celestial show and gazes at 'V' who turns her head to look back.

     Judy: "I know so little of what you have done, aside from the news and what you have told me about. But I know when you get that 'far away' look on your face that something from the past lingers. But whatever it is can wait a bit, so much of your life has been violent, but there has to be more than me that has given you peaceful, happy memories if only short ones. Tell me of one, if you would?"

     V: "You are right, but it is those memories that keep me going. Do you know my father taught me how to 'box'? He would say, 'Valerie, this is a hard world we live in. You can simply walk out the front door and catch a bullet. But I know there are ways you can rise up above such conditions. This is why I am teaching this to you. You have inherited my talent and I want you to use it to better yourself.' He set me up with his old coach, who put me through the 'ringer'. Saw the potential in me as he did my father. And soon after I lost Jackie, before I went crazy with Johnny in my head, I went back to my coach and had him set me up a fight, so I could immerse myself in something other than problems and my grief.

     Surprisingly to a lot of people, I won. And I walked away with my head held high, my confidence and respect returning. After the lockdown of Heywood was lifted, 'Coach' contacted me to ask if I was interested in more fights, so I said 'yes'. He would set me up with them one at a time as I felt I needed them. They were not easy. I came away with bruises, cracked ribs, lost a tooth or two. But I healed, or rather 'Vik' would put me back together. He had a 'boxing' past, and Jackie as well, but I was unaware of Jackie's. Anyway he would give me advice from time to time that helped me out. After I met you and just before we went 'diving' together, I went up against Cesar in the 'Glen'. I first saw him arguing with his 'output', who looked about 7 or 8 months pregnant.

     She was dishing it out to him about why he was spending so much money on augments when his child was so close to being born, about all of the things they will need money for then. He was trying to earn it through fighting and she could see it all crumbling away if he 'lost' it all in a fight. When we discussed the wager, he threw in the 'title' to his car, and she turned and walked away from him. I put up the added value and stepped in the ring. He was good, but I could quickly see his weakness. So I would parry a few blows then quickly back way. This lured him into 'dashing' at me. I would sidestep and land a flurry to his midsection, then back away again.

     I took him down in the second round. I went to him to offer some advice. I said, 'Whatever you do next, don't lose what you have now.' And I glanced over to his 'output'. He followed my look and what I said, then agreed with me, even as he handed over the 'title' to his wheels. I thought a few seconds and gave it back, along with the twenty thousand 'eddy' purse. I could see the shock on his face even as his 'output' told him to accept and thank me for my generosity, which he did. He said he would never let anyone forget what I did for him that day. About a month later, I got a text with a photo of the baby. And every so often, I pull it out and look at it, so I can remember that I made a difference in his life."

     Judy does not hesitate, but pulls 'V' down into a strong kiss then, "And you have made a difference in mine."

     Judy: "I knew there was something deeper, more solid to you than what you showed to Night City. It was what drew me to you, but I never suspected that it ran that deep. I guess I should have after all that you did for me, and tried to do for Evelyn. It also explains why we are here and you are not in some forgotten prison cell. And why I love you so much. Now tell me about what has been bothering you to such distraction."

     V: "Ok, but you have to let me tell you the whole story. It will not make sense unless you hear it all."

     Judy: "Ok, I am all ears."

     V: "Do you remember when the BD, 'The Passion', came out?"

     Judy: "Yeah, but I never watched it myself. Why? What does that have to do with this?"

     V: "I was called and offered a job by Wakako. I had to meet the client at a restaurant. So I went and waited. All I knew was that the client was named Bill Jablonski. When he drove up and parked, I stood, went to him, and asked his name. Once I knew it was him, he asked me if Wakako had told me what I was to do. I said she had told that he would tell me what he wanted. And that was when I learned he wanted me to 'off' someone, and be there when it happened."

     Judy: "Wait! He wanted you to kill someone and watch you do it?"

     V: "Yeah."

     Judy: "What for, some kind of 'snuff' BD?"

     V: "No, if that had been the case I would have turned, walked away, and dropped an anonymous call to the NCPD. No, the victim was named Stephenson, Joshua Stephenson."

     Judy: "You mean 'the' Joshua Stephenson, the death row killer that..."

     V: "Yeah, that one. Bill changed his mind while we waited for the studio van to pass us by. He decided he wanted to be the one to pull the trigger and have me back him up. I was not liking this one little bit and had almost decided to leave when he told me why. His wife had been one of Stephenson's victims. So I started to put everything together in my mind and wondered just what was going on. Bill kept growling about Stepheson getting a 'get out of jail' card courtesy of the BD studio and how he was not going to let it happen. I disagreed with him but kept my mouth shut. I mean, no way was the NCPD going to let him out and back on the streets. There had to be more to this. I asked about details and Bill could not give me any. I almost dropped it then when the van came across in front of us and Bill started shouting for us to move before we  lost them.

     I almost punched him in the mouth right then. I know my job, I know how to tail a vehicle. I was having to dodge traffic, with him shouting in my ear. To our/my luck there was a accident along the route they took and stopped them at an underpass, so they had no choice but to stop. Bill had me stop and jumped out of the truck, ran down to the van brandishing a gun, and the NCPD officer with them shouting at him to stop and drop his gun."

     Judy: "What did you do?"

     V: "Exactly what the officer said to do. I am not stupid, that is the kind of situation they call Max Tac in on and that means a world of hurt coming if you even survive."

     Judy: "Whew, I have heard stories of what they do."

     V: "And I have seen it first hand. I will not provoke a cop into calling them. Anyway, the officer shot and killed Bill. I stood still, disarmed myself, and did not say a word. That was when Joshua came around the van calling out for everyone to calm down. He then came to me and asked my name. I told him I was called 'V'. He then turned to the studio rep and said he wanted me to come with them. You can imagine what ensued after that, but he had the studio over a barrel, if they wanted the BD to go through, they would do as he asked as long as he did not go too far. He turned and asked me to come with them. By now I was interested in what was happening as well as why he wanted me to accompany them knowing that I had been hired to kill him.

     I got in the van with them and they went on to a house in the 6th street area. Joshua had me go with him while the other two stayed outside. I then found out that the sister of one of his victim had been writing to him while he was in prison. Now this was not some misguided love affair or anything like that. She is a 'true believer' and managed to convert him. He wanted to see her and ask for forgiveness for murdering her brother before his execution. She was alone at the time, her mother out on an errand. We sat down at the kitchen table and talked for a little bit. I got a little more information of what was going on and it really piqued my curiosity of how something like this could happen and why." 

     Judy: "I think I know where this is going."

     V: "You may be right but hear me out. You will understand once I am finished. I found out that he wanted to be 'crucified' as the method of his execution and have it scrolled into a BD."

     The shock on Judy's face spoke volumes on what she was feeling right now and finding out that 'V' was somehow involved in it.

     V: "The mother came back right then and threw us both out, not that I blame her. She actually was quite calm about it. No threats, no throwing dishes or other things at us. We left and then went to get something to eat. The studio rep kept me outside for a minute trying to bribe me into leaving. She thought the questions I was asking were undermining hers and the studio's efforts. I declined her offer and went inside, then sat down at the table to listen further. I have never had much of an opinion of media people and now have even less of one. I began to see what was going on in his head, and it was having an effect on me. Causing me to question some things I have believed for a long time. When the rep gathered them to leave, Joshua thanked me for coming with them and left with them. I sat back down and talked to Johnny. I have to admit that was a strange conversation."

     Judy: "How so?"

     V: "We were actually agreeing with each other. I compared Stephenson to Johnny as a 'rebel', and Johnny replied that Stephenson was a 'true' rebel, ready to die for what he believed, and using that death to make a statement to the entire world. I thought for a second and had to agree with him, because Stephenson had to believe in what he was doing. He was not getting anything out of it but to make a statement to every man, woman, and child who sees that BD, talks about it to their friends. It left a mark on me inside, one that is still there.

     I left there, not really knowing what was going to happen from that point. A few days later I got a call from the studio rep, Joshua was asking for me, and refusing to go through with it unless they contacted me. So I went to the studio to see what was going on and see if I could help him decide on what he really wanted to do. By this time I was convinced of his sincerity, his drive to make his statement, no matter the unconventional method he had chosen. I went to him and sat down to listen to him. We talked for a few minutes and he asked me if I believed in 'God'. I had not really thought much about it for most of my life. Too busy just trying to survive really. But deep down, yeah, I had to admit that I did. I have seen a lot of horrific things, done my fair share of them, but I have also seen great things as well, and came to know the people who stood up in the face of derision, lies, betrayal to do those great things. And I have felt something from them touch me in those moments. Whether it was 'God' or just a figment of my imagination, I don't know. So I dug down deep into myself and found a prayer my mother taught me, and so I prayed it with him. The studio took him to make final preparations, but before he left, he asked me if I would be the one to nail him to tht cross."

     Judy: "'V', no, tell me you didn't do it!"

     V, with tears in her eyes, "I could not let someone else do it, someone who did not care about why he was doing this, someone who did not believe in him and what he wanted to say to the world. They gave me some lines to speak, and somehow they seemed appropriate. As I pounded each nail, I imagined that I felt what he felt with each blow. When it was done, I went to the switch to raise the cross upright, hesitated for a few seconds, and with trembling fingers, I pressed the button and watched as it was raised up. Once it stopped, I went and stood just to the right and looked up at him. I still do not know what I saw, cannot explain it. I glanced over to the other side and saw Johnny standing there with his head bowed. I then bowed my own and felt him die. We two stood there for I do not know how long before I turned and walked out. The studio rep stopped me to tell me that my pay would be coming in a few days, and she then commented she was going home and sleeping for a couple of days. All I wanted to do was leave myself, find you, and be held by you while I cried until I had no tears left."

     Judy: "Why didn't you?"

     V: "Because there was no way I could explain to you then about why I did what I did, and why I needed you so badly."

     Judy: "What did you do, then?"

     V: "I went up into the hills to find a place to look out over Night City and decide what it was that I really wanted to do with my life. I found the Zen Master waiting for me. It was as if he knew what I was going through. He helped me enter into a meditation session and guided me through it. When I came out of it, the sky was dark and he was gone. I had been meditating for several hours but I did feel better about myself, my situation, things in general. And I began to understand what it was I wanted to do with myself. I had always wanted to become a Legend. For this city to know I had been here. Now I understood that behind that was the desire to live my life in a way that people would remember. And say that 'V' lived and made a difference by living her life. To inspire others to find and live theirs so that people would say the same of them."

     Judy does not say anything more, she just wraps her arms around 'V', wiping away her tears, and lays back watching the 'Great and Secret Show' that was hidden in the fires shooting out, streaming here and there, finding meaning, mystery, and answers deep within.

     Later:

     V: "I have a possible starting place for building a corporation to begin changing the landscape for the people."

     Iriisii looks up from the maps and intel she had been perusing.

     Iriisii: "Tell me."

     'V' then tells her the story she had told Judy. Once she was done, Iriisii pulls a chair up and sits then leans back into it.

     Iriisii: "That is as most a profound story as I have heard in all of my life so far. I do not know exactly what you feel brought you to and through it, but one thing is very plain to me."

     V: "What is that?"

     Iriisii: "You were guided to this path, as I was guided to mine. Who is behind it? That I do not know and cannot see, just yet anyway. Maybe it does not matter who, what does matter is that this is a good path for you to walk. A path of true understanding and enlightenment. A path that will lead you to great things."

     V: "Could the Zen Master be the one guiding me?"

     Iriisii: "Possible for sure, or someone else, or the Zen Master may be an agent of whoever is guiding you. It would be very interesting to see what a new Tarot reading would say to you now. If what power behind it can see where you might go from here. But I do agree that your idea of using this to build a new corporation to combat the others is a good one and this would be a strong cornerstone for the foundation. Judy will need to be brought into this, for her expertise with these BD's will be crucial to its success. I take it you have a few ideas about how you think it would work?"

     V: "Yes, I do. I think rather than starting from scratch which would be problematic. The other corporations would fight tooth and nail to stop us from even getting started. We can do it though it will be a long fight. No, better to take over an existing company, one already established with a track record that we can work with."

     Iriisii: "You have such a one in mind?"

     V: "Yes, the one that produced the BD that I participated in. The one that even now is strongly gaining popularity. It is called 'The Passion'. I think it can be added to in such a way as to take the industry by storm. No one else is doing anything remotely like this and it is Judy's brainchild. Currently BD's allow someone to immerse themselves into and experience the story as if they were the main character. Of course there are limits put in place to protect the user. But her idea was to combine two BD experience tracks together, so that the user can experience two different viewpoints at the same time."

     Iriisii: "I see, so you want to add what you experienced in that event to expand and add to the original. Giving even more context to the whole. I wonder, would you add the later part, your search for the meaning of what it meant to you, to the new BD?"

     V: "I had not thought of that, but it would make sense in that we are tell telling two stories of the event at the same time. And we can show at least one path where the viewer can see where I found some meaning to what happened."

     Iriisii: "I think you might be, how is it said, 'selling yourself short'. Your story is integral to this as much as Stephenson's is. You 'nailed' him to that cross and came away with 'life questions' that needed answers. Your journey to those answers is just as important to the overall story as the 'statement' he wanted to make. His 'statement' is causing the viewers to ask themselves the same questions that you asked yourself. Now, you can show them one way they can find those answers."

     V: "But how can we do this? It has already happened. I cannot go back and do it again just to get it scrolled."

     Iriisii: "There is no need of that. I can bring your memories of it out and Judy can use her tech to record them. Then she can use her skills to tune and tweak them into a whole that I believe will go far beyond the original. My Krang can scan and analyze her tech, then build a..., hmmm, I see a better way. I think my Krang could simulate what her tech can do. Using that as a starting point, with her directing everything, all within the same environment, all under her direct control. Yes, this could be the bedrock of a new process that will 'rock' the BD industry, and propel the company up to where we can compete, no, smash the other corporations. Because they will not be able to duplicate the process. They will try, that is for certain. And when they figure out that they cannot, they will try more nefarious means to acquire the process. When that fails, we will see what direction they then take. But one thing is for sure, their uneasy pseudo-alliance will fracture completely, when we encroach into their products with the same increase in quality as the BD product will pave the way for us to do."

     V: "But first we need to acquire the Studio. That will be costly with the increase in value they have gained so far."

     Iriisii: "I will talk to Mr. Perales about this. See what he thinks about it. We would need his help anyway to open a few doors to let us get started. But funding will not be a problem, there are numerous ways to get it. I just need to be careful not to do so in a manner that 'crashes' Night City's economy. I want to enable the people to spend on our products, not the other corporations products. And if I can help the ones I wish to use in this endeavor to gain wealth for themselves, so much the better."

     V: "The Nomads! Of course, if they have secure smuggling routes or better ways to safely evade the border patrols that the 'government' is putting out there at corporate bidding, they can get enough stuff through to ensure a steady supply of funds and at the same time keep the corporations fighting themselves undercutting the others' businesses. Its brilliant!"

     Iriisii: "We will need Judy on board with this or it never gets off the ground. Then you say the Nomads will help if we can help them. I assume you are speaking of your Aldecaldo family. Panam is currently their leader?"

     V: "Yes, she is. She will not be a problem to persuade once she sees how much this will help her, her family, her tribe, clan, and nation  survive in the coming times. All she wants is for them to be safe, to prosper, be free and not beholden to the corporations."

     Iriisii: "Then we will have to structure any arrangement to coincide with that goal. I can understand her desires in this. Therefore we must make certain that she can see how this will enable her wishes to come to pass, without having to bow to our wishes when we differ. It will not be easy but you have my authority to speak with my voice. I will back you in whatever you decide. Let her know she can take cargo, jobs from anyone. But our safeguards only cover our deals between us. Anything else she must bear the costs if anything goes wrong. Later, something may be arranged if she and her family so wish, but for now, let her see where this goes and what she does with it. I promise that I will not interfere in how she runs her side of the agreement, even if I disagree with it. I will speak with Mayor Perales as to if he will allow us to 'incorporate' as a Night City corporation, I believe, none of the others have done so?"

     V: "I believe you are right, other than a few small ones they are all from elsewhere, either in the country or some other one. Only the smaller businesses are registered here, more and more the big ones are taking them over with predatory financial tactics."

     Iriisii: "Then that may be another way we can effect change here. Step into that and offer another, more fair means where these smaller businesses can get the funds they need without have their hard work stolen from behind their backs. A question, does this BD studio have any ties into the 'video networks'? Ahh, it may be better to create one of our own than to try and slip into what exists. It will look better to the people if we can do this on our own. Another thing to talk to the mayor about. It looks like we have a few bones for a complete skeleton to begin things with. Time to get to work."

     V: "Is there any way to deal with the trash dumps? I do not know what you could do or how to deal with it right now anyway?"

     Iriisii: "Trash dumps?"

     V: "Yes, some of the ones around here are like mountains and they are only the local ones. There are companies that are shipping and dumping it on the ice that covers our southernmost continent.

     Iriisii: "I am glad you said something about that."

     V: "Really?"

     Iriisii: "Yes, I can turn it into its most basic form. And from that make almost anything you can imagine. Every particle can be reused to make anything."

     V: "You do mean anything, don't you?"

     Iriisii: "The race that taught me how to do it, eventually based there entire civilization on it. They built entire cities, even starships that carried them from one side of the galaxy to the other."

     V: "What happened to them?"

     Iriisii: "They came into contact with one they could not deal with. They were almost gone when I encountered them. I defeated their enemy and they then declared me their Empress Mother for saving their civilization. Now they have regained what they was lost and gone beyond the old boundaries, and they still follow and revere me. I have two of their most celebrated warriors as my personal acolytes. I have been teaching them what I in my youth was taught and seeking out others that can teach them what I was not. When the time comes, I will send them home. They will become their peoples' protectors, and two more will take their place beside me. Then I will begin again with them, and the cycle will continue. For as long as I send them protectors to stand and lead them when needed, they will never fall again. And the Kinja Empire will be one that will never be forgotten, for they were my first children and as long as I exist, so too will they."

     Iriisii lays out her plan to Mayor Perales, who immediately sees the potential in it and vows to move anything in the way aside to make this happen. Some can be done quicker than others but he will find a way to get it setup. For a locally born company to build a solid reputation among the regular people, gain the respect, backing, and financial strength to challenge the megacorps. This was something before now he could only dream of being a part of. And it was not in some other part of the world, or near a city of political power, but beginning right here in his city, under his watch as mayor.

     He suggests that after they are underway to find ways to insulate themselves from politics. In the event that someone else not favoring them should win his seat they would have a lot less to worry about. Iriisii then told him not to worry, but to keep accurate books so that it will be documented that any funds the city spent on her company's behalf would see the city made whole with interest. She tells him that they would like to buy property within the city, just outside, and some well out in the badlands, preferably in some remote area no one else is interested in. When he inquired as to why she wanted property out there? She said they would be making it into a transport hub for goods and cargo. She also said she planned for the bulk of the hub to be underground so that weather would not be a problem. Also they would have a shuttle between there and the city for the workers. The cost of the shuttle would be borne by the company and that the workers would be paid for the time they were on the shuttle. Chuckling that no way under the sky would the other corporations do something like that, at least not without finding a way for the workers to bear the cost and that would backfire against them when the workers realized that Iriisii's company not only did not make the workers pay for it, but paid them for the time they were in transit. She also put before him the desire that once they were able to create all the raw materials they needed to open up Night city to immigration. They they will be needing a lot of people for jobs and these other offers that are being made tying people to twenty year contracts before they can own land , a home, have a child, this makes them no better than slaves. We need to be better than that. Besides if we are able to provide them with jobs, a home, and land they can buy. To raise a family and live like human beings. They will remember who gave them that chance and you will have their support when you need it. Now she had to talk to some others to get them on board as well. Next stop is Vik's Clinic.

     As they walk into his clinic, he is watching old boxing matches as he is wont to do when things are quiet.

     Vik rising quickly, "'V'! How have you been? It is so good to see you!"

     V: "Hi Vik, glad to see you in good spirits as well."

     Vik: "You look different, so you get that 'Relic' problem solved?"

     V: "Finally, yes I did."

     Waving toward Iriisii, "And I have this person to thank for it. She came through for me after every other road ended in a dead end. She has done so much to change things for me that I wanted you to meet her."

     Vik: "Then I would be honored to do this for my favorite patient."

     'V': "Vik, it is my honor to introduce you to the one person who succeeded in saving my life and giving me a whole new outlook on who I can be. This is Iriisii Dovahkiin. Dovah do Hahnu, this is Viktor Vektor, he has put me back together more times than I can remember."

     Iriisii extends a hand to him. As he takes it, he notes the calm strength she projects and thinks 'there is much more to her than is outwardly apparent'.

     Iriisii smiles, "It is my pleasure to meet you, 'V' speaks very highly of you and now I can see that she was not exaggerating in the least."

     Vik: "Thank you for your kind words. I cannot place where your name originates from. It is completely new to me."

     Iriisii: "I would be surprised if you had heard it before. In my homeland, 'Dovahkiin', in the local tongue means 'Dragonborn'."

     Vik: "And what word 'V' referred to you as, 'Dovah do Hahnu'?"

     Iriisii: "Again in the local tongue, it means 'Dragon of Dreams'."

     Vik: "With such a usage speaking to dragons, you must be from somewhere in the far east although you do not share their physical features."

     V: "You could say that with the emphasis on 'far'."

     Vik: "I would like to talk with you in more depth, but that can wait. 'V' is there anything I can do for you?"

     As he gets a better look, "Your implants?! I knew there was something different about you when you walked in."

     V: "I still have implants, just a different kind. I wanted you to have the first opportunity to see and evaluate them. Then we can talk further about them and where we might go with them."

     Vik: "Ok, climb in the chair and I will give them a look."

     After a through scan, then a second even longer, more detailed scan, Vik sits back in his chair with an astounded look on his face.

     Vik: "I can see where the old ones were. That much I could verify because most of them I installed. But I can't make heads or tails of what you have now. I can see new tissue growths in those places that I have never seen before and do not recognize, but it is obvious that they are your tissues because the connections are seamless. Your body sees and recognizes them as a part of you so there is no rejection scarring. The previous damage the 'Relic' was doing to you is gone. Your neural activity level is higher than before and that is apparent in every part of your brain. I do not know what that means but it is obvious it is not dangerous or damaging in any way."

     V: "The implants are biological, tuned to my genetics when they were installed. Because of this there is another benefit."

     Vik: "Pray tell what is that benefit?"

     V: "No chance of cyberpsychosis, at least not from implants anyway. There are other factors involved, such as environmental, social, a few others. All together and over time they can bring it about. But the current state of implants is the major contributing factor. Eliminate that and you reduce the onset by at least sixty to seventy percent. And no one else has access to this level of tech. We want to change this, make it available to everyone. But we cannot go the normal route. The Corporations would never let it out of their grasp."

     Vik: "You are right on that account. Only the very rich, the 'high and mighty', and the Corp loyalists would have access. And even then they would have some kind of 'claw back' put in to let them maintain control."

     V: "You see the problem then, we are determined to get this out, somehow."

     Vik: "How can I help?"

     V: "We were hoping that would be your reaction. We are in the starting stages of forming our own company. This would be brought out later after we are established and have a few 'irons in the fire' so to speak."

     Vik: "Hmm, get the corps attention divided among other things then hit them with this when they are distracted. You have been doing your homework, not to mention making a serious plan, but can you put together acquiring the funding and power to withstand the attacks they will mount when they start getting concerned?"

     V: "They do not realize it yet, but they have already lost the 'war'. The tools we need are already out there, scattered and discarded by the Corps everywhere. By the time they realize we are a serious threat to them, we will be unassailable. The very trash sitting in those mountains outside the city, the fields and fields of it covering the southern ice fields is fuel we can use and at the same time clean up the environment. The BD industry is about to be turned on its head. Next I am going to the Nomads to enlist them in developing a supply chain to import goods from outside and export our stuff to the rest of the country and later the world, all the while keeping out of sight of the likes of Militech and the others the governments are using to strangle and control what goods and trade are allowed to pass the borders.

     We know once we really get started they will institute a crackdown of never before seen intensity. They will try to monitor even the air passing across the border, but we will be invisible to them. I will be talking to the 'fixers' to use their skills and contacts to coordinate our efforts. Keep them well paid and they will be invaluable, especially when we extend our security to them. The guards I sent for you and Misty are from Iriisii's personal forces, to protect you from retaliation against anyone associated with me."

     Vik: "Who are you protecting Misty and I from, if I may ask?"

     V: "NUSA President Myers."

     Vik lowers his head and shakes it side to side, "What...no, I am not certain I want to know."

     V: "For now, you can get away with that, soon though, everyone will need to know what happened. It will be brought to light, just what kind of threat the things she has done is to our very existence. And she is but the tip of the iceberg, what lurks below is far more dangerous. We know much of who is involved, how it is being done, but for now it must be fought from the shadows. I have already made forays into some of the factions involved, did quite a bit of damage as well."

     Vik: "How much of what is in the news have you been involved in?"

     V: "Honestly, maybe half. But the details are very much different from what they are throwing out. That is another avenue we are going to address, form our own video network to get the truth out there. I know all about the smear tactics they will use. Tell everybody enough lies, enough times, while covering over the 'Truth' and the lies become the 'truth'. But expose the lies, drive them home, show the people how their lives are affected by the lies, and show them how they benefit from the 'Truth'. Then we begin earning their trust by providing help to them in their daily lives, giving them options and choices apart from what the Corps are shoving down their throats. Then when we open their eyes, they will see and trust us to be straight with them. And above all we must do this in a way that we do not become what we are fighting.

     We have already started by bringing the mayor on board. We have shown him how he was being controlled and manipulated. Enemies were using UHF tech to literally brainwash him, implant false memories, control his reactions to stimuli, thus controlling what others do as they react to him. And he is not the only one this is happening to. We are uncovering the others as well, shielding them from the effects, healing them until they can see it themselves. Then we ask their help to stop this with the others, especially when we show them what we know of how this is being done, who is doing it, what their end goal is. Some will not help or side with us no matter what we prove to them. But knowing who they are, we can let them go and use other methods to render them impotent without stooping to what our enemies are using. Thus we maintain the high ground."

     Vik: "You have given this a great deal of thought. Now you need to do the preparation, and your plans on that are solid as far as I can tell. Ok, I am on board, what do you need me to do."

     V: "For now, nothing more than what you are doing now. Soon, once we have the framework in place, we will let you premiere the organic implants. We will spread the word on the advantages and the reduction in the disadvantages. Also we will make the pricing where it does not cost an arm, or a leg, or their soul to acquire them. It will be up to you which ones of your fellow 'ripperdocs' you think would be a good fit to join us and let us supply them with these new implants at the same pricing level. The money they can make will be more than they make now by the sheer increase in volume. These implants are much easier to install. They do a lot of the work themselves. We will also retrofit your existing equipment to make the process easier. There will be no charge for this, for this will be leverage for you against those who decide to tow the corpo line."

     Vik turns to Iriisii, "Thank you for saving her life. I always knew she was a fighter. She just did not have a cause to get behind. You have given that to her, and now I am finally seeing what she is capable of."

     Iriisii smiles again, "This is just the beginning of what you are going to see. I knew when I first saw her, the fire that burned in her, the compassion that could temper that fire when it was needed. The drive and determination to see this through and the humility to ask for help when she needs it. She will meet her goal of becoming a Legend here, perhaps not the exact way she first thought, but the kind of Legend the memory of stands the test of time. Who is not forgotten after a generation or two."

     Vik: "Amen."

     Iriisii: "Before we go I need to speak to my guards. It will not take long I promise."

     Vik: "They are your people, you certainly do not need my permission."

     Iriisii: "But we are in your place of business, some courtesy and decorum is not out of place." 

     Iriisii makes a hand gesture and the guards she had sent here  to protect Misty and Vik almost literally come out of the woodwork, gather in front of Iriisii and kneel before her, heads bowed. She goes to each and whispers in their ear then moves back to the front and addresses them as a group.

     Iriisii: "I am proud of the way you have performed this task. From here on out it is going to become more dangerous so I ask that you remain vigilant. These two here are important to 'V'. And since she has taken service with me, she is now your sister. Guard her friends with your lives and know the blessing of Shai-Hulu'ud."

     The guards strike their clenched fists over their hearts and exclaim, "Shai-Hulu'ud!"

     Iriisii: "May his passing cleanse the way."

     For a split second, Vik can feel the winds of a distant sirocco, as it builds and threatens to begin moving. The heat reflecting off of the sands is mitigated by the cooling winds and then the moment is gone.

     Vik: "What happened? For just a moment..."

     Iriisii: "The Father of my soul has given you his blessing and acknowledged the strength of the help you will be to us."

     As they turn to exit his clinic, Vik takes a step and hears the crunch of grains of sand under his shoes. Looking down he can see the shiny grains reflecting in the clinic lights.

     They travel out to the Aldecaldo nomad camp, Iriisii takes notice of the difference in the terrain. She begins to consider what can be done with it as a whole to help make it more habitable without losing its flavor. When they arrive she sees where her guards have found their perches, places chosen to allow them to see clearly while hiding them from the areas outside. As they exit the vehicle she watches as a tall, slim female strides out to greet 'V' with purpose clearly seen in her walk and poise.

     Panam: "'V", damn but it is good to see you. You are looking extremely well considering the last time I saw you. Now will you tell me why we need these guards around? I am not complaining mind you. You would not have sent them if you did not think it necessary."

     V: "Come on, let's get settled somewhere, we have a lot to talk about."

     Panam: "All right, follow me and we will grab a table."

     Panam leads them to a group of tables under a tent next to the vendor trailer. She has the bartender bring out some bottles of Brosef Lager. When everyone has settled and is comfortable.

     Panam: "All right just what is all of this that is going on."

     The sun is dipping down below the horizon when Iriisii finishes telling her everything. Panam is quiet for a time long enough that some sitting there are wondering if she has gone into shock or something.

     Panam: "This is too much to swallow all at once. I need to break it up in smaller bits to make sense of it. What happened with President Myers is first right? We saw some of the fireworks from here. That must have been one hell of a fight. Mitch would not say anything but that I would have to wait for you to explain it all. Now I see why he said that. I mean damn, getting your feet pulled out from under you by your own people. I am assuming the news reports of what happened at the spaceport are all a pack of lies as usual?"

     V: "Yep, they had no choice but to lie their heads off. If the truth had come out, heads would roll starting with President Myers. And it could happen yet. She is going to be besieged from all sides and cannot tell who is truthfully loyal to her and who is not."

     Panam: "So what is that going to mean for us?"

     V: "Hopefully we can put together a plan that will put us in a situation where she does not dare move against us. And I do not trust her enough by far to enter into an alliance with her. I would have to watch my back twenty-four/seven and hire a poison tester to check everything before I ate, drank, or even breathed."

     Panam: "What you know is that explosive?"

     V: "Yes, it definitely is. I almost wish her enemies would do away with her before she comes for me, but I know what she is capable of, and I can plan against her. The ones gunning for her now I am afraid have a much larger, more dangerous agenda."

     Panam: "Can I ask what it is?"

     V: "Bring down the 'Blackwall'."

     Panam: "Tell me you are kidding. You are not kidding, are you?"

     V: "I am afraid not. But we are not without options and serious help ourselves. We just have to get started on putting the pieces together and begin undermining the efforts of those doing this."

     Panam: "What about the Voodoo Boys? How do they figure in to this. Our clan members down there report that they are very quiet, more so than they have been in the past."

     V: "That is a bunch that learned the hard way, not to fuck with me. I needed information from them, so I cleaned out a nest of 'Animals' for them as an intro to their leader, Madame Brigitte. From her I gained access to the Blackwall, first of all found out what their intentions were."

     Panam: "Which were?"

     V: "Contact Alt Cunningham to negotiate passage and protection on the other side."

     Panam: "You mean the other side of the Blackwall?"

     V: "Yes, you need to see how convoluted all of this is, with things that happened in the past now coming into and affecting the present, not to mention what it all means to the future. Back when, Johnny Silverhand and Alt Cunningham were an item together. Alt was the absolute best netrunner around and Saburo Arasaka needed her to complete a pet project of his. To her credit, she would have nothing to do with them. And so they kidnapped her, nearly killed Johnny in the process. He survived, gathered what mercs he could trust and laid siege to Arasaka Tower. They went in, shot up the place, penetrating deep inside, then they found Alt, dead in a netrunner chair.

     That set the stage for later events that resulted in Arasaka Tower getting nuked. You see, Arasaka's prime cybernet weapon is a program called 'Soulkiller'. Alt cunningham wrote it, and Arasaka used it on her, killing her. Her mind was coded and stored in a virtual prison called Mikoshi for some time until she managed to escape and went beyond the Blackwall where she survives and fights Arasaka in cyberspace. What all this has to do with our present situation is this, the Voodoo Boys saw the siege that began when Bartmoss crashed Cyberspace, built the Blackwall and managed to shove most of the rouge AIs behind it. If it falls they know what will happen and so they wanted to be on the winning side. Although I think they really did not understand what that would mean for them."

     Panam: "Why was that?"

     V: "It is a moot point now, I encountered a Netwatch agent when clearing out the Animals. Almost died when we were hit by one mother of a cyber spike. At first I thought it was a last ditch defense by Netwatch, but I soon learned it was the Voodoo Boys cleaning up their mess. They got a real shock when I turned up alive instead of brain fried with smoke coming from my ears. That was when I first met Madame Brigitte in person. They had no choice but to help me deep dive into cyberspace where I encountered what was left of Alt.

     I tell you, that was a shock. She is now totally an AI, almost not a shred of who she once was is left, just echoes of it is all. But it  was enough that with Johnny's help, I was able to hammer out a deal where she would help separate Johnny and myself. In return she wanted to destroy Mikoshi. One the way back, Netwatch showed up in cyberspace and attacked. Alt dealt with it, and thinking the Voodoo Boys led them to her, she fried them on the spot."

     V goes silent for a moment as the memory of it returns. Panam goes to her and places an arm around her.

     Panam: "That bad hunh?"

     V: "Yeah it was. It made me put doing whatever I had to do to keep the Blackwall up and holding, above everything else. No one that did not witness that knows what will happen if the Blackwall falls. And it will not be just Night City, it will be the whole world. And I am the only one left alive who knows, because I was not expected to return to the 'land of the living'. My psyche was to be shredded and consumed by what lives on the other side. So when I came up out of the 'ice bath', I confronted Madame Brigitte. She made no bones about what she did and why she did it. At first I thought to just leave and be done with them. But I also thought that they can not let me live knowing what I know. They would not kill me right then, but I would have a target on my back until someone managed to do me. So I released my anger, and killed them all. What's left of them still want me dead, but those I can handle. I came out of there with a whole new set of abilities, tied to this 'Relic' chip, I can collect old software caches that Militech left behind years ago, absorb them and use them to develop new skills."

     Panam: "What is this Mikoshi?"

     V: "A set of orbital data servers storing all of the captured engrams that Arasaka has used 'Soulkiller' to collect from those cruising cyberspace. The source of all those stories and rumor of people dying while in cyberspace. They are true and they are trapped in Mikoshi. Call it a Prison of Souls if you will."

     Panam: "That is..."

     V: "Horrible, yes it is, and that is one of our goals. To free them and find a way to help them deal with what was done to them. They deserve that much at least."

     V goes on to explain what their plan is and how the Nomads fit into it.

     Panam: "You know the Aldecaldoes will back you completely. The only possible problem will come from the other clans. They will have to cover the other side of this smuggling route you want to build."

     V: "Fine then, how do I get to speak to all of the clans at once. Doing this one at a time is going to ne a nightmare, especially if our enemies catch wind of it before we are done."

     Panam: "I do not know right now, just give me a little time to come up with something. But did you find what you were looking for in Dogtown?"

     V: "Yeah, and found out a lot more than I bargained for. I have already told you of 'Soulkiller' and how Arasaka was using it. What no one suspected was that Militech developed their own version of it, called 'Cynosure'. There was an actual AI, encased in a specialized containment  system within the Cynosure device. For whatever reason Militech abandoned it, buried it down inside the old labs they built under what is now Dogtown. There is more to that story but it must remain private for now. I cannot risk Militech getting wind that I actually interacted with that AI."

     Panam: "Ok, I trust you on this. What is next? Who do you go and see?"

     V: "The Fixers. They need to be told what is going on and what their part, if they join with us, will be."

     Panam: "Going to talk to Rogue?"

     V: "Have to, it would be disastrous not to. I have no idea how many will come on board, maybe all of them, maybe none. But I need to give them the choice, that way we know where we stand, who will be with us and who will not."

     Panam: "What about the gangs?"

     V: "Good question. I do not see any of the gangs fitting into this anywhere. That will not work together. At some point they will try to either take over or carve a part out just for themselves. That is not how this is going to work. Besides they are too deep in bed with the Corpos. The gangs run the streets, while the Corpos sit in their golden towers directing the gangs."

     Panam: "Surely..."

     V: "Panam, I have seen and read too many shards of info where the gangs spoke about what they were doing.=, as well as getting instructions from the corpos. Arasaka is using the gangs to attack their own specifically chosen sites with Militech equipment. This will start another 'Corpo War' and we need to be in place and active before this happens. None of them are clean, not a one, drug making, dealing, murder, retribution for the slightest causes, making money off of the misery of the people on the street, bribery, extortion, blackmail. Both the gangs and the corps are up to their eyeballs in it, and they use it to control the politicians. One good one made it into the mayor's seat in Night City and then someone started brainwashing him and his wife, turning them into totally different people than they were. I know because I discovered how they were doing it, traced one of their tech vans in a high speed chase across Night City. Caught it in a Maelstrom enclave, and had to clean out the whole place. I got into the equipment in that van before they erased it. I saw what they were doing, and later before I could meet with Jefferson, I got a warning call from them to back off. I have to tell you that it scared the shit out of me. I lied to him about what I found, not just to protect myself, but to protect him and his wife. In the end I told myself that is what I was supposed to do, above all else, protect my clients from their and my mistakes."

     Panam: "I had no idea..."

     V: "I know, nobody does because this is the first time I have said anything about it. But it is how I do business, the clients see it, even if they do not know just what it is. It is why they come back to me when they need my services, and why they recommend me to others. It is why my net worth is in the millions of 'eddies'."

     Panam: "Did you say 'millions'?"

     V: "Yes, that is partially why I have never asked for payment for the things I did to help the clan. I did not and do not need the money, I do it because I believe it is the right thing to do, and I will not violate that tenet, no matter the cost to myself."

     Panam: "I guess if we will be working with Rogue, I need to forgive her for how we met, hard as that will be."

     V: "Do it because you feel it is right to do, otherwise it is worthless. Rogue is a very complicated person. I have more knowledge of what she has had to do to survive, rise to where she is, and what it cost her. For better or worse, it made her who she is now. I accept that, because I cannot help but feel I would have done the same in her shoes. In some respects I have done better and worse than she, and the cost will be my responsibility to bear."

     Panam, thinking of seeing Smasher crush Saul's head during their foray into Mikoshi with 'V'. And of 'V' shaking off the horror of what she saw and giving everything she had to bringing Smasher down. Of the several times in that epic battle, the tale of which will likely never be told by the two survivors, only by the few others who knew what happened. She placed herself in mortal peril as a decoy to draw Smasher's attention away from Panam. All the while chipping away at Smasher's armored body, now with almost no 'human' parts left. Finally seeing 'V' had enough of the 'cat and mouse' game, 'V' drew her favored katana, 'Black Unicorn'. A blade she had worked on almost continuously in her career as a merc. Honing it, upgrading it, sometimes sleeping with it, sharing her pain, her joys with it, until it became a part of her soul, inseparable from it.

     Together they became Night City Legends that day, ending Adam Smasher's life, as she spoke to Smasher as she drove Black Unicorn into his heart and then taking his head, 'Johnny Silverhand sends his regards'.