Chapter 66
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 mean I wasnt doing much besides thinking about the puzzle of code in front of me, 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 mechanic behind the perk was weird. In essence, I was sending my data through back channels, sending bytes worth of data, at a time 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 time though. The one time I tried to use it, Took me over an hour just to set up on the system. Thats with the ICE being something 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 someone that truly understood computers, could ever hope to pull off.
Completing it the first time had even given me a couple of Breaching alerts throughout the attempt.
I kept at the grind though. As much as my guitar was calling for me, the fact was I needed the self improvement.
I hated feeling sorry for myself, and if a few days grinding like crazy to get some level ups was all I needed to feel better then it was worth it.
In the end, even though it cost me all the rest of the WET ICE, I gained two levels thanks to nonstop hardcore and experimental 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 somewhat. It was basically learning what the Perk would have taught me if I picked it instead of Ghost touch, but of course not as skillfully.
Thought it didnt mean I didnt get some 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 mental problem like this.
I walked into my bedroom and flopped on my bed. Jun was out. So I would sleep.
--
I was at the ramen 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 something besides his XXL burritos.
But honestly, the grinding kept me busy, the gigs paid more than any amount of bills I might have, and helping out my chooms wasnt too hard. Find some evil gonks, kill them, steal everything.
But what was it that I wanted?
It wasnt eddies. I was pretty comfy in the apartment that Jun and I shared, although I knew someday we would probably get something 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 become.The roots of this story extend from novell bìn origin.
So I would have to keep growing stronger and stronger to ensure that I could have my fun filled life.
Which meant 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 overwhelmed.
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 time to step into the net.
To stand among the ones and zeroes, and find out just how much it would open up for me. 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 apartment.
Or I would need to netrun from somewhere other than home.
Ugh!
I swirled the last bits of Ramen 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 time, and I had nearly melted 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 some supplies
Wait. I knew how to set up all the equipment 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 some 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 someone who has a full set of Netrunning equipment, you could steal?
Loot! The correct terminology is looting Wakako! Cmon get with the times! I joked only to instantly cough and settle back down as I realized what I had just said could be taken negatively.
Thankfully Wakako seemed to ignore me.
Hmm, I can gather the information. The price will be high.
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 something.* 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 me for a bit. Obviously the killing would mostly be done by me. 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 some serious heists with that much muscle.*
*It would be nice to have someone else drive trucks for me.* 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 me 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 me.
There had to be something. Some way this could be done Someone poked me.
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 some 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 me sometimes that despite being in California, I wasnt actually in the United States.
Hell. There wasnt a USA anymore. It was New United States of America, or the NUSA. That was how weird it all was.
I had gotten so irritated that despite heading home 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 somewhere 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 me, watching the people come and go.
I didnt have to lead them. Not really. They would already have their own leaders among the kids. No way some thirty something gangbanger was properly acting as a mentor to forty teenagers.
I could just Set them up to be able to protect their apartment complex and deal with them as I would any other gang after
I sighed. This was going to be such a mess.
I stood to head home. 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 screamed, cutting off my chipper tone and flipping him off. I came 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 came 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 sometimes wish I did have the memories of Motoko before the coma. It would make dealing with peers a little easier
Actually. That gave me 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 somewhere with some help!
