Kujira, Bridge.
Central Command Room.
Placing the paper blueprint for the newly commissioned supercarrier "Adelheid"—provided by Arasaka's manufacturing division—on the command table, Vela quietly sat behind the carrier's scheduling and control simulation platform, watching the many Arasaka naval officers and operators busily working at the central display console.
Since she was here, how could she pass up the chance to personally experience what it felt like to command a war remotely from a supercarrier?
Arasaka Saburo's authorization.
Although no explicit orders had been issued assigning this fleet to her, there were no barriers or restrictions on her boarding the vessel, and she was allowed to observe—and enjoy the experience.
A bit of a carrot. The Adelheid—named with her own middle name to signify something meaningful…
All Vela could say was: the bait was big and delicious.
And she took it.
She had coveted a supercarrier of this scale—tens of thousands of tons—for a long time. Far more impressive than any flying car or the New American Space Force One.
As for riding this fleet back to Night City... cough, she wasn't getting ahead of herself.
North America's current state wasn't suitable or ready.
Saburo Arasaka was still alive. In the original timeline, the reason Hanako Arasaka could sail the Kujira directly into Night City without major diplomatic backlash—and even with vague support from other factions—was because her father had died.
Saburo had perished in Night City, and with the truth of Yorinobu Arasaka's patricide unknown, Militech became the prime suspect.
After all, Militech had a track record.
More than half a century ago, Militech nuked Arasaka Tower, then played the victim, blaming Arasaka. Arasaka's crown prince Kei Arasaka had also been assassinated by a Militech-hired cyber-merc.
Thus, Arasaka had a just cause and held the upper hand in diplomatic and media battles.
Now, in 2076, the "Arvin Peace and Unification Treaty" signed after the Metal Wars was still in effect.
If Arasaka stationed the Kujira off the West Coast without solid justification, it would be far more serious than squabbles over troop increases or new military installations. Outsiders would read it as a declaration of war, a breach of peace, and a violation of international law.
Treaties exist to be torn up.
That may be true for cyber-corporations, and violating international law is easy—but timing is everything. The benefits must outweigh the backlash and potential losses.
Opening with an all-out move is inadvisable.
"6th Street."
Vela lightly tapped her fingers on the tabletop, muttering the name of her next target.
On the command room's large screen was a high-resolution overhead view of South Night City in the Free State of Northern California.
After the fleet commander had finished briefing her on the Kujira and the Second Fleet's specs, Vela had them pull up the full map of Night City.
Once she specified her target, the focus quickly narrowed, locking in on the border zone between Pacifica's Dogtown and Santo Domingo's Rancho Coronado.
The auxiliary control screen lit up as well, outlining the territories held by the 6th Street and Barghest on the Night City map.
6th Street—one of Night City's major gangs.
Their turf was mainly in Vista del Rey, Rancho Coronado in Santo Domingo, and Coronado Farms.
Formed by a group of veterans from the Fourth Corporate War, they were disillusioned with the NCPD's inaction and founded the gang to protect themselves and their communities.
They called themselves old-school American patriots, but their actions were no different from any other gang that bullied the weak in local neighborhoods.
After the Metal Wars ended in 2069, Militech appeared to establish solid ties with them, continuously supplying weapons and resources. The 6th Street undoubtedly served as Militech's black-gloved agents in Night City.
Their composition and founding history naturally aligned them with Militech and New America.
Needless to say, Vela had no interest in spending a fortune to win them over. It was better to eliminate them and support the most anti-Militech and anti-New United States of America faction within Barghest to rise.
By exploiting Kurt Hansen's growing ambition and his hatred for Rosalind Myers—former Militech CEO and current NUSA president—for betraying him, Vela intended to secretly guide Barghest into expanding into Rancho Coronado.
It just so happened that the two gangs' territories bordered each other, and Santo Domingo was the only realistic direction for Kurt Hansen to expand his power.
Every other direction was either desert, Biotechnica's outlying tech farms, the barren Pacifica turf owned by the Voodoo Boys and Animals, or across the river in Heywood—full of corp towers and dense NCPD patrols.
Vela didn't believe for a second that Kurt Hansen had no ambition to expand.
Especially if the enemy was the 6th Street—former NUSA's spoiled sidepiece.
If he hesitated even slightly, she had a hundred ways to tear the 6th Street apart, grind them to pulp, and shove the mess down his throat.
Militech would definitely suspect Arasaka, but Vela welcomed their suspicions. Let the games begin.
Ideally, she could lure them into reallocating elite agents from other regions.
Because Vela needed to leverage the renewed international clout of Saburo Arasaka's return in 2076 to infiltrate key Free State cities on the West Coast—San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Diego—and reestablish Arasaka's past sphere of influence.
She also had to carry out Saburo's directive to continue iterating the Sonnentreppe Project's phase deliverables within Night City and begin direct deployment to the North American market for clinical data.
While Vela was contemplating better ways to sabotage Militech and cut off NUSA's reach in the western Free States—beep beep—a high-priority comm came through.
Vela immediately put on a composed, elegant smile.
[Arasaka-sama.]
"Vela, your leisure cruise ends here. Your stage is not academic research. Night City is where your brilliance should truly shine. Now, unleash your ingenuity—don't disappoint me."
[Thank you for your support.]
Of course, Vela knew exactly what this so-called "ingenuity" referred to.
For instance, her verbal proposal to Saburo about integrating berserkers with cyberware and outfitting them with the new 'Prototype Cyberskeleton' exoskeleton. That was just one idea. Given Saburo's deep hatred of Militech, he clearly wanted Vela to let loose with anything she could think of—especially on the Militech frontlines.
Beep.
The comm ended.
Vela smiled faintly, then a glimmer of unrestrained ambition flickered in her eyes.
She stood up, walked out of the command room surrounded by Arasaka lone-wolf operatives, and made her way to the balcony outside the towering command tower.
She gazed upon the flight deck of the carrier, where an ultra-large aerial vehicle and a fleet of high-speed escort airships were parked.
"Aerial vehicle" was an understatement—these were practically suborbital spacecraft. While not quite as advanced as NUSA President Myers' Space Force One, they were still high-speed vehicles capable of reaching the stratosphere.
Vela would return to Night City aboard one of them, escorted by a squadron of Arasaka naval combat jets.
...
Arasaka Tower, Night City.
Counter-Intelligence Division.
"Hey, V, our scouts are in position around the Arasaka factory in Watson. We've issued full silence orders to all our undercover agents and intel contacts. Emergency assessments show some risk of exposure—our personnel in Zetatech and Kang Tao have received your withdrawal orders."
"Good. Make sure our people don't retreat too fast. Don't alert the enemy. If they panic, they'll get exposed. Once the new orders are out, cut off communication for now."
V had just wrapped up a meeting with her superior, Arthur Jenkins. She and Harry were walking down the hallway back to their office. Around them, the staff moved in a rush.
On the corridor's public news display wall, a replay of the Arasaka Tokyo HQ press conference was airing.
"...Ultimately, my decision is for the happiness of those around me—my family, and my employees. Therefore, I hereby announce an important move: to double the number of corporate security forces stationed in Night City."
"Perhaps to President Myers, this may seem like a violation of the Arvin Agreement, a provocative move targeting New America and Militech. But then, what about the terrorist attack in South Africa a year ago?"
"My junior, one of Arasaka's finest employees, was ambushed during her academic training trip. We all know why."
"Now she returns to Night City, not just as a senior Arasaka executive but also as an exceptional scientist. With her here, Arasaka Tower in Night City will become a vital economic artery and a center for new product R&D. This underscores our commitment and responsibility toward a land we lost for half a century..."
"Increasing military strength and security is a matter of parity. Arasaka will not allow the tragedies and persecutions of the past to be repeated. Our actions target no specific person or group..."
Appearing at the conference was none other than Arasaka Saburo himself, physically restored to his 70s or 80s.
Facing questions from global media giants—NC Inquiries, News54, WNS, EU News, CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Observer—about whether Arasaka's military surge in Night City violated the spirit of the Arvin Peace Agreement, Saburo answered with poise and clarity.
To Arasaka employees, his words were just fluff. Empty rhetoric.
"Will we go to war with Militech?"
Harry looked at V, lowering his voice.
"It's only a matter of time."
V was calm.
Everyone knew Arasaka and Militech were destined to clash. Employees who joined Arasaka with ambitions knew to prepare for confrontation. Just like those who joined Militech expected to face Arasaka someday.
"When exactly it will break out—could be years, maybe over a decade. Depends on what the big shots in Tokyo decide."
"Oh, and Councilor Vela Adelheid. Once she returns, we'll know by watching her moves."
V waved a hand and passed through the office cubicles, ready to check on mission progress in Watson.
Ding.
Entering the elevator, V pressed the button to descend, then frowned slightly.
Private message.
It was Jackie.
Something happened?
Beep.
[V: Jackie, what's up?]
[Jackie: Yes and no. Hey chica, remember when you asked me to scout for suitable Afterlife merc recruits?]
Of course V remembered.
Taking advantage of the intimidating deterrence created by Arasaka Security Division's high-efficiency riot suppression, she had helped her buddy Jackie blend into the Afterlife nightclub.
The Afterlife—legendary den of cyber-mercs who had nothing to lose. V had told Jackie to start recruiting potential channels for future dirty work. Since there had been no urgent need, she hadn't followed up much.
[V: Got someone? Cut the crap.]
[Jackie: Look who's impatient. Yeah, a pretty seasoned crew. Two good netrunners. They seem strapped for cash. Because of your warning, I had to cancel our deal. They're now planning to take a job from Faraday.]
[V: So?]
[Jackie: That Faraday guy? Word is he's working for Militech. Almost certain. You Arasaka folks love locking horns with Militech...]
[You sure?] V's gaze sharpened instantly, her tone serious. [Militech?]
[Jackie: Sure as hell. Would I lie to you? Practically confirmed. For you, chica, tossing a bit from your pocket would be enough to cover their commission. Just say the word—unless you wanna talk to them yourself?]
V fell into thought.
Ding.
The elevator door opened.
It was one of the floors used by the Security Division.
"Heywood. The Valentinos should stay quiet for a while."
"The Mox? Just whores—issue a warning. Tyger Claws—talk to their boss. All crime needs to pause during Councilor Russell's inaugural address. That's a direct order."
"The real threats are the 6th Street and Maelstrom."
"Then sweep them again. Commannder Jimmy says the 6th Street gang's reaching too far..."
A few Arasaka admin officers from the Security Division were murmuring.
V frowned briefly, then quickly relaxed.
Security Division...
With Vela's smooth rise in Tokyo making waves back in Night City, the Security Division—especially the Bureau of Public Security—was becoming increasingly influential.
Thanks to old ties, anyone seen as having a line to the new North America Operations Councilor and Security Bureau Director Vela Adelheid Russell—be it Special Assault Unit's Jimmy, Protective Force's Bryan and Laurie, or even Tanaka from R&D—was basking in newfound glory.
They had officially "made it."
Other Arasaka employees could only envy and stew.
Nothing hurts more than seeing your buddy riding in a luxury car.
V thought back to the counter-intelligence op in South Africa.
She had been sent to Johannesburg and Cape Town, captured multiple spies, and interrogated a Quick Reaction Unit member suspected of being a Militech merc. As a result, she had been promoted.
No doubt—the South African terror incident had Militech's fingerprints all over it. And knowing Vela Adelheid's personality, she would definitely settle the score.
Thwarting Militech's schemes...
V's eyes gleamed with orange data light.
[V: Jackie. Accept the job. Keep them in place. If your info is accurate, and this is handled well, I might gain access to a major player. I'll discuss terms with them in person.]
[Jackie: Got it. Chica, meet me at Misty's Esoterica, Urmland Street, Little China...]