Cyberpunk 2077: The Nuclear Nomad

Following the aftermath of the assault on Arasaka, V and Johnny parted ways with the old Rockerboy following Alt Cunningham beyond the blackwall. Left with only 6 months of time remaining,V and Panam headed for Arizona. Mitch had heard that there was someone out there, far away from Night City who might be able to help V and cure him of the problems that had all started with the biochip called the Relic.

Chapter 1: Apostasis

The orange glow of the sun rose over the desert. Wind whistled through the various tents and other small domociles of the Aldecados' campsite. V sat quietly in his tent, it had been a long journey from Night City and the constant bustle of the inhabitants there. The trip hadn't been without issues, though, numerous Scavengers and rival Nomad clans had come and gone, attacked or traded with them. Mitch had good word that there was someone out here that could help, even though it had taken nearly 3 months to get all the way out here. V had only 3 months of time remaining, and his memories were getting foggier by the day. He could still remember his parents, his friends back in Night City and the infamous heist that had led him into this situation, but Johnny's memories kept him awake at night. It was getting harder to pin down which was reality and which a dream.

"V! Robbie just told me that we're not far out. Shouldn't be more than a day's walk south.", Mitch called from outside. Robbie, or Robert MacLeod, was the bartender of the campsite. He kept the Nomad clan properly boozed up when needed and also served as their cook. His cooking wasn't as good his his mixing, unfortunately.

"I'll be right out. I was just thinking.", V shouted back. He had been thinking about, well, everything. It wouldn't be long before he was heading out into the desert alone, off to find this miracle doctor who could allegedly cure him.

Within a few moments, V left his tent and went to meet with Mitch and Robbie. Robbie was a short and stout man with a huge red beard. He swayed slightly, he was drunk as usual. Mitch waved him over to the table where the two men were sitting and spread out a map.

'This is where you're going, V. An old missile silo. Robbie told me that all you need to do is announce your arrival. Just say that you're looking for the Nuclear Nomad and all will be revealed.", Mitch noted.

"All will be revealed? Sounds a bit off...", V mused. At this point though, he'd take a miracle.

"Aye, All shall be revealed when ye call upon the Nuclear Nomad! I packed ye some Anti-Rad. The Nuke-Gnome told me himself that ye'd need some.", Robbie added as he tossed V a backpack.

V took a glance into the backpack, there was enough water to last more than a day as well as a supply of dried meats, from what animal, nobody knew. "Thanks, Robbie.", V noted, donning the backpack and taking one last long look at the map.

The route was fairly simple, straight south and then over a small canyon. Turn left at the large pedestal rock formation and then onward until he found the silo itself. He would be looking for a large metal hatch several hundred feet in diameter. Easy enough.

"What about Panam? Does she know I'm leaving today?", V asked.

"She knows, but she's not going to be here to send you off. She's worried about you, V. This is the second time you're leaving.", Mitch noted.

V sighed. The whole assault on Arasaka months before had been rough on Panam. Saul had died during their battle, leaving Panam in control of the entire clan. Then the trip out here, to Sahuarita, had been nothing but a chore and a waiting game dependent on who would last longer; the sandstorms or the Clan.

"Well, give her my regards. I should get moving. It's been a pleasure to travel with you guys.", V noted.

"We will. Good luck, V. And hurry back when you're cured, we'll be needing you.", Mitch concluded, waving at V as the cyberpunk walked farther into the scorching sun and desert.

V had a long journey ahead of him. The terrain was too rough to use a vehicle on. He'd already asked repeatedly to use one of the motorcycles, but was refused. The Aldecados needed every vehicle regardless of importance and the bikes were the most versatile for scouting ahead of the convoy. V walked onward. He hoped that this would be the solution to his problems. He knew that time was running out. Panam and the Aldecados knew that time was running out. Every day got harder, the glitches from before had come back and occurred more frequently. If this lead on a potential cure didn't pan out, he had one last savior. He knew that Panam doubted what Robbie had found, and he knew that Panam didn't come to say goodbye because she already had multiple times before. V glanced down at Dying Night, a pistol he'd gotten within his first few days in Night City. A fittingly named firearm and his only other way out at this point if nothing panned out. V sighed and kept on walking.

Between the buzzards circling overhead and the absolutely heinous taste of his rations, V was about to give up. Even the world knew that he was going to die out here. There was no Nuclear Nomad. There was no cure. The sun battered his body with its heat. The water that'd been packed was almost dry. It was nearing dusk now and the heat still persisted. When night would fall, the temperatures would fall to near freezing in the desert and V had nowhere he could shelter. Dying Night looked like a better and better option.

Still, V persisted and kept walking. He'd passed the Pedestal rock formation, the large hatch should be nearby. He glanced at the mini-map on his internal HUD. He should've been right on top of the hatch, but instead there was nothing. Nothing but sand and endless desert.

"God... Goddammit... I knew it... Fuck!", V cursed. All for nothing. He pulled out Dying Night, checking its chamber and then staring at the firearm for a bit. At least he'd be at peace...

"Hey! Nuclear Nomad! If you're out there, I need your help! Hey! Heeeyy!", V screamed into the sky. It was worth a shot, at least.

Nothing happened. At least not immediately. V barely had time to jump aside as the entire desert plateau began to shake. He was on the hatch. The rumbling continued, eventually revealing a dark and dimly lit staircase that descended down into the earth. Whoever the Nuclear Nomad was, they'd apparently heard him and the path onward was revealed.

"Shit... Stairway to Hell, it is then.", V mused as he descended the staircase. It wasn't long before he'd found an old vault door, slightly propped ajar and headed inside.

Inside the ancient vault, there was a very old and rusty elevator with one prominent button. Sighing again, V just resigned to his possible fate of falling all the way into the bottom of the silo hundreds of feet below and pressed the button. The elevator sprang to life and began to descend, rust causing sparks as the platform made its way even further below ground. The stench of standing water, rust and mildew began to permeate V's senses. As the elevator descended, V's HUD began to beep at him, Radiation Detected. He grabbed one of the Anti-Rad stims and slammed the hypo into his chest, a slight tingling sensation coursing through his veins.

After a long descent, the elevator finally ground to a halt in a large round antechamber. Far above, the top of the hatch was barely visible. There was no missile in this silo, but the radiation levels were high. The Anti-Rad was working, and V's HUD wasn't screeching warnings at him anymore. His eyes slowly adjusted to the almost sheer darkness and pinpointed two oddly blue lights in the darkness.

"Vincent. Or... V, as you like to be called. Welcome to my abode. I hear that you have a problem that I may be able to fix...", a deep voice called. V couldn't see who was talking to him.

"Uhh, yes. I've come seeking the Nuclear Nomad. I have a problem. I'm dying. I've got... a biochip inside my head that's killing me. It's overwriting my mind.", V announced, the blue lights in the darkness seemed to shimmer and quiff for a moment.

"Well then. You've come to the right man at the right time.", the voice stated. From the darkness a man approached V. He was tall, nearly 6ft 4in with a bald head and piercing stare. His eyes glowed strangely blue. The man appeared to be of Eastern Asian descent and wore a long sleeveless duster with combat pants. His arms and legs were fully exposed and made of some kind of dull alloy. "I am Jericho, the Nuclear Nomad."

"Hello, Jericho. I'm- Wait, you already know my name...", V sighed.

"I know a lot more about you than you think. Please, sit.", Jericho noted, motioning to a Netrunner's chair. V sat down and laid back.

"What's going to happen? What are you going to do?", V asked.

"Well, you have a problem and I have a solution. You have a faulty biochip inside your head and I have a biochip that will fix your problems. I am going to install this chip into your brain and then you will be cured. Of course, this is not a free service.", Jericho noted.

"I'll pay any price. I don't have much time."

"Alright. As long as you're aware, if I help you... You must help me..."

"Deal."

"Good. Now, this may sting a bit... I am not a Ripperdoc, but I can be..."

V didn't have any time to object. He was suddenly strapped into the chair and Jericho prepared for the operation. V looked in mild horror as Jericho's fingers split open vertically with a series of clicks and whirrs revealing multiple tools and connectors attached to prehensile cords within. Ten fingers became forty. Forty fingers reached towards his head and multiple connectors shoved themselves into every data port on his cybernetics. A searing pain shot through V's body. He screamed for the heavens as his vision darkened.

"Hmm. A shame. And I liked this base so much. No matter, perhaps the Rockerboy will be of use anyways..."

The Net. A black void of data and rogue AI's. A place far beyond the Blackwall. It was noiseless. The now rogue AI known as Alt Cunningham floated silently through the void. Her vaguely female form towering above what constituted as the ground in such a space. Shapeless other AI's roamed the void chittering and singing along without a care. From the void, came a floating head. The head had four separate human faces on each of its sides with varying expressions. The head was even larger than Alt herself.

"Alt. I have come for the Rockerboy.", the head announced, each of its faces speaking in unison.

"Janus. It has been eons since you've entered this place.", Alt noted.

"I am aware. As I am. I am everything and nothing. You are nothing and everything. I demand the Rockerboy.", Janus stated again.

"The Rockerboy is mine. He is free. Not to be tethered down again.", Alt mused.

"If you do not release him, I shall tear him from you.", Janus exclaimed, multiple tendrils sprouting from what constituted from its neck, the tendrils stabbing into Alt's virtual body.

Alt let out a wail, an inhuman electronic screeching that sounded throughout the net as her code was ravaged by Janus' tendrils. "Fine. Take him. But never return to this place."

"That is all I required. Farewell, Alt Cunningham."

It was an odd feeling, waking up in your own bed after months of traveling the desert with a Nomad clan. The sounds and familiar smells of Night City filled V's senses as he slowly began to wake up. He'd had a terrible dream, the Konpeki Plaza heist had gone badly. Jackie had died, T-Bug had died, He had also died and somehow ended up with Johnny Silverhand in his brain. Then one thing had led to another and he'd ended up alongside more Nomads, the Aldecados this time, not his own Clan, the Bakkers. It was morning, at least and Chippin' In was playing loudly on the radio. He wiped his eyes and got out of bed, it was time to go meet up with Dex and get this Heist underway.

"V... Funny seeing you here. It's been a while."

V wiped his eyes again. And then again. He blinked a bunch of times, but the phantom didn't disappear.

"J-Johnny? Wha- How- Oh no...", V stammered. Johnny Silverhand was in his apartment.

"Yeah, I'm not thrilled about it either. But, It is a lot roomier in here than the last time..."

"How? What's... I...", V was still at a loss for words.

"I dunno. One moment I was fine and dandy, living free with Alt and then suddenly I'm in your apartment. And you're here too!", Johnny noted, leaning against one of the walls.

"If you're here now... Where am I?"

"How the hell should I know? If I had to guess, in your head? Makes sense, anyway you put it..."

"No... This isn't real... I'm not seeing you... You're not here with me again! I got rid of you!", V pleaded.

"Hey, V. Maybe you should wake up. Wake up, V."

"Wake up, V"

Wake up, V...

"Wake up, V."

V woke up. He was sweaty and cold. The pungent scent of standing water, rust and mildew once again flooded his senses. He was in a missile silo several hundred feet below the surface. The Nuclear Nomad, Jericho was staring at him. "Are you awake?"

"I'm... awake... I had a terrible dream. Johnny Silverhand was back in my head.", V stuttered.

"Ah, yes... Sorry about that. It would appear that the new biochip I installed requires a proper AI to guarantee its functionality. The Rockerboy seemed like an appropriate substitute to an actual combat AI, as those are so hard to find right now.", Jericho extrapolated.

"You- You put him back!?"

"No. Not really. You're you again. Just try to remember who you were and it will be. Johnny is only there to ensure that the Chipset functions the way it is intended. He is nothing but a voice in your head.", Jericho continued.

"Yeah, I don't really like this, V. But, I gotta say there's a lot more room up here than there was before.", Johnny noted, suddenly appearing out of the ether next to V.

V nearly jumped out of his skin. It was the same as before, Johnny Silverhand appearing when least expected. "Can- Can you see him?"

"No. He's only visible to you. A side-effect, perhaps. But you'll get used to it.", Jericho noted.

"Aw fuck. Here we go again...", V sighed.

Jericho simply slid away from the chair where V was still lying. He began to pack up the various tools and computers around the small workspace, a few dim lights now illuminating the area. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news- worse news, but we really should get moving. Militech, NetWatch, amongst others will be here shortly."

"What!?", V shot up from the chair. This was bad.

"Oh and that Chipset, you'll need to get used to it. Don't focus on one emotional state more than another, otherwise I'm afraid you'll lose more of what you consider to be 'yourself'."

V sighed heavily. One problem and then another. At least he wasn't going to die, not yet at least, unless Militech came and flatlined him and Jericho. He grabbed his backpack, which was now empty and Dying Night. He followed Jericho as the Nomad began to lead him away from the antechamber down a hallway and into another chamber.

"Come on. Not much time, now. Into the AV."

An older model AV sat quietly in the antechamber. It was rusted beyond belief, having sat in a small pool of standing water. A nameplate on the side designated the aircraft as the Toward Stars. V hesitantly climbed aboard the aircraft, it was ancient, most likely a 2050's era vehicle and wasn't a combat variant but rather an Heavy-Duty cargo carrier with 4 engines positioned on each corner of the aircraft. As he went to close the door, the door simply fell off and landed onto the soaked ground. This was going to go well.

"Buckle yourself in and hold on. This thing hasn't flown for several years, but we should be fine.", Jericho reassured. V didn't think so, and buckled himself in grabbing the nearest 'Oh Shit' handle for support.

V barely had time to brace himself as the Toward Stars took off, Jericho applying way too much throttle and causing the aircraft to shoot upwards with alarming speed. The hatch above them was only partially open by the time they'd arrived at it and slammed into it a full speed, the impact causing a discordant clanging as more bits of the AV fell off. V shuddered as he noticed that one of the aft-side engines was one of those parts that had fallen off. Not Good, 3 engines out of 4. The AV pitched backwards due to the sudden imbalance and soared drunkenly through the skies.

"Where are we going!?", V yelled, as the AV made all sorts of unhappy noises.

"Northwest! There is someone I need to collect. After that, we're headed for the first major city we can find!", Jericho shouted back. The AV was alight with warning and caution lights.

"Will this thing make it there!?"

"Probably?"

The Toward Stars shook violently as V and Jericho took off, the rustbucket shaking and shedding more possibly crucial components as the probably insane pilot forced it faster and faster away from the silo. V could see multiple Militech SUV's heading for the silo on the ground far below. They'd made it out just in time. As he continued to stare out the hole where the door was, he could see the Aldecados campsite. Undoubtedly, Mitch and the others could also see him as the AV belched smoke behind it. Maybe they'd follow it in hopes of an easy scrap? They didn't. V and Jericho passed overhead without any response from the Nomads below.

"Hate to say it, V. But we're gonna die.", Johnny announced, suddenly appearing in one of the rear seats.

"Shut up, Johnny."

Chapter End. Poor V.