Chapter 15: Reunion
Rebecca is within the tent of Marie to be on the operating chair. "One crazy experience fighting one of Biotechnia's monsters," she said as she 3D printed Rebecca a new arm to install and replace the old one. It's just like your old one with the synth skin as well," Marie said as Rebecca was fixed and good as new.
"Thanks, doc. You are a lifesaver," Rebecca said as the rest of her Cyberware was checked and repaired.
"Okay, you are set and ready to go. Go back home and get some rest," Marie said as Rebecca put her jacket on.
"Thanks again," she said as she went off to Mitch and V talking with each other. "What are you guys talking about?" she asked.
"Michiko is setting up something for Lucy and she will be here soon," Mitch said as Rebecca was happy to hear this.
"Oh really, she is joining us?" she asked.
"We are going to be babysitting her. Michiko has other things to do and wants us to take her along with us. She would be safer with us and we keep tabs on her to Michiko," Mitch said.
"If she wants to join, she needs to earn everyone's trust. Protecting her is our job," V said.
"Right, seems like you are happy to have an old comrade back," Mitch said as Rebecca couldn't hide her excitement.
"Yeah, it would be like old times," Rebecca said.
"Well, rest up. She will be coming here soon," V said as Rebecca headed back to the trailer to see Cortez watching some TV with Klunk.
"I'm back," she said as she sat on the conch.
"You need the bed. I will get out of your way," Cortez said as he checked the arm to see if it looked like the old arm.
"Yeah, I need a nap. I heard Lucy is coming," Rebecca said.
"Oh yes, the Ice Queen. Michiko is transferring her to us. Her becoming an FSA citizen would make it harder for Myers to take her away or the FSA will be involved trying to get one of their citizens back," Klunk said.
"Having a netrunner will be handy," Cortez said as Rebecca remembered a certain netrunner on her old team.
"We had three Netrunners. Lucy, Kiwi, and Sasha. Fighting those mutants reminds me of Sasha who had a bone to pick with Biotechnia," Rebecca said as she pulled out of the coach bed to begin stripping out of her clothing.
"Oh really?" he asked.
"Yes. Her mother died of Biotechnia painkillers which caused brain damage that was covered up. She found out the truth and leaked it when we sneaked into the Biotechnia HQ building in Night City," Rebecca said.
"Not bad," Cortez said as Rebecca felt humble about it.
"It's no big deal. We just needed to steal data and get out but Sasha stayed behind to leak the data to the news tipline. She died exposing the truth," Rebecca said.
"Did anything happen?" he asked.
"What do you think?" Rebecca said with bitterness.
"She died for nothing," Cortez said as Rebecca looked upset by this.
"She was a good person but Night City does a good job taking good people away," Rebecca said as Cortez nodded his head.
"Can't agree more," Cortez said as Rebecca was bare naked to get under the sheets. "Now get some rest, sweet dreams," he said as he and Klunk began to talk about the problems with Biotechnia.
"Gee, seems like Biotechnia is good at covering their tracks. Hiding bad products for the sake of good PR," Klunk said.
"Corpo behavior as usual," Cortez said as Rebecca was sleeping now.
"Sasha, seems like Rebecca has known some interesting people," Klunk said.
"Spitfire never fails to make things more interesting," Cortez said as the two enjoyed a movie while Rebecca was resting up.
Later Lucy arrives at the camp to be dropped off by Michiko's agents. V and Panam waited for him to greet her." Welcome to our camp. I am Panam and this is V, we are leaders of this clan," she said.
"Well, I had to be here due to my safety. Where do I sleep?" Lucy asked.
"There is a tent with your name on it," V points to a tent nearby which is empty. "That will be your sleeping quarters. Also, you are a guest but you need to work. Put your net running to good use," V said.
"Okay. Work for shelter, I guess that is fine. Let's me set up," Lucy said as she went over with the others looking at the beautiful netrunner with both curiosity and suspicion.
She sits on the bed to drop her bag as she gets a call on the holo. "Yo Lucy, good to see you?" Rebecca asked as her cute yet rough voice came into her inner ear.
"Good to hear your voice. I am here now, where are you?" Lucy asked.
'I am at home. I took one hell of a beating from the queen clown's pet gorilla," Rebecca said as she got out of bed for she got a good nap to feel refreshed to put on her nomad outfit. "Where are you, I am going to meet up with you?" Rebecca asked.
"Oh, I am here by those big trailers," Lucy said as she put down her things along with her Kappa machine pistol on a crate which she can use to put her items and clothing into.
"Oh, I know where that is. I will meet you there," Rebecca said sounding excited to meet her old teammate. She walks out the door to be met with warm air as she heads over to see Lucy setting up her stuff. "Surprise," Rebecca jumps on Lucy and hugs her from the back.
"Hey there Rebecca, good to see you are in good health," Lucy said.
"Likewise, I haven't seen you since the moon mission. How are you doing?" she asked as she sat beside Lucy.
"Doing well. Being cooped up in a safe house made me restless. It's nice to have this warm air on my face," Lucy said.
"Cool. Being out here is so nice, the view of the city is lovely too," Rebecca said.
"You seem to be going into your own as a nomad," Lucy said as she could see Rebecca was very content and more mature than before.
"Yeah, I have found people who truly care about me. Makes me want to help them any way I can for my new family," Rebecca said with a big smile.
"That is good to hear, I had bad luck making any bonds after what happened," Lucy said as she looked quite down.
"The past still holding you down," Rebecca said as Lucy nodded her head.
"I have nightmares of David and you. You died for me and yet we are in this situation now. Once against fighting against impossible odds for my skill," Lucy said as the image of dead Rebecca and David made her want to throw up.
"Hey, I am here. You didn't lose everything," Rebecca said to pat her on the back.
"I guess, I am happy you made it alive. I deeply regret not finishing our talk," Lucy said.
"Yeah, we were having a moment. I wish we could have been friends, you don't need to hold this burden alone," Rebecca said.
"Can we be friends?" Lucy asked as Rebecca gave her a big hug. Lucy is surprised at how strong Rebecca is but remembers her gorilla arms installed on her skinny arms.
"Of course, I wanted you to join us. Good to have another friendly face here," Rebecca said.
"Thanks, Rebecca. Maybe I would. See how everything goes and you will help me," Lucy said as Rebecca pulled her in for a hug again.
"Yes, we need your netrunner skills. They will come in handy, once everyone sees you putting in work. They will trust you and make you a real member. Once that happens, we will always have your back," Rebecca said.
"That's very nice," Lucy said as that thought feels very humbling to be part of a big family and treated with warmth.
"Seems like you two are hitting it off," V said nearby.
"Boss?" Rebecca asked.
"I want to take you with me someone. I want to meet with a good choom who came from Night City. He set up a hot dog restaurant in San Francisco. I wanted to check it out," V said.
"Of course, I will see you later Lucy," Rebecca said.
"No problem, we can talk later when you get back," Lucy said as she was both happy and jealous that Rebecca had gotten her life together but she was a mess.
"Who is this choom?" she asked as they got into the car to drive into the wasteland.
"He was a cop named Bill who became a hot dog vendor. He wanted to start his restaurant. He took his new wife Stella and went to San Francisco to begin a new life there," V said as Rebecca's eyes widened by that name.
"Stella isn't that Sasha's big sis," Rebecca wondered within her mind.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Oh nothing, I was thinking about something," Rebecca said as she got comfortable in her seat.
"You are doing a fine job out there. Killing that mutant gorilla is impressive with one arm too," V said as Rebecca nodded her head happy to hear his praise.
"Thank you, I am just doing my best," Rebecca said.
"You have more than proven yourself on the field. I am going to rely on you further in the future," he said as Rebecca couldn't hold back her blushing from feeling embarrassed from the praise.
"It means a lot coming from you," Rebecca said as V patted her on the shoulder in a brotherly manner.
"No sweat. Seem happy having Lucy back," V said.
"Yes I am, I hope she joins us," Rebecca said as Lucy is a female friend around her age.
"Getting a netrunner of her caliber would be a net positive. Getting one more would nova as well," V said. Within the hour V and Rebecca made it to San Francisco to park nearby a nice little shop to enter inside. "Yo Bill, how is it going?" he asked.
"Yo V, my choom. Good to see you, looking swell," Sam said as he gave him a friendly handshake.
"You two, this is my heavy Rebecca. She is here to get some grub," V said as Bill greets her.
"Hey there Rebecca, a choom to V is a choom to me," Bill said.
"What's up Bill, smells good here," Rebecca said.
"My wife is cooking up some dogs in the back. I got some ones you can grab along with some sides and drinks," Bill said.
"Cool, give me a cheese dog along with some curly fries with black tea," V said.
"I am a chili dog with sweet potato fries with citrus punch," Rebecca said.
"Cool, hey Stella. We got a familiar face here, V is back," Bill said.
"Oh, good to see you again V, I…" Stella comes out to be quite surprised to see Rebecca sitting next to V. "I don't believe it, Becca," Stella said to have a big smile on her face.
"Stella, good to see you," Rebecca runs up to her to give her a big hug.
The two men were confused by this. "Am I missing something?" V asked.
"She is the older twin sis of my old Edgerunner partner Sasha. I befriended both sisters, I am happy you are doing well," Rebecca said.
"Me too after what happened at Arasaka Tower. I assume the worst happened, I can't contact you but you are here now," Stella said as the two women were very happy to see each other.
"Well, one big happy moment. I let you two talk," V said as he talked with Bill while Rebecca and Stella went upstairs to be in their home.
"Nice space," Rebecca said as they were in the living room with the news blazing on the TV screen about Biotechnia and their rouge experiments spreading into the wilderness of the FSA.
"Thanks. We got here a few months back. I quit the police forces to aid my new husband in his dream of running a humble hot dog shop," Stella said as she sat down with Rebecca eating her meal beside her.
"Good timing with the whole invasion thing going now," Rebecca said.
"Yes the NUS is making moves. We are safe here hopefully," Stella said as she took her cup to take a slip.
"Where is Sasha?" Rebecca asked as Stella pointed to a shelf where Sasha's urn was placed holding her ashes.
"She is right there. You can say hey to her," Stella said as Rebecca got off her seat to bow her head in respect.
"Hey Sasha, good to see you are well," Rebecca said as she gently rubbed the top of the urn. "You were a real hero taking it to Biotechnia," she said having the utmost respect for Sasha.
"You know her Netrunner skills came from her big sister. All my years in the NetSec, I passed those skills onto her," Stella said.
"Indeed, net security in the NCPD. We can use someone like you," Rebecca said as she walked back to her seat to bite into her chili dog.
"I am not like Sasha Rebecca. I am not a risk taker," Stella said as Rebecca was getting angry at the news reporter talking about Biotechnia and their monsters which had been leaked into the wilds of America.
"Leaking out my ass. These bastards are making monsters and selling them to people that clown bitch," Rebecca said as she looks at Stella. "Would you use your net running to avenge your sister's death?" she asked.
"Rebecca, we went different paths. She became an Edgerunner and I became a net cop," Stella said as Rebecca didn't like this answer.
"You can't tell me with all this stuff happening. You are just going to sit down and not do anything," Rebecca said as she noticed Stella's eyes were looking down at her cup feeling a sense of shame.
"I just want to have a normal life, Rebecca," Stella said as Rebecca gave her a nasty look.
"Is your sister's death in avail for trying to expose them for putting out bad drugs that killed your mother?" Rebecca asked as Stella tried to contain her emotions.
"I am not a cyberpunk Rebecca. I am sorry," Stella said.
"Your sister is a hero. I hope you know that," Rebecca said trying to hold back her feelings. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. Biotechnia is putting me on edge lately," Rebecca said.
"It's okay, I was getting heated too. Things are getting crazy lately. Let's change the subject, how is your life lately?" she asked.
"Being a nomad made me feel life in a different way than being an Edgerunner. Life feels more precious outside of Night City. Not so cheap as before," Rebecca said as she bit into her food.
"I know. Life in that city is terrible. Thankfully we moved when we did," Stella said as Rebecca noticed her voice was a bit different.
"Something wrong with your voice?" she asked as Stella rubbed the cyberware on her chin and throat.
"Oh, my bad, needed to fix my throat. My voice is a bit deeper than normal. Hope it didn't bother you," Stella said.
"No, it's okay, just wondering," Rebecca said as she was still happy to see Stella was here.
Back downstairs, V and Bill were talking about stuff. "I wonder what they are doing?" V wondered.
"Tea parties," Bill joked.
"As if, can't believe Rebecca knows Stella or she is a sister connected with an Edgerunner crew," V said as Falco never told him about Sasha being part of their crew.
"Well, she doesn't talk much about her family and the past," Bill said as he looked a bit worried about something.
"What is it?" V asked.
"Nothing I am hoping my investments keep me afloat," Bill said as Rebecca and Stella came downstairs to greet them.
"Bill, that chili dog was great," Rebecca said.
"No problem, little choom. A choom of my wife is a choom of mine," Bill said.
"Well thanks for the meal," V said as he got off the chair.
"You guys can come back anytime," Bill said as the duo left the hot dog shop to get into the truck to leave. Stella feels shaken by something. "Babe, what's wrong?" he asked.
"It's nothing, I had a fun time catching up with Rebecca," Stella said as within her heart she knew Rebecca was right. "Rebecca, I want to honor Sasha but I have a normal life. Is it even possible to avenge her?" she wondered.
Someone is watching the hog dog shop from a distance. "We found them. It's time to get some payback for that little toss-up over a year ago," a Biotechnia agent said.
"Contact the Wraiths. They need to know Bill has skipped out on his payments to them. Taking them both in the process," the Biotechnia officer said.
The duo are driving back home. "Damn Stella, she can't be a coward," Rebecca said lamenting about Stella's choice.
"Don't fret Rebecca, she needs the proper motivation but it would take a tragedy to open her eyes," V said as they went into the wasteland.
Rebecca came back to see Lucy again to see her listening to some music. "I am back Lucy," Rebeca said as Lucy looked over to lower the volume of her radio.
"Oh, hey Rebecca, how was the city?" she asked.
'San Francisco is great, way more interesting and nicer than Night City," Rebecca said.
"Indeed, I need to shop there and get some items," Lucy said as she was in a basic purple tank top and white short shorts for her nightwear.
"You should get some nomad gear to fit better around here," Rebecca said as she patted her jacket to show off her nomad outfit.
"I see, I do need to blend it and learn to work with you guys. To earn my worth here," Lucy said.
"I met someone in the city. Her name is Stella, the older twin sister of Sasha," Rebecca said.
"Kiwi mentioned her before. She replaced her when she died trying to expose Biotechnia," Lucy said as Rebecca felt angry thinking about that traitor.
"Fuck Kiwi. Sasha was a hero, Kiwi is a snake," Rebecca said with venom in her voice.
"Yes. Night City has corrupted her and turned her into that snake. These nomads would shoot her without remorse," Lucy said as she knows the nomads value loyalty and family above anything else.
"No doubt in my mind. We don't tolerate that," Rebecca said to speak like a true nomad.
"You have truly changed Rebecca and here I am stuck in the past," Lucy said.
"You don't have to be. I am here for you Lucy. I am sorry I wasn't there to help you before but now I can make it up to you. I want us to be friends and be able to move forward together," Rebecca said as Lucy showed a lovely smile to hug Rebecca.
"Thank you, I will try my best for you guys," Lucy said as Rebecca smiled at this.
"Good, I need to rest up. I will see you soon," Rebecca said as she headed back.
"This will be my fresh start and try to adapt to this new life. Thanks, Rebecca, I am grateful you managed to live," Lucy said as she readied her stuffing her new living space.
Elsewhere in the dead of night, Rebecca gets a call to see Stella. "Rebecca, I need your help. My house has been raided by Wraith. Shit, my house is burning," Stella said as she grab her gear and the urn to get out of there.
"What seriously?" Rebecca asked.
"Yes, I am going after them. I need your help to save my husband from those smug bags," Stella said.
"Okay, I will tell the others and I will meet with you," Rebecca said.
"Thank you, Rebecca, you are a real friend," Stella said.
"Where can I meet you?" Rebecca asked.
"At the north gate of the city. I will be waiting," Stella said as she looked on to see her home and husband's dream in flames. "Those fuckers are not getting away with this," Stella said as she puts on her old gear from the forces.
Within the hour, Rebecca pulls up at the north gate to see Stella donning a blue netrunner suit along with tactical gear. "Gear up for war huh?" Rebecca asked.
"Yeah, no time to lose," Stella said as Rebecca can tell she is beyond pissed.
"Shit, Ashura and Shingen smart weapons," Rebecca said.
"They go well with quick hacking," Stella said as they drove to the location of the Wraiths in the wasteland. Stella prepares her weapons for the incoming fight.
"You ready to fight?" she asked.
"I know how to handle a gun along with net running. I will back you up when we raid their base of operations," Stella said as they parked on a hill overlooking the base for the Wraith which is an old depot station. The two women can see over 30 bandits guarding the area with turrets and drones.
"Quite the setup here," Rebecca said as she pulled out Guts to be ready. "I hit them while you support me," she said as Stella stayed on the hill to wield Ashura to use her smart link to lock onto a guard on a sniper tower.
"Support this," Stella triggers a car and makes it slam into a group of enemies. She made the car explode via quickhack. She fires a single round to lock on another sniper to take out his head.
"Shit, we are being breached," Wraith said as Rebecca blast the bandit in half with her shotgun.
"Holy Shit Stella," Rebecca looks to see her using Quickhacks to take over a few turrets to wipe out groups of enemies.
"Like I said, Sasha got her skills from me," Stella said as Rebecca could see several Wraiths getting infected with Contagion poisoning their bodies. "Rebecca, Dragon's Breath now," she said on the radio.
Rebecca aims her shotgun to let out a blast of flames to trigger the toxics within the enemies' cyberware triggering explosions. "Damn, pretty neat," Rebecca said as she is blasting guys while rolling away from the gunfire.
She manages to shoot Rebecca a few times but she is left unharmed to kick a man onto the ground. She executes the guy in the head with Guts. "Rebecca, they are calling in backup. Use one of the HMGs in the turrets, you are going to need it," Stella hacks one of the drones to look over to see 10 trucks carrying over 40 bandits.
"Got it," Rebecca rips the big gun out of the turret station to use it to pepper the incoming convey with explosive rounds tearing into their cars.
Stella hacks a car to send it crashing into an enemy truck making it explode and killing everything within the blast. She made the drone crash into a truck everyone inside via explosion.
"You used to be a cop right?" Rebecca asked on the radio to see how lethal she was.
'You show no remorse for smug bags like this. Night City taught me that loud and clear," Stella said as turrets on enemy trucks were firing on her position. "Shit, they found me. I will regroup with you at the base," Stella said.
"Got it," Rebecca empties her HMG to toss it aside to grab a fallen SOR-22 precision rifle to begin firing precise shots into the incoming enemies taking off their heads.
The two women have taken out the whole base and their reinforcements. "Time to get my husband," the two women entered the building to see her husband Bill being brutally tortured via his limbs being ripped off.
"Shit, babe," Stella said as she walks over to be frightened and angry at the state of his grave injuries.
"Sorry babe, it's all my fault. I wanted a down payment for the place. I cut a deal with the Wraiths to reduce the cost but I was down on my payments," Bill said as Stella was deeply upset by this.
"You can't be serious," she said holding him in her arms to see him bleeding out and dying very quickly.
"Sorry, I wanted to get my dream of owning a shop of my own. Now it's all in flames," Bill said.
"Fuck!" Stella said feeling tears coming down her face feeling hopeless to stop his death. Rebecca felt a pit in her stomach.
"Stella, Biotechnia hired them and told them about my debt. Equal exchange uses me to get to you. Your sister's past is catching up with you," Bill said as he coughed up blood.
"Sasha," Stella said as she couldn't run from the past or Biotechnia. "Those fuckers," she said as she gently holds onto her husband who soon dies from his wounds.
"Stella," Rebecca said softly as Stella felt tears flowing down her face but holding onto her calmness.
"You are right, I am a coward. I wanted to run and be normal. Now it cost me my whole life," Stella said as Rebecca called her car at the entrance.
"Let me carry him," Rebecca despite her small size can easily carry the fully grown male in her tiny arms. They go outside and gently put his body into the back of Rebecca's car.
"Thank you," Stella said as they drove away to head back to San Francisco.
"No problem. We going to need to burn his body," Rebecca said.
"Can you be there for me?" Stella asked as Rebecca gently patted her shoulder.
"Of course, we are chooms after all," Rebecca said. Within the day, Rainfall covered the region as Rebecca and Stella were at a place to turn her husband into ash to put him inside an urn.
Stella places Bill's Urn alongside her sister Sasha's urn in the back of Rebecca's car.
"What would you do now?" Rebecca asked.
"I want to make Biotechnia pay for this. They took everything from me. My mother, my little sister, my husband, and my life. I want to join the Aldecaldos," Stella said.
"You sure about this?" Rebecca asked.
"I got nothing left in my life. I want to expose their illegal biological experiments to the FSA. Get them banned here and get their assets nationalized. That would make me happy and honor my sister's heroic act," Stella said sounding very passionate about this being unusual for her more calm personality.
"Welcome to the team. I will explain to V and Panam," Rebecca said.
"Thanks. My net running style will be useful to you as you saw with those disgusting bandits," Stella said. Rebecca is saddened by this turn of events but happy that she has Lucy and Stella by her side in the clan now as friends.