ARCHIVED CONVERSATION: [The Boss], [The Doll], & [Disposable MS1]

[Disposable MS1:] Ready to see your project?

[The Boss:] I honestly expected you to take longer.

[Disposable MS1:] Ha! Nah. You wanted the skin sack to suffer, so we skipped the safety treatment. Did enough to keep him alive but fuck all else.

[The Boss:] And there was no side effects?

[Disposable MS1:] Only thing I can think of is that he's locked in his own head now. Think one of those Trauma goons we kept called it Flop Trauma somethin' somethin'.

[The Boss:] He's unresponsive? Disappointing.

[Disposable MS1:] Oh no. That problem got solved, well sort of. Royce talked to his XBD buddies, the Moth head guys? Anyways, they have the same problem when their stars shut down. Got us some custom made chrome from good old Russia. Install it and switch it on and it stimulates the brain jelly just right like so-

[The Doll:] NO! NO! NO! N-

[Disposable MS1:] The current problem is that he can't see me or my boys without doing that till we let him go limp again.

[The Boss:] That's almost impressive. Would you happen to have the designs or any spares of that hardware?

[Disposable MS1:] Both. You ready to max out my credit chip? These weren't easy to come by with the border security, so I was sure to buy out all the Scav's had in stock. And I ain't keen on being near the smell of rotting corpse anytime soon.

[The Boss:] Have I ever disappointed you with payment before?

[Disposable MS1:] No you haven't. Been better to us than any corpo before.

[The Boss:] Something troubling you?

[Disposable MS1:] Royce has been giving me looks. I'm old, what's left of my skin is starting to sag. I know the city, and she knows me. Royce is building up to make a move. Not directly, but he's gonna try something soon.

[The Boss:] I take it you can't take care of this yourself?

[Disposable MS1:] He's got too many loyal to him. The shit-for-brains who want to go back to a new gang war every month. I try to cut him down myself, they'll dog pile me while my back is turned.

[The Boss:] I suppose it would suit me better to keep you and your 'boys' stable... Fine, Royce will be dealt with for the blueprints and credits for what you have in stock. Deal?

[Disposable MS1:] Always a pleasure boss. Ready to try out your toy?

[The Boss:] Have you tested it yourself?

[Disposable MS1:] Plenty. It's a trip. All those arms take some effort to coordinate, and his body is just so damn bulky with everything we pushed in him. Still fun to have all that chrome under your control.

[The Boss:] I suppose that external deck is necessary?

[Disposable MS1:] Only way we could make do with that with that neural synch in your head. Didn't wanna risk frying our best provider with a soft conflict, right?

[The Boss:] That is some impressive software.

[Disposable MS1:] Give it a moment and-

[The Boss and The Doll:] Oh my. That is... unsettling.

[Disposable MS1:] Damn, you scare me sometimes! I had to lay my ass down first time I tried moving him. You okay boss?

[The Boss and The Doll:] It's nothing I'm not used to, however he feels rather... unbalanced?

[Disposable MS1:] Six pairs of cyberarms isn't something the body can support without a full conversion. You wanted him to look like one of us, so that's what we went with. Spine reinforcements can only go so far.

[The Boss and The Doll:] It will have to do. Have you actually given it a test run?

[Disposable MS1:] Left that honor to you. Didn't want you to be jealous I popped his cherry.

[The Boss and The Doll:] Charming. Do me a favor and call Royce in. I think I'd like to meet him.

[Disposable MS1:] I-uh... Thanks?

[The Boss and The Doll:] For?

[Disposable MS1:] Not splattering me as well?

[The Boss and The Doll:] One moment.

[Disposable MS1:] Sure?

[The Boss:] I must admit, when I gave you this task I was expecting a half-functioning Quasimodo of metal and flesh. You never cease to surpass my expectations.

[Disposable MS1:] Quasimodo?

[The Boss:] I'm saying thank you for not trying to sell me an nonworking piece of shit.

[Disposable MS1:] Anytime boss, anything else while you're here?

[The Boss:] Do you have a place you can send Royce's loyal dogs to? A place you wouldn't mind getting destroyed?

[Disposable MS1:] Plenty.

[The Boss:] Good. Send me the location when you've gotten them and my doll there. I'll turn the place into a playpen of sorts and get rid of your problem at the same time.

ARCHIVED CONVERSATION: [The Boss] & [The Colonel]

[The Boss:] I must admit, if I were to ever describe what I expected a post-apocalyptic civilization to look like then Dogtown would be my go-to example. The scraps of humanity, the devastation, the social disparity, and the feel of clinging to something better that is above them.

[The Colonel:] Was there a complement somewhere in there?

[The Boss:] Indeed. It's been barely above five years since you've consolidated power here in your little slice of society and yet you've become an international arms dealer with enough wealth, power and influence to stop both Arasaka and Militech from making an attempt at 'pacifying' you. I am impressed, and I do not say that often or easily.

[The Colonel:] So I take it you've been enjoying your time here in the Sapphire?

[The Boss:] Both the wife and I have been thoroughly enjoying our stay here.

[The Colonel:] So I've heard. I have to ask: what was with her attitude when she arrived? I saw the expression she made when she was escorted by your men.

[The Boss:] She and I had a prior disagreement, but I was able to change her mind and convince her to see things my way.

[The Colonel:] Good, good. Can I offer you a drink?

[The Boss:] Tequila please.

[The Colonel:] Excellent. I had a shipment of Centzon arrive recently. You and your son enjoy the same brand right?

[The Boss:] We do. One of the few things we have in common.

[The Colonel:] I hear a story.

[The Boss:] Is there any corporate heir that doesn't wish to pull away from their legacy? Even the Arasaka family have had this problem more than once.

[The Colonel:] So what was your son's problem? Did he want to be nomad? Or maybe a rockerboy?

[The Boss:] If only he'd tried to follow in Yorinobu's footsteps, and I'd have shot him dead if he tried to become a rockerboy. Consequences be damned.

[The Colonel:] So?

[The Boss:] He couldn't even be original in his rebellion. My wayward son's way of disappointing me was that he decided to just drag his feet and give up on life. No desire to make himself better, or to rise above his peers. Even a desire to start his own company or brand would be acceptable. I raised him to be a chief executive, to sit on the board of a major corporation at the least. Instead, he serves as an Arasaka agent in their counter-intelligence office. Not even a team leader. He's another disposable drone, a redundant cog in a machine with tens of thousands of cogs to waste.

[The Colonel:] That must be difficult.

[The Boss:] Unbearably so sometimes. It's not the first or doubtlessly the last time he has proven to be a disappointment. At least his sister has some uses.

[The Colonel:] He can't be all that bad, surely he's done something you like?

[The Boss:] I suppose. He's provided me a grandson, if that counts.

[The Colonel:] If nothing else he's carried on your family line.

[The Boss:] Ha, this gave me a funny idea.

[The Colonel:] And what's that?

[The Boss:] Has the Black Sapphire ever held a wedding?

[The Colonel:] You have a very twisted sense of humor.

[The Boss:] So I've been told.

[The Colonel:] Well, considering the... what was the name your company picked for this?

[The Boss:] They're calling it the "Dogtown Restoration Project", you can just feel the marketing department arguing over it.

[The Colonel:] And Arasaka's R&D is probably drooling over picking over the prototypes we're offering.

[The Boss:] I've been told that Militech have already sent several cease and desists. They're pissed they don't have a legal leg to stand on without admitting to the laws they were breaking during their development.

[The Colonel:] Have your men found their way into the underground labs yet?

[The Boss:] Not yet. We've been distracted by some FIA rats that decided to nibble at our heels.

[The Colonel:] Then we'll just have to flush them all out wont we?

ARCHIVED CONVERSATION: [Eleanor] & [Robert]

[Eleanor:] Must you record everything?

[Robert:] You asked that I stop 'having cameras watch you every second', so I did. This is my compromise.

[Eleanor:] Why? Isn't it enough your 'trophy wife' is kept in her cage? You have to keep records of our interactions to keep your ego inflated?

[Robert:] If you'd like to think of it that way, go ahead. If it keeps you happy.

[Eleanor:] Happy? Don't you dare use that word in my presence!

[Robert:] Is comfortable better then? Content? Satisfied, perhaps?

[Eleanor:] ...What do you want Robert? You never see me unless you want something or you think I've earn another 'punishment'.

[Robert:] Is it too much to believe I want to spend time with you?

[Eleanor:] Yes.

[Robert:] Well I do.

[Eleanor:] Oh, be still my unfailing heart.

[Robert:] How is the Second Heart doing? The doctors advised me that your chest might feel stiff after your last attempt, they were worried about complications with the knife wound and all.

[Eleanor:] I can never understand how you can sound so cheerful talking about...

[Robert:] Your suicide attempts? Yes, perfectly dreadful. It's why Trauma has the black level plans after all.

[Eleanor:] You're a monster.

[Robert:] I'm told that quite often. Apart from a few implants I am still perfectly human I assure you.

[Eleanor:] What do you want Robert? No games, no more toying with me. What is it this time? Why are you in Night City?!

[Robert:] It's time to restore our family.

[Eleanor:] What?

[Robert:] Vincent has been astray and estranged from us for too long. He has a son of his own, and a wife to wed if at all possible. It's time he was returned to the fold.

[Eleanor:] We had a deal Robert! You swore to me that he was free to wander away from all of this... this shitty hellish lifestyle you forced upon us!

[Robert:] Our deal still holds, he is free to wander away. Just as he is free to return to us.

[Eleanor:] All those hours plotting world domination must have made you forgetful. He's no longer as insane as you drove him to be. There is no way you could possibly convince him to come back.

[Robert:] Sanity is a matter of perspective and legality, and irrelevant when it comes to his return. Our son did inherit your best trait after all.

[Eleanor:] An overwhelming loathing for you?

[Robert:] A willingness to throw away anything and everything for love.

[Eleanor:] You just love reminding me of my mistakes.

[Robert:] It was adorable watching you throw yourself at me, seeing you try your damnedest to catch my eye. To set up all those little coincidences to see me, to spend time together. Whatever happened to my lovely lady who was so eager for my affections?

[Eleanor:] She said 'I do', and was killed by a horrendous thing that looks like a man.

[Robert:] You know, it has been some time since we've been intimate...

[Eleanor:] If you're going to rape me, at least have the decency to do it without turning me into that puppet again.

[Robert:] My Wife...

[Eleanor:] Not again Robert! Not again! Open the door!

[Robert:] My Love.

[Eleanor:] Somebody has to be out there! Open the door! Let me out! Please!

[Robert:] My Muse.

[Eleanor:] Robert, sweetheart, when did you come back?

[Robert:] Just now beloved. Have you missed me?

[Eleanor:] More than anything else. How long are you back for?

[Robert:] Much to my delight, I've been reassigned to Night City for a special project.

[Eleanor:] Then that means-?

[Robert:] At least a year, hopefully more.

[Eleanor:] Oh my god! We should celebrate! Maybe we can call our son, and have him come by for dinner. I'm sure if you're here for the company that you could pull a few strings somehow.

[Robert:] Perhaps later on. For now I have something else we should do.

[Eleanor:] What's that?

[Robert:] Make up for lost time.

[Eleanor:] Oh! Oh! Robert you beast! Not here! I don't want one of the maids or security to walk in on us again!

[Robert:] Fine, fine. Race off to the bedroom you minx, and I will meet you there.

[Eleanor:] Ooh, don't take too long. It's been far too long.

[Robert:] I just have to pack up this case and I'll be right with you.