Chapter 135

Turbo’s was definitely having a party. As I pulled in, the rumble of my Quadra earning me a spot as a few of the wandering crowd moved out of the way so I could slip into a parking spot. I took a moment to stop and just breathe.

 

I was so not ready to run into my favorite character right now.

 

No Motoko, you fucking gonk, she wasn’t a character. She was a person, and wouldn’t like me geeking the fuck out over her.

 

I opened my eyes and stepped out, Cool and Cold Blood working in tandem to keep me calm as I stepped towards where I had seen Sasha.

 

Where I saw Maine, Dorio, Pilar, and best girl Rebecca.

 

She was so tiny!

 

Eeeee!

 

I shook it off and kept calm, adding a bit of Sexy Motoko walk to my movement, so I would look a little less young as I approached the group.

 

I took them all in as I approached. Maine noticed me, but was basically ignoring me, focusing on Dorio in his lap, and the beer in his massive hand.

 

Pilar was currently drinking as well, and trying to flirt with a girl beside him. He was doing okay honestly, from the looks the girl was shooting at him. A mix of interest and exasperation.

 

Sasha wasn’t at the table. No, she was up and dancing to the music of the radio playing nearby. I did struggle to keep my eyes off her, because holy shit that girl was flexible.

 

Of course as I approached Maines little table of important people I was stopped.

 

By the smallest of the group.

 

Rebecca had been fucking around with a group of random gonks to the side, from the way she had been jerking her pistol she was telling them about what had happened on the gig, but as I walked over she caught site of me and stomped over.

 

“Hey! Who’re you!?” She demanded stomping right up to me, and then looking up.

 

Which I thought was fucking adorable.

She was so smol!

 

Protect the loli!

 

“Hi! I’m Motoko! Nice to meet you!” I offered, throwing out a hand towards the girl, and I could feel my face shift into a happy smile.

 

Aaaaah! She was so cute!

 

Her strange colored eyes narrowed but she surprisingly reached out and accepted my handshake.

 

“Rebecca. I don’t recognize you.”

“I’m Chooms… Friends?… I know Sasha! She invited me, I’m a programmer so I have a new hack to try and sell her.” I explained not sure what to call my current relationship with the catgirl.

 

“Huh. Netrunning stuff huh? That’s preem and stuff. Not really my thing.” She replied looking up at me for a moment and then sort of snorting out a laugh. “So why do all netrunners wear leotards?”

“Comfy.” I explained without missing a beat, and that earned me an actually surprised look before Rebecca burst into cackles.

 

“You got me! C’mon then, Sasha! Your choom is here!”

 

The Catgirl perked up from her very… Flexible dance moves as she looked over and saw me, and then she… Well pranced is the best word I could think of over to me.

 

“My little Kohai!” She called out rushing over and throwing me into an overly affectionate hug. “See Dorio! I have a Kohai now!”

 

“I see.” The large woman replied flatly as she rolled her eyes at Sasha’s exuberance. “Nice to meet you.” She replied casually and mostly just ignored me, as she turned back to trying to find Maines tonsils.

 

“So Toko! Show me your new hack!” Sasha demands as she grabs a seat and sort of looks up at me eagerly, and I relaxed a bit.

 

It was hard to be tense around Sasha she was just so… Out there.

 

I popped a shard with the copy of my Short Circuit and offered it up.

 

“Let me know what you think. I promise it’ll impress.” I said feeling pretty proud.

 

I had pulled that program together in just a few days, while rushing around doing other things, but it was important.

 

It might just save this woman’s life.

 

“Hmmm.” She drawled out after inserting the shard.

 

“Don’t mind her, she’s always like this.” Rebecca said on my right as we listened to Sasha just keep making questioning noises long after she should have stopped.

 

“This is interesting. I see what you based it off, and I can see the additional functionality. Are you sure it’s a good idea to spread it out?” Sasha suddenly mentioned cutting into the noises she had been making.

 

“The battery discharge already has a limiter built in that’s part of the hardware, not software. So it’s not really hackable. Instead of having everything try to discharge at once, making it last longer actually improves the hack.” I said sitting up and feeling eager. “Depending on the target, and how much chrome they have, you could keep someone crippled for a good while.”

 

She nodded her head as her eyes finally lost the glow as she explored the shard.

 

“I don’t think I need it.” She answered suddenly and I felt my confidence pop like a soap bubble.

“Wha! You do! Gonk! It’s preem code!”

 

“It’s a good Short Circuit sure, but I don’t go for nonlethal stuff much.”

 

“It’s a cheap control hack! It even auto spreads! That’s my personal hack jumping trick there you know!” I squawked, offended at her disinterest.

 

“It’s cute, sure, but I go for stuff a bit bigger you know?” She said actually having the audacity to first put her hands close by, and then spreading them farther apart. Lewd!

 

“Oh god you’re one of those. Probably burn your entire RAM on every hack too, don’t you?” I mocked, earning a startled look from the woman at my sudden attack.

 

Then Dorio started snickering.

 

Becca cackled, not bothering to hide it like her choom, even Maine was chuckling.

 

Sasha actually flushed a little red as everyone was cackling at her. Pilar looked up from the girl he had been flirting with only then seeming to notice I was here. But tits and ass distracted him a moment after.

 

“Wha! That’s not what I do!”

“Didn’t you say, if the program doesn’t overheat your deck it’s babyware?” Rebecca cut in, suddenly and Sasha reached out to shut up best girl.

 

I felt smug as I had been right.

 

Sasha despite being a skilled Netrunner was one of ‘those.’

 

“Here.” I demanded, pushing the shard into her hand that she was trying to shut Rebecca up. “It’s a compact, low RAM, high performance hack. I’m sorry you’ve been stuck with grossly over-coded scop so far.”

 

“I have not! I have normal hacks too!”

 

“Hey Dorio, have you ever seen Whiskers use anything but her giga hacks?” Rebecca asked, and I made sure to note the cute nickname!

 

Whiskers! Super cute!

 

Sasha instantly whipped over to her choom and glared, and Dorio looked like she was considering not answering, but her shoulders were still shifting a little as she restrained her giggles.

 

“Never.”

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“You are all traitors.” Sasha mumbled glaring at the group, and I felt my smile growing because this was actually really fun!

 

Maine’s crew was cute! Way better than they were in the future.

 

That reminded me of the tragedy of what was coming. That Sasha would soon sacrifice herself if nothing changed.

 

Had I done enough? Had I given her some better tools? Would that be enough? Could her fate be changed with just that? It had been a decision she made on the spot, a decision I think she knew would be her end, so was there anything I could actually do to change her mind?

 

“Hmph! I’ll take your hack!” Sasha pulled me back into the conversation as she swiped the shard and plugged it in, obviously installing it into her deck.

 

“Good. I hope it keeps you safe!” I chirped, smiling bright as I managed to fission mail successfully!

 

Sasha made a sound of denial as she scoffed a bit, but it was a cute flustered scoff, not a straight denial.

 

Dorio started laughing at Sasha’s flustered face. Which earned her a glare from the cat girl.

 

I stilled suddenly because I got a call from Wakako.

 

“Sorry everyone, one sec.” I said as my eyes blinked yellow.

 

*This is Motoko.*

*There is an issue. The vehicle you just collected? It was stolen out of my storage unit. Some fool is attempting to step on my toes, or they are so foolish they didn’t realize what they have done. I need the vehicle recollected. Now.*

 

*That’s… Someone really is dumb. What do we have?*

*I am sending you what I have so far. I am aware of your little group. You did an acceptable investigation for Fujimura. Complete a second one for me. Find the vehicle and return it to the storage unit. And send a message to whoever did this.*

 

I considered it for a moment. I had been wanting a gig with more killing for XP.

 

*Okay. I’ll take it. Send me the deets.*

 

The line hung up which I couldn’t help but smile and shake my head at. That’s Wakako alright. I thought with a laugh escaping me.

 

“Kid something good?” Sasha asked, noticing my amusement.

 

“Wakako hung up on me again.” I replied and laughed. “I have to go, surprise gig, you know how it is. It was nice to meet all of you!” I said as I stood up and hurried away.

 

I couldn’t do much else for Sasha. She was a grown woman and a professional. I had given her extra tools. Hopefully…

 

Hopefully it was enough to circumvent her tragedy, but if it wasn’t, then I would at least know that I had tried.

 

As I hurried to my Quadra I sent all of my chooms the call.

 

*Motoko: Section 9 Assemble!*

 

They would understand.

 

—–

 

They did not understand.

 

Three calls later, I was plugging into my net chair as I was readying for a dive, and waiting for my chooms to show up.

 

I had watched the surveillance video Wakako had sent, as well as what basic information she had.

 

Apparently about five minutes after I left, a group of three men, all wearing masks had shown up at the garage, broke in rather bluntly, and stole the Quadra-R.