I walked into the DewDrop Inn server to see there was a section set aside where a bunch of Netrunners were gathered, including Yoko.

She waved me over and smiled as I looked over the group. There were about ten of them, and other than Yoko, and the one Netrunner who Yoko had brought in when I did the server dive there wasn’t anyone I was familiar with, but they were all obviously here for me.

“Ah so it was you!” A voice called out and I had to blink.

His face… Wait, this guy? Why was he so familiar? I actually was pretty sure I recognized this one!

“Yes?”

“On one hand, I want to shove all my worst daemons in your face for blinding me right in the middle of a very enjoyable night with a woman I had been trying to get on my yacht for years… But on the other hand you killed that bastard Bart, and blew up his eyesore of a yacht… So I’ll let it go.” He offered and I just blinked at this random guy who had a very familiar face.

“Otter Business, leave the girl alone, we are here to congratulate her on her programming.” Another Netrunner called out, shooting me a smile and waving for me to take a seat.

“Pfft. It took me two hours to figure out what she had done! Two!” He growled, throwing his avatars arms up in the air. “Fine, fine… It was a good program. I was only able to recover a few fragments of the source program, though, wouldn’t mind getting a taste of the original.” He said and suddenly he was booed by everyone that was sitting around the table. A few even threw digital ‘chaff’ at him.

“Stop trying to steal the march you wannabe. Don’t you have a crappy TV show that no one watches to get to?” Another voice called out and Otter seemed to take this personally.

“I have a primetime spot! You bitch!”

“Now, now, let’s not fight. Ghost. Come join us. Everyone, this is Ghost’s first big meet and greet, so let’s all be polite or else she’ll ghost us.” Yoko offered tittering behind a fan causing everyone at the table to groan.

“I’m ignoring that you old Fox.” The Netrunner whose server I had dived called out and then turned to me. “This is pretty unusual, normally a new hacker doesn’t bring this much attention, but a new program? That’s hot stuff. We are all here for different reasons. Some to congratulate you. Some to sniff out a potential buy.” He informed me as everyone around the table then turned their eyes on me.

“Before you speak Ghost. I know what you are thinking, but everyone here is interested in your “Laughing Man” quick hack. So it’s also an opportunity to trade with others, gain information, or favors, or even equipment you might not have. But I suggest you at least hear them out. You never know what another runner might be sitting on that would interest you.” Yoko explained, even as she giggled at my grumpy face as she called it the Laughing Man.

“Ugh. Don’t you start Yoko. It’s bad enough the news started calling me that… My handle is Ghost. Not Laughing Man. But that’s kinda cool. I’m not really interested in trading it though.” I explained earning a few boos from the group.

“Ironic name, they picked out since you aren’t a man. But it’s certainly an interesting icon, what made you think of it?” Otter asked cutting in, and I noticed everyone else sort of glaring at him.

“Ignore him. Media’s always have to ask questions even when they just run an economics show.”

“It’s a primetime show!” He called out and finally my mind connected.

“Ah! That’s where I recognize you from. Your Business is My Business, right?” I asked, snapping my fingers as it struck me where I knew the guy. It wasn’t a show Jun and I watched but I remember seeing it while scrolling through things a few times.

“That’s right! Since you are a fan, I guess I’ll forgive the hack, what’s a little hacking between friends after all!” He said, chuckling.

“Oh shut up already you peacock. Hey, your hack was nasty. You slammed every person at the Marina with it, and it locked them down for hours! Even if it gets more popular there are plenty of norms that will never know how to fix it. They had to call the NCPD netrunners in just to get everyone able to see again. It was preem. C’mon don’t be a gonk. How much for a copy?” A woman asked, the only identifying feature was the fact both of her eyes were covered by a set of techgogs.

Similar to the ones I had even.

But before I could speak and deny being willing to sell my work, another Netrunner spoke. This one had been sitting back not speaking, and basically trying to pretend to be too cool for this group.

“Don’t let this shallows-runner tempt you. I checked out your previous work as well. Yoko confirmed that it was your code, so let me be blunt. Trade it to me, don’t give it to anyone else, I’ll pay you more than any of these wannabes can offer.” The man had stood up from his chair as he spoke. He was bald with piercing eyes and I was a bit uncomfortable as he was locked onto me, his eyes never shifting.

I narrowed my eyes as I noticed it, and slapped his backtrace down with the most brutal assault I could. A Barrier shooting up ahead of me, to break his attempt to find my physical body.

This bastard was actually trying to track me down!

“Try that again, and I’ll kill you.” I told him and while he seemed unconcerned, it was Yoko that stepped in.

“Ma>< I’ve warned you that actions like that won’t be allowed on this server regardless of how powerful your corporation is. There won’t be another time.” She said and suddenly he glitched and his avatar vanished in a distortion of a forced movement. “He won’t be allowed back, He is banned from the server. I’m sorry Ghost. I knew Ma>< had joined Arasaka, but I wasn’t expecting him to act like them already.”

“Ah it’s okay. I caught him pretty quick… That was a sneaky trace though.”

“Ugh now the mood is ruined! Yoko! Play some music! We can’t do a net party with this sort of atmosphere. As long as that’s cool with you Laughing Man.” Another of the netrunners sitting around asked and I was grateful my face couldn’t show how much I was flushing.

“I prefer Ghost honestly, if it comes to my handle.”

“Wait. Wait wait. Yoko was calling you that too… Didn’t Bug complain to us about a Ghost?”

Yoko then spoke up, giggling a little. “She did indeed! Was that you Ghost?” Yoko said laughing, but the way she spoke. She was offering me a denial if I didn’t want to reveal that it was me.

Yoko was pretty cool like that.

“Yeah I met T-Bug in a Microtech warehouse. She was gathering data for a choom of hers. Someone I actually know funnily enough so I helped out.”

“Oh man she was complaining for days about that! She was so annoyed that some unknown runner had her locked down.” Yoko giggled, earning some laughs from the other netrunners as well.

I guess T-Bug was well known.

“Alright, well then Ghost. What would get you to want to trade for your program?” One of the other runners asked suddenly and everyone realized that the tension had eased up enough to get back to business.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

“I’m really not intending on trading it. I mean I traded my Ping to Yoko, but this one is…”

“A personal hack.” Yoko nodded and I couldn’t help but smile and agree. “Still Ghost, like I said, it would be a good idea to hear offers. You may be surprised at what can be offered, or what might interest you.” Yoko said with a toothy grin.

“How about connections for a better deck? I know someone who has an Arasaka Mk.3 that would be willing to sell if I recommended it.” One of the Netrunners offers a woman whose hair pulsed with light from scalp to tips consistently.

“Oh please she could find that on her own without your help.” Another cut in, “Stop trying to rip the kid off. We don’t want a programmer with that sort of skill to bail to the corps or something! Speaking of kid, never join a corp. I saw that Ping you dropped to Yoko, it was impressive work, real nova stuff, but they would eat you up. They would put you in a lab and never let you leave. I’m serious.” The netrunner told me with a firm finger pointed at me.

“God R1ot. Let it go. We get it you are anti-corp. They don’t lock programmers into little dark rooms.” Another cut in but a few of the others booed at him.

“Says the Militech runner!”

“Corpo dog!” Another called out, but it was more…

Teasing?

“Oh fuck off all of you. I’m not a programmer, but I do security for a Militech site, we don't lock our programmers away. We do protect them though. A good programmer is worth their weight in eddies.”

“I don’t know about that. I’m a programmer, and I never had a corp offer me that much.” Another grumbled, but that only caused the whole group to almost as one call out.

“I said good programmers!”

“You have to be good!”

“Hahaha!” Yoko’s laugh rolled over the group and I couldn’t help but smile.

What a weird group. Despite probably being enemies, here they were all… Compatriots? I wouldn’t say friends, but it still stood.

“I’m kinda surprised that everyone is so friendly.”

“Ah yeah that happens.” R1ot offered his face smiling. “Sure if I caught any of these wannabes sneaking into my server, I would Black ICE them in a heartbeat, but we are all netrunners. We all started as kids plugging into their first modem and stealing something from a vending machine.”

“Speak for yourself! My first hack was a car! It was the most beautiful Mizutani Shion I had ever seen. Drove her for miles… Eventually I crashed, but for a short time I was the happiest person in Night City.”

“Gonk.”

“So! Since everyone keeps getting distracted, Ghost, let’s talk price for that juicy new program you got.”

“Wait. I mean… I know it’s great and everything.” I demurred, earning some chuckles. “But why are you all so interested in my program? There must be better stuff already out on the market?”

“Sure, but if it’s on market, it’s already halfway solved. We are a community kid, once you get to a certain height, you already know everything out on the market, how to defend against it, as best you can anyways.” R1ot offered with a shrug. “But you have something new. Something that no one knows how to protect themselves from. So I want it so I can protect my system from it. Others want to use it. For at least a while, it’s a hot commodity.”

“I guess that makes sense… Sorry to say I’m still not really interested, but I am a programmer, and since I’ve obviously impressed all of you, there is something I’m always on the lookout for that I’d be happy to trade some debugging work if you want.” I offered and from the instant interest I guess I was right on the money.

No one liked debugging after all.

“I'm always looking for information on Scavs. If you get me something usable, I’ll happily debug your code.”

I smirked as I got interested looks from all across the table.

—--

“So that’s what happened.” I explained to Jun as we were both at the apartment. I had gotten home and brought food that wasn’t XXL burritos for Jun to eat.

We were eating Ramen.

We were rich now you know?

“So you had a bunch of netrunners wanting to buy your program you’ve been working on? That’s… Really amazing Motoko. Good job.” Jun offered with a smile and a pat on my head.

I squirmed a bit. It wasn’t like I enjoyed the praise you know!

After a few moments I swiped at his hand so he wouldn’t think I was easy. “Well it took a lot of work to make the thing! And I’m happy with it. Of course now I have a bunch of debug work I can do on the side… And a bunch of Scav data I’ll need to go through.” I smirked at that. Then pouted a bit. “Yoko offered her help in handling the work orders. In exchange for a bit of work she wants done too. Sneaky kitsune.” I had been thankful at her offer even if I knew she had ulterior motives.

Seriously, netrunners were very pushy. Having them have to go through Yoko would save me a lot of stress.

“That’s right, you mentioned Yoko uses a kitsune avatar? That’s so weird.” He muttered and I just laughed at Jun. Despite having a netrunner mother Jun was probably even worse at netrunning stuff than past Motoko.

“Well Yoko is a very… Unique woman. But the Scav data should point me to a few more dens, and I still have one that I need to clear up. So more loot to gather up!”

“Just be careful. I don’t want to have to pull you out of a Scav den again.” Jun said, and I had to look at him with that. Jun never mentioned the Scav den.

Like ever.

“I’m strong now. You won’t have to.”

He met my eyes and took a slurp of his ramen.

“Just be careful.”

“Yeah… I’m a little worried. That with everything I’m doing I’m going to piss off someone, or just get someone's attention, and it’ll cause problems.” I admitted to him, revealing a big part of my worry.

“You have the TC to fall back on if something ever goes wrong… Motoko. I want you to stay safe. I’d be happiest if you stayed home and just worked on your programming or playing music all day. Safe things. But that isn’t what would make you happiest. So…” Jun struggled then as if trying to find the words, but I was a little surprised.

Jun had really grown a lot in the last couple months.

“So it’s fine. If you piss someone off and they come for you. We can kill them together. Just be as safe as you can. But don’t stop. You’re an edgerunner. Stop worrying about falling, I’ll catch you.”

“I’m not an edgerunner! I’m just a merc!”

Jun just smirked at me and now that he was finished eating his Ramen, he grabbed the XXL Burrito he had been eating before I got home and bit into it.

Disgusting.

—--

I spent the rest of the evening hanging out with Jun as he lazed around the apartment on the couch. I had shown off my new chrome as well. My jump skills had super impressed him as I was bouncing all over the place in the apartment..

Even if he had laughed at me and asked how many times I had hit my head on the ceiling.

Jerk!

Only the one time.

Then I had a nice eight hour nap and headed out in the morning to visit Vik.

While I was technically feeling great, other than the little wiggles of new chrome. He had still wanted another visit to check everything over.

So as I waved hello to Misty who was busy with an actual client!

I was so proud!

I leapt around a bit in the alley heading down into Viks clinic and greeted him with a happy smile as I did a few cartwheels.

“Chrome is doing great Vik!” I chirped out as I saw him.

“Glad to see you are adapting to it well, but I’ll be the one that decides if it’s doing great.” He said with a smile as he pointed at the chair. “You were supposed to be here yesterday.”

“Got pulled into a netrunning thing. Sorry Vik, I really couldn’t get away.”

“Well at least you show up. Even if it’s a day late.” He teased and then he settled in and started scanning. “Your healing is still… Impossible, If I hadn’t put this chrome in myself, I would say this healing pattern is years old. Everything looks good, your nerves have definitely connected. The swelling is down around the Subdermal as well. How’s it feel?”

“A little itchy sometimes, but I’m getting used to it.”

“Hmm. Normally itchiness this early is just healing, but that isn’t your issue. Where are you getting the itch?” I pointed out a few spots and he started scanning them.

“Just a few parts of the mesh bundling up wrong. Let me see what I can do.” He muttered and I relaxed back despite the fact Vik was poking needles and things into me to manually adjust the subdermal weave.

But when he was done, I had to admit despite having a few new bandaids over a few spots. I wasn’t as itchy.

“Thanks Vik!”

“It’s what I’m here for kid… Well when people actually show up for their check ups.” He said then suddenly stabbed a cold finger right into my side making me squeal. “No missing the next checkup!”

“I won’t! I promise!” I pleaded, hands raised. Vik! Vik knew my weak spot! I wasn’t normally that ticklish, but I still had spots! How did he know!?

“Well I’m not seeing any issues. Everything looks good. How are you feeling up here?” He asked, pointing at his own head. “Any problems? Confusion? Shakes?”

I couldn’t help but smile in return. “Nothing that I’ve noticed. I think my arms are still more of a mental strain than the new stuff… But I’m not noticing any problems. I’ll talk to Jun, or you as soon as I do. Get the chrome right out if I have to.”

Vik nodded, reaching out and ruffling my hair. “You're a good kid Motoko, don’t let your greed ruin your future. I saw Jackie the other day, he came in with a big bruise he earned while on a gig, fixed him right up though. He mentioned that Wakako had finally cut him loose?”

“Ah no. I was guarding the loot I stole, Wakako called and told me there was a gig but I had to cancel, so I guess Jackie got it alone… I didn’t know he got hurt.”

“Hah. Just a bruise kid, he got in a fist fight and won just fine. He was proud of the bruise more than anything. You two still working together?”

“Yeah! Or… I guess I hope so? I’ve been a little busy the last while. I was planning a big raid, and I spent a bunch of time on the net, and I wasn’t there for this last gig either… Should I call him? Ask if he wants some work? I know of a Scav den I wanted to hit…”

“Oh? Another one already?”

“Well I have one that led me to my last big gig, I didn’t touch the peons right away while I was tracking where they took their chrome. There should still be a bunch there, and some gonks to flatline.”

“Well I’m sure Jackie would be happy to back you up, just be careful kid. Scavs might be less dangerous than the big gangs, but they can be like cornered rats. Nasty to deal with if they feel threatened.”

I nodded at that. “I’ll keep that in mind Vik.”

“Alright kid, why don’t you get out of here. I’m sure you have exciting things to do today rather than hang out with an old fossil.”

“What, where is Wakako?” I said with a faux gasp before coughing a bit as I realized what I just said. “Don’t… Don’t tell her I made that joke okay?”

“Future blackmail.” He assured me with a sinister smile.