It IS Rocket Science! (8)

With the new firmware installed, the previous aspects of Space Age and Space Exploration in the module database changed into a smoother experience. Mark doesn't strictly need the Legally Distinct Spice ™ to unlock biological science, and now his options for that science pack expanded making it easier to use it. The next thing that changed is that launching a Rocket became much easier than before, as the process was streamlined with the advent of the new firmware. He can still try to build Cargo Rockets, but those are much gigantic than the previous simulations stated, thanks to the recent changes.

Already, Mark is itching to start research and production of new items, but that will have to wait for a while. First, Mark had to finish his business."Enjoying the Buffet, Maine?"

The large Edgerunner finishes taking a bite of the canape before answering. "Yeah, lots of stuff to choose from. I'm trying to pace myself and sample everything first."

"Great, I will pick up a plate and then we can talk more privately behind some screens."

Mark takes a large plate and starts grabbing the various items on display. Some small fried pastries as hors d'œuvre, real green vegetables, a portion of real rice bought from Arasaka suppliers, roasted chicken tights, thinly sliced meat, sausages, roasted potatoes, and a collection of steamed vegetables topped with the available sauces and gravy. Mark leads Maine towards a reserved area where they could talk more privately through their chat group.

"Most corpos don't eat this good," Maine remarks while digging in his meal, "only executives have access to meat and vegetables like this."

"I plan on starting a farm outside Night City. If I feed chickens with all that insect protein they will grow big and fat at a low price. As for vegetables, that's where you come in." 

"To business then," Maine replies without pausing his eating, "what do you have in mind?"

"The data you found on the hospital had a couple more hidden gems on it. Apparently they're using the hospital as a test lab because they're looking for their 'next big hit.' It is somewhat connected with Sasha's case."

This time, Maine pauses. "How so?"

"Apparently, Biotechnica is desperately trying to push new products at an accelerated pace and bypassing the regulations set by their parent company in Europe. The founder of the company don't care enough about rumors of unethical experimentation, but he hates shoddy research. Since the painkiller that killed Sasha mother was a product of incompetence more than malice on the researchers part, it means that something fishy is going on with the branch in Night City."

"And we're going to investigate it." Maine concludes and Mark nods. "Do you have the detes of the gig?"

Mark takes a data shard held on a Wube Inc. casing. "Use the thing I gave you to read this."

Maine looks down at the case and nods. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, I got hold of some extra equipment and I want to have it field tested. I don't want to throw my Boys into a conflict for no reason, so having an active Edgerunner giving me combat data will be ideal. I will even sponsor your personal chrome, if you're willing."

"For real?" Maine looks at Mark as if Christmas came earlier.

"Yeah, but I want to take a look at your Build first. We will set an appointment with Vik first, and then we will see from there. If the rest of the crew also want to have their chrome checked, I will also sponsor them."

"What's the catch? Your reputation for being generous is well earned, but there must be a reason for this personal interest."

"I want your crew to have the best chrome so you can all operate at your best. I'm also going to veto any chrome you want to put on if it's really fucking stupid." Mark practically growls. "You have no idea how much hated I built from sifting through the Maelstrom chrome. There's jamming as many cybernetics on yourself until you're a cyberpsycho, and then there's putting a bunch of random shit that interfere with one another that makes you less effective than someone with a quarter of the enhancements."

Maine laughs, "ha! Can't be me! But I get your point, I had to deal with those gonks in the past and it always ended in a shit show."

"Glad we came to an understanding." Mark brings his beer up, and the two man clinks their glasses to seal the deal. "Now Maine, when are you going to turn Dorio into an honest woman?" The Edgerunner spits his beer in surprise while Mark laughs at the man's reaction.

…

Lucy looks at the direction where the rocket launch site is located, watching as a new rockets stands ready to launch. She's not certain if a rocket can be built so fast, but she's not an expert. All Lucy knows is that if she could board one of those she could leave Night City, leave Earth altogether and finally escape the shadow of Arasaka.

"What are you thinking?"

The young Netrunner turns to voice and finds David offering a drink for her. "Thanks," she mutters while taking the offered beverage.

The two of them keep looking at the standing rocket and they remain silent for a few minutes, with David patiently waiting for an answer. Eventually, Lucy speaks.

"Ever wonder what it's like, away from Earth? Away from the corpos, making a fresh start?"

David mulls it over for a moment, considering the older girl words and trying to comparing with his own circumstances. "Kind of," David admits, "to chase your dreams, start a new life, living for yourself without fears or burdens. I can sympathize."

Lucy turns to David to stare at him closely. The teen is shorter than her and his voice is still young, but the young man has an intensity to his gaze that draws the Netrunner attention. He also nailed Lucy feelings after a single sentence, a rare skill in the current era unless you have the right chrome installed, or it could be David's natural talent.

"I see," she replies quietly, "are you someone's kid in the company? Can't see someone as young as you working for this new rising star."

David proudly puffs his chest, "I actually do the company accounting. It's surprisingly simple for the income we generate."

"Really," Lucy asks skeptically, "you're the company's accountant? Are you kidding with me?"

The teen deflates a bit. "Honestly, I'm an intern with a salary to match. At least I only work half period and don't need to sign anything." David scratches the back of his head nervously, "Wube's books are surprisingly simple compared with the stuff I have to learn at the Academy. They actually pay the taxes they owe without much fuss instead of relying on bureaucratic black magic."

"Now that's a first." Lucy admits with a hint of admiration in her voice. As far as the Netrunner knows, taxes are for the dumb and poor.

"Yeah, caught me off guard too." David pauses for a moment, feeling awkward. "Are you thinking on joining the company too?"

Lucy smiles mischievously at the teen."Oh~ do you want me around more, David?"

"… I won't be opposed to it." He bravely admits.

The young Netrunner thinks for a moment before grabbing David's hand. "Let's go take a walk, come on."

While the young man complains about being manhandled, he makes sure to keep up pace with the young woman.

…

A few hours later, Maine and his crew returns earlier than the rest of the convoy, taking a couple of souvenirs from the inauguration event. As the group drives back to Night City, they spot another car coming from behind.

"Faraday," Maine answers the call, "what can I do for you in the middle of nowhere?"

"I would appreciate if you stopped for us to talk."

Sighing, Maine turns the car and stop it as the crew disembark from the vehicle, save Pillar remains inside.

Faraday car eventually catch up to Maine's, and from the vehicle several Militech soldiers flanked Faraday. The mercenary soldiers numbers match with Maine's crew, but Pillar is still in the car manning the vehicle's machineguns, and from personal experience he knows how powerful they are.

"What can I do for you, Faraday?"

"I heard that the Engineer offered you a job, is that right?"

The Edgerunner narrows his eyes at the Fixer. "What about it?"

"I would like to take over the assignment, and have some of my other people take it over."

"What! That's bullshit!" Rebecca yells at Faraday, "Mark offered us a job himself, you have nothing to do with that!"

"Rebecca," Dorio warns the small Solo, "she's not wrong though, that's not how things are done, Faraday."

"What the ladies say," Maine agrees, "why should I agree to this?"

"Don't forgot I still hold sway over you," Faraday answers, holding himself from using 'ownership' metaphors, "don't forget that it was thanks to my influence that your Netrunner isn't currently running from the law."

Sasha expression darkens, but she remains silent.

Maine grips his fist, the sound of metallic stress being like music to Faraday's ears. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Maine changes gears. "You can't expect me hand you the detes for free, don't you? Even you know that's going too far."

Faraday wires three thousand eddies to Maine, and the Edgerunner grunts in acceptance. He takes out the Wube Inc. packaging and hands out the memory shard to the Fixer.

"Pleasure doing business with you. Now, if you excuse me." The fixer and his bodyguards quickly leave the place as their vehicle throws up dust in the air.

"What a fucking rat!" Sasha growls at the retreating figure of Faraday, guilt rising in her chest over her fuck up with Biotechnica.

"Don't worry about it, I expected him to pull this shit earlier."

The entire crew look surprised at the message from Mark, since they're too far away from any signal towers to receive a reliable call in the middle of the Badlands.

"Mark, how are you calling us? Aren't you still at the event site?"

"I am." Mark confirms to Maine, "we are still cleaning up some things before we return to Night City. I'm just testing the Satellite Network effectiveness. By the way, look up and give a wave."

Maine slowly looks up to the sky, and awkwardly waves his hand. This movement is captured by the high definition cameras of the satellite launched by the rocket, and the image is then transmitted back to the group chat.

"Nova! You have your own spysat choom! Can I use it to know when Pillar is being a dumbass?" Rebecca sends the message on the chat excitedly. 

"Hey, I resent that remark!" Pillar's protest is ignored by the rest of the group.

"Anyway, Maine just gave the decoy shard to Faraday. The real mission assignment is hidden with your leader."

"Yeah. Who the hell still uses microfilm to hide information?" Maine shakes his head in amusement, as his earlier acting was perfect. However, in Maine's opinion it doesn't take much for him to lose his patience with his primary fixer. "What was in that shard in the first place?"

"Oh, there was a secondary mission for you guys. It's more of a personal project that would give your crew some extra spending money, but if Faraday is volunteering, he can take over."

Maine grins, "alright everyone, let's get back home, tomorrow we will have a long day planning our operation. See you later, Mark."

…

At afterlife, Rogue receives a message from Mark with the video of his inauguration event and the first rocket being sent to space by Wube Inc. She carefully takes the message that Mark asked her to read later, and finds a list of rates for the various uses of his new Satellite Network, from large data stream transfer, spying capabilities, and other uses that might interest Rogue and however she favors.

The living legend is not sure if she should kiss the Engineer the next time she see's him, or strangle the dangerous man before his ridiculousness spreads.