Dialogue: Balls to the Wall

V

Talkin' to me?

Paco

Name's Paco, this here's Babs.

V

V.

Paco

OK, V. Le'ss drink to the sitch. Like, toast the mofo and hope it goes away.

'Cause you, like, think I'm scared of 'im?

Babs

You should be scared shitless, man!

Gotta figure it out, Paco! Whatcha gonna do?

Paco

'Ey, you! C'mere a minute!

V

1ATalkin' to me?

V

3AWhat's this sitch an' why's it a bitch? Makin' it sound like it's some life-or-death conundrum.

3BHere's to drownin' our worries.

Babs

3BHere's to 'em drownin' and never resurfacin'.

V

3CPass on the poison. But what's this bitch-sitch you're facin'?

Paco

2ABabs says I's fucked big-time, but as I see it, like, no shit too deep, y'know? Whatcha think?

V

4AMeanin' in general? In life?

Paco

4AWell, like, yeah, yeah – in life.

V

4A'S not always sink or swim. Sometimes ya get to... ride the wave.

Paco

4AEhh, dunno, choom. Seein' more of a rip tide, now.

V

4BLookin' at someone who got outta neck-deep shit, choom.

Paco

4BHahah! Tol' ya, Babs! Fuckin' nova!

Babs

4BThat the vaguest shit I eva heard…

Paco

4BWho fuckin' cares? She did it, didn' she? It's a start.

2ASo, OK, can I start now?

V

5AEh, what the hell. Weave your tale.

Babs

5AJust, Paco, beggin' ya – on the down-low. Walls got ears, feel me?

Paco

5AOoh, wait! Le'ss do it right, go for real feels, ey? Take a whiff, 's Deep Dive, gonna take you there live, make you feel part of it!

5ADay was tight as shit, my ticket to the majors, get me? Wanna feel it, take a big whiff and listen.

V

6AOK, OK. Settled down to listen.

Johnny

6AOhhh, V...

Paco

6ASo, picture this – my first day in Hansen's army. Waitin' for the boss-man, yeah? Legs shakin' like jelly.

6AFuck, no, imagine you Hansen hisself. And you is piiissed!

V

6BDodgy stim? Not in the mood. Story no good on its own?

Babs

6BC'mon, shit ain't gonna kill ya. It's Paco's ramblin' that might get ya without it.

V

7AAll right, pass that shit here.

6CWhat is this? Militech cognitive enhancer, spiked with somethin'? Same kind of inhaler. Be one hell of a ride...

Babs

6CHow the hell you know shit like this?

V

6CThey'd give it to us in training...

Paco

6CFucking tight!

V

6DGot a story like that myself. Same start, fast forward a few hours and... my best friend was dead.

Paco

6DOh, bites, man. I make it out alive o' mine, promise you.

V

5BEh, what the hell. Weave your tale.

Babs

5BJust, Paco, beggin' ya – on the down-low. Walls got ears, feel me?

V

5CThis about some internal BARGHEST pup squabble?

Paco

5CHey, how you know we is pups?

V

5CSpace Force One went down, fallout tangible everywhere, and you're sittin' here, drinkin' away, pickin' your noses? Piss-poor gear, too. Look, should I go on?

5DTwo of ya seem nice, but I just don't got time for overlong tales. It'll work out, I'm sure.

Paco

5DC'mon, not gonna help? Well, take some time. And you wanna gab? We ain't goin' nowhere.

Paco

1AName's Paco, this here's Babs.

V

1AV.

Paco

1AOK, V. Le'ss drink to the sitch. Like, toast the mofo and hope it goes away.

V

9AWhat's this sitch an' why's it a bitch? Makin' it sound like it's some life-or-death conundrum.

9BHere's to drownin' our worries.

Babs

9BHere's to 'em drownin' and never resurfacin'.

V

9CPass on the poison. But what's this bitch-sitch you're facin'?

Paco

1AOK, V. Le'ss drink to the sitch. Like, toast the mofo and hope it goes away.

1AName's Paco, this here's Babs.

V

1AV.

Paco

'Cause you, like, think I'm scared of 'im?

Babs

You should be scared shitless, man!

Paco

You is super-pissed Kurt Hansen hisself.

Well, bottle's half-full, an' we gonna be here a while, so if you feel like gabbin'…

V

Let the vodka flow, choom.

Paco

So, drinkin'?

V?... Hey.

Ready for the next bit?

Johnny

Fuck. Kill me, please?

Paco

You is super-pissed Kurt Hansen hisself.

V

Will you sort out the scav deal or gonna fuck that up, too?

Yuri

I don't know what you mean.

V

They'll want to fuck us. We need to be prepared. Clear?

Yuri

Of course it's clear. Come now, this is rookie shit.

V

2ARookie shit like talking to the police commissioner? You were my messenger, Yuri. Now half the NCPD knows about our dealings.

Paco

2AThen, dead silence. 'Cause, y'know, Yuri and Kurt been in the army together. Militech dropped 'em here years ago, yeah?

V

2BI'm sick of the incompetence. Small-fry business only, till you prove yourself again.

Paco

2BThen, dead silence. 'Cause, y'know, Yuri and Kurt been in the army together. Militech dropped 'em here years ago, yeah?

Rinder

3AHahah! Is lil' Torres, ready to get fucked goood?!

Paco

3AAnd I'm standin' there, waitin', lost. Actually shit myself a little.

3AAnd Kurt's like a caged tiger, pacin', walkin' off the anger after what Yuri spewed.

3AKurt, he wears a mask of, like, mystery. He's circlin', totally silent.

3AAn' I'm thinkin' – it's a test, y'know? Gotta be. So I stand there, all zen. And I wait.

3ABabs is whisperin', eggin' me on, like. And I'm thinkin', if he don't kill Yuri, he gonna kill me for sure.

V

4ABring it, grunt.

Paco

4AW-what?

V

4ABest shot, c'mon, hit me!

4BDefend yourself, gonk. Put 'em up!

3AWhat's your name, kid?

Paco

3AP-Paco Torres!

V

3AWrong. Your name's Mutt, but we'll make a Hound outta you yet.

Paco

3AYes, s-sir!

Babs

3AFuck me, Paco, quit makin' shit up…!

Paco

3AShht, my story!

V

3AWhat good are you to me?

Paco

3AI'm quick. And… and clever!

V

3ALemme see it!

Paco

3AAn' that dog knowed where to hit! Ah, can still feel it in places…

V

3APup'll do, I can tell.

Rinder

3ATsk. I'd drag 'im around the block again…

V

3AAn' we will, we will.

V

5AWelcome to the pack, kiddo.

Babs

5APahahah! Like hell he said that…

V

5AYou'll handle the next convoy. Let's see what you're made of.

Paco

5AAnd I felt, like... born again, choom. Blood runnin' down my face, but I'm so happy I'm howlin'!

5AAnd? Ya keepin' up?

V

6AStrong stuff. Makes me wanna lay one on you myself.

Paco

6AHeh, give it a week, choomba! Need to heal!

Babs

6AGet in the smackin' line, V. Ain't the end. Got his mission still comin'…

V

6BSo, get your ass handed to you an' you call that the best day of your life?

Paco

6BTakin' a beatin is just a path to somethin' greater.

Babs

6BAss-whoopin' is ass-whoopin. Ain't no point philosophizin' it. When they put a bullet in your dumb face, gonna call it your stupid-ass path, too?

Paco

5ASo listen, was one of those gigs, y'know, like guardin' airdrops or transportin'… I was protectin' our convoy.

V

7AFeelin' a conclusion comin' on. Also feelin' things gonna turn out fucked.

Babs

7AHe prolly gonna get lynched on a cable, is how he gonna end. Transport he talkin' 'bout was for scavs, so shit got heated.

V

7BTransport – what was it?

Paco

7BSomethin' for scavs. But we transport medicine, water… sometimes generators, things for civvies. Carin' for our peeps, right?

7BBut, y'know, sometimes it's one for the peeps, one for me, then two for me... Shit went south when I took too much, choom.

5ABabs loves complainin'. But the opportunity looked real, real good! To the end!

V

8AHmm. Gimme another whiff of the Dive.

V

9AAll right, pass that shit here.

Paco

3AAn' he just starin' at me. An' I'm thinkin' I'm just too weak.

3ALanded a couple o' punches, too!

3AHittin' 'im like that – tellin' ya, felt like the real deal!

Yuri

10AWhat's the problem, Kurt?

V

Scav deal – swear to me it'll go swimmingly. No fucking mishaps. Look me in the eye.

Yuri

Kurt, how long have we known each other?

Dodger

Gon' be spittin' teeth once he done with ya, pup.

Bennet

Do it, Kurt, lil' bitch is beggin' for it! Fuck him up!

Soldier

That's what you get when you fuck with Hansen!

Babs

C'mon, Paco! Head up… just survive, y'hear?!

Rinder

Fight back, you little cunt! C'mon!

Dodger

Blood! Blood! Fuck his face, dawg!

Bennet

Pahahaha! Thrashin' little bitch gonna cry?! Hahahahaaaa!

Yuri

You wished to talk. So said the radio. Do you?

What's the problem, Kurt?

Jago

Nothing new to report, sir. All's under control.

V

Good. As you were.

Jago

11ANothing new to report, sir. All's under control.

Paco

So fuck me, right? I'm standin' there, wonderin' what's goin' on between 'em.

Then, dead silence. 'Cause, y'know, Yuri and Kurt been in the army together. Militech dropped 'em here years ago, yeah?

Then, dead silence. 'Cause, y'know, Yuri and Kurt been in the army together. Militech dropped 'em here years ago, yeah?

Yuri

You wished to talk. So said the radio. Do you?

Rinder

Hahah! Is lil' Torres, ready to get fucked goood?!

Paco

Then, dead silence. 'Cause, y'know, Yuri and Kurt been in the army together. Militech dropped 'em here years ago, yeah?

Uuhh... Wha' now, boss?

Was, like, paralyzed, scared to move a muscle.

Wanna hear the rest?

And? Ya keepin' up?

Yuri

What's the problem, Kurt?

Paco

So we drivin', right? Boss-man hisself next to me.

V

Motherfuckers…

Rats've blocked the road…!

Buckle up, pup. Time to remind these bastards who's in charge.

Paco

An' you know – blam, blam blam! Ratatatatauu! Blastin' away, yeah?

Fuckin' awesome, preem aim. And he was out for blood!

Fuck, he was a machine! Like, preee-cise!

Boss-man got hit. Thinkin' to myself – this how we fuckin' die.

So many scavs, no way he wasn't gonna get shot…

Fuckin' awesome, preem aim. And he was out for blood!

V

1AWell… Not half bad, you got somethin'. Weren't lyin' about bein' quick, kiddo. Good work stomping these rats.

1BSo, still breathin', well done. We'll make a real soldier outta ya yet. All you gotta do is stay with us, be indispensable.

Captive

You will not get away with this!

Babs

Keep listenin', V. What this gonk-ass did next is the story ya been waitin' for.

Paco

OK, so listen. 'Fore we left Yuri gave me a list. No power generators there. I look into the truck and what's there? Generators.

Babs

Yeah, Yuri prolly grabbed some on the side, wantin' to hawk 'em off for a quick eddie after the scav shitshow.

And this dumbass thought if he snatched 'n' sold 'em, he'd be set for a year. They're checkin' to see if he's cool, he straight up robs 'em.

Paco

Only idiots say no to opportunity, Babs.

V

2ASo what'd you do with this "opportunity"?

Paco

2AUuh.. Well, shit. Sold them to a guy. Said he had a client in India.

Babs

2AProlly bein' shipped. Can wave 'em adios.

V

2BSheesh, in what world did that seem like a good idea?

Babs

2BThere's more, V. See, my little gonklet here sold 'em to a dude in India. Prolly on the way there.

They gonna kill him, right? Fuck… an' me in the bargain…

Paco

C'mon, I see you thinkin' good. Can you help, sister?

V

3ASure, can help ya. Advice don't come free, though.

Paco

3AYeah, yeah, we got scratch, choom.

V

3AMight have an idea, yeah.

3BMight have an idea, yeah.

V

4AOK, we frame Yuri. Guy's on Kurt's shit list anyway. We do this right, problem'll solve itself.

Babs

4AFine, l-let's just please take this convo somewhere else? Underground passageway nearby... talk there. Tomorrow evening, yeah?

4AAmen to that… Sendin' ya contact detes. Y'know, just in case.

V

4BYou two gotta ghost. Yuri's gonna know who klepped his shit. Can drive ya to Night City if you want.

Babs

4BI'm stayin'.

Paco

4BW-what? Whatcha mean, Babs?

V

5APeeps know you two're tight. They see Paco gone, your ass'll be on the line, too.

Babs

5AYeah, but it's gonna be even more sus if we both vanish. I'll stay behind, keep my fingers on the pulse, least till emotions cool, yeah?

V

5BSure? Gamblin' with your life as the wager, Babs.

Babs

5BFleein' together – now tha'ss a shot in the dark, V. Gonna lay low, cover our rear. Things cool off, we gonna think next steps, yeah?

Paco

4BShit, Babs… Like… Yeah, OK.

Babs

4BAmen to that… Sendin' ya contact detes. Y'know, just in case.

Paco

4BAnd guess what! I could spend eddies from generators on drugs and joytoys, but I think "be smart, Paco"! So I buy a new wheels, like, preem grade! Let's take 'em and delta!

V

4BUh-huh. Got it.

4CGonna pull strings, call in favors. See if I can't make some generators appear.

Babs

4COr get us transport, so we can disappear. Out there, past the horizon.

V

4CCogs're grindin'. Gimme a little time.

All right. The goods go back to the Sapphire. Just be careful, kid. Yuri and I gotta ask our scav friend some questions.

Yuri

We have a groaner, still breathing! He's sure to tell us something interesting...!

Murphy

Dirty fuckin' rats. Least the kid showed some teeth.

Paco

Colonel never runs from a fight. Maybe he was gunnin' to outflank?

6ASee, my shit's always gotta go tits around the bend, know what'm sayin'?

Babs

7A'S like talkin' to a kid sometimes. 'S like he thinks it's a game, can only get pretend shot.

V

8ACogs're grindin'. Gimme a little time.

V

9ADown the hatch.

Babs

Amen to that… Sendin' ya contact detes. Y'know, just in case.

Phew… A'ight… One for the road, then?

Johnny

Mhm.

Fuck. I don't believe it.

V

You two gotta ghost. Yuri's gonna know who klepped his shit. Can drive ya to Night City if you want.

Babs

I'm stayin'.

Paco

W-what? Whatcha mean, Babs?

V

10AWell… here's to dousin' brush fires and pluggin' busted dams.

Paco

But I did good, deserved a compliment.

Earth to V?

Deep Dive hit too hard, V?

V

1APaco, 's gotta be. Fuck me…

Johnny

1ALeaves the chick. If Hansen suspected her, she'd be swingin' up there, too.

V

1AMaybe, who knows...

Right, let's see what's here...

Johnny

Yeah, not like we got better shit to do than spend precious time on some teeny-bopper gang drama.

V

2AWanna see this through, Johnny, shut it.

Yuri

2ASetting our own pups against us? Do you think that makes you fucking clever?! I'll teach you not to fuck with Yuri!

V

2AGonna regret this.

Johnny

2ATurnin' your back on the problem, again?!

V

2ADon't got time for this now, Johnny.

2AIt hurt? Huh?

Johnny

2AFuck, this got ugly fast, huh! Give the ol' pockets a pick an' a poke. Might get a lead on those kids.

V

2AFucker found out. Paco's likely hangin' somewhere as a warnin'. Dammit…

Johnny

2AFuck those cunts...

V

2ATsk, fuckin' trainwreck… Choom could be alive by some miracle… still stand a chance.

Johnny

2AFuck, this got ugly fast, huh! Give the ol' pockets a pick an' a poke. Might get a lead on those kids.

2AFuck, this got ugly fast, huh! Give the ol' pockets a pick an' a poke. Might get a lead on those kids.

Yuri

2AYou… Piece of… Argh...!

V

2AAny last words?

Johnny

2AUh-huh.

V

1AHow goes? Fishin' for a gig? Could ask inside for ya.

Paco

1AOh, V! Nah, man, I'm sorted! Full speed ahead, yeah? Got in with scavs, startin' tomorrow. Got you a present. For helpin', right?

1AIt's a souvenir, last thing I got left from Hansen. Lame to dump it. Got a new life thanks to you. Good to give gifts to friends, 'ey?

Johnny

1AFucking pathetic.

V

2AYou're kiddin', right? Scavs? Of all the things ya coulda been, y'choose to be trash?

2AOnce took in a spiked BD, woke up soon after in a scav den. Was this close to bein' carved up, turned into scop…

2BSo, back in action, huh? For the other side, no less. Congrats?

Paco

1AGotta make a livin', don't I? Got intel on BARGHEST's ins and outs. Valuable, right? Get my shit together soon, let Babs know.

V

3AAnd if they tell ya to snatch a BARGHEST convoy? With Babs doin' security? Makes the two of you basically enemies.

3AGonna drop her if they order you to? Think she'll pull the trigger on you if she has to?

Johnny

1AOof.

All right. Let's roll.

Slow down, Turbo. You'll get us killed – again!

Let's get outta here.

V

Gotta go now, Paco. Grab your shit, come with me.

Babs

Just… watch out for yourself, dumbass, OK?

V

Need a destination. Any ideas?

Paco

No worries, I'll manage. Drop me off at the Grand Imperial Mall, yeah?

So… what now, V?

V

4AAll right, in you go. Let's get this done.

4BStretch out, relax. Might shake and rattle some, but small price to pay, my man…

Paco

5AThey stop us, tell 'em Hansen sent us to talk to Roco. Should be enough get us a pass.

5AAgh, we made it!

V

5AWorked out this time. Don't get used to it.

V

6APassed through smoothly. Welcome to NC.

6ALay low, Paco, got it? Need to be a ghost for a time.

5AHere goes nothin'...

So, where were we?

Worked out this time. Don't get used to it.

Lay low, Paco, got it? Need to be a ghost for a time.

Paco

Fuckin' nova, no?

So… what now, V?

Paco

So, ya manage, figure somethin' out?

V

2AGot an NCPD contact. You're in luck, said he could arrange generators. Dumpster near Coronado Bay movie theater. All clear?

Paco

2AOh, fuck, really, V?! Just like that?

V

2ANothin' happens "just like that," choom. Web of favors. Lemme know how it went.

2BAldecaldos friend of mine'll help you two get outta here. Two K each. Sendin' the driver's detes… Get in touch now, got me?

Paco

2BShit, thanks, V! An' price is all good…

V

2BLay low, Paco, got it? Need to be a ghost for a time.

Babs

Amen to that… Sendin' ya contact detes. Y'know, just in case.

V

3ACogs're grindin'. Gimme a little time.

Johnny

Well, what do we have here.

Paco

Heyyy, V! Thanks for everything!