Dialogue: Playing for Time

Yorinobu

...is ultimately to defend the well-being of my family and my employees.

That is why I have decided to double the amount of our active Night City security forces.

President Myers has called this a breach in the Arvin Accord – a provocation targeted at the NUSA and Militech.

Tell me then – what do we call the murder of my father? Was that not a provocation? Was that not--

...is ultimately to defend the well-being of my family and my employees.

That is why I have decided to double the amount of our active Night City security forces.

President Myers has called this a breach in the Arvin Accord – a provocation targeted at the NUSA and Militech.

Tell me then – what do we call the murder of my father? Was that not a provocation? Was that not--

Towfiq Iqbal

Now, Hanako-sama, I would first like to ask you--

Now, Hanako-sama, I would first like to ask you--

Dex

Urgh... Heavier than she looks.

Now, listen, dawg. I have done exactly what you asked, so le'ss you an' me figure this--

Takemura

Hmm...

V

Help me...

Takemura

Quiet!

V

Argh! Fuck...

Takemura

Hmm...

Johnny

My man, Dex DeShawn. How’s that quiet life workin' out for you now, choom?

Takemura

You hear me? I need your help!

Takemura

Hold on!

The booster will not last long...

Shoot him!

Hold on!

Troy1

Traitor!

Takemura

Shoot him!

Hold on!

Troy1

Agh!

Traitor!

Takemura

Hold on!

Troy1

Agh!

Takemura

What are you doing?! Hey!

Don't you dare faint again.

Keep your eyes open.

V

Fuck...

V

1AUuugh!

Takemura

1AWe both could use medical attention. Do you know a ripperdoc whom you can trust?

V

2AYou... you were at Konpeki Plaza...

2BI know... someone...

2CI've seen them... before. Troy... the exterminators...

Takemura

1AWe must get to a ripperdoc. Quickly.

V

3AViktor... will fix us up.

Takemura

3AWe have to get there somehow. Call someone. Anyone.

V

4AAll right, all right...

Delamain

4AGreetings. My scanner indicates you are outside the service area.

V

4AJust come... pick me up...

4ANeed to get to Misty's Esoterica... front of Vik's...

Delamain

4AOf course. A vehicle is en route. It should arrive in less than twenty minutes.

Takemura

4AWhat are you doing?! Hey!

V

4BWhy... why not just cut me loose? I'm dead weight to you.

Takemura

4BMake the call.

V

3BDid well back there…

Takemura

3BDo not waste time.

We both could use medical attention. Do you know a ripperdoc whom you can trust?

V

Uuugh!

Takemura

We both could use medical attention. Do you know a ripperdoc whom you can trust?

We both could use medical attention. Do you know a ripperdoc whom you can trust?

Did you hear me?!

Hey! No sleeping!

Takemura

I think I have the sockets.

Delamain

There is a cable above you – connect it.

Takemura

And then?

Delamain

I will take over the procedure.

Takemura

The personal link is damaged.

Delamain

Please proceed to insert the jack below the ear, though not too deep.

There should be auxiliary neurosockets between her lymph nodes, beneath the SCM muscle.

Takemura

If I hit a vein by mistake, she will die.

Delamain

Indeed. As she will if you do nothing.

Takemura

I think I have the sockets.

Delamain

Now proceed to connect.

Rogue

You're late.

Rogue

1AJohnny! In! Now!

1AFuck's sake, Johnny! You in or out?

1AWell, ugh, what're you waiting for?

1AWhat the fuck?!

1ASilverhand, dammit!

V

2ALove it when you're mad. Gets my southern blood pumpin'.

2BMy op. I decide who's late and who's not.

Rogue

1AGet in. 'Fore I change my mind.

Shaitan

1ASilverhand.

V

1AHey, Shaitan!

Rogue

1AGet us in the air!

1AHere, put this on, and it STAYS on, got it?

Kerry

3AJohnny, wait up!

3ADon't do this. You can still change your mind.

V

4AWanna see me give up?

4ASounds like somethin' you'd do. Know why?

4ACause you've always been a fuckin' pussy, Kerry.

4AOffer you one piece of advice for old times' sake – stop being one.

4ATime to bring on the future.

4BGet over here, man.

4BFuck this band. Not your crowd, not your noise. Do your own thing.

Kerry

4BBastard. Tsh... Gonna miss you somethin' awful.

V

4BSee ya in the next life, friend.

V

5AYou're wastin' your lives followin' us around like dogs.

Punk Fem2

5AWhat crawled up your ass?

V

1ATonight, I'm...

1AI'm here to say goodbye to all of you.

Parasite

I can't let you on!

Hey, hey, we're chill.

Security

Heh... 'course you're high.

Punk fem

Ah, heeey!

V

2AHey.

Punk fem

2AYou all right?

V

2ANever been better.

Punk fem

2ASure don't look it...

Parasite

I can't let you on!

V

"Bushido II" – bomb's name was what?

Rogue

Wrap it up, we gotta delta!

V

The "Demolitron" – we're good to blow.

Thompson Radio

'Saka elites incoming! Run for it!

Rogue

Get the fuck out of there, Johnny!

Shoot the cables!

Get the rotors spinning! We're on our way!

V

1ANot done yet. Still need to feed this to their subnet.

Rogue

1AI fucking knew it!

1AThis was never about "corporate colonialism" – this was about your groupie output, wasn't it?!

V

1ANah, you wouldn't understand, Rogue.

Rogue

1AGivin' you four fuckin' minutes. Chopper's not gonna wait one sec longer.

V

1BNot done yet. Still need to feed this to their subnet.

Rogue

1BI fucking knew it! This was never about Arasaka – this was about your groupie output, wasn' it?!

V

1BNot like you could ever understand, Rogue.

Rogue

1BYou're on your own. Givin' you four fucking minutes if you want a ride outta here.

Shaitan

Fuck!

Rogue

Johnny! Shaitan!

V

Taking over!

Pilot

2AEverybody! Jump!

Rogue

3AMurphy?

Netrunner

3AFound our access point. Get moving.

Rogue

3AJohnny, remember the plan?

V

3AGet the payload on the elevator, arm it, let gravity do its thing.

3AExplosion rocks the foundation, tower crumbles – chaos, screaming, roll credits.

Rogue

3AExit window's gonna be tight.

Netrunner

3AIs grass green, do birds fly, do cats eat bats, do rats shit gnats?

Rogue

3AMainframe's not your playground, Murphy, c'mon.

3AEvac announcement – broadcast it across all frequencies, and let's get movin'.

Netrunner

3ASheesh, who wrote this manifesto?

Rogue

3AReally need me to answer that question?

Netrunner

3AJesus, Johnny, you've gone off the deep end. And that's comin' from a chairjock.

Rogue

3ACome on!

3AMurph?

Netrunner

3AShe sought it with thimbles, she sought it with care, pursued it with forks and hope...

Rogue

3AJohnny, payload.

Rogue

4AArm the damn bomb – what're you doing?!

3AGet ready!

Netrunner

3AJacking in.

V

2ALanding pad's clear!

Shaitan

Piers're on fire. Pacifica's cut off, shut down. APCs on the streets of Watson.

V

Sons of bitches.

Thompson Radio

Skull-crackin' out there – that us?

Rogue

Johnny's idea. Weyland's drawing Arasaka's attention away from the tower.

Thompson Radio

Collateral damage part of the plan, too?

Rogue

This isn't the cub scouts, Thompson. Chew it up, spit it out.

Shaitan

Target range acquired.

Rogue

Make it rain.

Johnny?!

V

On my way!

Netrunner Phone

5ASweet ICEbreaker. Foreign, right? Just wonder if we know anyone who can switch the subnet protocol...

V

5AHilarious. You gonna help or not?

Netrunner Phone

5ADo spiders spin webs? It's time we caught some flies.

V

5AThanks, Murph.

Netrunner Phone

5ANow, just for good measure...

5AHoly cybercow, we're on TV! Take a look.

Tv News

5AAnd we turn now to Arasaka Tower, its evacuation ongoing after an unidentified terrorist organization released a manifesto threatening violence.

5AThe terrorists stating their desire to, quote-unquote, "topple a monument to corporate colonialism."

5ANight City's mayor, Mbole Ebunike, has issued a statement declaring that he will bring the full force of the law to bear in response to any act of terrorism.

5AGoing now to our reporter on the scene at Arasaka Tower. Hopefully, he can shed some light on this situation as events unfold.

Netrunner Phone

5AAll set. Now get outta there.

5AShit! That's Adam Smasher!

5AJohnny, run!

5AThey're movin' up! Hit the roof quick!

Rogue

Fuckin' 'Saka!

V

Murphy?!

Netrunner Phone

Door's sealed, but it won't hold for long.

Run, Johnny. Like the wind.

V

6ASmasher.

Smasher

6ATold you, Johnny boy.

6ATold you I'd end you someday.

Rogue

6AJohnny! Move!

Thompson

6AFaster!

Rogue

Johnny! We need to lift off.

Netrunner Phone

Lower levels under their control, gotta hit the roof.

V

Fuuuck!

Rrrgh!

Soldier Hallway5

They're here! Smasher – we need him!

V

Closing in on the access point.

Netrunner Phone

Slot in.

Door lock breached. Arasaka sons-a-bitches incoming.

V

Love ya, Spider.

Netrunner Phone

Whole world loves me.

Rogue

Move your asses!

V

Hot damn – done and gone.

Scientist Fem1

My husband died in that tower.

But there are fates worse than death...

V

I didn't want him to die.

Scientist Fem1

Why did you do this?

V

To bring an end to the madness you wreak.

Aargh...

Agent1

Let us try once more.

Your associates – who are they?

How did you acquire fissile material?

V

1AGonna give good cop over there a chance to say somethin'? C'mon...

Agent1

1AWhich terrorist organization do you belong to?

1AHow did you acquire fissile material?

V

2AHey, gramps. I know you.

2BBoss don't look too pleased with your efforts.

Viktor

Pressure's tanking!

Delamain

It's neurogenic shock. She's dying.

Viktor

Gotta cut my way through the occipital bone. No other way.

Delamain

There is risk of--

Viktor

I know what I'm doing.

V? You in there?

V

Ugh... my head.

Viktor

How ya feelin'?

V

1AI dunno, Vik... ears're ringin'. And I'm seein' shit...

Viktor

1AThese... hallucinations – describe 'em to me.

V

1ABlinding lights. It's loud. I'm on stage and almost can't breathe. I'm so damn full of... hatred.

1AThen I let it all out into a mic. And I realize it didn't help, I don't feel any better.

1AAnd then, promise not to laugh, I plant a bomb in Arasaka Tower.

Viktor

1ANothin' there to laugh about...

V

2AThey killed me, Vik.

2ANever been so afraid.

2BNight City looked different... strange.

2BAnd I... I hated it. Hated everybody, every inch.

1AIt was too real, even for a lucid dream.

Viktor

1AYou weren't dreaming, V. Those were memories.

1AThere's a personality construct on that shard. Dreams you had were from his past.

V

3ASayin' I experienced another psyche's memories? How's that even possible?

Viktor

3AYou two are connected in a way I can't make head or tail of.

V

3ATwo? Me and who, Vik? Who's the other?

Viktor

3AJohnny Silverhand. A terrorist – real talk o' the town back in my day.

V

3BHang on, mean to say there's an actual terrorist in my head – right now?

Viktor

3BThat's right. Johnny Silverhand.

3BHad his crowning moment about fifty years ago.

3BAHQ Bombing – heard of it? His doing. People say he was buried under the rubble...

1AAnyway, that's not what's important right now…

V

4AWhat is?

4BNever given me that look before, Vik. What is it?

Viktor

4BYou, uh, don't got a lot of time left, kid.

V

4BSay what now?

4CThink you can top the terrorist in my brain?

Viktor

1AThe biochip... it's basically a bomb, fuse lit already. You don't have much time left, much... life. A few weeks tops.

1ASilverhand's construct is overwriting your consciousness – gradually taking over your body until one day you'll just be... gone.

1AV, it's important you get all this.

V

5AYou'll fix me up, right? Vik?

Viktor

5AIf I could, I would, V, believe me. But this is... It's way beyond what I know how to do.

V

5BDon't believe an ounce of the horseshit comin' from your mouth. Know why?

5BBecause it doesn't make any goddamn sense!

5BWhatever's happenin' to me, there's a logical explanation. Gotta be.

1AYou're the best of the best, Vik. Why can't you help me?

Viktor

1AYou want the long story or the short?

V

6AI have to die, I am going to die – that what you're saying? Prove it.

Viktor

6AHm. Dex shot you, right? The bullet damaged your chipslot AND your brain.

6AThe biochip revived and... short-circuited you. Started uploading data INTO your head.

6AAs far as it was concerned, your brain was an empty vessel that needed to be filled by the engram it was carrying.

V

6AEmpty vessel? But I'm right here – all of this is me!

Viktor

6AThe shard doesn't read, it writes. Headache of yours? It's the biochip rewiring your neural pathways, building new neural structures, and doing away with the old.

6AFrom where the shard's sitting, YOU, what's left – it's all a tumor that needs to be excised.

V

6BDon't omit a thing, not one dete.

Viktor

6BOK. There was-- is a construct, a psyche on the chip. That of Johnny Silverhand.

6BYou jacked it in your chipslot. Nothing happened, right? Until you died.

V

6BBullet in the head from Dexter DeShawn. But, how do you come back from somethin' like that?

Viktor

6BLow caliber – you lucked out. Not least thanks to another poor decision by Mr. DeShawn.

6BThe nanites off the chip started fixing the damage. Then they took your hand and coaxed you off the path towards the light.

V

7APeople don't just die and then get up like nothin' happened.

Viktor

7AUsed to be true. Now, it's only if they don't have a classified piece of corpo tech primed to resurrect them.

V

7AWhat about me, my psyche? I make it back from the other side, and what – I'm supposed to pretend change is normal?

Viktor

7AAsk the Arasaka engineers who built the thing. All I know is your mind's gonna go... and it won't be pretty.

V

7BYou're Doctor Viktor and I'm your monster. Perfect.

Viktor

7BYour body's only a body. You can modify it, replace it with chrome – hell, get a new one altogether.

7BYour mind, though? Well, that's a whole 'nother story.

6BFrom the biochip's perspective, your brain cells are a tumor that needs to be scooped out, while your body's an empty shell to hold the construct.

V

6BSo this fucking terrorist wants to wipe me and take my place, take my body.

Viktor

6BIt's not willful on his part, it's automatic, inevitable. And neither of you can stop it.

V

8AVik, you've always come through for me.

8AIf there's nothing you can do to help me, then... well, what the hell do I do? Tell me, please.

8AVik?

Viktor

8AI wish I knew, kid.

8AMisty!

Misty

8AYou're askin' too much from an old-timer like Vik.

8AC'mon, V. Let's get you home.

V

8BCan't we just take the chip out? Or switch it off?

Viktor

8BEither way's out of the question. You'd die immediately.

V

8CFuck, I remember this thing, saw it on TV... Oh, what was that stupid slogan? "Soul" something?

Viktor

8C"Secure Your Soul."

V

8CThat's it! It's just supposed to let you communicate with constructs.

Viktor

8CMaybe. But this is a prototype, by the look of things. Somehow made it out of Arasaka labs.

V

1BFuck…

Takemura

How is she?

Viktor

Slower on the mend than you, but lookin' better every day.

Easy now.

Let's get her inside!

Takemura

I cannot hold it!

I need... to rest...

Viktor

That your blood?

Misty!

V?

Talk to me.

Johnny

1AAnd you? Who're you?

Johnny

Gotta get out of here, understand?

And I'll kill anyone who gets in my way. You included.

Johnny

1AWho you work for? Start talkin'!

V

1AFuck!

Johnny

1AFuck!

1AFucking chip...

1ARip the thing out myself!

V

1ANo, wait!

V

1AWhere did you even come from?

1AHow're we even talking?

Johnny

1AHow the fuck should I know?

1AThe fuck kinda joytoy are you supposed to be?

V

1AFuckin' ghost off!

1ADon't smoke.

Johnny

1AThen go out and get some. Just need one last one!

V

1AJesus fucking Christ, man!

Johnny

1AWho you work for? Start talkin'!

V

1AFuck!

Johnny

1AFuck!

1AFucking chip...

1ARip the thing out myself!

V

1ANo, wait!

1AUgh...

Johnny

1AI'll take control.

1AI'll find a way!

1AYou hear me?!

V

3ASee you never, asshole.

Johnny

3ANot like that!

3AStick some iron in your mouth and pull the trigger.

V

4AUgh. Fuck me...

V

4AI'm... gonna kill you!

Johnny

4ADo it. What're you waiting for?!

4AFuck, fuck, fuck, fuckin' fuck...

V

4ALeave me alone!

4AGet out! Just get the fuck out!

Johnny

4ALead to the head, only thing that'll fix this.

4AHear me, bitch?! A bullet to the fucking brain!

3AI can feel it... our minds... touching...

3AI'm like mold on fruit... creepin' into you… nothin' I can do about it.

3AYou hear me?!

3AI'd puke if I fuckin' could!

3AIt's just a copy of the engram – I'm out there somewhere, gotta be...

1AWho you work for? Start talkin'!

V

1AFuck!

Johnny

1AFuck!

1AFucking chip...

1ARip the thing out myself!

V

1ANo, wait!

Johnny

1AWho you work for? Start talkin'!

V

1AFuck!

Johnny

1AFuck!

1AFucking chip...

1ARip the thing out myself!

V

1ANo, wait!

Johnny

Need a smoke. Where'd you stash yours?

V

And then he died... and I thought I was gonna die... with him, in my sleep.

Misty

Sleep's a... small hint of death, the inevitable.

V

Can't actually tell if I'm awake now. I mean, I could be dead already, right?

Misty

Not somethin' to focus on, V. Let it go. Here, got some meds for ya.

Omega blockers – taken regularly, they'll keep things from progressing too quickly.

Also, they should keep that guest of yours calm, and quiet.

Pseudoendotrizine's from me. Effect'll be opposite. It'll speed things up, free the demon, so to speak.

V

Gotta lie down...

Misty

Here, got one more thing for ya.

Vik pulled this outta your skull – a lucky charm?

Promise you'll try to get some sleep?

V

7AYou're lovely, Misty. Thanks.

Misty

7AG'night, V. Sweet, peaceful dreams.

V

7BMisty, wait. Umm... about Jackie...

Misty

7BYeah?

V

9AJack... was the best friend I ever had. I'm 'onna miss him somethin' awful.

Misty

9AIf he was here, he'd tell you to get your ass out of bed in the morning and do what you need to do.

V

9BHe talked about you, like, lots.

Misty

9BWe got into a fight... right before he went off to do this job.

V

9BHe wa'n't mad at you. I hope you know that.

Misty

9BI know. I just wish our last moments together could've been... different.

V

9CI'm so fucking sorry Jack's not here anymore.

Misty

9CJackie was special. Really spiritually rich. He touched so many people with his love. Don't worry, he'll be around.

V

9CSure you'll be all right?

Misty

9CI'll be fine. Life is so beautifully powerful, so much more powerful than death.

7BBut right now you need rest. So sleep, please sleep.

V

7CDidn't you hear? My condition's terminal. What good can this do?

Misty

7CDon't be silly. As long as you're alive, there's hope. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

V

7CReally think I can make it, survive this?

Misty

7C'Course you can. I mean, you did already die and come back once, didn't ya?

V

10BGivin' me a pill to prod that sonofabitch? So he can kill me faster?

Misty

10BListen, you're likely to be fine for a while. But some time down the road, it could turn into pure agony. I'm givin' you options, honey.

V

10BThe brain can be tricked. Plain old painkillers do that.

Misty

10BYour psyche's gonna die, V. You'll feel your old self slipping away. At some point, you won't recognize yourself.

10BIt'll be terrifying. It'll be painful. But it doesn't have to be.

V

10BThe fuck I need pills for? Oughta just stick a gun in my mouth, pull the trigger.

Misty

10BWell, that way you'd kill two souls. Is that what you want?

Stanley

Helloooooo Night City!

Your man Stan here! Smog reports comin' in ten times the usual. But my, my, what a gorgeous day this is!

Smack-dab between two Californ-I-As, it's prime real estate, baby, and boy are we open for business!

So leave last night's blue dreams and screams in bed, take that first sip of joe with a hot splash of sunshine and seize the day in Night City!

If Watson's the place you haunt, you borged up ghouls, I got good news – cop cordon 'round your 'hood's packed up an' left.

So you peeps open up and let it all hang out today. Could catch a break, start in on a new chapter, a new book, a new life.

Now let's hear what the Rubicones have to say about it! Hit it!

Misty

Omega blockers – taken regularly, they'll keep things from progressing too quickly.

Also, they should keep that guest of yours calm, and quiet.

Pseudoendotrizine's from me. Effect'll be opposite. It'll speed things up, free the demon, so to speak.