Chapter 8: Infinite Progress from Arasaka
As an Arasaka executive, Vera knew better than to collaborate with Militech or Kang Tao's affiliated enterprises. She had to stay within the fold, working only with companies loyal to Arasaka.
Enter "Danger Girl," a small company that had the green light for all Arasaka orders, thanks to Michiko Arasaka's authority. They dabbled in many fields, but their business wasn't exactly booming. Like many small enterprises, they catered to the whims of corporate dogs—people high up on the corporate ladder who had particular needs. One such need was the rehabilitation and recuperation business, a market they were struggling to dominate. However, things took a dramatic turn when Vera Russell graduated from Arasaka Tower Academy.
Vera, a self-taught genius with a reputation for tinkering, wasn't one to sit back and rest on her laurels. In her spare time, she had been improving Arasaka's business models and leveraging her deep knowledge of biological tech. After taking stock of "Danger Girl's" needs, she linked it to her progress in repairing the Old Net and, in just 20 minutes, created a breakthrough product.
Regenerate – a high-end skin treatment product registered under the Umbrella Corporation, a company from another world. Originally a byproduct of T-virus research, this product activated dead skin cells, making users look younger. It had significant effects, improving skin health, relaxing muscles, reducing fatigue, and providing a refreshing boost. In the world of Cyberpunk 2074, many believed cybernetics ruled, but even corporate elites wanted to retain their natural bodies. Maintenance of those bodies became a symbol of wealth and status, and "Regenerate" catered to this demand.
Moreover, Vera also adapted two other Umbrella products:
1. Adravil: A powerful painkiller based on ibuprofen, refined and improved.
2. Aqua Cure: A life-saving ointment for open wounds, available in both civilian and military-grade versions.
Vera didn't stop there. She further refined these products to fit Arasaka's needs, blending her expertise with the advanced equipment of Arasaka's research labs. With the foundation laid, orders for raw materials were placed, shipped by special transport, and quickly processed in her personal lab.
Inside this laboratory, codenamed "Umbrella", Vera worked tirelessly. It was a small lab but fully equipped to handle her needs. With the help of Arasaka's advanced robotics, she could refine and improve products at an incredible pace. However, Vera couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt. She was using scientific breakthroughs from another world. The cutting-edge research of the Umbrella Corporation, from a completely different universe, was now being marketed as her own.
Still, the guilt didn't last long. After all, she was only "borrowing" from Umbrella's legacy.
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Chapter 8: Vera the Genius?
As the twilight descended on the city, neon lights replaced the warm sunlight. Inside her lab, Vera finally took a break. After hours of adjusting formulas and optimizing product designs, she reviewed her work.
Regenerate (3rd Adjustment, 1st Improvement Experiment)
Type: Rehabilitation and Recuperation Healthcare Product
Improvement Unit: Umbrella Personal Laboratory (Arasaka)
Effectiveness: Increased by 6% to 9% on natural and synthetic skin compared to earlier models.
This was no small feat. Vera had spent nearly half a day refining the product. Her bio-tech skills weren't quite on the level of William Birkin or Marcus, two Umbrella legends, but she understood enough to recreate their work with ease—so long as the T-virus wasn't involved. With her backing at Arasaka, obtaining materials and equipment was never an issue.
"That'll do for now," Vera thought.
She reviewed the data on her cybernetic eye implants. Everything looked stable. 6% to 9% was a reasonable improvement. Making large, sudden leaps in development wasn't smart; the key to success was slow, steady progress. Her "hobby" of biotech engineering wasn't just a passing phase, and she needed to make sure her supervisors thought that way too.
Vera sent the data for Regenerate—C1 to Danger Girl's business department. Now, they'd handle the testing, trials, and eventual marketing. She'd get her cut, of course, but her work was done for now. She still had two more products to refine—Adravil and Aqua Cure—but there was no rush. After all, updating three products in a single day would raise too many questions.
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After a short break, Vera made her way to Arasaka's security division barracks. Her subordinates were already waiting for her—her personal rapid response team, a specialized group of elite soldiers. After a quick meeting where she praised Team 6 and doled out bonuses, her team dragged her to the shooting range for some hands-on training.
Vera was no stranger to combat. Despite spending most of her time in research, she regularly maintained her skills. At the range, she quickly and accurately fired off several magazines from various weapons. Arasaka's JKE-X2 Kenshin, the HJKE-11 Yukimura, and Senko LX—you name it, she could handle it. Sparks flew as each bullet hit its target, a testament to her accuracy.
"7 seconds faster. If someone tries to put you in an office chair, they'll regret it," joked Jimmy, her second-in-command. He was a hulking figure, towering over Vera at 6'5".
Vera didn't bother responding to his praise. She preferred actions over words. Picking up an electromagnetic shotgun, she aimed and fired at a target 50 meters away, the steel nails tearing through it with devastating force. Tossing the weapon to Jimmy, she announced, "No simulated combat today. I've been stuck in the lab too long."
She turned, her long coat trailing behind her, and strode out of the shooting range.
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2074/5/27, 22:44.
In the security department's internal network division, Vera walked into a secure room. An Arasaka hacker greeted her with a bow. She nodded and grabbed a security repeater—a device used to protect hackers from direct attacks while connected to networks. In a world where hacking was as dangerous as combat, Vera wasn't about to take any risks.
After connecting her neural port to the repeater, she relaxed on a sofa and closed her eyes.
"Connect to the Old Net. Wake me up at midnight."
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Cyberspace.
The remnants of the once-vast Internet were now in ruins. Blown to pieces long ago, cyberspace was now known as the Old Net. It was a realm of 1s and 0s, a place where consciousness could be fully digitized.
From her secure connection, Vera gazed at the distant walls of the Old Net. The Blackwall stood in her way—a red-black barrier built from a nearly impenetrable mass of data and defense programs. Beyond it lay the chaos of the Old Net, a place few dared to enter. But for Vera, it was just another playground.
"Let the exercise begin."