KYBER-PUNK 22BBY [Inspired Inventor+]

The first strokes of a masterful campaign were painted across Nar Shaddaa. It opened — as most things that were shown to a wide, wide audience — on a screen. It played out with cinematography and editing and a message that couldn't be denied.

Propaganda was a funny thing, different everywhere it existed. Some places liked subtlety, to not even know they were dancing to a purposeful tune. Night City liked to be beaten over the head with that shit until something stuck.

"This is your home…"

Sasha's voice graced the first video that the Gonk Cartel ever put out to the moon. More than that, her touch was all over it. In addition to her voiceover, she also directed and edited the video to her satisfaction. The campaign was her baby, already cooking in her mind. Events had simply pushed up her timetable to take advantage of public sentiment for the Gonks' (and her beloved Atom's) benefit.

In the video, Night City was shown from above. Recognizable structures from Corpo Plaza to the Limits. The camera flew through the city, weaving between traffic in the air lanes, down into the undercity, and back onto the skyline itself. The city was whole. Healthy. Alive. The scene cut.

"Look at what the slugs have done to us," Sasha's voiceover hissed, tight with emotion.

The camera's flyover repeated in reverse, but the city it flew through was almost unrecognizable. Buildings torn by battle. Scorch marks on every surface from hails of blaster fire galore. Fortifications that'd been hastily built, only to be destroyed. Wrecked vehicles of just about every make and model. Abandoned checkpoints where the fighting had come and gone straight through.

The city was now a graveyard. Bodies, bodies, bodies — so many bodies. Even days afterward, they were still being collected. Found. Hundreds, thousands of Night City natives died without ever being marked down. Emergency medical centers sprung up wherever there was space. They were constantly at capacity, filled with survivors and those who wouldn't…

Wounded whimpers and dying screams echoed through the dense urban sprawl. The smells of blood and bacta were ever-present. And the aura of suffering and survival was practically visible in the air, even to the camera's eyes.

Already, the city was working toward recovery. But it was a terribly hard-fought process. For every four survivors found and treated, another body was pronounced DoA. Practically buried already under the weight of Night City's whole. Of those four survivors, another one wouldn't live to see the stars ever again.

Still, the people of Night City didn't give up easily. Ripperdocs across the city volunteered their services. Search and Rescue teams were organized and sent on constant missions to find everyone they could. Men and women who could still fight patrolled the city for any enemies that might remain.

At the top of the recovery effort, the Gonk Cartel lit the way. They organized, healed, and defended what was left. They lent their strength and resources to their home. Fighting off the invasion was only the beginning, and the Gonks realized that. They were present and prominent through all of the aftermath.

So while they could've been considered the cause of the invasion, almost no one blamed them. Not when the Clans had held the gun and pulled the trigger. For Night City, the Gonks were the ones to stay and help. The slugs were the ones to do the damage.

As far as sides to take went, the decision was clear. It was hard to blame the victims when the perpetrators were still out there. Still fresh in everyone's minds and still thriving beyond the Limits as if they hadn't tried to lay waste to all of Night City.

Many of the Gonks were native. Friends and family to those who hadn't joined up. And those who weren't adapted and integrated quickly, especially as they stayed for the aftermath. For the damage. For good or for ill, Night City and the Gonks were in it together. They fought together. They healed together. They mourned and celebrated together. Night City rallied and united behind the Gonk Cartel. Against the Hutts, they were all honorary Gonks.

"The slugs weren't alone," Sasha narrated. "Trouble from within. Militech allied with them. They attacked our home just like the Clans did. For them, corpo greed won out over Night City solidarity."

The scene switched again. Arasaka Tower stood in the center of Night City. Battered. Beaten. But not broken. For once, the view of the corpo tower matched any view from the undercity. Yet unlike the undercity, it stood tall and strong. Even with its damage, Arasaka Tower reached for the stars like an inspiring beacon.

It was a strange thing for Night City to rally around a corp. The megacorps were undeniably part of the city. But relatively few claimed them in the same way as they claimed the rest of Night City. Usually, they were 'part' and 'apart' of the greater culture.

Now, however, it was clear that Arasaka withstood the invasion just like the rest of the city. They might not have fought side by side with the city's masses, but they fought all the same. And as news of the Gonk-Arasaka alliance spread, the decision was once again clear.

Hutt and Corpo vs. Corpo and Gonk. The former had attacked them. Invaded. Slaughtered and sought to usurp. And the latter stood with Night City through thick and thin.

Arasaka might be corpo, but they'd joined hands with the Gonks. With the people of Night City. And afterward, support began to flow out of the damaged Arasaka Tower at cost. Valuable meds. Inexpensive chrome to replace so many wounds. And personnel to join the rest of the recovery efforts.

Arasaka made a statement with that support. They were corpo, yes, but they were also Night City. Where Militech abandoned the city, Arasaka remained. They'd drawn their line in the sand, and it corresponded with the rest of Night City. For perhaps the first time, Arasaka stood more 'part' than 'apart'.

"The slugs wished to crush Night City under their tails. To bring us to heel. To ruin us. Just like everything else they touch," Sasha said.

Once more, the scene in the video changed. Views from beyond the Limits were shown. The rest of Nar Shaddaa, where Hutts ran rampant and practically unopposed. Where they ruled with slime and oppression.

The poverty on display was just as bad as Night City's undercity. But it was everywhere. The people went about downtrodden lives without the unique culture of Night City to keep them struggling and surviving. Outside, chrome was rare. Violence was one-sided and largely unresisted. And slavery was constant in a way it simply wasn't in Night City.

The Hutts were at the top of it all. Quite literally, as they ruled from their glass palaces beyond the clouds. They were untouched by the rest of Nar Shaddaa. The slugs lounged, surrounded by slaves of every species. Some were scantily clad and sexualized. Others were scantily clad and militarized. All were visibly miserable. Without any hope or life to them as they were ground down and down beneath slimy bulks.

That was life under the Hutts. Slavery. Suffering. Barely more than survival. That was what the Hutts wished to reduce Night City to. And they would've succeeded if not for…

Sasha continued, "But we resisted. You — all of you — fought back. Night City alone showed the slugs what it means to lose. We humbled their fat asses. And together… we can do it again."

*~Immortal temptation, takes over my mind…

Condemned

Fallen weak on my knees, summon the strength

Of mayhem…~*

In darkness, a soundtrack built and built. The video itself seemed to hold its breath. Heavy strings and drums and rage and vengeance. A chorus burst into play just as scenes from the invasion began to play one after the other.

*~I AM THE STORM THAT IS APP~ROACHINGGGG~*

A montage of preem violence flashed by in quick succession. A Gank hunting pack ripped and tore their way through several squads of Hutt battle droids, seemingly offended by the lack of meat. Two Valentinos went down fighting to the last, back to back against a wave of Hutt mercs. A Street Kid who couldn't be older than fifteen dueled a hulking Houk bounty hunter to a standstill with pure Night City grit and moxie.

Above, the Nomads brawled with the Hutt fleet, starfighters weaving and whipping about as they defended Night City's airspace. Every confirmed kill went up like fireworks. Every loss went down in blazing glory.

In the Limits, more Nomads fought back wave after wave of Hutt forces. Strafing runs obliterated vehicle columns and convoys. Smoke, shrapnel, and exploding flames billowed so densely that the invaders were obscured. When the air cleared, bodies, bits, and pieces were all that was left.

An intense defense was mounted over makeshift barricades as a whole neighborhood took up arms against the Clans' invasion. None were gangers or edgerunners. In Night City, they didn't have to be. Most everyone had iron of some form or another. And they brought it to bear on the invaders. Blaster bolts flew hot and heavy, reaping lives on both sides. But with their homes on the line, no one from Night City even thought to surrender.

A pack of Trandoshans stalked a young boy and girl pair through the streets of the undercity, laughing as they hunted the younglings for sport. Until, that is, their 'prey' ducked into a doorway… and an old, shriveled crone with a scattergun stepped out to greet the hungry monsters chasing her grandchildren. In Night City, grandmas didn't play around. Her iron rang and rang and rang. She reduced the Trandoshans to gory chunks in seconds.

All across the city, scenes of resistance were shown in full. Corpos, Street Kids, and Nomads rallied and fought back. Solos hit targeted strikes on Hutt leaders and lieutenants. Gank packs hunted with deadly efficiency. Organized and coordinated by a 'spooky-ass' commander and her voice in the back of everyone's head, all of Night City rose to meet the Hutt invasion.

Then, one breached floor of Arasaka Tower was shown from a distance. In the breach, a single man stood victorious, sword raised. The 'Hero of the Corporation' was lost and winging it as he pushed back the Militech attackers. But looking at the striking figure he cut, none would ever suspect it. Of course, he would also be rather put out when he discovered that the victorious scene was being used as a propaganda symbol…

"Night City… Stands," Sasha's voiceover rang out one last time as the video faded to black on Kiafus Kayne's victory pose. "And the Gonks stand for it. We're taking the violence right back to the Hutts. Will YOU ride with us?"

IIIII

"That thing on?" Atom asked.

"Rolling!" Sasha chimed from behind the camera. "Shoot your shot, baby!"

"Why the fuck did I agree to this…?" Atom muttered to himself before shaking his head.

He focused an intense gaze right on the camera, right on the audiences across the city who'd end up watching the recorded statement. His face and name were well-known. If someone hadn't seen his war declaration against the Hutt Clans, they'd seen his fight with Smasher. Night City knew Atom. They knew he was fighting for them. That made the next course of action obvious in Sasha's mind.

"Fuck a Hutt," Atom declared. "That's the campaign I'm running for mayor on. Elect me, and I'll make sure Night City never has to deal with the slugs again."

From his seat behind a desk, Atom rose. He pushed himself to stand. With a wide-armed stance, he leaned over the desk and toward the camera. The pose seemed to suck all the attention into the room onto him. He was all-out glaring now.

"Fuck. A. Hutt."

With that declaration, he pushed himself off the desk and began to pace behind it, "They ruin quite literally everything they touch. And they've tried to touch Night City now. My home. Your home. Ours. We can't let that happen. Can't let it go unanswered."

"They're far from invincible," Atom's televised rant continued. "They want you to think they are. But they aren't. I should know. I've killed multiple. If we fight back, we can win. Win for ourselves, for Night City, and for everyone else unlucky enough to be born in the wrong part of the galaxy."

As he paced and ranted, a heavy blaster pistol seemingly just appeared in his hand. The draw was so smooth it looked automatic. Absently, he spun it around his finger. Spinning up, spinning to one side, and spinning to the other. Atom stimmed and paced and ranted on a subject he was very passionate about.

"They're scum. Slavers. Shitty fucking slugs. In my war against the Clans, I've met one half-decent Hutt. And I met them here in Night City where they were hiding in exile from the rest of their society. The society itself is rotten to the core. I say we cut it down before the whole thing collapses on all of us. Before they can try to maintain course like nothing happened and keep doing the damage they've done for thousands of years."

"Elect me or don't, I already know I'm going to keep fighting," Atom said firmly. "The Gonk Cartel will always resist the Hutts. Honestly, I'm half-tempted to say don't elect me at all. Being Night City's Mayor will certainly make my life more complicated. But I promised Sasha that I'd give it a good shot. So that's-…"

He shook his head, "I'm just rambling at this point. Night City should know what I'm all about. I've never hidden it. That's the core of it. Atom for Mayor, Fuck a Hutt. The real decision is in the voters' hands. We done?"

The last question was clearly addressed to Sasha behind the camera. But upon release, the informal tone of the campaign ad and announcement would be a hit with Night City's voters. Less stuffy than any other politician, even in Night City. More genuine. And Sasha was loving it, too.

"Wait, wait~! One more thing! Bring out the head!" She laughed.

Atom shot Sasha (and the camera) a deadpan look, "Really?"

"REALLY, NOT-MEAT," Smasher answered the question for her.

Smasher's head was set on the desk with a clear line to the camera. He was a grisly, impressive sight — torn chrome, glaring optics, and all. And a reminder of the new Legend Atom had cultivated.

"FUCK A HUTT. DON'T BE A SCHMUCK. ADAM FUCKING SMASHER APPROVES THIS MESSAGE."

The last thing the camera saw before the campaign ad cut was Atom rolling his eyes… and shooting Smasher's head straight off the desk.

When the rest of Night City saw the campaign ad, they couldn't get enough. They ate it up, talked about it constantly, and even called for an emergency election because of it. A mere week after the ad was released… Atom won his place as the newest Mayor of Night City.

IIIII

"Welcome, welcome, welcome back, viewers," In a professional broadcasting studio, a pleasant, smiling voice softly greeted her audience across Night City.

Within Night City, Network 54 was a megacorp that held a significant monopoly on the entertainment scene. For films, shows, and even news, Network 54 was the first place Night City natives looked to get their fix. It was only obvious that Sasha's propaganda campaign would eventually utilize them to spread the Gonk message. After weeks of success, Sasha indulged the whim to dip her toes into the mainstream, and she corralled Atom into cooperating with quite a few promises to make it 'worth his while~'.

Specifically, she got him a spot on one of Network 54's premier talk shows. Late Nights With Chooms was a rather exclusive show. It usually hosted people the city wanted to see. Celebrities of all stripes — rockerboys, BD stars, corpo execs, politicians, solos, and even Legends. So, of course, they'd been begging to have Atom on the show since before the invasion.

Late Night With Chooms was considered one of the more genuine shows the corpo culture vultures of Network 54 offered. Scripted, but not overly so. Mainstream, but not played out or lame. It had an air of sincerity that viewers kept coming back to.

Much of that perception had to do with the show's host. Jennifer 'Yeni' Valez was a pretty little thing. She was petite, often almost comically dwarfed by the desk she sat behind on set. Her face was round and adorable, usually with a soft, pouty expression for her guests and audience. She kept her hair dyed shock-white and so short it didn't even cover her ears. More than any other descriptor, the hostess of Late Night With Chooms was a loveable little pixie.

She was unusually soft-spoken for a media personality. But real and softly personable and smooth with all the talking her job required. She didn't try to put on airs to be someone she wasn't, no matter what her producers 'suggested'. Her viewers liked that about Yeni.

On her show, Yeni was never out of place. She was comfortable, even during what might be considered the most important interview of her career. Few people had ever turned Night City on its head like her current guest. And the pressure was only made worse by the guest her guest brought with him…

Still, Yeni put on her soft smile and focused her attention on Atom in the chair beside her… And Adam Fucking Smasher's head in the chair beside him…

"As you can all see, I'm here with Night City's newest Legend: Atom 'Smasher'. Not to be confused with the other one, of course. Who… is also with us tonight," Yeni tittered softly to herself.

"Sorry to be so confusing," Atom deadpanned.

"Oh, it's no big issue," Yeni smiled. "Atom 'Smasher' and Adam Smasher… But I'm sure we'll manage."

"At the very least, we don't look alike."

"Small blessings, yes? Now, are you comfortable, Atom? May I call you Atom?"

Atom nodded, "Wouldn't have it any other way. And just call the head 'Smasher'. It'll simplify things."

"WE'RE COMFY-COZY. THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON, YENI," Smasher added, surprisingly civil.

Atom's expression scrunched up in surprise, "… The fuck?"

"HAVE SOME RESPECT, NOT-MEAT. YENI'S A DOLL."

"I've had Smasher on once or twice before," Yeni explained. "I wasn't aware he was so fond of me, though."

"DON'T PUSH IT, DOLL. I AIN'T FOND OF SHIT. YOU'RE LIKE… A TINY, BABY-BITCH KITTEN AT MOST IN MY MIND. CUTE. PATHETIC. THAT'S IT."

Yeni blinked, "I… see…?"

Atom rolled his eyes, "Ignore him. He's a dick as a matter of principle."

Once more, Yeni blinked… before moving right along with a smile, "Anyway. I believe some congratulations are in order, Atom…"

"Oh, Force…"

"How do you feel being Night City's newest mayor as well as its newest Legend?"

"Fucking shocked, really," Atom groaned. "I didn't think you idiots would actually elect me in an emergency referendum."

"Why not?" Yeni asked, earnestly curious. "I don't think there were many better options in the running. I certainly voted for you."

"Because-" Atom huffed. "I don't know, I'm just a fucking guy? We put out a single ad. I didn't think I would win. Honestly, it just sounds like a whole lot of trouble. I'm here to kill Hutts. Not, like, put in whole new maglev lines."

"Will you, though?"

"Will I what?"

"Put in new maglev lines. That doesn't sound like a terrible idea to improve the city, especially after the damage we suffered in the invasion."

"… Sure, I'll look into it."

"DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WERE EXPECTING ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM THIS RESULT, NOT-MEAT," Smasher grunted. "THE FODDER IS ALL UP IN ARMS AFTER THE ATTACK AND YOU PROMISED TO FIGHT THE HUTTS UNTIL YOU OR ALL OF THEM ARE DEAD."

"Very true," Yeni nodded emphatically. "Public sentiment has never been more pro-Night City and anti-Hutt. Considering that and the fact that your campaign gives the people an outlet for the invasion's injustice, could any other outcome really be expected?"

"Lay it all out for me, why don't you," Atom grumbled.

Yeni couldn't help but giggle, "My apologies, Mayor. I'll try not to state the obvious so obviously going forward. That said, may I pick your brain? I'm sure our audience dearly wishes to know more about you."

"Guess that's kind of the whole point of this whole thing," Atom muttered.

"SUCK IT UP AND DEAL WITH YOUR PUBLIC RELATIONS, KID. WE'VE ALL GOTTA DO IT AT SOME POINT."

"I won't pry too much," Yeni reassured. "But I must ask at least one thing. Where did you come from, Atom? To many, it must seem as if you sprang onto the scene from nowhere."

Atom answered the question with a singular grunt, "The gutter."

Yeni tittered to herself, "Oh, how quaint. Anything more you'd like to add?"

Grudgingly, Atom elaborated, "Not much more to it. I woke up in the gutter one day, with my past stolen from me. Only bits and pieces of memories remained from my old life. So I decided to make a new one for myself. And that started with surviving the undercity with nothing but the clothes on my back."

"And your crew? Your first gig as an edgerunner? How did your Legend begin?"

"I saved Sasha — my input — from a job gone bad and nursed her back to health."

"Very romantic."

"She introduced me to the rest of the crew and then I roped them into annihilating Maelstrom with me."

Yeni blinked, "… Also romantic…? Maybe?"

Atom snorted, "More vengeful than romantic. The gutter I was surviving in was on the border between Maelstrom and Tyger Claw turf. I had more than a few run-ins with both. So when I got the chance, I wiped them the fuck off the map."

"The Tyger Claws, too? I was under the understanding that they were dismantled by Arasaka. By Smasher, in fact," Yeni said.

Atom didn't say anything more, just smirked at the camera. Smasher snorted a laugh, "YOU'RE WELCOME, BY THE WAY. FOR DOING YOUR DIRTY WORK. KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING SUS ABOUT THAT SITCH. BUT THE V-BRAT AND I GOT SOME GOOD VIOLENCE OUT OF IT, SO NO HARD FEELINGS."

"How… utterly fascinating," Yeni breathed, enthralled by the story unfolding on her show. "Then, how did you get… here? You started with big things, it sounds. But even flatlining Maelstrom and the Tyger Claws is a long way away from a war against the Hutt Clans."

"Idiots kept pressing me," Atom replied. "Fuck kyber-spice, fuck slavery, and Fuck a Hutt."

"And that," Yeni chuckled. "Is exactly why you've been elected as mayor, Atom. You dare. Dare to say the things we've all been thinking for much too long. And then, you act on that daring. And, well… here we are."

"Here we are, indeed…"

"Tell me, do you have any true plans now that you're mayor, Atom?" Yeni asked. "Some are saying it's Night City's first step toward independence. Thoughts?"

Atom stared at her, "… I'm just here to kill as many Hutts as I can."

"Which would lead to our independence, of course," Yeni nodded matter-of-factly.

"…" Atom stared.

Yeni smiled brightly, "Yes, I'm not hearing any disagreements. You heard it here first, my darling viewers. Night City Stands! And it'll continue standing after this musical performance by Kerry Eurodyne! Take it away, Kerry!"

Right before the cameras cut away to Kerry Eurodyne, Atom's mic picked up a single, exasperated sentence that summed up his feelings on the subject of independence, "… Fuck it, why the fuck not?"

IIIII

'HISTORIC TROUBLE IN HUTT SPACE: The Gonk-Clan War.'

"What is happening away from the Core? In this article, we shall endeavor to catch you up to speed on what could very well be history in the making. We promise you won't need to check anywhere else as we give you the rundown on the factions, locations, and people of interest involved-…"

Comments:

"Crazy. Just wild. I've never been more glad that I don't live on Nar Shaddaa."

"The revolution is, in fact, televised."

"Swanging dong, freeing slaves, and killing Hutts. Peak cinema. Absolute peak."

IIIII

'HAS THE USURPER GONE MAD?! A Sensible Discussion Between Reasonable, Upstanding Hutt Citizens on Current Events.'

"Personally, I think he's gone too far, even dragging a whole section of Nar Shaddaa with him in his treason."

"Oh, I wholly agree, my friend. Think of all the poor peasants being led astray!"

"Something must be done."

"I'm sure our Ruling Council has the best of plans in the works-…"

Comments:

"Well-delivered points by upstanding citizens! Need to see more of this!"

"Hutt propaganda."

"So bold of them to say this in Hutt Space /s."

IIIII

'Calls From the Republic Senate Urge for the Stabilization of Hutt Space.'

"-This conflict is disrupting good and legal trade and reaping a death toll that Hutt Space is sure to feel for years to come. It does no one any favors. Are we not all citizens of the same galaxy? Surely, we must advocate for peace and stability! And if the Hutts cannot be the ones to ensure that, perhaps it is time for the Republic to begin to consider addressing the situation for itself-…"

Comments:

"Greedy and out-of-touch take. Shouldn't expect anything different from the Core Worlds."

"Those 'calls' are probably funded and pushed for by the Hutt Cartels. They're not even hiding the corruption anymore."

"How does freedom — and I quote — do 'no one any favors'? Honest question. 'Course, I don't expect an honest answer…"

IIIII

'ARASAKA MEGACORPORATION BRINGS THEIR LEGAL MIGHT TO BEAR, SUING THE RULING HUTT COUNCIL FOR UNLAWFUL AGGRESSION! HOW WILL THE RULING CLANS RESPOND?'

"-In all, it's clear that Arasaka has picked its side in the conflict at the core of Hutt Space; a worrying prospect considering their galactic scope, connections in the Core, and market share on Nar Shaddaa. Worse, the upcoming legal battles will be taking place in Republic Courts with an impartial judge presiding over the case. If the ruling goes Arasaka's way, the Hutt Ruling Council could be ordered to pay significant damages and even issue public apologies and retractions. Perhaps even Hutt convictions for war crimes against Arasaka. All that remains to be seen is if the Hutts will play ball with Republic law-…"

Comments:

"How is this allowed? The Hutts illegally attacked a Republic Corporation! Why aren't more people talking about this?!"

"Big news. Corpo lawyers don't play around. And the statement that's being sent… This could have huge implications for the economic situation in and around Hutt Space. I'll be closely watching Arasaka's stocks in the coming days."

"Calling it now: the Hutts won't even show up to court. Why would they? The Republic is toothless and the Hutt Clans have long maintained their independence. I suppose it's more about the message they're sending for Arasaka than expecting any actual results."

IIIII

'Sobering Scenes of Slavery and Freedom on Nar Shaddaa'

"-But not all is without hope. During his time on the ground, our correspondent reported that progress is being made by the 'Gonks of Night City'. Freedom is in the works for many on Nar Shaddaa. Work camps are being broken up, families reunited, and slavers put down like dogs. The Gonks strive for a Free Nar Shaddaa. Is that not a dream worth working toward?"

Comments:

"Finally, someone in the galaxy who's willing to stand up for what's right."

"Haunting and heart-breaking. Thank you for reporting on what needs to be seen."

"No… I'm quite literally sobbing while writing this, but I recognize the man in that last picture. He's my brother. We thought him dead. This… I don't even have the words…

Editor Edit: Contact us and we'll put you through to our correspondent. Our team will do all we can to make sure you see your brother again.

Commenter Edit: I'll never forget this. Thank you…"