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canon:ace31.2 [05/04/2026 16:13] – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1canon:ace31.2 [05/04/2026 16:13] (current) – ↷ Page moved from ace31.2 to canon:ace31.2 kkurzex
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 +======   ACE 31.2 — Interlude: Processing Cost   ======
 +
 +The clinic didn’t advertise.
 +
 +----
 +
 +It didn’t need to.
 +
 +----
 +
 +People who needed it—
 +
 +----
 +
 +found it.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The door opened before they touched it.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not because it recognized them.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Because someone inside had already decided.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Come in,” a voice said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Viktor Vektor didn’t look up immediately.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +He finished what he was doing first.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Steady hands.
 +
 +----
 +
 +Clean movement.
 +
 +----
 +
 +No wasted motion.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Then—
 +
 +----
 +
 +he glanced at them.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +And paused.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…Yeah,” he said quietly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…you’re not standard.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V leaned against the wall.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Told you.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace didn’t move further in.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +She stopped just inside—
 +
 +----
 +
 +not claiming the space.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai stepped forward.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Enhancement,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Direct.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No explanation.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor studied her—
 +
 +----
 +
 +longer than necessary.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not suspicious.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Curious.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Define,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai didn’t hesitate.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Processing.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +A beat.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Latency reduction. Pattern recognition acceleration.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor’s eyebrow lifted slightly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…That’s a new one.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +He stood.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Moved closer.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not to touch—
 +
 +----
 +
 +to read.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“You’re already running clean,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +A pause.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Cleaner than most people I see.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai didn’t respond.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“That is insufficient,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Flat.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor exhaled slowly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Yeah,” he muttered.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…this city does that.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +He glanced at Ace.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Stopped.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…You’ve got nothing.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not a question.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace didn’t react.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Works,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor nodded once.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“For now.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +His gaze shifted to Shammy—
 +
 +----
 +
 +and stayed there.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Longer.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…I’m not even going to ask,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Shammy tilted her head slightly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The air—
 +
 +----
 +
 +shifted.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“That would be inefficient,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor almost smiled.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Yeah,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…that tracks.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +He turned back to Mai.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“You want processing,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +A beat.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“I can do that.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No drama.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No build-up.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Just—
 +
 +----
 +
 +fact.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“But,” he added.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +There it was.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“It’ll change how you think.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai didn’t react.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“That is the objective.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor shook his head slightly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“No,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“That’s the risk.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Silence.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +He moved to the chair.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Gestured.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Sit.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai did.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No hesitation.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace didn’t move.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +She watched.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not the tools—
 +
 +----
 +
 +the intent.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor worked.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Efficient.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Precise.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No wasted motion.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Time passed—
 +
 +----
 +
 +but not long.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Then—
 +
 +----
 +
 +he stepped back.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Done,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai stood.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No delay.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No adjustment.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +She looked at the room—
 +
 +----
 +
 +once.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Everything—
 +
 +----
 +
 +shifted.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not externally.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Internally.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Faster.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Cleaner.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Connected.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Shammy noticed immediately.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“You’re faster,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai didn’t answer.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Because she already knew.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +She turned toward the door.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The system—
 +
 +----
 +
 +simple—
 +
 +----
 +
 +non-networked—
 +
 +----
 +
 +still responded.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Her hand moved—
 +
 +----
 +
 +before the decision formed.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The door opened.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not predicted.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Executed.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V blinked.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…Okay.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +A beat.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…that’s new.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai paused.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not confused.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Processing.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“It reduces delay,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Flat.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Significantly.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor crossed his arms.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Yeah,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…and it’s going to make you trust it.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai didn’t respond.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Because that was irrelevant—
 +
 +----
 +
 +for now.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace stepped forward.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Looked at her.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not impressed.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not concerned.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Measuring.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“It works,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai nodded.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Yes.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +A pause.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“It does.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor looked at Ace again.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Longer this time.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…You ever think about it?” he asked.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +No push.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Just—
 +
 +----
 +
 +offered.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace didn’t answer.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not immediately.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +She glanced at Mai—
 +
 +----
 +
 +at the difference—
 +
 +----
 +
 +at the speed—
 +
 +----
 +
 +at the absence of hesitation.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Then—
 +
 +----
 +
 +back to Victor.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“What,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor shrugged slightly.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Reflex boost.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +A beat.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Neural acceleration.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Another.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“You’d be scary.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +He paused.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Then—
 +
 +----
 +
 +quietly:
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…Problem is, I’m not sure you should be.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Silence.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +That landed.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Shammy watched Ace.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The air—
 +
 +----
 +
 +shifted.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Subtle.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“You’re thinking about it,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace didn’t respond.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Which—
 +
 +----
 +
 +was the answer.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +V exhaled.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…Yeah,” they muttered.
 +
 +----
 +
 +“…this city gets to everyone.”
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace turned.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not dismissing it.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not accepting it.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Holding it.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“We move,” she said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Default.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Control.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai nodded.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Already ahead.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Shammy followed.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +The air—
 +
 +----
 +
 +balanced.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Victor watched them go.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Didn’t stop them.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Didn’t offer more.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Just one thing—
 +
 +----
 +
 +as they reached the door.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +“Don’t overdo it,” he said.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not to Mai.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Not to Ace.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +To all of them.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Because in Night City—
 +
 +----
 +
 +enhancement wasn’t the danger.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Dependence was.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +And as the door closed behind them—
 +
 +----
 +
 +Mai processed faster.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +Ace thought—
 +
 +----
 +
 +slightly longer than before.
 +
 +----
 +
 +----
 +
 +And Shammy—
 +
 +----
 +
 +felt the difference
 +
 +before either of them
 +
 +said a word.
 +