Just as the powder keg in Night City—and across North America—was nearing its flash point, far across the Eastern Pacific...
Arasaka Naval Third Fleet, Kujira Supercarrier, Island Tower.
Shintaro Takayama strode forward with long, forceful steps.
As he approached, his gaze naturally shifted toward the figure beside Vela—Michiko Arasaka.
Stare—
The relaxed look on his brow immediately furrowed.
Vela caught the barely perceptible change in expression. She turned to glance at her "old gal pal." Mohawked blue hair, thick gold lip gloss, oversized gold hoop earrings, a deep-V dress with a wide midriff cutout—kitsch, way too kitsch.
Sigh...
Vela shook her head gently. Time is a butcher's knife. The cyber-anime catgirl JK of yesteryear sure used to be easy on the eyes.
"Miss Michiko."
No matter what, she was the direct granddaughter of Saburo Arasaka. As a senior retainer, Shintaro Takayama wasn't in a position to criticize. He gave Michiko a slight bow.
"Takayama-san."
With a raised brow, Michiko waved lazily.
Dealing with these stiff relics from the Arasaka Family Compound was always a drag—so many formalities and etiquette rules. She loathed it. Especially the kind of gaze laced with scrutiny, judgment, or that unspoken "you've shamed your father" look—she despised it.
In this regard, she felt closer to Vela.
Though Vela's personal conduct was just as old-fashioned and dull, she mostly held herself to her own standards. She still indulged in fun, enjoyed luxury, and never adopted that father-knows-best tone to critique others' fashion sense.
After the customary greetings, Shintaro Takayama made a slight sidestep gesture toward Michiko, indicating "please," then turned to nod respectfully at Vela.
His gaze shifted subtly back and forth between Michiko and Vela, but ultimately rested on Vela. His lips pressed together—a faint, restrained smile.
Yes. Much more pleasing to the eye.
The three entered the command floor's operations chamber within the island tower—two in front, one following.
Creak— The hatch closed behind them.
"...So your strategic baseline for the North American geopolitical conflict is simply to stir up secession in Washington State, Oregon, and Arizona?"
Seated now, Shintaro Takayama fixed his gaze sharply on Vela as he posed the question.
"You painted Kurt Hansen and his Barghest mercenaries, camped out in New Mexico, as the prime threat in Myers' eyes. Assassinating state secretaries, bribing local party leaders—you made it seem like they were going all in. But in reality, they're just the decoys you pushed into the spotlight."
"Yes—and no."
Vela nodded, fingers interlaced on the tabletop.
"New Mexico is the decoy—it's the chip we must be willing to sacrifice to deescalate politically. But Hansen and Barghest must not be abandoned. Hansen is now a symbol of resistance against Washington's tyranny in the western states. We can't let Myers tear him down."
Look at New Mexico's location—just east of it lies the Republic of Texas.
Myers would never allow Arasaka to establish a land corridor to the Lone Star State. A united front of Washington-haters linking up would be a strategic disaster for the New United States—turning their southern underbelly into a constant source of instability. It could even pose a direct threat to all thirteen founding states.
That's a red line for national security at the White House.
Cautious as Myers was—sure, she had backed off in 2069–2070 during the Metal Wars when confronted with just one Arasaka supercarrier—but push her too far, and even a cornered rabbit bites back. Especially now, when Arasaka had sent not one, but two supercarriers.
Pushing a seasoned politician to the brink was an artform.
If Arasaka truly pushed for New Mexico's independence, Myers would grit her teeth and launch a patriotic war—a new corporate war—regardless of her odds.
Therefore, without the resolve for total war, Arasaka must appear to "lose" New Mexico. Can't make Myers lose face entirely.
As for Washington State and Oregon—like California, they were West Coast states with the strongest anti-federal sentiment and pro-independence movements among the public and opposition parties.
The key? Coastal access.
The New United States didn't extend its reach here until 2070. And not long after, Arasaka forced them into signing the "Arvin Accord" by baring its fangs. Since then, federal naval forces on the West Coast had never been properly rebuilt—utterly fragile.
No matter how history frames the Metal Wars, the result was that Arasaka had the upper hand.
The so-called Unification War, as peddled by the White House's media, was in name only. In reality, the Free States still retained significant autonomy. Until Washington could fully digest the coastal West, Myers lacked the strength—and the guts—to place fleets or build military shipyards in regions where even naval base perimeters couldn't be secured.
Maybe Myers had long-term plans to rebuild a navy like old America's and challenge Arasaka to another Pacific War. She had indeed made moves in that direction: through six years of political games and economic control, she had slowly regained power and prepared to turn nominal unity into real consolidation.
But time wasn't on her side.
And the international environment had grown increasingly hostile.
Which is exactly why our dear "colleague" Vela was ready to swing a club at Myers just before she could reap her rewards!
Shintaro Takayama listened in silence.
Thanks to Vela's frequent reports, he already had a decent grasp of Arasaka North America's strategic layout for 2076 before he even set foot here.
Face-to-face was for confirmation. To align on strategic goals, and to walk through Vela's frontline reasoning to better grasp the operational details.
"Arizona's secession makes our war bluff far more convincing."
North Dakota, Minnesota.
Washington State.
Montana.
South Dakota.
Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming.
Florida.
The Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).
Vela continued, "Nevada, Utah, and Idaho revolting outright—that I didn't anticipate. I underestimated how much the locals loathed Myers. With them, I think we can afford more flexible handling."
Shintaro Takayama understood.
The secession of the three West Coast states, including California, was Arasaka's baseline justification for bringing in the carrier fleet.
Arizona was the knife in their extortion scheme.
The rest—the states with local parties who had declared independence and purged federal officials—could be used as bargaining chips in negotiations. New Mexico, however, was the pressure point for poking at Myers' nerves.
"Eleven states in the West… Five already stirred into rebellion…"
Plenty of wiggle room for future de-escalation.
Chewing over Vela's words, Shintaro Takayama nodded slowly and said with some emotion, "I'm pleased, Vela. You're forceful, decisive, sharp-minded—yet you know restraint and understand the broader situation. As a national-level leader within the company, you're already qualified. What you lack is merely seniority and experience. Those old geezers who picked you made the right call. At least they're not completely rusted-out fossils buried in North America's swamp."
"They were kind, that's all."
Vela didn't downplay it too much. Changing tone, she added one final point:
"As for those local party leaders who chose the right side in time, we must protect them. It's a matter of political credibility. Even if we sacrifice their districts in negotiations, we must ensure their families remain unharmed and they aren't purged by Myers."
"I'll see to it."
Shintaro Takayama nodded.
"As for the remaining 'diplomatic combat'—leave that to this old man."
Whoosh. He stood up, and as he passed Vela, he chuckled as if remembering something:
"Oh, Vela, two pieces of good news. The carrier Adelheid has entered the fitting-out phase. And regarding our operations against the New United States, Lord Yorinobu has publicly expressed full support during the Tokyo board meeting."
"This will symbolize Arasaka's united front..."
Leaving behind those unusually weighty words, Shintaro Takayama exited the operations room.
"..."
The two women left behind exchanged a glance.
Michiko looked at Vela.
"Should I say congratulations?"
She laughed.
"Say what you want... Never mind the Adelheid, but Yorinobu's support, huh..."
Vela's lips twitched, and she couldn't help but smile.
Yorinobu, supporting her?
More like Yorinobu was pushing Arasaka to hurry up and go to war with Militech and the New United States. With the megacorps.
He saw opportunity...
"Something wrong with my rebellious uncle?"
Noticing Vela's odd expression, Michiko asked suspiciously.
"Nothing. I was just wondering… how I should thank Lord Yorinobu when I get to Tokyo."
With Shintaro Takayama's arrival, Vela would soon step off the frontlines of Arasaka's political duel with Myers.
Her goal had been to exploit her incommunicable "Divine Gift"—her foresight of the future—to locate Myers' hidden vulnerabilities. Create advantage for Arasaka, build momentum, seize strategic initiative.
As for what came next—diplomatic maneuvers, bluffing for war, the fine art of sparring with the White House—that was best left to professionals who lived and breathed this game.
"You're really going to just kick back now?"
Watching Vela recline lazily into the plush sofa, eyes half-closed as if ready to nap, Michiko was genuinely stunned.
She realized she still didn't truly understand Vela. How big was this girl's heart, to stir up an entire continental crisis… and then go take a nap?
To this, Vela replied quietly:
"When you're weak, even a lost dog can become a reason for war. But when you're strong, even a state secretary's death, even the accidental killing of a general… they'll still grit their teeth and call it 'mutual loss.'"
Her voice was faint. By now, Vela's thoughts were no longer on the chaos of North America—or on dealing with Yorinobu Arasaka.
Her attention was drifting beyond.
Toward the stars.
During her time in Tokyo—seeking new breakthroughs, receiving Saburo's instruction, and confidential strategic briefings—she would be focused entirely on her own priorities.
Reinforcing her foundation.
New viruses to enrich her knowledge base, RC cells and Kakuhou live-host tech, more advanced weapons systems for high-intensity warfare…