Arasaka's influence in Night City has passed mainly to Ascension Technology.
If it stopped there, fine. It doesn't. Ascension wants deeper access to city governance.
The draft bill on the council floor isn't just about contracting NCPD work. It gives Ascension discretionary authority to manage urban zones and to revise how "criminal behavior" is defined and enforced. Any normal politician wouldn't hand that power to a corporation. Night City's government doesn't have many normal people left.
Backed unconditionally by Arasaka, Ascension folds in the strength that Alt Cunningham left, moving through Night City's Net and extending it. With the two megacorps aligned, the chambers fill with approving voices. A handful of councilors object, but they can't stop the momentum.
In practice, there's no daylight between "Night City government" and "Ascension's board" anymore. Ascension's local influence peaks. It's become the signature company of the city.
But controlling Night City is only the first step. The world is the target.
With Arasaka supplying contacts, resources, and leverage across multiple regions, the Ascension name starts appearing in other countries and city-states. Arasaka branch facilities are absorbed and rebuilt as Ascension bases. Operations widen.
First on the execution list: expand Ascension Network.
A company Night Citizens know well is now in everyone's news feeds.
"From the Free City of Night City, Ascension Technology, closely allied with Arasaka, has launched a new global networking project: Ascension Network. According to company statements, it's a truly universal, linked network with no Blackwall interference and no rogue AI risk, built to connect the world's data in a safe, coherent way. Our understanding is it wasn't conceived overnight; it's been deployed and refined inside Night City for some time and holds wide local approval."
User counts spike fast. People pour in.
It doesn't last. Around the world, telecom incumbents feel their customer bases wobble and push back hard. Under pressure, regional governments start issuing bans against this "unauthorized network space."
Even so, plenty of companies that don't sell connectivity for a living can do the math. They ignore the industry squeeze, reach out to Ascension, and arrange to use the Ascension Network for global comms and internal ops. It's efficient and stable, and they want that.
There aren't thousands of these early adopters, but there aren't just a few either. That's enough to anger the World Satellite Communication Network company, WCN.
WCN monopolizes a significant share of comms satellites and specializes in cross-border links. They've been selling network backbone to a long list of global clients. Ascension's sudden appearance threatens that market. Watching customers drift away puts WCN in a foul mood.
Europe.
WCN headquarters.
An emergency senior-staff meeting.
"Ascension Network is gutting our business. We need a solution now," says one executive.
WCN's comfort zone was built on satellite choke points and market control. For years, that kept them cemented as a European heavyweight. This is the first time in a long while they've called every top chair to the same room.
"Any response from the European Space Agency?" another asks.
"Nothing. Ascension hasn't registered a single satellite. There's no platform in Earth orbit filed under their name," comes the reply.
As a regional giant, WCN has deep ties inside European institutions. They've been trying to pry satellite data from the ESA, hoping to map Ascension Network's server infrastructure in orbit and plan around it.
In their frame of reference, a global, low-latency network can't run without space assets. So they assume the backbone must be satellite-based.
They keep pulling the thread, but they can't imagine this: Ascension didn't use satellites to build the system. Of course, the ESA can't find anything.
"Even so, a network this large can't possibly avoid satellite servers. It's just hidden well. What's their real background?"
"A Night City firm. Power unknown, but not weak. Very close to Arasaka. That internal Arasaka power struggle you saw recently? Ascension helped push the outcome."
"Then the servers could be riding Arasaka satellites…"
Silence settles.
Given recent events and the Arasaka tie, the executives land on a conclusion that feels obvious to them.
It's why they're all here.
If the rival were merely a flashy upstart, WCN could crush it quietly.
With Arasaka in the mix, WCN has to tread carefully.