AD 2042
The Great 4 (American Empire, China, Russia, and EU)
sought economic sustainability for its members.
Using AI Code 1A84, the American Empire initiated war as an industry.
The world dubbed it "sustainable war."
However, each nation put its own economic interests first,
and the world soon found itself in a dire straits.
AD 2044 The Global Simultaneous Default
caused financial firms to halt all transactions.
Paper currency became worthless,
and all virtual currency and e-money vanished from the net.
This triggered a rapid escalation in war as an industry.
Even advanced nations suffered riots, terrorism, separatist movements,
and civil war.
Sustainable war slowly but surely began to spread,
threatening the human race with extinction.
AD 2045
NO NOISE, NO LIFE Sustainable War
Wonderful not to have any noise.
If only it would stay like this forever.
Batou, you get the special gear I requested?
Everything you asked for, Major!
This ain't for cyborgs!
This is the real deal! Bona fide beer, no funny stuff added!
Not too shabby.
Ishikawa, are you telling me that chick is your squad leader?
Hang on.
If she's full-prosthetic, she could be as strong as a gorilla!
You might be half right there.
And which half might that be,Â Ishikawa?
I think our young, beautiful squad leader overheard us!
When did I get hacked?
You're the new guy? What's your name?
Standard, but you can call me Stan! Nice to meet you, boss lady!
Saito, what's your take on this guy?
Well, I guess his name says it all.
Like hell it does! I'm as deluxe a standard as it gets!
Hate to break it to you, but you're a clown.
Clown?
What the hell?
Okay, your call sign starting today is Clown.
Why's it gotta be Clown?
It means you're the coolest.
Then why are you jerks laughing?
-Clown! -Major?
Major, what's the plan? Is that briefing barbecue still on?
Looks like our barbecue in Palm Springs is canceled.
Who the hell are these guys? Nomads?
I'll brief you on today's mission while we smack them down.
Shit, all this beer is gonna get warm now.
Prepare for a brain dive.
Major, you had a beer without us, didn't you?
Won't we get hacked if we go wireless? We can talk normally given the distance.
I don't use bargain-bin tech like yours.
This is a seek-and-destroy op.
Our target is the hideout of a group of plunderers planning
a major raid on Gated Town.
So no pulling punches?
We're going to capture as many of them alive as possible.
Seriously?
Those are our orders.
Seems the police have some questions for them.
-Ishikawa, take the wheel. -Got it.
Major!
Comin' over!
They're probably here to take part in the raid.
Sustainable war victims strutting about as if they're the aggressors?
The more the merrier in the sustainable war game!
Batou is always so happy-go-lucky.
Mr. Ishikawa, I wanna join the others and feel the wind on my body as I fight.
Me too!
Not so fast. You're overloaded with gear.
Fight now and you'll drain your batteries before the main event.
The only one of us fit to fight right now is me!
Get going, then.
But don't forget your real role as our protective outfits.
Roger!
Tachikoma, cover Ishikawa!
Batou!
That's more like it!
Time for some war gaming!
Ishikawa, the one on the right.
No, your other right!
They're screwing with me.
-What was that? -You're a lousy shot.
-Boo! -Shut up, you two!
C'mon, Mr. Ishikawa, let us deploy too!
Can't right now! Sit tight!
Tachikoma, do it!
Roger.
You got your role here down pat.
Hey, dumb*
Learn to shoot straight before you join a gun battle.
Hey, wasn't I amazing?
Yeah, you did pretty good.
Then how about petting me?
All right, fine.
Die, you one-percenter lapdog!
Huh?
Don't delude yourselves.
Sustainable war is a game of chicken between major nations.
Politicians who stink at negotiating
and amateurs who don't know how the game is played
get swept in and spit out by the war machine.
Fine with me.
If somebody wants to die, let's help 'em along.
I'd love it if I could make a living going 'round the world playing war like this.
I don't want to end my military career either.
Go back the way you came!
Even if you've nowhere to call home, you still have your lives.
Makes my eyeballs ache.
So, this is the real world?
Togusa here. I'm at the specified address.
Perfect timing.
The target's still entirely focused on his virtual currency server attack.
An illegal immigrant?
Most likely, but he doesn't seem to be in with those other guys.
You going in alone?
I'd let the local police take him in if I were you.
Relax, this isn't my first rodeo.
Oh, right. You used to be a detective.
Send a message to his terminal saying, "I'm coming to get you."
Won't he make a scene?
That's what I'm counting on.
Japan used to be a peaceful place.
You always kept me safe.
Now everybody has to pack heat these days, even private security cops, Major.
What the--?
Don't move!
Where are your clothes?
Don't mess with me!
Chief?
Hello?
It's been a while, Togusa. How have you been?
Fine. Sorry I haven't been in touch. How've you been, Chief?
I was able to stay with the Interior Ministry
even afterÂ Section 9 was disbanded.
I heard you became an adviser to the Public Security Bureau.
That's right. And I heard you got divorced.
How did you...?
Nothing ever gets by you, Chief.
Do you still hold a grudge against the Major and the others
for leaving you behind?
That's in the past.
But not a day went by when I didn't think about what could've been.
I see.
Well, I have a special favor to ask you.
What sort of favor, sir?
The prime minister made a request of a rather complicated nature.
-The prime minister? You mean... -Yes, him.
Can you come by my office tomorrow?
This is all so sudden, sir.
All right, I'll come by tomorrow at 1:00.
Good. I'll see you there.
Yes, sir.
Pretty sure I've never used a single one of my paid vacation days.
This might end up being my last job.
The latest raids have left a bad taste in my mouth.
I feel for those poor civvies at the mercy of the G4's agenda.
That said, those willing to die in the act of plundering
are no different than someone with a death wish.
Between the pros, this game of war is sustainable.
But it's not worth battling amateurs who are willing to die to take you out.
You may be right.
How's business?
I'm turning a tidy profit thanks to you people.
The country's making money off this war, so we should too.
You got a point.
-Feel free to look around. -Have you been here before?
Nope, this is my first time.
Thanks.
I'll have three of those.
That'll be $1,000.
A thou-- Talk about exploiting the whole sustainable war thing.
Why wouldn't I?
Gotta hustle hard like everyone else.
-Suppose you do. -Thanks.
You can see the front line from here,
but it's still business as usual.
You know things aren't that bad
-as long as those girls are around. -I suppose.
That's the place?
Yeah, I've hacked in.
What? They turned back for some reason?
They made us wait so long for nothing?
Shit!
This is why you can't trust those damn Nomads!
They break even the most basic rules!
There's 17 men and one armored combat vehicle
packing a 105mm tank gun.
Seems the intel from our man on the inside was spot on.
They also have an anti-tank missile and an M72.
And each man is armed with a rifle.
Sounds like they were counting on that crew we took out,
so their fighting strength is already down to about a third.
What's the plan?
I wonder where they got those weapons.
What's in that box?
It's pretty small.
Even if it's a robot,
Tachikoma should be able to handle one that size.
-Run a search just in case. -Way ahead of you.
Obsidian, this is GHOST.
This is Obsidian.
Commencing operation.
Roger that. I'll await the good news.
-Tachikoma! -Roger!
That was not my fault!
No, it's totally on you!
What the hell?
Thanks for the intel.
These guys look too old to be students.
They're former college football players bankrupted by student loans.
Such model students.
The default didn't reset their lives,
so they want to take it out on those beyond the gilded gates.
Can't say that I blame them.
So, how'd they get all the weapons?
About that...
Word is they have a patron called the Good One-percenter.
A delivery service suddenly showed up with the weapons two days ago.
The Good One-percenter?
He gave 'em an armored vehicle too? What kind of nutjob does that?
Never found out how they communicated, let alone his true identity.
Wish I'd peeked inside their leader's cyberbrain.
Why didn't you?
Our job is to stop raids before they happen.
Let someone else investigate.
I think I'm done here.
A think-tank is standing by up top.
Thanks.
-Hey. -Wait.
Hey, that's a guard dog robot!
Why didn't you warn us?
You blew it!
Our optical camouflage doesn't seem to fool it.