I'm a soldier, znatchit ya... I'm a soldier, and that means...
...i otvetchik i sud'ya ...that I am both defendant and judge.
Ya stoyu na dvuh kontsah ognya I stand at both ends of the fire.
Ogibaya virazhi, Leaning into the curves,
obgonyaya smert' i zhizn', overtaking life and death,
ya begu srazit'sya s ten'yu lzhi I'm running to fight the shadow of lies.
Skol'ko b nitej ne plyol obman, No matter how tangled the web of deception is woven,
pokazhet lik sveta istina... truth will always illuminate the outline of the light...
Save your tears for the day...
...when the pain is far behind.
On your feet, come with me.
We are soldiers, stand or die.
Save your fears, take your place.
Save them for the Judgment Day.
Fast and free, follow me.
Time to make the sacrifice.
We rise or fall...
So, what do you think of this little situation?
They got here sooner than I expected.
They're not fools. They have to realize how serious this is.
With police anti-terrorist ops, this is where the waiting usually begins.
Okay, people, stand by for brain dive.
Make sure you've got your back-hack blockers up.
23 minutes ago, a criminal group armed with heavy weaponry...
...occupied the Chinese embassy, which is on the 46th floor of this building.
It's still unclear at this point how many hostages there are,
but it's been confirmed that at least ten workers were still there at the time of the incident.
Similarly, the number of terrorists in the group is unknown.
While it's doubtful that it refers to the number of members,
in their claim of responsibility, they called themselves "The Individual Eleven."
A standoff inside an embassy, huh?
This means that the indefinite standby order on Section 9 might be lifted, doesn't it?
Until we get official dispatch orders, I can't really say.
So, what are these Individual Eleven people demanding?
An immediate halt to the intake of Asian refugees,
as well as the total closure of the five refugee residential districts dotted around the country.
Are they kidding? How long do they think it'll take for us to make that happen?!
The Chinese government's been sending regular flights to Dejima...
...to avoid having to take in the huge numbers of Asian refugees that have been generated,
so I guess they got caught in the crossfire on this one.
If you're following the obvious logic, then yes.
But since we don't know their real motives, we can't jump to any conclusions.
Ishikawa, how's it coming?
I've put taps on all the equipment in the facility.
What kind of setup are the local cops using?
It looks like they're running a wide-area jammer along with a press blackout.
It's causing interference in radio usage. There'll probably be static in our cybercomms, too.
All the cameras in the embassy are destroyed.
They're negotiating with the cops via a phone line that's got no video feed.
Okay, once you've put a tap on that, come back to the unmarked van.
Roger.
Saito!
I've reached my designated point.
There are image curtains drawn over the building's windows,
so I can't verify the situation inside.
I'm giving top priority to neutralizing the curtains.
Good.
Everyone else, be ready for the raid and stand by. We'll wait for orders from the Chief.
However...
If the Chief doesn't manage to convince the top brass,
we'll pull out of this surveillance gig and go drown our sorrows at a nudie bar.
It's the timing of this terrorist incident that's the problem.
The government was set to announce in a policy address in the near future...
...that we would repeal our Refugee Special Action Policy.
And that there would be an indefinite halt to the acceptance of the constant influx of refugees...
...as well as a phased reduction of the the refugee districts.
You want to avoid giving the public the impression that the first major policy shift...
...regarding refugees since the war was the result of caving in to a terrorist act.
To do that, you will need to neutralize the terrorists...
...before their demands are leaked to the media.
I assume that my being called here has something to do with that, as well.
The rumors are true, I see. You're a shrewd man.
There's no need to waste time on flattery.
This matter demands immediate attention.
Very well. I'll get straight to the point, then.
I'm willing to support your budget proposal to rebuild Section 9 at the next assembly.
But that is only if no hostages are killed in the process of neutralizing the terrorists.
That is a deal-breaker.
Simply give us orders to go in, and we will meet that request at any time.
Don't be so hasty, Aramaki.
We're just now starting to rush around to contact the proper offices...
...to get the signatures we need for a revision to the Special Forces Bill.
You're starting the paperwork now?
Do you truly think that we have the luxury of that much time, sir?
If you sent in your team without a request,
...I can picture the media feeding frenzy that would follow even if you did succeed.
Remember, it hasn't been all that long since the Section 9 incident.
Until an authorization request for a provisional revision of the bill has been accepted,
your people aren't going to get involved.
I'm sorry, but what the Home Affairs Minister says is correct.
Please remain on standby until we have all the paperwork ready.
Hear anything?
Not a damn thing yet.
Geez, I'm tempted to have us go terrorist on that Cabinet full of wimps!
We're an unauthorized armed force that mobilized on its own...
...without police HQ's knowledge.
Just going by the situation, we're already terrorists as it is.
It's ironic when you think about it, though.
This Kayabuki cabinet, which took over from the last, so-called "Yakushima Administration,"
was supposed to be a reactionary conservative administration...
...that goes against the postwar democratic party line, right?
There was even a pledge to gradually phase out the refugee policy in her inauguration speech.
Even if they hadn't done anything,
a policy similar to their demands probably would've been instituted anyway.
There was a demand for refugees as a cheap labor force during the postwar reconstruction,
but the national unemployment rate goes up year after year, and so does the tax rate.
Add in the fact the government is recklessly spending...
...part of that heavy tax on the steady increase of refugees,
it's not hard to understand why subversive elements have come out of the woodwork...
...after running out of patience.
In the end, it's the taxpayers who are being made to pay out compensation...
...in the form of taking in refugees as a barter for the Article 9 issue...
...to let this country play the good guy in the international community,
But some of those refugees are taxpayers, too.
That said, I guess some legit taxpayers are catching on that their heavy tax burden...
...is going to support the lifestyles of people who might take jobs away from them.
Even so, it's a little rash for that to lead directly to terrorism.
If you put it that way, I'd also have to think that what's awfully rash here...
...is for us, a group that was disbanded by force,
to be called in the instant there's an incident that the police can't handle.
I bet the Chief's meeting with the bigwigs of the new administration right now...
...with his blood boiling all the while.
The Home Affairs Minister is the only holdover...
...who came out unscathed from the last administration.
What's up with that?
Right now, the Home Affairs Ministry's only function...
...is as a buffer between the various ministries in the country.
The fact that the Minister hasn't been replaced...
...probably proves that no one considers the ministry itself a threat.
And that harmlessness was what helped keep Section 9 off their radar until now.
Speaking of which, have you heard that we'll be getting...
...a bunch of new recruits if this mission goes down well?
New recruits?
Major? I know it's not my place to be saying this,
...but I don't think there are all that many people who can handle the work we do.
Well, that's only if we carry out this mission the way we want.
Major, I've neutralized the image curtains, but they've got the blinds pulled, too.
These guys seem to do things by the book.
Ishikawa.
Run a bypass on that phone line that you put a tap on.
I'm gonna borrow the eyes of somebody inside and get as good a feel for the situation as I can.
Understood. I'll get to it.
All right, we got a bite.
What's the matter?
Nothing...That's strange, it wasn't from the cops.
Well, well...
What the...?
The bastards sent in scouts...I guess they want even less time to negotiate.
The signal's been cut off.
There are nine of them in all?
Which one's the leader?
Other than a cyberbrain, this guy's all-natural?
Prime Minister!
What is it? We're in a meeting!
We just received word from the embassy.
The police assault team apparently made contact with the terrorists,
and there were casualties on both sides.
They what? I hadn't authorized them to fire!
A gunfight broke out spontaneously while they were trying to gather intel on the situation inside.
I'm sorry to say that a police officer has been taken hostage, and they say...
...that unless you make a public statement within an hour that you will concede to their demands,
they will execute the police officer, followed by one hostage every ten minutes.
In other words, they needlessly made the situation worse.
These circumstances require a speedy solution.
I ask that you make an on-the-spot judgment call.
I assume that the press blackout on the media won't hold for much longer.
If guerrilla-style posts should start to appear on the local nets,
this operation will become meaningless.
Isn't the paperwork ready yet?
I'm terribly sorry, ma'am.
Prime Minister. In that case, why not consider this?
This terrorist act will only be resolved through an assault by a police unit.
As long as that scenario holds up,
...could you not issue an order to storm the embassy on your own authority right now?
We will carry out our mission in secret under the cover of the police operation.
Admittedly, it will be necessary for you to gather paperwork...
...that can provide post-facto legitimacy.
I can give you my word on that,
but what should happen in the event that you fail to neutralize the terrorists?
I can assure you of the operation's success,
but I have no way to prove that to you, other than having you place your faith in us.
If you still have misgivings,
feel free to say that all of Public Security Section 9's actions from this point on...
...were carried out under my authority and no one else's.
That way, any problems would be solved by putting only me on trial.
Even if public opinion should question the government's responsibility,
you could claim that no one in your administration knew of my actions.
Am I right?
Very well.
Prime Minister?!
Home Affairs Minister.
I'd like you to contact the Chief of Metropolitan Police at once.
I understand.
Major!
There's been developments, I take it?
Fifteen minutes from now, the SWAT team will begin their assault on the embassy.
Sneak in ahead of them and apprehend the terrorists before that time.
You are authorized to fire if you have no choice.
Rescue of the hostages is your top priority.
I'll leave the assault team selection to you.
Fifteen minutes?
After making us wait this long, he says it like it was nothing!
Saito, bring back the helicopter for now.
All right, people, you heard the man.
You can see the situation inside the embassy here.
There are nine terrorists, one of whom is dead.
Memorize the building's structure and layout.
We have a maximum of 10 minutes for this operation.
There's not much time before the SWAT team comes in.
Think of it as proof of the Chief's faith in us.
Yeah, whatever...
And the team selection?
Go in two-man cells. Batou with Togusa, Paz with Saito.
We'll infiltrate the embassy using a different route than the SWAT team.
We're gonna use the elevators and make a grand entrance.
You guys go on ahead. I'll head up after I do a little prep work.
Roger.
Storm the place in 15 minutes?
We don't even know what's going on in there! What's the top brass thinking?
Where are your other assault routes?
The roof...and emergency stairs.
Let's move half of the hostages over to the emergency stairs.
Good idea.
These guys are strange.
They're carrying out their duties without anyone taking command,
but they've got no organizational structure.
And this guy...He's got no defensive barriers to speak of,
but I can't find any intel on the group.
Get up.
Major, I'm just about to enter the building.
Good. I'll cause as much confusion for as long as my puppet holds out.
After that, it's one shot, one kill. Don't hit any hostages, even by mistake.
Stand still, damn it!
Hey, the elevator's moving!
I'll check it out. Watch the hostages.
What are you...
You idiot!
What're you doing?!
Batou, I missed one of them!
I noticed!
Screw this, we're going in now!
You there. Come here!
Crap!
Hey, the others are...
Major! They came in early!
Damn it, the SWAT guys are in my way!
We are the Individual Eleven.
Even if we should fall here, other individual egos will carry on our will.
For that reason, death holds no meaning for us!
Oh, you don't say?
Go ahead and die, then.
Outside the window!
I truly appreciate your fine work in this incident.
I will accept your budget proposal in its entirety and authorize you to rebuild and run your unit.
Here are the papers.
Thank you, Madam Prime Minister.
And are you the unit commander who led the assault?
You didn't make a single sarcastic remark back there. That's not like you, Chief.
Is it because she's a woman?
She isn't the one that I should tear into.
Besides, I've never heard of anyone developing stomach trouble from swallowing their pride.
But don't you think a boss like her will be trouble?
She's the type who will insist on keeping a leash on her pet dog.
Plus, I can't help but think that the assault order was the result...
...of her skillfully pulling a resolution plan out of you while avoiding taking responsibility herself.
I have to admit, she doesn't seem to be a simple puppet put in place by the ruling coalition.
For now, we should graciously celebrate the rebuilding of Section 9, don't you think?
You're right.
Hey, it's about time! Did the budget proposal go through?
In its entirety.
Togusa, given the situation, you did great work.
I see you've improved.
Thanks for saying so, Major.
It looks like you can hold your head high when our new recruits come in.
Hey, that's right! So, who are the newbies?
Allow me to introduce you.
Enter!
How-do-you-do? I-am-Tachikoma.
You're...
I'm just kidding, Mr. Batou! Did I fool ya? Did I? Did I?
Mr. Batou!
We restored the Tachikomas that they'd run structural analyses on at the lab.
Starting today, they're members of Section 9.
You heard the lady!
We're looking forward to working with you, Mr. Batou!
Finding out a galaxy...
...of planets and stars within me...
Listening to each of them...
...singing the same silent melody...
I've never seen such beauty...
In possibility...
No speck of doubt or fear...
Wake up!
I hear a voice,
hear a voice calling out to me...
I see inside,
see the light now ever holding me...
All the truth, all I need...
...to make of this reality, it's inside...
The beauty within the shell...
I hear a voice,
hear a voice calling out to me...
I see inside,
see the light now ever holding me...
All the truth, all I need...
...to make of this reality, it's inside...
Right here within the shell...