Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm hath bound the restless wave.
note: shortened version of "Eternal Father, Strong to Save," a Navy hymn written in 1860 by William Whiting, an Englishman.
Oh hear us when we cry to Thee, for those in peril on the sea.
O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard and hushed their raging at Thy Word.
Oh hear us when we cry to Thee, for those in peril on the sea.
Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood up on the chaos dark and rude.
Oh hear us when we cry to Thee, for those in peril on the sea.
O Trinity of love and power! Our family shield in danger's hour.
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
Well then, we will immediately head for the operational staging area.
Everyone aboard!
The Two Hong Kongs
These brainwaves, which range from 30 to 50 hz,
are also known as gamma waves.
Only when these waves exceed a certain threshold level of intensity will the Lambda Driver be able to generate a repulsive force.
However, according to our research so far,
It is extremely difficult for a person to continuously create such high intensity gamma waves at will.
Although administering a synthetic drug known as the Ti970 series, produced at very few chemical plants,
can artificially bring about a similar reaction...
So, in other words?
It is most likely impossible to use the Lambda Driver for a prolonged period of time.
With some exceptions, such as the Behemoth.
Even if you say that, we'd be helpless against the enemy if they were able to make use of that.
Yeah, the problem is how we're going to deal with something like that.
Well, we do have the Arbalest on our side.
But what if it fails to work like during the Nanjing incident the other time?
Al...
Checking...
Verified as Sergeant Sagara.
Yes, Sergeant?
How are you feeling?
According to the check done at 1730 hours today, I am in satisfactory condition.
The check was performed by Lieutenant Saks. The maintenance record is 051021-01B-F-001.
Would you like to inspect this record?
If you wish to recheck the machine, you will need to modify the current settings.
Please exit training mode, connect the machine to an external electricity source, and-
I only woke you up on a whim.
Training message.
Please explain the meaning of "whim."
Try figuring it out on your own.
Understood.
Would you like me to report the results?
Let me hear it.
The meanings of "whim."
First match: associated with the notion of discretion and doubt.
Second match: associated with the notion of enthusiam and diligence.
Third match: associated with the notion of disorder and irregularity.
Fourth match: associated with the notion of playing around.
You know the meaning of playing around?
Affirmative.
Is that the meaning of "whim?"
Playing around and irregularity are close.
Understood.
I thank you for your help.
Who taught you that?
Officer Bani Morauta, Sergeant.
Was he the engineer who created you?
Affirmative.
So he's the father of this good-for-nothing...
Training message.
What do you mean by "good-for-nothing?"
Stop giving me all these "training message" notices every single time.
I was referring to the unreliable weapons system that fails to work when it's ordered to...
In other words, I was referring to you.
Affirmative.
The ARX system is incomplete.
You acknowledge that?
Affirmative.
And you are partly responsible as well.
What did you say?
You are a part of the ARX system.
Without your cooperation, it will not be complete.
Please tell me your problems.
If some response is received, I might be able to give you some advice.
Give me some advice? You?
Affirmative.
I don't have any problems.
I don't think so.
Why?
My intuition tells me so.
Intuition?
Who taught you the word "intuition?"
In that case, tell this to your so-called intuition...
"Stop having all these useless suspicions."
Your order is nonsense.
Intutition can't be controlled or persuaded.
It is something that flows out from the depths of the heart.
What you are saying is nonsense!
Stop mocking me...
Sousuke!
Sousuke, you there?
What is it?
The Lieutenant Commander is calling us.
We have a mission.
Mission...
I'm sure you're already aware of this.
An AS belonging to an unknown group has appeared in Hong Kong.
It caused continuous havoc on its own for some time,
but is probably hiding itself somewhere in the city now.
Both the Northern and Southern militaries have suffered casualties,
and combined with the Nanjing incident from not long ago,
both parties are currently in a state of potentially explosive tension.
At this rate, the pact might be breached,
and we won't know when the divided Hong Kongs will be at war with one another.
Any form of political dissent is also prohibited in the current situation.
Listen up.
First Lieutenant Clouzot will take over now.
So they're telling us to go there?
This was taken 26 hours ago,
in the vicinity of a district called Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon.
Most likely, this is the same unit as the one that appeared in Helmajistan.
It destroyed an armored vehicle in Southern China,
and disappeared after releasing a smoke bomb.
After that, it appeared in various places in Kowloon, Hong Kong, and continued to wreak havoc haphazardly.
About ten ASes have been destroyed, and there were many casualties as well.
Both the Northern and Southern militaries were unable to destroy it,
and neither of them have been able to get any news regarding it or its movements.
Judging from past incidents, it should be equipped with stealth mode.
What's the motive of that terrorist?
It's unknown.
No one has claimed responsibility yet.
If I were to hazard a guess, the motive would be either to cause the Chinese civil war to break out again,
or destroy Hong Kong's economy.
Or, it might very well be their way of challenging us.
But, regardless of what type of unit it is,
it is not capable of operating fully on its own for 24 hours straight.
After fighting, it must be re-supplied with ammunition and have simple maintenance done.
I'm sure the pilot will need some rest as well.
We have to first seek a suitable ambush location,
surround it with a squad of M9s, take it by surprise attack, and then suppress it.
And for that, I want all of you to reconnoiter the area.
Reconnoiter?
It will be a joint operation with the Hong Kong Branch Intelligence Department.
They will provide you with the necessary know-how and ensure that the enemy's hideout is located.
We will surface during the night and have you take a helicopter out.
All of you are to go to Hong Kong ahead of us.
Including Sousuke?
That's right.
Wouldn't it be better for Sousuke to stand by with the Arbalest?
We will not be using the Arbalest in this operation.
Why?
Because it's not reliable.
Hong Kong Island Special District, Mid-level
Looking at it like this, it doesn't seem to have changed a lot from before.
You've been here before?
A number of times before the revolution.
My mother's relatives lived near here.
Before I joined Mithril, I stayed there for about two months.
Bumming around...
Bumming around, eh?
It was after I was dismissed from the Marine Corps.
I didn't have the willpower to work.
And I didn't want to go back to my family in New York.
My dad was really annoying...
That Air Force maniac...
Your father was in the military?
That's right.
He's a half-witted bomber pilot. Although he's retired and runs a company now...
He keeps being cocky even though he's always been stingy and a coward.
Plus, he likes to conspire.
Conspire?
That's right.
When I was serious about working after I had graduated from high school,
He pulled something out of his sleeve and tried to marry me off to some Harvard-graduate dimwit.
That really pissed me off.
That's why I joined the Marine Corps on the wedding day in order to piss him off.
Oh my...
I snuck out of the church by myself and ran four blocks to the recruitment office...
while I was still wearing my wedding dress.
The corporal on duty opened his eyes really wide and asked me, "Are you serious?"
And I answered, "Of course."
Everyone in the office came over to persuade me.
"Miss Bride, you'd better think it over."
"Your parents will definitely be saddened by this."
So I said,
"My father is in the Air Force."
And then, all of them said in one voice,
"That makes things easy. In this case, please sign your name on this document."
What do you think of a woman like that?
That's the best!
You're really cool!
Right, Wu?
Yeah, that was the best!
The best, huh?
It's true those times were the best.
Once I made the decision, I felt like the world had opened up infinitely.
Thinking, "I can do anything, I can go anywhere."
Anywhere?
Many things happened after that though.
I experienced painful setbacks and disappointments as well.
But I'm really glad I did what I did back then.
As a result, I'm able to like myself much more than before.
And that's my story.
Anyway, I'm just reminiscing about all these things because we came to this town.
Don't take it to heart.
Oh my. Oh my. Sorry to have kept you waiting.
I'm Hunter from the Intelligence Department of the Hong Kong Branch.
I'm sure this won't come as a surprise to you...
but both the Northern and Southern militaries are in an extremely tense state now.
We must try not to agitate either party and act as discreetly as possible.
As both militaries are on heightened alert, all forms of communication and travel between the two have ceased.
The use of all harbors is prohibited, and almost all flights have been cancelled.
As a result, both stock prices and exchange rates have tanked.
Seriously, we're beset from all sides.
And, about the problem with the AS?
Unfortunately, we still have yet to discover its whereabouts.
The last time it appeared was at 1015 hours at Shau Kei Wan on the main island.
So it's definitely hiding within Hong Kong?
I can't say that for sure, but that's what our analysts and AI think.
And my experienced intuition tells me so too.
I've compiled all the information here just in case.
What do you think?
Excluding the outskirts and the small islands,
it is best for us to use a helicopter to search these areas from the sky.
As we can't use the anti-ECS sensors in the town areas,
we have no other choice but to search methodically.
Also, there's no need for us to investigate places where there are a lot of pigeons and crows.
Why birds?
It seems that birds are capable of seeing the AS.
The ECS can't conceal ultra-violet rays.
That's most probably why.
Crows, in particular, are sensitive... they caw non-stop.
And dogs too...
they are extremely sensitive to the scent of the ozone emitted by the ECS.
I see.
Is there anything else?
I guess that's about it, right?
Sousuke!
Anything else to add?
No, nothing in particular.
I think it will work out somehow.
So there are a total of 49 places on the main island of Hong Kong,
and 78 places in Kowloon that we'd have to check out.
If we were to split it up between my guys and your team, we should be able to cover all of it in one day.
If the conditions work out, that is.
Man, that guy sure owns a lot of businesses.
Hunter Cleaning Limited Corporation
Well then, it's about time for us to set off.
And be careful since the martial law is in effect.
What if we are detained by the military or police after being inspected?
There are some troops that aren't under Hunter's influence, right?
That's right.
Escape if you can.
But no firing at any time.
The military personnel are innocent.
If you're caught, you'd most probably go through a harsh interrogation until Hunter is able to get you out.
But even if you are tortured, don't you dare spill anything.
That will be all.
How strict...
More importantly, it's better for you to worry about what to do once you've located the enemy.
I won't forgive you if you get yourself killed before contacting me or without my permission.
Got it?
Yes ma'am.
This sure is alarming.
I've never seen Central looking like this before.
Well then, I wonder if they will let us pass without any problems.
They should if Hunter's connections are reliable.
Stop!
note: lines subtitled in Japanese are spoken in Chinese.
Mao, I'm counting on you.
I got it.
Open the window.
I got it.
Open the window.
We're from the Hunter Cleaning Limited Company.
What's in the back?
As you can see, just some cleaning equipment.
Is there anything wrong?
No... Okay.
They say we can go through!
This sure is startling.
This tunnel is always congested.
Really?
I'm sure those who knew what Hong Kong was like before this would be shocked.
I mean just try imagining this.
What would you think if Tokyo were to become like this?
Shinjuku and Ginza would be split into two...
And war always just a glare away from breaking out.
The town which used to overflow with fashionable girls shopping around and eating ice cream
would be filled with armored vehicles and ASes.
And the bayside which used to be a good place for taking walks,
would be under the influence of gigantic tochkas and bunkers.
note: Tochka is a Russian word for a small armored structure protecting a machine-gun emplacement (a pillbox).
This Hong Kong is abnormal.
It's crazy.
Sousuke?
Is anything wrong?
No, it's nothing.
This is surprising...
The Southern military seems to be letting us pass without any problems too.
It seems that Hunter is quite the big shot, isn't he?
It should be around here.
If we hit the jackpot right away, what should we do?
We won't do anything.
We must always...
Sagara-kun, calm down!
You are deranged and hallucinating right now!
Sagara-kun!
Sousuke!
This isn't a joke!
Where the hell were you looking when you were driving?!
Step out!
Leave this to me!
Just keep your mouth shut!
I...
Shut up and don't do anything!
I'm sorry. Just now the driver was...
Shut up!
Get out of the car now!
Listen to me! You're mistaken!
Some dust got into his eyes!
He can't help it, right?
Sousuke!
Check the damage!
There's one more person here!
Someone bring a stretcher over!
Block this vicinity! Contact headquarters at once!
It's not the time for this now...
So, they'll overlook this incident for the time being.
Let's get going.
Ignoring traffic lights... that's really careless of you.
I'm sorry.
Were you thinking about her?
Forget about her now!
If you can't do that, get out of the van at once!
I understand what has happened.
But, I'm not such a kind onee-san, you know!
I don't want to die because you dragged me into your problems.
In such a case, it would be much safer if I were to go by myself.
You're right.
Sousuke?
I'm sorry.
I can't do it anymore.
Please continue with the mission.
Next Episode
Abandoning the mission...
I wandered about the streets of Hong Kong as I lost sight of everything.
I've got no place to go...
and I'm not that skillful at taking refuge in defeat either.
Next,
His Problems
"His Problems."
Along with the anticipation of his chilled heart, the situation becomes more tense...