One Day in Captain Motoko's Life

"Grandpa, what's that outside in the sky?"

A little girl looked up at the dark clouds, which looked like black cotton candy.

"It's the starry sky."

"I really want to go outside and see the world."

"Why?"

"Because I heard it's very beautiful outside."

"The starry sky is not only beautiful, but also home to terrifying monsters."

"But," the girl looked at a gigantic mechanical city that rose from the ground, its gates resembling gaping maws, "I feel like there are monsters here."

"The monsters here don't eat people."

"Bang!"

The storage room door was slammed shut.

"Motoko, you've killed another tycoon in the operation. You know it'll be hard for us to explain this to the outside world."

"Confess to what? Confess that this wealthy man kept over a thousand android girls as pets, abused them, and humiliated them?"

"Outdated civilized morals don't apply to this world. These are all counterfeit goods, low-level androids not protected by the 'Android Law.' Even those robots themselves don't care, so why should you?"

"... You talk too much nonsense, partner."

The scene shifts again to a dimly lit electronic hall, where countless eyes are fixed on the woman with the ponytail in the center.

"Motoko Yagami, you are hereby appointed as the leader of the First Operations Team of the Ghost in the Shell Mobile Division. I expect you to carry out the division's will and maintain the integrity of the test site."

"Yes."

In an office, a bald old man looked at him, a slight smile appearing on his cold expression.

"Congratulations, Motoko Yagami."

"Thank you for your guidance, Minister."

Do you know what constitutes a complete testing ground?

The woman with the ponytail frowned and said, "The interests of giant corporations, the results of experiments, and the modification of humankind."

"You don't like any of these?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I was among the first orphans after the dawn of civilization, and I think the main reason is that a certain Mr. Aramaki instilled in me outdated civilized morals during my childhood."

"You're much more talkative than you were when you were little, Motoko."

The minister's lips curled slightly, and the ponytail woman's expression softened a bit.

"Since you've come this far, I'll give you one last lesson. The completeness of the testing ground is not what you've described; these are merely its superficial aspects."

The minister stood up, turned to look at the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and behind it, at the enormous neon-lit world.

"Morality is the final integrity of the testing ground."

"This is the funniest joke I've heard all year, Minister."

"Old morality is squeezed out, giving rise to a new social order. But before the new order can give birth to new morality, the order is transformed by technology and overturned again, in an endless cycle."

The minister said softly:

"But if there is really no morality at all, this testing ground will completely lose its value, just like those failed android experiments. You know where those androids went, right?"

"I've been to all the android graveyards, or more accurately, garbage disposal plants."

The woman with the ponytail said expressionlessly:

"With the evolution of bionic technology, I can sense that their intelligence, physical strength, and perception are beginning to approach those of humans. And after two or three generations of improvements to bionic components, it is foreseeable that they will surpass native humans, or even modified humans."

But based on the cases I've handled over the years, I can confirm that they are fundamentally unlike humans, not at all. They lack the empathy generated by a chemical brain, and their emotional system is detached and utilitarian. I believe that androids would not dream of electric sheep.

"So, you believe that androids have no soul?"

"If the soul refers to a higher form of information, then androids have indeed not evolved to that stage."

The minister chuckled softly:

"So, conversely, do you think the ultimate goal of androids is to completely become like native humans?"

"I'm not an expert in this field, but I've heard a saying in the scientific community that the ultimate goal of androids is to kill native humans, from a civilizational perspective."

"Now do you understand what the integrity of the test site means?" the minister asked.

The woman with the ponytail frowned, seemingly understanding yet also not quite.

"A monster lurks in the starry sky, Motoko."

Motoko Yagami suddenly opened her eyes.

"Good morning, Ms. Suzi," Ms. Ke's caring voice rang out. "During your 2 hours, 13 minutes, and 51 seconds of sleep, there were signs of heat in your cortex. It is preliminarily determined that your brain's nervous system is performing a special processing of stored information, or, in modern terms, dreaming."

Motoko Yagami got up. The bodysuit, with its ability to keep warm, massage, and perform simple repairs, was the best "quilt".

"I did remember some things."

Motoko Yagami stood up, her chest having a large curve that could serve as a good cushion for falling, and thanks to the implanted modified and strengthened muscles, it could also be bulletproof.

Her purple eyes were filled with a powerful sense of alertness and danger, giving the first impression of a female leopard.

She got out of bed, went to the coffee counter, and made herself a cup of coffee.

Although everything has long been automated, she still has the habit of having a cup of this in the morning, which, according to ancient books, is called "ritual".

"Would you like a drink, Miss Shell?"

"I have no sense of taste, nor do I have a digestive system."

"You can treat yourself to a drink; it's one of the few pleasures in this boring era."

"As a large-scale data processing system serving Ghost in the Shell Mobile Unit, I must ensure that every piece of data generated is processed in its own mode. The processing of 'emotional data' is very difficult, with an uncontrollability of 5%."

Motoko Yagami understood what the other person meant.

"Are you saying there's something wrong with my emotions module?"

"No, what I mean is, you should process the redundant data you generated last night and readjust the artificial nervous system to ensure that this doesn't happen a second time."

"Do you want me to stop dreaming?"

"I just want to make sure that, as one of the department's strongest combatants, your physical efficiency is always at its highest level."

"A very interesting idea."

"But you will refuse, as always."

Motoko Yagami finished her coffee and said, "Report today's schedule, Ms. Kara."

"At 8 a. m., you need to attend a team meeting at headquarters. All ten team leaders will be present. This is also the last routine meeting before the new minister arrives."

"At 12 o'clock, you need to go to the 'Digital Space'. According to surveillance, there has been an increasing number of data migrants there recently. You will be participating in the questioning process of the EarthNet Group."

"4 PM, combat training as usual."

"At 10 PM, as the interim minister, I will participate in the six-ministry meeting online."

"Let's go, let's go to headquarters first."

Motoko Yagami simply threw on a red jacket and went out in her bodysuit.

Soon, an automated flying car flew out from the high-end data apartment in the mother city and entered the magnetic energy channel.

"Miss Shell".

"I am here."

"What kind of person do you think our new minister is?"

"We've dealt with each other before. Ever since 'Life's Glory' appeared, there's been a 4% chance that the person who stopped us in 'The Fugitive Game' was Mr. G."

"That monstrous creature, huh?"

"Yes."

"I'm referring to his personality—assertive? mild-mannered? ambitious? or eccentric?"

"Based on the information I've gathered, this Mr. G is not a man who likes to show off. In most cases, he hides behind women and only steps forward when absolutely necessary. According to gossip, he has extremely close relationships with Ms. Black Rose from the android world and Ms. Du Zhaodi from the mercenary world."

"He seems to have a natural affinity for strong, powerful, and assertive women. I believe you will have a very pleasant time with him."

Motoko Yagami paused for a moment.

Even after the flying car landed, automatically transformed, and sank into the floor, Motoko Yagami was still pondering the origin of Mr. G's strange personality.

According to biology, when young animals lack the protection of their mothers in their early development, certain hormones may be secreted inadequately, causing them to prefer stronger females when seeking a mate.

So, is this Mr. G lacking maternal love?

"Sister Motoko!"

"Team leader."

"Team leader."

Motoko Yagami nodded expressionlessly. Her gaze swept across the room and she saw Hitomi sitting at her workstation, chatting with her girlfriends about gossip. The gossip was about a wealthy man who married a female android superstar, only to discover that the star's company was still producing "love companion" models of the female star. So, he angrily sued the company.

"Captain, breaking news," the lazy Chapai leaned over and whispered gloatingly, "It's said that the combat captains of several groups are unhappy with our insider trading and have decided to teach the new minister a lesson."

"Um."

"Huh? Captain, why haven't you said anything?"

"What should I say?"

Chapai scratched his cheek. Could it be that the new minister offended Captain Motoko? Impossible, Mr. G is a big fan of strong women.

The team leader is beautiful, assertive, and has a high status—perfectly matching the other person's XP.

He was pondering whether he should say something nicer, after all, Mr. G had saved his life before; unfortunately, Motoko Yagami had already entered the conference room.

"Motoko, you're not suited to be the head of the Ghost in the Shell Mobile Division."

"Minister, you're not dead!?"

"I have a great candidate, and I hope you can recommend him. My connections within the department will also help you accomplish this."

Why not me?

Do you remember the story I told you?

"The test site is intact; are there monsters beneath the starry sky?"

Even in the darkness, Motoko Yagami could feel the regret in the other person's eyes, which made her clench her fists slightly.

"I taught you the morality and laws of civilized times, which gave you a humanity that is out of step with this era. But to control the monster that is 'Ghost in the Shell,' humanity alone is not enough; you also need to be devoid of humanity. However, being devoid of humanity is not the same as being bestial."

You have humanity, and you have animalistic instincts, but you're not yet capable of being without humanity.

"Can he really do it?"

"I think he can do it."

By the time Motoko Yagami came to her senses, the meeting had already ended, and she had been sitting there for a while.

"Miss Shell".

"I am here."

"Give me access to the digital space."

"Yes."

As the wall opened, electronic sockets split off from Motoko Yagami's temples, shoulders, thighs, and feet.

This is a brain-computer interface technology that cannot be mass-produced.

The computing power it requires is definitely beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Motoko Yagami stepped into the wall, and the next moment, eight data cables were inserted into the sockets. In the signal cable that covered the entire Goku Mobile Department building, a phantom figure flashed by, traversing space and time, and suddenly arrived in the 'digital space' that was like the deep sea.

"Welcome, Captain Motoko," a wise man said with a smile.