"すべてが変わる、再び。"
Overture
Larry Foulke (voice over and voiced by Jouji Nakata): "City streets which used to be crowded with people now are merely filled with patrolling tanks and infantries, defensive emplacements choke all intersections with apparent animosities, mop-up forces sweep every corner to root out last traces of resistances, civilians struggle to live on strictly rationed resources while huddling up with anxiety and fear for uncertain future…above all, fighters full loaded with ordnance usurped the sky which is scattered with falling meteorites. What happened to this world? Why anywhere and everything is plagued with troops who are obviously not very friendly to locals? As a visitor from another planet, you may have been shocked upon witnessing such an uncanny beginning of 21st century. To relieve your confusion, a brief history lesson would be nice."
(following contents in this chapter emerge and move like Opening Crawl of Star Wars: A New Hope)
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…sorry, wrong script. Let's try again.
A story thus far…
【Background Music: Deep Strike】
エースコンバット
エピソード4
そらのかけら
During the long history of Usean Continent, for reasons such as geopolitics and economy, two opposing factions were formed. In the western regions, Federal Republic of Erusea (abbr. Erusea), a strong power backed by sheer military might, always had strained relations with eastern countries, especially the alliance which represented such nations, Central Usea Treaty Organization (abbr. UTO). The main body of UTO, Federation of Central Usea (abbr. FCU), deployed oversea army corps to achieve a standoff against Erusian forces, a balance was maintained for many years.
But soon the two sides were forced to face a common, unprecedented threat.
In October 1994, Ulysses 1994XF04 Asteroid was detected, later International Astronomical Union concluded it was running on a collision course to Planet Strangereal. This asteroid had a diameter of 2 km, although way smaller than the asteroid or comet which believed to bring Cretaceous–Paleogene Extinction Event on Planet Earth 65 million years ago, but after the calculation of its mass, velocity and impact angle as well as other essential factors, which were run by Shellsbridge University, this celestial body would hit planet surface on approximately July 3rd 1999. It was also forecasted that from equator to northern hemisphere, a large portion of planet surface would be potential positions of direct impact, Usean Continent was in center of such area. Worse, the magnitude of impact would equal to 2 million nuclear warheads and would cause an Impact Winter equals to a Substantial Nuclear Winter (Category IV Nuclear Winter).
The world was in panic upon acknowledging impending catastrophe. FCU announced it will take actions to prevent the worst outcome for itself and its allies. Four major measures were implemented as starters:
1. Construct a missile defense system, much like TMD or NMD, for member nations of UTO
2. Build underground shelters in major cities
3. Recall military forces garrisoned in foreign lands
4. In order to impede political unrest caused by rumors, censorship of computer networks and cellphones are justified
Later, the primary countermeasure against incoming asteroid, Stonehenge Turret Network (abbr. Stonehenge), was announced. This megastructure was an array of large-caliber railguns which utilized both electronic-magnetic rail acceleration and ramjet propulsion, based on fundamental schematics donated by Osean Federation. Stonehenge is powered by an underground nuclear reactor and is linked with supercomputers and observation posts around continent, as well as satellites, all of them are for the sole purpose: Intercepting and destroying asteroid and its fragments before they hit ground.
To bring such an artificial wonder into reality, the best scientists, technicians, engineers, materials and equipment from every nation on Planet Strangereal gathered together, contributing their efforts to this project which was considered as the accumulation of greatest achievements of entire humankind's military technologies. After considering population density and regional economic development disparities, Stonehenge was not constructed on geographic center of Usean Continent. Instead it was chosen to be built on a high mountaintop within San Salvacion's (abbr. San Salvacion) territory, a small neutral country also one of the clashing point of eastern and western factions. A protest was held by San Salvacion citizens, but it didn't change anything.
Aside of Stonehenge, auxiliary projects were underway too. Megalith, a giant stronghold capable of launching ballistic missiles, was under construction on Twinkle Islands, off coast of Erusea. A similar facility called Intolerance, located in the other end of Usean Continent, island nation Republic of North Point, was being reconditioned for similar functions. There was also a plan to use chemical gas laser weaponry mounted on satellites to annihilate a part of asteroid's mass before it got too close, reducing pressures on Stonehenge and secondary anti-asteroid projects.
Countries in other continents also took their own measures to deal with the Ulysses 1994XF04 Asteroid. Two global superpowers, Osean Federation (abbr. Osea) and Union of Yuktobanian Republics (abbr. Yuktobania) both strengthened their own capabilities of ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads. Meanwhile as the very first nation put railgun technologies into practical uses, Osean Federation restarted construction of its space-based superweapon Strategic Orbital Linear Gun. Strategic Orbital Linear Gun was a colossal railgun longer than 1 kilometer that based on same principles of Stonehenge's main cannons, originally designed to counter Excalibur, the gigantic chemical gas laser tower build by Principality of Belka in Belkan War, but the war ended before its completion, so this unmanned armed space station was abandoned in orbit. Osean Federation made some improvements to Strategic Orbital Linear Gun when the project was resumed, enabling it to shoot nuclear warheads into deep space in order to gradually reduce asteroid's overall mass, much like the laser satellites were intended to do.
Humankind's efforts of planetary defense met severe setbacks soon. At beginning of 1997, a continent-scale coup d'état known as "Usean Rebellion" or "First Usean Continental War" broke out, both Intolerance and laser satellites were seized by coup d'état force, aka "Usean Unified Force" and were subsequently destroyed during final phase of the war. Construction of Stonehenge was delayed until rebellion finally was suppressed. From bad to worse, in mid-1998, a space probe studied Ulysses 1994XF04 Asteroid from close range transmitted back disturbing data, after analysis, International Astronomical Union announced the celestial body had a gap or hollow internally, thus would make it break into many fragments upon entering Roche Limit between itself and Planet Stangereal, those fragments would affect a much wider area than previously anticipated. In short, from 150 degrees west of prime meridian to 135 degrees east of prime meridian were included into revised estimated "unsafe zone". But Stonehenge was almost completed at that point and couldn't receive major modifications to counter new situation, as the project's state of presidency, FCU decided to use it against asteroid and its possible fragments nevertheless.
The new information of Ulysses 1994XF04 Asteroid triggered huge refugee flood, millions of people escaped to "safe zone" such as Osean Continent. As crisis drew near, entire world banded together, waiting for the arrival of the nemesis from outer space.
July 3rd 1999 (or July 8th according to some sources), a day of darkness. Ulysses 1994XF04 Asteroid breached Roche Limit between itself and Planet Stangereal, separated into two halves. The bigger half fell directly to Usean Continent and the other half continued to advance to Anean Continent, during the process they kept on disintegrating into thousands pieces of major fragments. Stonehenge and other planetary defense systems did their best to destroy as many as possible, still unable to prevent planet surface being bombarded by debris. During the first two weeks, half a million people perished in Usean Continent, countless urban and rural infrastructures were razed in ruins, pecuniary loss was estimated to be 18 months of entire continent's GDP.
Other continents also suffered damages to different extents. Anean Continent was severely devastated as Usean Continent did, Osean Continent and Verusan Continent were lucky enough to sustain unapparent losses. Globally, there were about 20 million casualties.
Countries in Usean Continent began shift attentions to aftermath issues, refugee problems, was a major component. Since infrastructures of continent-wide were too smashed, millions of people fell homeless. Each nation was given a pass-line of refugee reception. However most of countries were in dire shapes during that time, and the very reason to unify them — the asteroid, no longer existed, so tensions sparked, especially the rift between eastern and western factions which had been overlooked for years, emerged again.
Erusea took a major hit from Ulysses 1994XF04 Asteroid. A large-sized fragment crashed into Spring Sea, off the coast of Erusian Capital, Farbanti. Initial tsunami killed tens of thousands inhabitants, southern sectors of the city also sank into ocean thanks to crustal deformation triggered by fragment impact. In addition, 9 other asteroid pieces fell on different locations inside Erusian territory, which made Erusea one of the worst stricken countries. Despite such reality, eastern nations insisted Erusea should take in more refugees, for it was a major economic entity and processed a military power on a par with total strength of FCU and its allies. Being sandwiched by both internal and external pressures, Erusian decided to take radical solutions, namely war.
When time reached summer of 2003, four years after impact of Ulysses 1994XF04 Asteroid, Erusian army suddenly launched a blitz on San Salvacion. Airstrikes, followed by a three-day ground battle, San Salvacion fell in a blink of eyes. Stonehenge, which was under UTO's command, also seized by Erusea, with garrison force defeated and operators taken custody.
Invasion of San Salvacion marked beginning of Second Usean Continental War. Erusea gained a staging point for subsequent offensives, but the most prized premium was Stonehenge, which had been re-purposed to cleanse asteroid debris left outside atmosphere. Stonehenge was designed as a planetary defense system against asteroid, but could be used as an ultra-long-range anti-air and anti-satellite system as well, for its deadly slugs which traveled at super-hypersonic velocity, could pulverize anything within maximum range (1500 kilometers). If that was not enough, Stonehenge could also function as an ultra-long-range ground-to-ground delivery system, with precise calculations accompanying with air-resistance and gravity, it can rain death upon almost anywhere on surface within its range too. Having such a trump card in hand, Erusea was ready to get rid of those pesky eastern nations once and for all.
In response to Erusea's actions, FCU and other countries declared statements of accusation. President of FCU, Robert Sinclair, announced a proposition of creating an international military alliance called "独立国家連合軍/Independent States Allied Force (abbr. ISAF)", which include 11 member nations from the already-existed organization "大陸諸国間経済同盟/Economic League of Continental Nations" as well as 5 other countries, totally 16 sovereign states.
However, situation didn't go well for FCU and its allies. Since Stonehenge was under Erusian control, ISAF's air force and ground force were taking heavy beatings all the way, Federal Erusea Air Force and Federal Erusea Land Force even didn't need to be dispatched in many cases. Battlefront was quickly moving eastward. When escaping from Los Canas, a metropolis located in east/southeast of Usean Continent, ISAF took a very risky bet.
Stonehenge was the largest threat to ISAF and there was no way to initiate any valid counterstrikes inside of its range, so destroying such a terrifying weapon was an essential issue ever since retreating began. In desperation, ISAF attempted to destroy it with air force via infiltrating at ultra-low altitude. Due to limitation of operating radius, ISAF couldn't launch an airstrike on Stonehenge from air force bases too eastward, Los Canas was barely in range and would fall to Erusea shortly. Time is ticking, chances are dwindling, ISAF finally made decision, dispatched a squadron of twelve F-15Es, escorted by another twelve F-15Cs, in an attempt to knock out Stonehenge. All aircraft were piloted by best pilots selected from those who survived the previous battles, to increase combat duration of F-15Es, ISAF even armed them with minimum payloads. Pilots knew they were going on a kamikaze mission, but they took to skies.
Surprisingly, the brave twenty-four planes approached Stonehenge without any troubles, but their lucks ended soon. Suddenly five Erusian Su-37s appeared and engaged ISAF squadron. These fighters were from none other than Federal Erusian Air Force 156th Tactical Fighter Wing "Aquila", aka "Yellow Squadron" for all of them had specialized yellow paint scheme. ISAF squadron was exterminated in short order, days later Erusian army occupied Los Canas.
Following loss of Los Canas, ISAF continued to run eastward, with Erusian army pursued like a love-struck wooer, soon both of them moved out from Stonehenge's maximum range limit. ISAF decided to evacuate to islands off eastern coast, and relocated its General Headquarter to Republic of North Point.
On the other hand, since Erusea's superiority over ISAF was largely attributed to Stonehenge, once exceeded its range limit, Erusian army couldn't enjoy hegemony in both air and ground, other problems also arose, such as extended replenishment lines and declining numbers of available mobile units. As a result, Erusian army's pace began to drop, gave ISAF time to breath and put themselves together. In summer of 2004, eastern sectors of Usean Continent had been ISAF-free, Erusea was hurried to stabilize new-taken territories, didn't attack island over the sea. In northern provinces, there were still many ISAF units stranded and were bombarded by Erusea, a radar facility "Northern Eye" were activated atop Mt. Shezna to implement electronic warfare against any evacuation efforts carried out by ISAF, even Saint Ark, or what was left of it (since the city was almost erased from map by meteor storm), was covered by jamming field.
At this point, Erusea almost controlled entire continent, ISAF was on a blink of total defeat. With tremendous military advantage, Erusea should hold a ceasefire negotiation to secure its claims, but it never did.
Erusea's victory was not stable, they had to face resistances in many areas, also needed to purge remaining ISAF units in north, not to say since they took over too many lands, an enormous portion of military strength must be redirected to maintain local orders...in short, they reached limit of expansion. Despite these facts, Erusea was still preparing to crush ISAF once and for all. After learning ISAF's General Headquarter was poorly defended from strategic air force, Federal Erusea Air Force gathered a Tu-95 squadron at Rigly Air Base, a former ISAF facility, intended to destroy ISAF's central command via airstrike. Meanwhile, Aegir Fleet, the pride and joy of Federal Erusea Navy, was being deployed in Comberth Harbor, getting ready to invade North Point via sea and open beachheads for ground forces.
Larry Foulke (voice over): "This is the world situation of that time, before the entry of a certain individual."
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