The armor shines golden. The people of many nations gather before his beatific countenance. In a world of chaos and confusion, now an atmosphere of solemn silence comes over the castle, and prayers which transcend religion start up. Separated from their homes, they are evacuees partaking of a holy night in new lands. As they bow their head in respect, there are none who can keep from shaking in the face of the greatest threat mankind has ever faced. Fleeing from the doom of Usea that is the coming of Ulysses, people have begun to scatter across the world.
An Ancient Castle Turned Shelter
Gracemeria: capital of the Republic of Emmeria. This city, designated capital during the transition to a republic, is known also for Kings Bridge, which ties the Old Town to the new city which developed across the bay. It is a highly developed metropolis for Anea, to say nothing of Emmeria itself.
On an elevated hilly patch of land overlooking urban Gracemeria is an old castle from the prosperous time during the 15th century, when monarchs still reigned. Construction work on underground shelters is taking place at a fever pitch on these vast premises, and the first groups of accepted refugees have begun settling down in the part which had already been prepared. While they have not reached the level of excavation as major cities in Usea due to this improvised construction beginning a mere three months ago, according to the construction contractors, the shelter's outer walls will be robust. Constructed out of high strength fiber reinforced concrete, they are said to be impact resistant yet capacious, with the capacity to accommodate as many as 15000 people. The amount of space allocated to each person is 3.3m^2. Whether amenities greater than this will be required is, however, another matter.
Within the city too, there are plans to construct 16 shelters both large and small. Ultimately 200,000 remaining evacuees will face Ulysses Day on this ground. It is the most developed of the major cities of Anea, and it has taken on the most evacuees in the entire world after Oured, the capital of the Osean Federation.
Currently as of December '98, there are plans to erect shelters at 160 locations among the IUN's [1] members alone, and each nation has announced how many evacuees they will take from Usea and its environs according to the difference in their development. Further, refugee support activities for medical supplies, food, blankets, and outreach have already begun with NGOs forming the core. Their network is spreading further.
Half a year remains until the coming of the asteroid. As though hastened by the closing of Ulysses in the northern skies, the great migration of peoples has begun.
The Expanded Breadth of Damage
In the background of this recent massive increase in evacuees is the monthly Ulysses damage forecast released by the International Astronomical Union in July of last year. According to it, a space exploration probe was approaching as of the 42nd month of continued follow-up observation by the Comona Observatory (June 1998). When the imaging and gravity analysis results were synthesized, the composition of the asteroid's structure became more clear. It became evident that Ulysses' internal structure was possibly hollow or otherwise creviced. The IAU astrophysics team recalculated its orbital trajectory based on its internal structure, and Shieldsbridge University verified their work. Upon entering the Earth's gravity, the disintegrated Ulysses would fall in roughly two groupings. It was discovered that the rock fragments would spread more widely over the Earth's surface than had been commonly thought.
Unusually, the IAU announced their damage forecast solely on their own accord. The reason for this was that there was agreement between the FCU government and the IUN [1] assembly that a comprehensive revision of the FCU-led STN project could not at this point conceivably take place. The STN project to that point had aimed to intercept fragments of Ulysses which had crossed the Roche Limit and dispersed over a range assumed to be 1200~1500km from the center of Usea. However, the updated damage pattern was larger than this: it was forecasted that debris would spread in a pattern threading the meridian from 135 degrees east to 30 degrees west.
While the region projected to be most afflicted remained Usea, Stonehenge (the meteorite interceptor cannon), despite its excellent interception capabilities, could not respond in the event that the eastern part of the Anean continent bordering on the Arctic was also affected. Furthermore, the various risks which would arise from increasing its interception range would stoke new fires among nations already struggling to coordinate between themselves. At the present stage, it was judged that the FCU should prioritize ensuring the stability of the STN program overall, and that their partner states credibly fulfill their responsibilities to each other.
Naturally, the nations of Anea were in an uproar when the possibility Ulysses could fall on their continent was suggested. Though completion of Stonehenge in San Salvacion is within sight for Usea, a state of utter despair prevails over us, who can wield neither their technology nor resources in our own defense. There are many who ask the IAU and FCU – who suddenly dropped the possibility of an impact on us – to use their crisis management capabilities to take responsibility, and large scale demonstrations voicing a lack of confidence have erupted across the land. The people feel backed into a corner. It would be impossible to expect a cool headed response in light of these sentiments. Even the most scientifically correct decisions may not be enough to save their lives.
However, in the midst of the chaos, Sir Albert Lawrence of the former royal family of the Emmerian Republic has begun to gather the world to his call.
The World Responds to Emmeria
Evacuees enter the country every day from the air force base on the west side of the castle. Sir Lawrence greets each person individually as though to honor the tired families after their long flight. Lawrence, a descendant of King Aurelius, lobbied the Emmerian government to accept Ulysses evacuees, and further advocated to shape the policies of surrounding nations, especially those ruled by monarchies. The construction of a shelter within the historic castle was by his will, but this decision was made for a reason beyond charity that anyone with a deep understanding of the castle's internal structure will understand.
Castles are something constructed as a defensive position against an assaulting foe. It plays a key role in battles while simultaneously being a storage location for food, weapons, and monetary resources. These castles – places where politics and intelligence converge – are often built in mountainous areas. This is purely for defensive reasons, as it makes it difficult for enemies to ingress, and at the same time provides an escape from flooding and other natural disasters.
Sir Lawrence determined that these construction characteristics also offered certain advantages in the case of a giant asteroid falling on them. The passages and rooms which run extensively underneath the castle could be used as evacuee facilities, and it would be possible to expand them through the firm soil on which the castle rests. It would be possible to efficiently carry out whatever activities necessary to preserve lives for whatever situations arise, since a castle may administer to its supply stockpile independently even if cut off from vital infrastructure. Even in the event a rock falls into the ocean, if you recall the location requirement for a castle – that it must be constructed on an elevation – the effects of a tsunami can be kept to a minimum, even if located in a coastal area.
Almost no currently maintained fortifications in countries other than Gracemeria Castle have any utility beyond their historical value. Noting this point, Sir Lawrence lobbied the royalty in other countries about what they should utilize to aid evacuees. The Emmerian government supported him overall, and developed a comprehensive relief plan prioritizing areas where the impact hazard level is high. They attempted to dispatch vital personnel from international humanitarian organizations and the like using their personnel transport aircraft and ships. "If it were the aggressive FCU, who would defend us? The falling of the asteroid affects us all, and we are calling on you for action." It did not take long for countries to reply to the Emmerian government's cry.
The Legend of the Golden King
"I remember when I was a kid. Right about where you're standing is where my secret base was," Sir Lawrence recalls with a mischievous smile. We were guided to the audience room where the evacuees are gathered, facing the golden royal statue sitting upon the throne. With many of the display items removed into storage, the only thing left to the citizens was the massive likeness. Sir Lawrence answered the ardent wish of the people that the only thing they wished to share in when the asteroid fell was the Golden King: the cornerstone of the Emmerian people, and their spiritual home. It's said that this is the first place evacuees coming into the country gather as well. The Golden King was made for the heroic king Aurelius II in the Medieval period, based on the god of war "the Golden Giant" as depicted in ancient myths told across Anea. The land of Gracemeria had been blessed since times of old, but as princes fought for control over the territory, Gracemeria was devastated, and public order became poor. She was invaded by foreign nations as well. The kingship fell, and the situation in Emmeria became chaotic. The one who stood up to stop the conflict and stop the intrusions from foreign lands was Aurelius II.
The soldiers in possession of the Golden King, made to improve the morale of their allies, were proud of their victories, and gradually enemies confronted with it began to lose their will to fight. Many victories came without fighting. In the final scheme of things, he won over the Emmerian princes, established his rule domestically, closed the gaps controlled by foreign countries, and stopped the conflict. This story was even referenced in the Declaration of Establishment of a New State during Emmeria's transition to a republic.
Its expression was by Aurelius II's design. Its similarity to a certain nearby face did not escape our notice. It's a face which shows a love of peace as much as courage. It radiates a glow a world apart from the cold weather outside the window, accepting the people's prayers. Today is a blessed day. Many feelings overlap each other, and singing voices can begin to be heard.
Sir Lawrence closes his eyes and says this:
"I want to do as he did. That's all."
The extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago was due to an asteroid impact, but it's possible asteroid impacts have influenced the course of human history greatly before. The sudden annihilation of civilization, the disappearance of culture which seems to cut off at that period, the rise of apocalyptic ideas. But that time, humanity regrew towards prosperity. As written by many historians, perhaps this event will be recorded in history as yet one more great trial for humanity – that is, if we survive to that future day. However, it is our ardent belief that we can conquer the coming hardships and catastrophes. This is not something which befalls but a man; it is the path all humanity walks.
Translation Notes
[1] 国連 (kokuren) refers to the United Nations in real life, but it is unclear what it refers to in Strangereal. This is a matter of debate even among Japanese fans. We assume it is the same IUN mentioned in Usea Today.
