Post by 2-01 Monitor Adjutant Bias on Aug 13, 2010 4:02:03 GMT -5
Important Events, Pre/During Human-Covenant War:
- 100,000 B.C.E. - The Forerunners fired the Halo Rings, killing all sentient life within three radii of the galactic center. Homo Sapiens began their migration out of the continent of Africa on Earth.
- 852 B.C.E. - The War between the San'Shyuum and the Sangheili comes to an end, with their new alliance being dubbed 'The Covenant.'
- 784 B.C.E - During one of the first Ages of Conversion Covenant forces discover the planet Te and with it the Lekgolo. They discover that many of the Lekgolo worm colonies have literally devoured Forerunner artifacts and installations.The Lekgolo initially prove difficult to defeat however the Covenant are able to ally with and tame the useful Lekgolo.
- 1112 - The Yanme'e are incorporated into The Covenant as a slave race.
- 1342 - The Covenant discover the Kig-Yar. Although the Kig-Yar initially attempt to resist absorption into the alliance they quickly recognize that they are facing a superior force and submit, taking on the roles of explorers and traders (and often thieves and smugglers.)
- 2080 - Humans settle on Luna, Mars, the Jovian Moons, and asteroids.
- 2142 - In early 2142 the Covenant discover the Unggoy homeworld, Balaho. The Unggoy surrender almost immediately in the imposing presence of the Sangheili and are incorporated into the Covenant.
- 2163 - The United Nations Space Command was established to eliminate the various Rebel organizations in the Sol System.
- 2170 - A Unified Earth Government is formed in the wake of the conflicts of the 2160s. Now, the victors were forced to deal with a less obvious but equally serious threat: overpopulation and a massive military that had no enemy to fight. In the post-war period there were massive population surges and the overpopulation, coupled with the destruction and famine bred by the Rain Forest Wars, threatened to destabilize the economy.
- 2291 - A group of researchers headed by Tobias Shaw and Wallace Fujikawa secretly developed the Shaw-Fujikawa Slipspace Drive, a practical means of propelling spacecraft across vast interstellar distances. This new engine allowed ships to tunnel into "the Slipstream" (also called "Slipspace")
- 2310 - The Earth government unveils the first in a line of colony ships; given conditions on Earth are deteriorating in the face of overpopulation, hitching a ride out to a colony becomes a highly attractive option. only the best-qualified citizens and soldiers are allowed to colonize "nearby" worlds. This is the birth of the Inner Colonies, the elite of colonies.
- 2313 - The construction of the Quito Space Tether is completed. The first Space Elevator is born.
- 2321 - The ORION Project is first initiated. Poor results determine the Office of Naval Intelligence to temporarily put the project on hold.
- 2390 - The colonization of the Inner Colonies is fully underway. There are 210 Human-occupied worlds in various stages of terraforming, and the population burden across human-controlled space is largely stabilized.
- 2462 - The Unggoy Rebellion occurs. After much conflict in the Covenant, an Arbiter is sent in to end the rebellion.
- 2468 - The planet of Harvest is established as the 17th Human colony, the UNSC Skinblandir transporting the first colonists.
- 2490 - Human space encompasses more than 800 worlds throughout the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy (ranging from fairly well-tamed planetary strongholds to tiny hinterland settlements). Outward expansion continued, and the Inner Colonies become a political and economic stronghold, though they rely heavily on raw materials supplied by the Outer Colonies. During this period, the planet Reach (orbiting Epsilon Eridani, right on Earth's metaphorical doorstep) becomes the UNSC's primary Naval yard and training academy. Reach is a major producer of warships and colony vessels, as well as a training ground for covert operatives and Special Forces.
- 2491 - The Orion Project is initiated, the Spartan-I Program operating under its auspices, and the planet of Onyx is discovered and recommended for colonization.
- 2492 - The Covenant stumbles upon Doisac, the Jiralhanae homeworld. The Jiralhanae were just beginning to recover after warring themselves back into a pre-industrial state, and were quickly forced into submission by the Covenant's superior forces, making them the final species absorbed into the alliance.
- 2494 - March 2nd: Three UNSC Destroyers confront the insurgent-controlled UNSC Callisto in the 26 Draconis System at the culmination of the Callisto Incident. It is effectively the beginning of the Insurrection.
- 2496 - The Eridanus Insurrection is defeated by UNSC forces at the cost of four destroyers. Still, this is considered a monumental victory for the rebels, as most of their forces were still active.
- 2506 - Project ORION, the original SPARTAN project - the first attempt by the Colonial Military Administration to create and train teams of super-soldiers for covert military operations in the Outer Colonies - is deactivated. Though the Spartans are effective, their abilities fall short of original expectations, and they are far too expensive to develop.
- 2511 - A report is made on Forerunner artifacts found during routine excavations in an area designated Zone 67 on Onyx. First known Human findings of something from an Alien culture.
- 2517 - The SPARTAN-II Project is initiated, led by Dr. Catherine Halsey. Seventy-five children are conscripted into the SPARTAN II program, and are led in training by Chief Petty Officer Franklin Medndez.
- 2524 - Horn of Plenty's navigation box is retrieved by Covenant forces and its contents are analyzed by the Huragok Lighter Than Some. Lighter Than Some finds the vessel's point of origin. The Covenant ship, Minor Transgression, heads off to obtain more spoils.
- 2525 - The Covenant ship Minor Transgression attacks another human ship (the Bulk Discount), said human ship having the Walk of Shame in support and hosting not only Staff Sergeant Avery Junior Johnson and Byrne but also an arsenal of weapons. The aliens are repelled (though Johnson receives a fractured skull) and the ship destroyed, though Dadab and Lighter Than Some are able to escape in a escape pod after making a report on the relics they've found. On February 23rd Harvest is evacuated, with over 20,000 civilian deaths and marking the start of the Human-Covenant War. Afterwards, The Covenant show they have been studying humans for quite some time, and UNSC ships are placed on full alert for Covenant Vessels.
- 2531 - The SPARTAN-III Program is initiated. The UNSC Spirit of Fire makes first known contact with the Flood.
- 2535 - Most Outer Colonies have been destroyed. The Cole Protocol is established by military order.
- 2536 - Covenant Forces begin invading the Inner Colonies.
- 2547 - ONI Section Two goes public with the SPARTAN-II Program. The SPARTAN-III Program, however, remains confidential.
- 2552 - The Planet of Reach falls, a group of SPARTANs and Dr. Catherine Halsey is trapped on the Shield World of Onyx, and John-117, Staff Sergeant Avery Junior Johnson, and Captain Jacob Keyes do battle with the Covenant on the Halo ring Installation 04. John-117 and Johnson destroy the ring, and return to Earth. Covenant forces begin their assault on Earth, and the Great Schism begins with the discovery of the truth about the Halo Rings. Miranda Keyes, Johnson, John-117, and Thel'Vadam follow The Prophet of Truth to The Ark, killing Truth and bringing an end to the Human-Covenant War. Mirandaa dn Johnson lost their lives in the conflict, and though John-117, Cortana, and Thel'Vadam escaped, the aft section of the Forward Unto Dawn broke off, leaving Cortana and John-117 drifting toward an unknown planet.