2525

2525 was the year in the 2520s in the 26th century. It was a year that saw the start of the Human-Covenant War, which would become a twenty-seven year long engagement between the Covenant Empire and the United Nations Space Command. The war began after first contact between the belligerents at the human Outer Colony of Harvest. The emergence of the Covenant threat prompted the training of the Spartan-II supersoldiers to be accelerated and a group of them were selected for their very first live combat mission in September of this year, an operation to capture the United Rebel Front colonel, Robert Watts.

Events[edit]

January 2

January 5

January 16

Members of the Harvest militia go on a march carrying 25 kilogram rucksacks. Afterwards, Johnson and Ponder attend Harvest's Solstice Celebration. Johnson is briefed by Jilan al-Cygni as to why he and Byrne are there: to prevent Insurrectionist attacks on UNSC freighters.^[3]

January 17

The Covenant ship Minor Transgression attacks a human ship (the Bulk Discount), said human ship having the Walk of Shame in support and hosting not only 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 an escape pod after making a report on the relics they've found. Colonial Militia trainees Wallace Jenkins, Forsell, Wick and Andersen begin target practice.^[4] The Ministry of Fortitude holds a statistic-based meeting. The Minister of Fortitude takes stimulants to help him through the ordeal.^[5]

January 18

Fortitude wakes up, the hangover effect of the stimulants taking hold. The Vice Minister of Tranquility alerts him to the Luminary detections made by Minor Transgression. They resolve to use them to usher in an Age of Reclamation and secure their position as the next trio of Hierarchs.^[5] Walk of Shame is dispatched to Reach to request that FLEETCOM send a battle group in the event of first contact escalating into bloodshed.^[6]

January 19

Johnson regains consciousness and is debriefed by Nils Thune and al-Cygni. Johnson resolves to accelerate the militia's training.^[6]

February 3

At 1423 hours, Harvest's Tiara makes long-range radar contact with the Covenant cruiser Rapid Conversion. Contact is lost with Harvest soon after.^{[citation needed]}

February 9

February 11

First formal contact between the Covenant and humans on Harvest at the Harvest Botanical Gardens. Communications go awry and the Human-Covenant War begins. The Covenant forces, led by Jiralhanae Chieftain Maccabeus, retreat to Rapid Conversion in high orbit over Harvest.^[9]
The Prophet of Restraint impregnates a female San'Shyuum, despite his defective genes making it illegal for him to reproduce. With the mother refusing an abortion, a scandal starts brewing over the issue.^[10]
The Human-Covenant War begins.
Jilan al-Cygni deploys a RQ-XII drone.^[11]

February 22

After a week of remaining still, Rapid Conversion attacks the small, remote town of Gladsheim, while Dextro Xur-pattern Spirits, Jiralhanae, and Yanme'e slaughter its residents. The Harvest militia evacuates the town's few survivors, resulting in the injury of Maccabeus and the death of Ritul.^[12]^[13]

February 23

Evacuation of Harvest. About 22,000-23,000 civilians are killed. Tartarus kills Maccabeus and takes control of the Covenant forces. Rapid Conversion is disabled by Harvest's mass driver while colonists and militiamen escape to the Tiara.^[14]
Large firefights at the Tiara and Harvest's reactor complex ensue. Notable deaths include Ponder,^[14] Vorenus,^[15] Dadab, and Lighter Than Some. Loki destroys the Tiara.^[16]

February 28

March 6

The Office of Naval Intelligence declares Onyx classified after the discovery of Forerunner artifacts.^[20]

March 9

At 1130 hours, the Spartan-IIs undergo rigorous chemical, physical and biological augmentations onboard Medical Facility Endurance in orbit over the planet Reach.^[21]^[22]
At 1552 hours, John-117's surgery starts.^[23]

March 25

The Spartan-IIs awaken aboard Endurance and Halsey assesses the results.^[22] Thirty-three Spartans successfully pass the alterations.^[24] Thirty subjects have died,^{[Note 2]} and twelve are permanently disabled.

March 30

Funeral service is held for those who died undergoing augmentations in the SPARTAN-II program, aboard UNSC Atlas en route to the Lambda Serpentis system.^[25]

April 1