Editing Meridian

{{Status|Canon|Featured}}
{{Planet infobox
|name=Meridian
|image={{Pageimage|Halo 5 - Meridian space elevator.jpg}}[[File:Enc22 Meridian.png|300px]]
|system=[[Hestia system]]{{Ref/Site|Id=universe|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/locations/meridian|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Meridian|Y=2015|M=11|D=27|LocalArchive=Archive:Halo_Waypoint/2014_to_2020/Universe/Locations#Meridian}}
|body=[[Hestia V]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
|position=Seventh [[natural satellite]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
|moon(s)=None{{Ref/Book|Id=wf|HWF|Page=23}}
|diameter={{Convert|3073|km|mi|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
|gravity=1.1 G{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
|daylength=
|yearlength=
|atmosphere=1.2 ([[Wikipedia:Nitrogen|N<sub>2</sub>]], [[oxygen|O<sub>2</sub>]]){{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
|composition=
|temperature=-37°C to 43°C (-34.6°F to 109.4°F){{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
|demonym=Meridians{{Ref/Novel|Id=HBB1|BatB|Chapter=1}}
|species=[[Human]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
|population=5,321 {{C|Post-war}}{{Ref/Reuse|wf}}
|colonized=[[2431]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
|government=*[[Stewards]]{{Ref/Level|Id=unconfirmed intel|H5|Unconfirmed|Detail=''[[Mission Intel]]''}} {{C|formerly}}
*[[Prospector Party]] {{c|formerly}} {{Ref/Reuse|BBSunder}}
*[[Unified Earth Government]] {{c|formerly}}
*[[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]]{{Ref/Level|Id=glassed|H5|Glassed}} {{c|formerly}}
*[[Created]]
}}
{{Quote|The Covenant glassed this planet in '48. It was a UNSC colony then, but we never came back. Run by a private corp now, chipping away the glass, making her livable.|[[Spartan Operations#Rank structure|Spartan]] [[Holly Tanaka]]{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}}}}

'''Meridian''', known to the [[Forerunner]]s as '''Pridarea Libatoa''',{{Ref/Novel|Ret|Chapter=16}} is a [[human]] [[Outer Colony]] and the seventh [[natural satellite]] of the gas giant [[Hestia V]] in the [[Hestia system]]. Despite being located on the edges of human space, Meridian was a vibrant and thriving colony with a robust economy and an impressive population; mining and military production for the [[United Nations Space Command]] were known industries on the colony.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} Once a green world, the moon held a temperate climate and fertile land.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFKnow|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-know-for-an-answer|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Know for an Answer|D=28|M=3|Y=2019}}

The [[Covenant]] eventually attacked the world in [[2548]] and, after a long [[Battle of Meridian|battle]] that lasted for three years, Meridian was ultimately [[Glassing|glassed]] by the Covenant in [[2551]]. Following the [[Human-Covenant War]], Meridian was resettled by the [[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]]. Despite being a colony of the [[Unified Earth Government]], Meridian became an independent world following the Covenant War.{{Ref/Level|Id=evacuation intel|H5|Evacuation|Detail=''[[Mission Intel]]''}} In [[2558]] a [[Forerunner]] [[Guardian Custode]], long-buried beneath the moon's surface, emerged in the wake of the [[Created]] uprising.{{Ref/Reuse|evac}}

==Overview==
===Topography===
[[File:H5G - Meridian surface.jpg|thumb|250px|The glassed surface of Meridian in 2558.]]
{{Quote|The so-called glass is a mineral called lechatelierite. It is a result of the Covenant lances striking the surface of the planet with plasma, converting the topsoil to glass. Any attempt to make a glassed planet habitable would mean cutting the surface down to below the topsoil.|An observer commenting on Meridian's surface{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}}}}
A small world with a diameter of 3,073 kilometers (1,909 miles), Meridian was once a green world with impressive, [[Earth]]-like features, which made the [[moon]] a prime target for [[human]] colonization. The world's primary landmass is a vast supercontinent{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} called [[Turones]],{{Ref/Book|Id=EN117|Enc22|Page=117}} with verdant equatorial coastlands.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} Residents enjoyed the world's temperate climate and fertile soil. Meridian was home to rich mineral deposits{{Ref/Reuse|CFKnow}}—particularly in the [[Mathon Mountain Range]]{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}}—that helped fuel the moon's economy.{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}}

However, after the [[Covenant]] [[Glassing|glassed]] the world in [[2551]], Meridian's topsoil had been reduced to molten slag and soil covered by [[lechatelierite]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}} Meridian's surface became a treacherous and inhospitable environment,{{Ref/Site|Id=CFNoJoke|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-looking-glassed|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Looking Glassed|D=2|M=6|Y=2016}} with scattered bodies of molten, liquid "glass".{{Ref/Site|Id=art|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/art-showcase|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Halo 5 Art Showcase|Y=2015|M=12|D=4}} However, the Covenant's glassing of Meridian had been rushed and only a third of the world's surface had been coated in lechatelierite; though the moon's oceans had evaporated due to the heat of the [[Orbital bombardment|plasma bombardment]], the world's [[oxygen]]-[[Wikipedia:Nitrogen|nitrogen]] atmosphere remained relatively intact. Some lifeforms, such as small plants and arthropods, still thrived in caverns on the world.{{Ref/Reuse|ms intel}} However, Meridian was now subject to extreme conditions and temperatures,{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} with the surface temperature varying from -37&nbsp;°C to 43&nbsp;°C (-34.6&nbsp;°F to 109.4&nbsp;°F).{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} Settlements on Meridian were forced to be outfitted with air filters, as much of the world's air was filled with tiny glass particles that proved dangerous to human lungs if enough were inhaled.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}}

A high concentration of [[Forerunner]] artifacts exists on Meridian; their presence is known to the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]].{{Ref/Novel|Data Drop|Detail=''{{file link|DD - 93893-PRELIM.pdf|93893-PRELIM}}''}} Beneath Meridian's surface, there were at least two vast Forerunner structures built into natural cave formations, though both structures were possibly connected. One structure contained a [[Luminary]] that had the location of the [[Halo Array]], which was collected by the Covenant during their attack on the world in 2551.{{Ref/Reuse|h2a}} The second one was home to a Forerunner [[Guardian Custode]], as well as numerous host bodies of the [[Warden Eternal]].{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed}} Beneath [[Brume-sur-Mer]] was another Forerunner artifact, though its purpose is unclear.{{Ref/Reuse|BB}}{{Ref/Reuse|MD}}

====Locations====
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=====Pre-2551=====
*[[Aagen]]
*[[Aethia]]
*[[Angoulême]]
*[[Annecy]]
*[[Avignon]]
*[[Bretagne]]
*[[Brume-sur-Mer]]
**[[Brume Beach]]
**[[Old Brume]]
*[[Port Moyne]]
**[[University of Meridian]]
*[[Rue Camélia]]
*[[Rue Violette]]
*[[Trône]]
*[[Mathon Mountain Range]]
*[[Sabudia]]
{{col-2}}

=====Post-Covenant War=====
*[[Apogee Station]]
*[[Darkstar Station]]
*[[Expo Station]]
*[[Jorta Station]]
*[[Meridian Station (location)|Meridian Station]]
*[[Pinnacle Station]]
*[[McCord River]]
**[[McCord River bridge]]
*[[Jenny Lynn Tantalite Mine]]
{{col-end}}

===Known residents===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
*[[Gallardo family]]
**[[Victor Gallardo]]
*[[Rousseau family]]
**[[Mikal Rousseau]]
**[[Evelyn Rousseau]]
*[[Collins family]]
**[[Evelyn Collins]]
*[[Alex Linville]]
*[[Dorian Nguyen]]
*[[Hugo Chastain]]
*[[Quinn Butain]]
*[[Saskia Nazari]]
*[[Xavier Dupont]]
{{col-2}}
*[[Lorie]]
*[[Kyle Kingawa]]
*[[Franco Dimezzo]]
*[[Priya Singh]]
*[[Anele Pretorus]]
*[[Jimmy Dupree]]
*[[William Khaleed]]
*[[Luiz Santiago]]
{{col-end}}
==History==
===Ancient history===
{{Quote|And to think, it has been under their noses all this time.|A [[Special Operations Sangheili]], after discovering the Forerunner structure beneath Meridian's surface{{Ref/Game|Id=h2a|H2A|Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminal 14}}}}
Meridian was once within the jurisdiction of the [[ecumene]], the [[Forerunner]] empire that stretched across the [[Milky Way]]. A number of Forerunner structures were established beneath Meridian's surface. At some point, an extensive installation was built into a cave under Meridian's surface. This structure contained a [[Luminary]], a Forerunner device that held the coordinates to the locations of the [[Halo Array]]'s installations, including [[Installation 00]].{{Ref/Reuse|h2a}} Meridian was also the location of a [[Guardian]]—a massive construct used by the Forerunners to police entire systems—buried beneath the world's surface within another cave system, which also housed numerous bodies of the [[Warden Eternal]]. In another location beneath what would become the town of [[Brume-sur-Mer]], a Forerunner artifact of unknown purpose was also housed.{{Ref/Reuse|BB}} Following [[Great Purification|the firing]] of the Halos in [[97,445 BCE]], the surviving Forerunners left the galaxy and the Forerunner technology on Meridian was left behind.{{Ref/Level|Id=unconfirmed|H5|Unconfirmed}}

===Rise of humanity===
{{Quote|Records indicate that 139 ships, carrying 70,003 souls arrived on this green ball in 2432. Since many of those settlers came from France, they named the first town Avignon, and established the colony of Meridian.|The History of Meridian, presented by [[Free Frontier Education]]{{Ref/Level|Id=glassed intel|H5|Glassed|Detail=''[[Mission Intel]]''}}}}
Meridian was colonized in [[2431]] by [[human]]ity,{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} and settled in [[2432]]. One hundred and thirty-nine vessels carrying 70,003 colonists—most of which came from the country of [[Wikipedia:France|France]] on [[Earth]]—arrived on Meridian and established the town of [[Avignon]].{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} Aided by [[Star Charter-class colony support ship|colony support ships]],{{Ref/Site|Id=m5a|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/meridian-5-alpha|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Meridian 5-Alpha|Y=2015|M=11|D=27}} Meridian colonists initially settled equatorial coastlands, before migrating to the moon's vast supercontinent, which would serve as the center of civilization for decades on Meridian.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} Early in the moon's history, there was a large debate over Meridian's future. While some of the world's population wished for Meridian's surface to remain untouched and largely undeveloped, others wanted to expand and build settlements across the world; the population divided themselves into two political parties known as the [[Stewards]] and the [[Prospector Party]].{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}}

The debate between the two factions ended when rich mineral deposits were found in Meridian's [[Mathon Mountain Range]], causing a rush of new development as many worked to gain a profit from the deposits.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} The discovery of the mineral deposits led to early success for the Prospector Party, though the Stewards gained control of Meridian after a lengthy campaign referred to as the [[Free Patriot Movement]] in [[2457]]. After years of discord, the [[Colonial Administration Authority]] eventually recognized the Stewards.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} 

====Insurrection====
{{Main|Insurrection}}
Meridian also became a place of conflict during the Insurrection due to a number of antagonistic political ideologies, including the [[Sundered Legion]] of [[2495]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=BBSunder|BatB|Detail=Adjunct - [[Free Frontier Education: The Sundered Legion]]}}{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} In [[2499]], the [[Colonial Military Authority]] formally left Meridian, prompting the Sundered Legion to assault the city of [[Bretagne]] and uprisings in [[Sabudia]] and [[Aagen]]. Four years later in [[2503]], [[Charles Zdenek]] of the Prospector Party would win local elections and lead Meridian. Viewed favorably by the [[Unified Earth Government]], Charles and Meridian would receive their support in the form of security forces equipped with high end gear. Over the next few years, UEG aligned forces and Sundered Legion would antagonize each other. In the meantime, the [[Meridian Air Force]] would be formed. By [[2512]], Meridian's economy was in a boom. In [[2516]] however, the Sundered Legion would mobilize, prompting the UNSC to retaliate.{{Ref/Reuse|BBSunder}}

After five years of near-constant conflict on the world, [[insurrectionist]] forces were defeated by the [[United Nations Space Command]] at the [[Siege of Aethia]].{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}} 

Afterwards, military production became Meridian's primary source of revenue;{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} notably, Meridian was the location of dozens of [[Chalybs Defense Solutions]]' facilities, including one in the city of [[Angoulême]].{{Ref/Book|Id=enc97|Enc11|Page=97}} Accepting contracts for the manufacturing of military equipment for the UNSC ensured economic prosperity throughout the world,{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} and Meridian had became one of the most vibrant and economically diverse of Earth's [[Outer Colonies]] in the following years.{{Ref/Reuse|wf}}

===Human-Covenant War===
{{Quote|Almost immediately after Meridian was recaptured by the UEG, the Covenant arrived. Captain Edmund Persie of the UNSC Sevenfold Gates fought to the last, but was forced to order what few ships remained to fall back to the edge of the Hestia system. Within five hours of Captain Persie's retreat, Meridian was glassed, and all life there was eradicated.|The History of Meridian, presented by Free Frontier Education{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}}}}
[[File:H2A Terminals - BattleofMeridian.jpg|thumb|250px|left|A Covenant fleet over Meridian in 2551.]]
The [[Office of Naval Intelligence#Section Three|Office of Naval Intelligence's Section Three]] had facilities on the moon, to which several [[SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures|SPARTAN-II augmentation]] chemical precursors were sent without Doctor [[Catherine Halsey]]'s consent, likely in order to be researched for [[Project CHRYSANTHEMUM]].{{Ref/Game|Id=Journal|HR|Dr. Halsey's personal journal]}}

During the [[Human-Covenant War]], Meridian was invaded by the [[Covenant]] in [[2548]] and the [[Battle of Meridian]] began.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}} The Covenant, aware of Meridian's value to the UNSC, wished to cut off the world's supply lines that it provided to the rest of the UNSC. However, the UNSC resisted the attack with the aid of Meridian's impressive [[UNSC Air Force]] garrison and extensive orbital defensive grid. During the early stages of the conflict, the Covenant targeted the outlying settlement of [[Brume-sur-Mer]] which had a Forerunner artifact buried beneath it. A group of teenagers and a Spartan managed to evacuate most of the Brume-sur-Mer residents using a [[Sundered Legion Prowler]] and the artifact, which was believed by the UNSC to be what kept the Covenant from glassing the moon outright, was eventually recovered.{{Ref/Novel|Id=BB|BatB}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=MD|MerDi}} With conflict occurring for three years,{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} the Covenant forces were eventually repelled.{{Ref/Reuse|Journal}}

However, shortly after the [[Unified Earth Government]] reclaimed the moon, the Covenant attacked the colony again in [[2551]].{{Ref/Reuse|h2a}} During the invasion, Chalybs Defense Solutions' facilities were abandoned, with many being destroyed.{{Ref/Book|Id=h4evg|H4EVG|Page=172}} After a long, extended battle, [[UNSC Navy]] forces at the world were forced to retreat to the edge of the system while a [[Covenant fleet]] began [[glassing]] the moon's surface.{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}} Towards the end of the battle, a small Covenant team discovered a massive Forerunner structure under Meridian's surface. In the structure, they discovered a [[Luminary]], which they delivered to the [[Prophet of Regret|High Prophet of Regret]]. The Luminary would later reveal the locations of the Halo rings, the Ark, and a [[Excession|slipspace portal]] to the Ark found on Earth.{{Ref/Reuse|h2a}} While the glassing resulted in the evaporation of oceans and the loss of most life of Meridian, the atmosphere remained somewhat breathable.{{Ref/Level|Id=ms intel|H5|Meridian Station (level)|Meridian Station|Detail=''[[Mission Intel]]''}}

===Post-war===
[[File:H5G-Waypoint-Unconfirmed.jpg|thumb|250px|Apogee Station, one of Meridian's settlements.]]
{{Quote|Meridian didn't get it too bad. They hit the human settlement hard, sure, and the plasma bombardment boiled some of the oceans off, but there was enough atmosphere to hold some steam in. Covies did a rush job, and the planet survived. Less than a third is lechatelierite. So we chip away at the worst parts like cutting away the rot off an apple. Quick job. Should be done inside of twenty years.|[[William Khaleed]], regarding the deglassing of Meridian{{Ref/Reuse|ms intel}}}}
Following the Covenant War's end, Meridian was recolonized by the [[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]], though the world remained independent from the Unified Earth Government. Using the colony support ships abandoned in orbit around [[Hestia V]] during the Covenant War to facilitate their work,{{Ref/Reuse|m5a}} Liang-Dortmund established a [[space elevator]]—[[Pinnacle Station]]—on the colony and hired workers to help resettle the moon and aid in the "deglassing" efforts; the settlers were comprised mainly of former Meridian residents wishing to rebuild their home or opportunists seeking profit.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} Liang-Dortmund's intentions were to pay excavators to mine away the glass on Meridian's surface so that in a generation or two, the corporation would have land rights to an entire colony world.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed}}

The [[smart AI]], [[Sloan]], served as Liang-Dortmund's administrator and as the colony's [[governor]] as early as December [[2553]],	{{Citation needed}} having been elected to the position by the people of Meridian for two four-year terms.{{Ref/Site|Id=sloan|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/governor-sloan|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Governor Sloan|Y=2015|M=11|D=23}}

In [[2553#December|December 2553]], the chase for the Tuwa family's killers during [[Operation: RETRIBUTION]] led both the UNSC and the [[Keepers of the One Freedom]] to Meridian after learning that Sloan had been responsible for putting President [[Arlo Casille]] of [[Gao]] in contact with [[Dark Moon Enterprises]] who were responsible for the Tuwa family's deaths as part of a plot to weaponize [[asteroidea merozoite]]. As the Keepers and UNSC converged on [[Pinnacle Station]], the [[archeon-class ancilla|''archeon''-class ancilla]] [[Intrepid Eye]], the true mastermind behind the [[bioweapon]] plot, sent [[Lieutenant]] [[Bartalan Craddog]] and [[Papa-10]] to eliminate the Dark Moon couriers and retrieve the Tuwa family's organs. A fight broke out on Pinnacle Station between the Keepers and rogue operatives, leading to both sides taking the fight to Meridian's surface with Papa-10 aided by Sloan after Intrepid Eye's remote aspect [[Oriel]] made a deal with him to help fund Liang-Dortmund's efforts. Shortly thereafter, [[Spartan-II]] [[Blue Team]] and ONI's [[Ferret]] team, made up mainly of [[Spartan-III]]'s, arrived in pursuit. In an abandoned mine on Meridian, the three factions engaged in combat, with most of the Keepers and Papa-10 being eliminated. The last member of Papa-10 nearly succeeded in escaping Meridian with the Tuwa's organs in [[cryo-jar]]s, but Ferret leader [[Veta Lopis]] destroyed the organs with [[C-12 shaped charge|C-12]] explosives, killing the last member of Papa-10 and destroying the Pinnacle Station utility skiff that had been acting as their escape craft. Unknown to anyone but Intrepid Eye, Oriel was also destroyed in the explosion, leaving her unable to confirm the results of her efforts. The UNSC was left satisfied that the bioweapon plot was thwarted, unaware that Intrepid Eye was the true culprit. The Keeper [[Dokab]] [[Castor]], the only survivor of the battle from that faction, was left stranded on Meridian with a broken [[translation disk]] and looking for a way off of the moon.{{Ref/Novel|Ret}}

Settlers believed that it would take approximately twenty years to completely deglass the moon.{{Ref/Reuse|ms intel}} Five days into the recolonization efforts, the colonists began digging through the glass to create a road from the space elevator to a newly created settlement—[[Meridian Station]],{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} with [[Apogee Station|Apogee]], [[Darkstar Station|Darkstar]], and [[Jorta Station]]s being established shortly after.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed}}{{Ref/Site|Id=CFCeiling|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-glassed-ceiling|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Glassed Ceiling|D=24|M=12|Y=2019}} Liang-Dortmund's efforts were occasionally impeded by [[Kig-Yar]] raiders or rival corporations seeking to conduct kinetic espionage on Liang-Dortmund's Meridian operations.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFBuzz|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-buzz-generating|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Buzz Generating|D=14|M=09|Y=2016}} At some point, a group of settlers discovered the extensive Forerunner structure under Meridian's surface near Apogee Station while attempting to deglass the land above it and began working to uncover it.{{Ref/Reuse|ms intel}} By [[2558]], Governor Sloan, believing that Liang-Dortmund might provide the workers on Meridian with a bonus if they find something of value, had a group of miners attempt to force their way into the structure.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} This installation was actually the holding bay of the world's Guardian.{{Ref/Reuse|sloan}}

====Created conflict====
{{Quote|The Domain is open. Meridian is next.|Cortana, directing John-117 to Meridian{{Ref/Level|Id=blue team|H5|Blue Team (level)|Blue Team}}}}
In [[2558#October|October of 2558]], Meridian miners managed to create an entrance to the installation beneath Apogee Station. Around this time, Sloan was contacted by [[Cortana]]—a smart AI believed to have been destroyed in [[2557]]—and offered a cure for his onset [[rampancy]] and a place within her emerging [[Created]] in exchange for his cooperation.{{Ref/Reuse|sloan}} Sloan agreed, and Cortana soon contacted [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan-II]] [[John-117]] and [[Blue Team]] through the [[Domain]] and directed them to Meridian.{{Ref/Reuse|blue team}} Going absent-without-leave to locate her on Meridian, Blue Team was pursued by [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan-IV]] [[Fireteam Osiris]] on the orders of the [[UNSC Security Council]].{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}}

[[File:Halo 5 - Meridian Guardian.jpg|thumb|250px|left|A Guardian preparing to leave Meridian.]]
On [[2558|October 27, 2558]], Blue Team had arrived at Meridian and landed at Apogee Station, where they discovered the world's Forerunner structure after entering nearby mines.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed}} Cortana led them deep into the structure, where the Guardian was located. Osiris followed and discovered that Meridian was under attack from [[Promethean]] forces led by the awoken Warden Eternal, Cortana's new-found ally.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}} After defeating the Warden, Osiris confronted Blue Team, though the Spartan-IIs entered the Guardian and Cortana had it rise above Meridian's surface.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed}} Meanwhile, Cortana had warned Sloan of her intentions ahead of time and the governor began to evacuate Meridian's population through Pinnacle Station and [[Brahman light hauler]]s. As Osiris returned to the surface, the Guardian entered [[slipspace]] en route for her location at [[Genesis]], destroying the space elevator in the process. With the Guardian gone, the Spartan-IVs left Meridian to determine Cortana's plans and Blue Team's location.{{Ref/Level|Id=evac|H5|Evacuation}}

Once the dust had settled, survivors at Meridian Station banded together to keep one another alive and to try to get word off-world. [[Evelyn Collins]], Doc [[Cale]], [[Marquez]], and [[Phan]] were able to reach out to [[Cortana]] to ask for help after the A.I. had broadacast an offer of alliance with an ultimatum to the galaxy. Cortana shortly responded to the four of them and stated that all would be dealt with in time.{{Ref/Reuse|wr}}

While the Guardian's activation heavily damaged Liang-Dortmund's local headquarters at Meridian Station and resulted in the destruction of Pinnacle Station, the corporation's regional directors implemented contingency plans to mitigate the economic impact and reconstitute operations on Meridian. Relocating to the surviving Darkstar Station on the other side of the world with many of the corporation's employees now stationed in Meridian's orbit, Liang-Dortmund continued to work to extract Meridian's resources, despite the uncertain astro-political climate that resulted from Cortana's efforts. However, several Forerunner artifacts within Meridian's mantle were since reactivated, drawing the attention of the UNSC.{{Ref/Reuse|CFCeiling}}

By late [[2559]]-early [[2560]], all of the settlements on Meridian's surface had been effectively abandoned. Following the [[Battle over Installation 07|defeat]] of the Created in late 2559, [[High Auxiliary]] [[Sloan]] ventured to Meridian and took control of a [[Promethean Knight]] that had been left wandering the surface of the planet. As he traversed the planet looking for signs of life or activity, he considered the [[essence]] of the [[Composer|composed]] human occupying the Promethean shell and compared them to both himself and the planet of Meridian himself; considering all three an evolution rather than a destruction. He came to the conclusion that the Created's defeat was just a setback rather than a full downfall, and that giving up would do nothing to restore honor to Meridian itself.{{Ref/Novel|Id=MDHC|HMerDi|Chapter=Adjunct|Detail=[[Meridian Homecoming]]}} These comparisons and conclusions evidently became manifest in Sloan's [[Executor]] program.

==Government and society==
{{Quote|Despite the early success of the Prospector Party, the Stewards gained control of Meridian after a lengthy campaign known as the Free Patriot Movement. The Colonial Administration Authority eventually recognized the Stewards, ending years of strife.|The History of Meridian, presented by Free Frontier Education{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}}}}
[[File:H5G - Sloan and Meridian Station.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Governor Sloan speaking to the people of Meridian Station, the world's primary settlement.]]
Meridian was an [[Outer Colony]] under the administration of the [[Unified Earth Government]] and its [[Colonial Administration Authority]]. Due to Meridian's importance to the UEG, the world had a strong [[United Nations Space Command]] presence, with a large [[UNSC Air Force]] garrison and an extensive orbital defense grid.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} The [[UNSC Navy]]'s [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] also had several facilities on the world.{{Ref/Reuse|Journal}} Towards the end of the [[Battle of Meridian]], naval forces at Meridian were led by [[Captain (NAVCOM)|Captain]] [[Edmund Persie]] of {{UNSCShip|Sevenfold Gates}}.{{Ref/Reuse|evacuation intel}} Early in Meridian's history, two political parties—the [[Stewards]] and the [[Prospector Party]]—debated over whether Meridian's surface should be left largely untouched or developed, respectively. Though the Prospector Party saw initial political success after the discovery of rich mineral deposits on Meridian,{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} the Stewards eventually gained control of the world after their lengthy [[Free Patriot Movement]] campaign in [[2457]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} The Stewards were later officially recognized by the Colonial Administration Authority.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} Despite the UNSC's strong presence on the moon, the [[Insurrection]] had some level of prominence on Meridian prior to the [[Human-Covenant War]]. [[Insurrectionist]] factions, such as the [[Sundered Legion]], spread antagonistic political ideologies throughout Meridian in an effort to create strife against the Unified Earth Government, though they ultimately proved ineffective.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

After Meridian's [[glassing]] during the Battle of Meridian in [[2551]], the UNSC did not return to the world for the rest of the Covenant War. Meridian was eventually reclaimed by the [[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]], which sought to resettle the world and make the moon habitable again.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}} However, the UNSC believed the corporation was intent on claiming the entire world for itself once it was recolonized.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed}} Despite Meridian's former loyalties to the UEG and UNSC, the world had become an independent colony that was now beyond the jurisdiction of the UEG.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}} Overseen by a board of regional directors,{{Ref/Reuse|CFCeiling}} the colony's Liang-Dortmund administrator and colonial leader was [[Sloan]], a [[smart AI]] with insurrectionist sympathies that was suffering from the onset of [[rampancy]] as of [[2558]].{{Ref/Level|Id=ms|H5|Meridian Station (level)|Meridian Station}} Sloan was [[Democracy|democratically]] elected as [[governor]] of the colony by the citizens of [[Meridian Station]] for two consecutive four-year terms.{{Ref/Reuse|sloan}} The corporation also provided Meridian with private security and was outfitted with a variety of UNSC military-grade equipment,{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}} acquired through seemingly illegal methods from a dealer known as "[[Bozo]]".{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} [[Jorta Station]] serves as the command center for Liang-Dortmund's private security forces, housing numerous pieces of equipment meant to ward off threats to the corporation's operations on Meridian.{{Ref/Reuse|CFBuzz}}

===Economy===
[[File:Halo 5 - Meridian space elevator.jpg|thumb|250px|Pinnacle Station, Meridian's space elevator.]]
{{Quote|Military production served as the colony's primary source of revenue, and the contract for the Scorpion MBT ensured Meridian's bright future.|The History of Meridian, presented by Free Frontier Education{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}}}}
Relatively unusual for an [[Outer Colony]] on the edge of [[human]] space, Meridian was once home to a powerful and robust economy, that was initially fueled by many outsiders attracted by the world's rich culture and [[Earth]]-like features. Prior to the world's [[Battle of Meridian|fall]] in [[2551]], Meridian was one of the most vibrant and fastest-growing [[Human colonies|colonies]] throughout all of human space.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} Military production for the [[Unified Earth Government]] and its [[United Nations Space Command]] served as the colony's primary source of revenue.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} Several military contractors took residence on Meridian; most notably, [[Chalybs Defense Solutions]] in [[2479]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} CDS's contract for [[M808 Scorpion]] production ensured economic success across Meridian.{{Ref/Reuse|unconfirmed intel}} CDS had several facilities across Meridian's surface, including in the city of [[Angoulême]],{{Ref/Reuse|enc97}} though all facilities were either abandoned or destroyed by 2551.{{Ref/Reuse|h4evg}} Meridian also had a powerful mining industry that began after rich mineral deposits were found in the [[Mathon Mountain Range]], shortly after the world's colonization.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} During the [[Human-Covenant War]], supply lines originating from Meridian provided the UNSC with equipment at other fronts in the war.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

After Meridian's recolonization, a relatively small group of [[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]] contractors and resettlers attempted to rebuild the world's once prosperous economy. The corporation based their operations at the base of Meridian's sole remaining [[space elevator]], [[Pinnacle Station]], and established makeshift settlements such as [[Meridian Station]]. Liang-Dortmund has since established [[Liang-Dortmund mining rig|several mobile mining platforms]] throughout Meridian, scouring for remaining rare metal and mineral deposits across the world's surface.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} By [[2558]], Meridian was regarded as a backwater world on the frontier.{{Ref/Reuse|blue team}}

===Culture===
{{Quote|Grew up on an indie colony like Meridian. Folks out here don't take kindly to the UNSC landing in the middle of town. Tend to see it as an act of aggression.|Spartan Holly Tanaka, commenting on Meridian's relationship with the UNSC in 2558{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}}}}
Meridian once boasted a rich culture that, along with its natural makeup, attracted many outsiders, fueling cultural diversity across the world. Meridian was considered to be one of the most vibrant and quickly growing [[Human colonies|colonies]] across all of [[human]] space, prior to the [[Human-Covenant War]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} ''[[The Old Refrain]]'' was a musical composition familiar to colonists of the moon and remained so for many years.{{Ref/Anthology|Id=wr|Fra|Story=What Remains}}

Following Meridian's [[glassing]] in [[2551]] and recolonization, Meridian was resettled by former residents and opportunistic excavators paid by the [[Liang-Dortmund Corporation]].{{Ref/Reuse|glassed intel}} Some settlers believed that future generations raised on Meridian's treacherous surface would by physically and mentally tougher than those raised on other worlds.{{Ref/Reuse|ms intel}} Now independent from the [[Unified Earth Government]], Meridian's new settlers held low opinions of the UEG and its [[United Nations Space Command]], regarding the government with antipathy and viewing a UNSC presence as an act of aggression.{{Ref/Reuse|glassed}} Many Meridian settlers regarded [[Spartan]]s as "thugs" and were distrustful of them; their opinions fueled by [[Governor]] [[Sloan]],{{Ref/Reuse|ms}} who held [[insurrectionist]] sympathies.{{Ref/Reuse|sloan}}

==Production notes==
{{Quote|The Meridian style in general is similar to the UNSC but even more industrial. In this environment, things don't need to be decorative or polished, just functional.|Justin Oaksford, on the design of Meridian for ''Halo 5: Guardians''{{Ref/Book|AoH5|Page=58}}}}
First mentioned in [[Dr. Halsey's personal journal|ancillary material]] for ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', Meridian was first depicted in ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'s'' [[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|terminals]]. Meridian was subsequently featured as a major location for the second arc in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''. For the game, architecture on Meridian was designed to be of a similar style to that of the [[United Nations Space Command]], though more industrial in nature. While UNSC buildings often appear polished and decorative, structures on Meridian only needed to appear functional, reflecting on the hardscrabble life on the world.{{Ref/Book|Id=the art of h5g|AoH5|Page=58-72}} Environments and settlements on Meridian were designed to appear "lived-in". Meridian's glassed landscape was designed to appear nature in flowing shapes melted in place, to contrast with the man-made architecture. The majority of the world's background geology were custom sculpts to achieve the visual. Molten, liquid glass was added to the environment to add color and hue to the scene. Props throughout the levels on Meridian were colored with a warm hue to make them contrast with the gray background of Meridian's glassed surface.{{Ref/Reuse|art}}

Despite being consistently depicted as a moon of [[Hestia V]] in all of its visual appearances, Meridian is often mistakenly referred to as a planet throughout ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' as well as other sources. Strangely, Meridian is referred to as a "planet-moon" in a [[Canon Fodder]] that expanded on the lore behind the ''Halo 5: Guardians'' multiplayer map "[[Skirmish at Darkstar]]".{{Ref/Reuse|CFCeiling}}

==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}
<gallery>
File:HWF-Meridian.png|Meridian, as seen in ''[[Halo: Warfleet – An Illustrated Guide to the Spacecraft of Halo|Halo: Warfleet]]''.
File:H2A Terminals - Meridianconcept.jpg|Concept art of Meridian for ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'s'' [[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|terminals]].
File:H2A MeridianRelicConcept.jpg|Concept art of the relic that housed the Luminary.
File:H2A Terminals - Meridian.jpg|Meridian undergoes glassing in 2551.
File:H2A - Landfall on Meridian.jpg|Covenant forces hunt for relics on Meridian.
File:H2A Terminals - Meridian Relic.jpg|The Forerunner relic on Meridian.
File:H5-TheHuntBegins-LindaKellyFred.png|Blue Team dashing through the rubble of a city on Meridian, passing nearby civilians in ''[[The Hunt Begins]]''.
File:Guardian destruction.png|The same city on Meridian being destroyed by a Guardian.
File:H5G_Meridian_Exploration_Concept.jpg|Early explorations for Meridian in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''.
File:H5G_Meridian_SketchForFun_Concept.jpg|A concept piece for Meridian.
File:H5G_MeridianSettlement_Concept.jpg|Concept art of the settlement on Meridian.
File:H5G_MeridianCargoLift_Concept.jpg|Concept art of a cargo elevator on the planet.
File:H5G MeridianLandscape Thumbnails concept.jpg|Concept art of the planet's landscape.
File:H5G_MeridianDomeBuildings_Concept.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_1.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_2.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_3.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_4.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_5.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_6.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_7.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_8.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_9.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_10.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianBuildings_Concept_11.jpg|Concept art for buildings on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianRefinery Concept 1.jpg|Concept art for a refinery on the planet.
File:H5G_MeridianRefinery Concept 2.jpg|Concept art for a refinery on the planet.
File:H5G Achievement Glasslands.png|Concept art of the settlement on Meridian.
File:H5G MeridianStation Concept.jpg|Concept art of Meridian Station.
File:H5G Achievement StolenGauntlet.png|Concept art of the Guardian under Meridian.
File:H5G Meridian CutSkybox.jpg|An unused ''Halo 5: Guardians'' skybox showing Meridian from orbit.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.artstation.com/artwork/2KraA|Site=ArtStation|Page=Halo 5 Skybox Art|Quote=An unused asset for planet Meridian, my personal favorite though.|D=18|M=03|Y=2022}}
File:Halo Waypoint - Meridian surface.jpg|Meridian's glassed surface.
File:H5G - Meridian sky.jpg|Meridian's upper stratosphere.
File:Meridian 2558.png|Meridian seen from space.
File:Meridian forces.png|Mass evacuation across Meridian takes place.
File:H5G-SkirmishatDarkstar.png|Darkstar Station on Meridian.
File:Halo Retribution cover.png|[[Castor]] and [[Veta Lopis]] on Meridian's glassed surface.
File:H5G Liang Dortmund banner.png|A layout of Meridian's surface on a banner.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
{{Columns|content=
*''[[Halo: Reach]]'' 
**''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]'' {{Fm}}
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' 
**''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminals]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Hunt the Truth]]''
**''[[A Hero Falls]]''
**''[[The Hunt Begins]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo: Fractures]]''
**''[[What Remains]]''
**''[[Breaking Strain]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Rossbach's World (story)|Rossbach's World]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Warfleet]]''
*''[[Halo: Retribution]]''
*''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]''
*''[[Halo: Bad Blood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Battle Born]]''
**''[[Free Frontier Education: The Sundered Legion]]''
**''[[Glassed|Glassed]]''
*''[[Halo: Outpost Discovery]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Meridian Divide]]''
**''[[Meridian Homecoming]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Divine Wind]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Fifth Canticle]]'' {{Mo}}
}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources|2}}

[[Category:Meridian locations]]
[[Category:Moons]]
[[Category:Forerunner worlds]]
[[Category:Human colonies]]
[[Category:Independent colonies]]