Editing Xeno-Materials Exploitation Group

{{Status|Canon}}
The '''Xeno-Materials Exploitation Group''' ('''XEG''') is a division of the [[United Nations Space Command]]'s [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] that specializes in the recovery and reverse-engineering of technology from alien sources, including the [[Covenant]], the [[Forerunner]]s, and the [[Ancestors]].<ref name="hitd21">'''[[Halo: Hunters in the Dark]]''', ''page 21''</ref>{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/the-new-halo-encyclopedia-is-out-today|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=The New Halo Encyclopedia is Out Today|D=11|M=03|Y=2023}} The XEG's activities may indicate them to be under the jurisdiction of [[ONI Section Four]].

==History==
In [[2548]], after being brought aboard the [[UNSC cruiser]] {{UNSCShip|Sparrow}} following their escape from the [[Battle of Meridian]], [[Saskia Nazari]], [[Victor Gallardo]], [[Evelyn Rousseau]] and [[Dorian Nguyen]] were reminded by ONI Captain [[Daniella Dellatorre]] that the conversation they were about to have was classified as part of ONI's XEG presence aboard the ship. When Dorian questioned what exactly the XEG was, Daniella stated that it was the Xeno-Materials Exploitation Group, but refused to explain more for the moment. Daniella eventually revealed that the XEG wanted to recover the [[Forerunner]] artifact that the Covenant were attempting to excavate underneath [[Brume-sur-Mer]] and if possible, use it themselves in the war effort. After some hesitation, the four teens agreed to form a specialized team to help ONI recover the artifact from Meridian.<ref>'''[[Halo: Battle Born]]''', ''Chapter 25''</ref>

In May of [[2553]], the [[717th Xeno-Materials Exploitation Battalion|717th Battalion]] of the Xeno-Materials Exploitation Group was posted to the [[human]] [[Outer Colony]] of [[Gao]] to capture the [[Archeon-class ancilla|''archeon''-class]] [[ancilla]], [[Intrepid Eye]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Last Light]]''', ''page 44'' (Google Play edition)</ref> The battalion succeeded, though it lost half of its forces.<ref>'''Halo: Last Light''', ''page 324'' (Google Play edition)</ref> Around the time of the [[operation]] on Gao, the battalion also deployed a [[company]] to [[Shaps III]] to survey the [[Line Installation 444-447]], where the unit discovered valuable [[boson bead]]s created when [[Sav Fel]] had [[glassed]] a [[hard light]] device within the Forerunner ruins on the planet.<ref>'''[[Halo: Retribution]]''', ''page 9'' (Google Play edition)</ref> In [[2554]] an underwater research facility by the name of [[Fathom Station]] was constructed by [[Imbrium Machine Complex]] on behalf of the group beneath the waters of the [[Cortez Ocean]] on [[Beta Gabriel]].<ref name="universe">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/locations/fathom-station '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Fathom Station'']</ref> Fathom Station was designed to locate the crash sites of ''[[Splendid Intention]]'' and {{UNSCShip|Of Uncommon Courage}}, two ships that crashed in the sea during the [[Human-Covenant War]]; the staff of Fathom intended to rediscover the valuable weapon plans carried by the [[Covenant]] [[Covenant carrier|carrier]]--plans that would supposedly render the [[energy projector]] obsolete.<ref name="GI">'''Game Informer''', ''July 2015 issue''</ref> 

In [[2555]] the group created a task force to assist ONI's [[Zeta Halo project]] following the discovery of [[Installation 07]].{{Ref/Reuse|hitd21}} During a routine search conducted by twenty-three explorers from Fathom Station in [[2556]], ''Splendid Intention'' suddenly shifted from its resting place in the [[Aleutian Rim]] and violently slid down a nearby trench, sending debris and water in Fathom Station's northern terminal. The complex was torn apart and forty-one researchers were killed in the incident. ''Splendid Intention'' and the twenty-three explorers trapped inside the carrier were lost, and operations at Fathom Station did not continue.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} At some point, the Xeno-Materials Exploitation Group filed report [[ONI XENO-MATERIALS EXPLOITATION REPORT 15Y1198|15Y1198]], which detailed the discovery of an [[Ancient human|archeohominina]] vessel at [[Site Yankee-002-G3]] and an assessment of it tactical capabilities. The report recommended that further analysis of the ship should be immediately assigned to [[Project ARC DREAM]] and noted that investigation of its weaponry was already underway by a team on [[AZURE MOON]].{{Ref/Book|HWF|Page=14}}

By [[2559]], [[Spartan Operations|Spartans]] were assigned to work with the group in work on [[Installation 07]]. These Spartans were equipped with the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V|Mark V Zeta]] armor.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFParallel|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/parallel-threads|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Parallel Threads|D=25|M=6|Y=2021}} The XEG has also developed the "MOTHACID" [[target acquisition system]] for the [[CELOX-class Mjolnir]] helmet, intended for use in detecting and analysing alien technology and signal sources.{{Ref/Game|HINF|Armor customization (Halo Infinite)|Armor Hall|Detail=TAS/MOTHACID Helmet Attachment description|Quote=MOTHACID is the Xeno-Materials Exploitation Group codename for a specialized instrumentation package used to detect, analyze, and identify alien artifacts\signal sources. Spartans have adapted the equipment to interface with Mjolnir fire control systems.}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:H5G-UNSC Fathom.png|Fathom Station.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Hunters in the Dark]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Last Light]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo: Retribution]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Battle Born]]''
*''[[Halo: Renegades]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Infinite]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: The Television Series]]'' {{C|Silver Timeline appearance}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Office of Naval Intelligence}}
[[Category:Office of Naval Intelligence]]