2517

17/8/2517
Lieutenant (Jr Grade) Jacob Keyes is awakened by AI Toran from cryogenic sleep along with Dr. Catherine Halsey onboard the Han in the Eridanus star system. Dr. Halsey and Lieutenant Keyes descend to the surface of Eridanus II to meet 6-year-old John on a playground in Elysium City. He is given a simple test to determine whether he will be one of the 75 out of 150 possible candidates to become a Spartan, and passes with flying colors.

23/9/2517
Project SPARTAN-II begins on Reach with 75 conscripts. Project SPARTAN is an attempt to develop an effective, surgical military team to relieve political tensions and circumvent civil war.

24/9/2517
Each of the 75, 6-year old trainees are awakened forcefully for their first day of training. Calisthenics and a brief lesson about the Spartans at Thermopylae in ancient times make up the morning activities. Afterwards the trainees are marched to the "Playground"-An Area set up with ropes, bridges, pullys, and other devices to help one reach a bell suspended on a pole. The Trainees are split into 25 three-person teams. John successfully rings it first but fails to help his teammates ring it, losing him, Sam, and Kelly dinner for the night.

25/9/2517
The future Spartans continue to follow the same schedule established the day before. When they arrive at the Playground they find it has been modified to be more difficult. John works with his teammates and manages to get all three to ring the bell and cross the finish line.