Seaward

Seaward, formally designated G 617 g, is a planet in the G617 system situated within the near border region of the galactic halo. The planet was the site for the first contact between Forerunner and Flood forces.

Description
Seaward was a large planet at the edge of the Milky Way, secret to all save a small number of Forerunner individuals. It was capable of supporting sentient life, but possessed no indigenous fauna; several species of plant and insect were later transplanted to the planet by its inhabitants. The planet had a unique optical effect caused by its two suns, called Twofire. As the suns fell below the horizon, their combined light would be reflected in multiple colors in the clouds above.

The planet was officially designated an uninhabitable world to allow a small community of wealthy Forerunners to use it as a "private, expensive sanctuary". Supplies were regularly delivered to the settlement via transorbital balloon; the colony's inhabitants exported artwork and energy supplies in return. Aside from these transactions, the planet was largely left alone and ignored; communications with the rest of the Ecumene were almost nonexistent.

The planet's inhabitants had given up most of the Forerunners' advanced technology, including personal armor, in favor of a more primitive lifestyle. Most of the Forerunners in the settlement did this out of a desire to live close to nature, and to eventually age naturally and die. The planet had a single settlement, Wharftown, which contained little more than homes, parks and a small area of agricultural land.

Arrival of the Flood
Several centuries before 100,000 BCE, the Flood made landfall on Seaward, marking their first appearance since the Human-Forerunner War. Their arrival was noted by the Auditor and Prelate, who used several groundside devices - a trade beacon, a medical station, and a painter's jetbrush - to gather data on the event. They then notified the Didact of the occurrence.

Presumably concurrent with the above events, a Forerunner administrative group recorded that after a successful post-landfall report, a Primary Pioneer Group on Seaward had failed to make a follow-up report. The office noting the delinquency also stated that an "Advance Survey Team - Alpha" was to verify the planet's lack of native fauna. Both groups failed to reestablish communication with the office, and those monitoring the two groups advised that they would send a military detachment to the site shortly to uncover why the two exploratory teams had halted communication. That would be the last time the Forerunners had any contact with G 617 g, and it was the beginning of the largest war their galaxy would ever see, lasting about 300 years.

Locations

 * Wharftown

Trivia

 * There are references to 7 in "G 617 g". "g" is the seventh letter of the alphabet and as such, 6+1+7=14=7+7. There is also a reference in 333 hours, approximately 14 days. 7x2=14
 * The name of the planet contains a Biblical reference. It is presumably named after Genesis 6:17, which says: And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

List of appearances

 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Soma the Painter