Biko

Biko, referred to by the Covenant as Borodan is a human Outer Colony planet located roughly 24 light-years from the Cygnus system and 58 light-years from the Epsilon Eridani system. One of its major population centers (at least before the Covenant attack) was Durban. The planet was glassed in 2526, becoming one of the first human worlds to fall to the Covenant, though it had been at least partially recolonized by 2558.

Topography and climate
Prior to its colonization by humanity, Biko's climate was too dry to be habitable. However, once the planet's terraforming efforts were completed, its atmosphere could produce life-supporting rain. Biko is notable for its pink hue, which reflects strongly enough to illuminate the near side of Seoba, one of its moons.

Locations

 * Durban
 * Mandelam

Known residents

 * McKaskill
 * Erland Booth
 * Laurel Adams

Rise of humanity
Biko was colonized before the year 2424. During the initial stages of the planet's colonization, humans inhabited the ice moon of Seoba. To assist with the terraforming efforts, the colonists built an ice quarry and mass driver on the moon, using it to launch payloads of steel-encapsulated ice towards the planet, where they were captured by a purchasing party. The ice capsules were then guided to a rendezvous in Biko's stratosphere, attached to a dirigible and guided to their destination. Eventually, Biko developed a climate humid enough to supply its own rain, and the Seoba quarry was put out of service and abandoned.

Following the emergence of the Insurrection, Biko became a hotbed for rebel activity, calling itself home to the Biko Independence Army. The BIA was continually a thorn in the UNSC's side, attempting to overthrow Biko's chancellor seven times, eventually managing to hold Mandelam for two months before failing.

Human-Covenant war
Biko fell to the Covenant in 2526 as part of Operation: SILENT STORM. After the battle the Covenant pushed the debris field over the northern pole to allow their ships to glass the planet unobstructed. Some members of SPARTAN-III Alpha Company, including Carter-A259, were recruited into the program after being orphaned on Biko. Survivors of Biko's fall joined a refugee program.

Post-war
After the Human-Covenant War, the fetcher Oliver Birch visited the debris field over Biko. There he retrieved an experimental saddle box drive from the, one of the cruisers that had partaken in the battle years prior.

Biko was apparently recolonized after the Covenant War. In 2558, delegates from the Unified Earth Government and Sangheili convened at a regional embassy in a densely populated city on Biko to engage in peace talks. Both sides were coming to an agreement when Spartan John-117 entered the hall, attempting to stop a terrorist plot by Sapien Sunrise. John-117 abducted Outer Colonies ambassador Richard Sekibo and escorted the alien delegation to safety, fleeing the planet with the aliens aboard his personal spacecraft. During the firefight, Sekibo was mortally wounded and his corpse was left in a nearby field where it was discovered the next day.

Government and society
Biko's inhabitants were referred to as "Bikons". Biko's government was overseen by a Chancellor, who had a small planetary militia known as the Chancellor's Guards to assist in the defense of the planet from pirates and rebels. The Chancellor's Guards' naval fleet consisted of a few patrol frigates designed to disable smuggling vessels, as opposed to capital ship warfare. By the time of the Battle of Biko, roughly 50 ships were present at Biko, though the percentage of these ships belonging to the Chancellor's Guards and those belonging to the UNSC is unknown.

Trivia
The colony was likely named after Steve Biko, a twentieth-century South African civil rights activist.

List of appearances

 * Halo: First Strike
 * Tug o' War
 * i love bees
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: Reach
 * Data pads
 * Hunt the Truth
 * Halo: Silent Storm
 * Halo: Outpost Discovery
 * Halo: Oblivion