Meridian: Difference between revisions

|demonym=Meridians<ref name="HBB1">'''[[Halo: Battle Born]]''', ''Chapter 1''</ref>

|species=[[Human]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

|colonized=[[2431]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

|government=*[[Stewards]]<ref name="unconfirmed intel">'''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''', campaign level ''[[Unconfirmed]]'' - [[Mission Intel]]</ref> {{C|formerly}}

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 name="evacuation intel">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''[[Evacuation]]'' - Mission Intel</ref> In [[2558]] a [[Forerunner]] [[Guardian]], long-buried beneath the moon's surface, emerged in the wake of the [[Created]] uprising.{{Ref/Reuse|evac}}

==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 name="h2a">'''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''', ''Terminal 14''</ref>}}

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 name="unconfirmed">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''Unconfirmed''</ref>

{{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 name="glassed intel">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''Glassed'' - Mission Intel</ref>}}

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 name="m5a">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/meridian-5-alpha '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Meridian 5-Alpha'']</ref> 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}}

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 name="h4evg">'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 172''</ref> 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 [[Portal at Voi|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 name="ms intel">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''[[Meridian Station (level)|Meridian Station]]'' - Mission Intel</ref>

[[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}}}}

Settlers believed that it would take approximately twenty years to completely deglass the moon.{{Ref/Reuse|ms intel}} F ive 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 name="glassed ceiling">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-glassed-ceiling '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Glassed Ceiling'']</ref> 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 name="buzz">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-buzz-generating '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Buzz Generating'']</ref> 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}}

{{Quote|The Domain is open. Meridian is next.|Cortana, directing John-117 to Meridian<ref name="blue team">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''[[Blue Team (level)|Blue Team]]''</ref>}}

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.]]

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|glassed ceiling}}

{{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.]]

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|glassed ceiling}} 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 name="ms">'''Halo 5: Guardians''', campaign level ''[[Meridian Station (level)|Meridian Station]]''</ref> 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 provides Meridian with private security and is 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|buzz}}

[[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}}}}

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}}

{{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}}}}

{{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>'''[[The Art of Halo 5: Guardians]]''', ''page 58''</ref>}}

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