Editing 2525

{{Era|UNSC|HCW}}
{{Yearnav
|image=File:SSgt Avery Johnson, UNSC Marine Corps.JPG
|caption=Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson and members of the colonial militia on Harvest.
|century=26th century
|previous1=2523
|previous2=2524
|next1=2526
|next2=2527
}}
'''2525''' was a year that saw the start of the [[Human-Covenant War]], which would become a twenty-seven year long engagement between the [[Covenant]] empire and the [[United Nations Space Command]]. The war began after [[First Battle of Harvest|first contact]] between the belligerents at the [[human]] [[Outer Colony]] of [[Harvest]]. The emergence of the Covenant threat prompted the training of the [[Spartan-II]] supersoldiers to be accelerated and [[Blue Team|a group]] of them were selected for their [[Operation: TALON|very first live combat mission]] in September of this year, an operation to capture the [[United Rebel Front]] colonel, [[Robert Watts]].

==Events==
===January===
*'''January 2''': Staff Sergeants [[Avery Johnson]] and [[Nolan Byrne]], along with [[Ponder|Captain Ponder]] and [[Healy|Petty Officer, First Class Healy]], begin training [[Harvest]]'s [[Colonial Militia]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 105''</ref>
*'''January 16''': Members of the Harvest militia go on a march carrying 25 kilogram [[rucksack]]s. Afterwards, Johnson and Ponder attend Harvest's [[Solstice Celebration]]. Johnson is briefed by [[Jilan al-Cygni]] as to why he and Byrne are there: to prevent [[Insurrectionist]] attacks on [[UNSC]] freighters.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 105-123''</ref>
*'''January 17''': The [[Covenant]] ship ''[[Minor Transgression]]'' attacks a [[human]] ship (the ''[[Bulk Discount]]''), said human ship having the ''[[Walk of Shame]]'' in support and hosting not only Johnson and Byrne but also an arsenal of weapons. The aliens are repelled (though Johnson receives a fractured skull) and the ship destroyed, though [[Dadab]] and [[Lighter Than Some]] are able to escape in an escape pod after making a report on the relics they've found.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 124-136''</ref> Colonial Militia trainees [[Wallace Jenkins]], [[Forsell]], [[Wick]] and [[Andersen]] begin target practice.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 137''</ref> The [[Ministry of Fortitude]] holds a statistic-based meeting. The [[Minister of Fortitude]] takes stimulants to help him through the ordeal.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 143''</ref>
*'''January 18''': Fortitude wakes up, the hangover effect of the stimulants taking hold. The [[Vice Minister of Tranquility]] alerts him to the [[Luminary]] detections made by ''Minor Transgression''. They resolve to use them to usher in an [[Age of Reclamation]] and secure their position as the next trio of Hierarchs.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 143-158''</ref> ''Walk of Shame'' is dispatched to [[Reach]] to request that [[FLEETCOM]] send a battle group in the event of first contact escalating into bloodshed.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 166''</ref>
*'''January 19''': Johnson regains consciousness and is debriefed by [[Nils Thune]] and al-Cygni. Johnson resolves to accelerate the militia's training.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 159-166''</ref>

===February===
'''February 3'''
*At 1423 hours, Harvest's [[Tiara]] makes long-range [[radar]] contact with the [[Covenant cruiser]] ''[[Rapid Conversion]]''. Contact is lost with Harvest soon after.
'''February 9'''
*J.D., nicknamed [[the Rookie]], is born in [[Crisium City]], [[Naniwa]] on [[Luna]].<ref name="universe">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/rookie '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''Universe: Rookie'']</ref>
'''February 11'''
*First formal contact between the [[Covenant]] and [[human]]s on [[Harvest]] at the [[Harvest Botanical Gardens]]. Communications go awry and the [[Human-Covenant War]] begins. The Covenant forces, led by [[Jiralhanae]] [[Chieftain]] [[Maccabeus]], retreat to ''Rapid Conversion'' in high orbit over Harvest.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 256-259''</ref>
*'''The Human-Covenant War begins.''' 
*[[Jilan al-Cygni]] deploys a [[RQ-XII drone]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 391''</ref>
'''February 22'''
*After a week of remaining still, ''Rapid Conversion'' attacks the small, remote town of [[Gladsheim]], while [[Type-25 Spirit]]s, [[Jiralhanae]], and [[Yanme'e]] slaughter its residents. The [[Harvest militia]] evacuates the town's few survivors, resulting in the injury of Maccabeus and the death of [[Ritul]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 279-286''</ref>
'''February 23'''
*Evacuation of Harvest. About 22,000-23,000 civilians are killed. [[Tartarus]] kills Maccabeus and takes control of the Covenant forces. ''Rapid Conversion'' is disabled by Harvest's [[mass driver]] while colonists and militiamen escape to the Tiara.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 335-336''</ref>
*Large firefights at the Tiara and Harvest's [[Harvest reactor complex|reactor complex]] ensure. Notable deaths include [[Ponder]], [[Vorenus]], [[Dadab]], and [[Lighter Than Some]]. [[Loki]] destroys the [[Tiara]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''pages 368-385''</ref>
'''February 28'''
*[[Miranda Keyes|Miranda Halsey]] is born to [[Catherine Halsey]] and [[Jacob Keyes]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach Limited Edition]]''', ''[[Intersystem News]], LCDR Miranda Keyes Awarded Silver Star''</ref>

===March===
'''March 6'''
*The [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] declares [[Onyx]] classified after the discovery of [[Forerunner]] artifacts.<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 127''</ref>
'''March 9'''
*At 1130 hours, the [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan-IIs]] undergo rigorous chemical, physical and biological [[SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures|augmentations]] onboard [[Medical Facility Endurance]] in orbit over the planet [[Reach]].<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''pages 55-59'' (2001 version); ''pages 73-77'' (2010 version)</ref><ref name="anim"/>
*At 1552 hours, John-117's surgery starts.<ref>'''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]] (hardcover)''', chapter ''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Boot Camp|Bootcamp 2]]''</ref>
'''March 25'''
*The Spartan-IIs awaken aboard ''Endurance'' and Halsey assesses the results.<ref name="anim">'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series]]'''</ref> Thirty-three Spartans successfully pass the alterations.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/factions/spartans '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Spartans''] ("''Only 33 of the candidates survived without significant injury.''")</ref> Thirty subjects have died,<ref group="note">In ''Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series'', Déjà states that 27 subjects died, 36% of the candidates.</ref> and twelve are permanently disabled.
'''March 30'''
*Funeral service is held for those who died undergoing augmentations in the SPARTAN-II program, aboard {{UNSCShip|Atlas}} en route to the [[Lambda Serpentis system]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 60-63''</ref>

===April===
'''April 1'''
*[[Catherine Halsey|Doctor Catherine Halsey]] has the bodies of the deceased SPARTAN-IIs [[Cryonics|cryogenically preserved]] in hopes of reviving them in the future. The augmentation washouts are given desk jobs to allow them to continue to support the UNSC.<ref name="journal">'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', ''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]''</ref>
'''April 20'''
*{{CMAShip|Argo}} arrives in the [[Epsilon Indi system]] and makes a confirmation transmission. No further reports are received.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 118'' (2010 edition)</ref>
'''April 21'''
*[[Mack]] detects the CMA ''Argo'' enter Harvest's orbit. He attempts to warn ''Argo'' of the Covenant, but the scout ship is destroyed by ''Rapid Conversion''.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 393''</ref>
'''April 22'''
*[[John-117]] kills two Marines of the [[105th Shock Troops Division]] and severely wounds another aboard ''Atlas'' in an incident secretly engineered by ONI to test the efficiency of the SPARTAN-II augmentations.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 63-69''</ref>

===May===
'''May 11'''
*[[Preston Cole]]'s liver fails from cirrhosis, and is subsequently replaced - as are his damaged heart and endocrine system - with flash-cloned transplants.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', "[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]", ''page 459''</ref>

===June===
'''June 27'''
*Dr. Halsey begins to plan therapies, experimental surgeries, and rehabilitations for eighty percent of the SPARTAN-II augmentation washouts and creates to protocols. [[Artificial intelligence]]s predict a fifty percent success rate, though Halsey believes the Spartans' will to serve the UNSC will boost the success rate.<ref name="journal"/>
'''June 28'''
*Dr. Halsey moves her research from [[Camp Hathcock]] to [[CASTLE Base]], declining an invitation of working in a corner suite in [[Olympic Tower]].<ref name="journal"/>
'''June 30'''
*The [[UNSC Special Forces#Naval Special Warfare Command|NAVSPECWEP]] approves the limited-run production of the MJOLNIR Mark IV armor, four months after the prototypes were sent.<ref name="journal"/>
*A test case file was unintentionally "attached" to an official response to Catherine Halsey. The file showed a volunteer attempting to use a prototype of the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]], resulting in his death due to his lack of training and proper physiology.<ref name="journal"/>

===July===
'''July 1'''
*[[Mack]] begins burying the [[MagLev train|MagLev]] strands of the Tiara as the Covenant begins to [[glass]] Harvest.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 395''</ref>

'''July 10'''
*[[Battlegroup 4]], composed of the [[CMA Heracles|CMA ''Heracles'']], the [[CMA Arabia|CMA ''Arabia'']] and the [[CMA Vostok|CMA ''Vostok'']] enters the [[Epsilon Indi system]] and make contact with a Covenant ship. The Covenant ship destroys the ''Vostok'' and the ''Arabia'' with only the badly damaged ''Heracles'' escaping.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', page 96-97</ref>

*The Covenant ship broadcasts the following message: "Your destruction is the will of the Gods...and we are their instrument" in complete English, showing that the Covenant have been studying Humanity for some time.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', page 98</ref>

===August===
'''August 8'''
*Captain [[James Cutter]] is assigned command of the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}.<ref>[https://twitter.com/bsangel/status/630139578054119425 '''Twitter''' - ''BSAngel: TodayInHalo 8/8/2525'']</ref>

===September===
'''September 1'''
*Dr. Halsey works on improving the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor prototypes. Due to its secrecy, she relocates the [[Materials Group]] division working on the armor to [[Damascus Testing Facility]] in [[Vhalkem]] on [[Chi Ceti IV]].<ref name="journal"/>
'''September 11'''
*SPARTAN-IIs train with the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor#Mark I exoskeleton|Mark I armor]] in the [[Reach FLEETCOM Military Complex|Reach UNSC Military Complex]]. Dr. Halsey determines the soldiers are ready for their first mission.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 69-74''</ref>
'''September 12'''
*SPARTAN-IIs are briefed on their first mission aboard the [[UNSC destroyer|destroyer]] {{UNSCShip|Pioneer}}, capturing [[United Rebel Front]] leader [[Robert Watts|Colonel Robert Watts]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 75-81''</ref>
*John-117 is promoted to [[Petty Officer, Third Class]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 77''</ref>
'''September 14'''
*The [[Assault on Eridanus Secundus]]. [[Blue Team]]—consisting of John-117, [[Samuel-034]], [[Linda-058]], [[Kelly-087]], and [[Fred-104]]—infiltrate URF military base [[Eridanus Secundus]] in the [[Eridanus system]]'s [[asteroid]] belt. Robert Watts is captured by the SPARTAN-IIs and returned to the UNSC. The asteroid's hangar bay is damaged by Sam, causing it to vent atmosphere.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 81-94''</ref>

===October===
'''October 7'''
*[[Battle Group 4]], composed of the {{CMAShip|Heracles}}, the {{CMAShip|Arabia}} and the {{CMAShip|Vostok}} enters the Epsilon Indi system and make contact with a Covenant ship. The Covenant ship destroys the ''Vostok'' and the ''Arabia'' with only the badly damaged ''Heracles'' escaping.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars: Genesis]]'''</ref>
*The Covenant ship broadcasts the following message to the battelgroup: "Your destruction is the will of the Gods...and we are their instrument" in complete English, showing that the Covenant have been studying humanity for some time.<ref name="for98">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 98''</ref>

===November===
'''November 1'''
*UNSC is put on full alert for the Covenant. The training of the SPARTAN-IIs is accelerated.<ref name="for98"/>
*The [[CMA]] combat forces are immediately placed under the UNSC's [[NAVCOM]]/[[UNICOM]] for preparation for the upcoming war.<ref name="HWtimeline">'''[[Halo Wars]]''', ''[[Halo Wars Timeline Events|Timeline]]''</ref>
'''November 2'''
*[[Office of Naval Intelligence]] agents [[Jack Hopper|Lieutenant Commander Jack Hopper]] and [[Demos|Lieutenant Demos]] convince [[Preston Cole|Vice Admiral Preston Cole]] to come out of retirement and lead the fleet to retake Harvest.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''', "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole", ''page 460''</ref>
*The SPARTAN-IIs are informed of hostile contact with the Covenant and the fate of Harvest. They are introduced to [[Project MJOLNIR]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 94-101''</ref>
'''November 3'''
*Dr. Halsey begins to analyze the Covenant.<ref name="journal"/>
'''November 5'''
*Many high-ranking personnel within the UNSC begin to show fear of the Covenant. Dr. Halsey and [[Franklin Mendez]] discuss the SPARTAN-IIs and Covenant threat.<ref name="journal"/>
''' November 6–27'''
*On their way to the [[Chi Ceti system]], the Spartan-IIs accomplish minor missions for three weeks, including putting down rebel factions on [[Jericho VII]] and shutting down a black market bazaar near [[Roosevelt military base]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 125'' (2010 edition)</ref>
'''November 27'''
*The [[Battle of Chi Ceti]]. The SPARTAN-IIs are delivered to the Damascus Testing Facility on Chi Ceti IV by the {{UNSCShip|Commonwealth}}. While en route to the planet, ''Commonwealth'' is attacked by the Covenant's ''[[Unrelenting]]''. The ''Commonwealth'' manages to damage ''Unrelenting'', allowing the Spartans to escape to Chi Ceti IV.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 102-113''</ref>
*Within the UNSC Damascus Materials Testing Facility, the SPARTAN-IIs are introduced and fitted with the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark IV]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 113-119''</ref>
*While the Spartans are returning to the ''Commonwealth'', ''Unrelenting'' returns and attacks the frigate. The SPARTAN-IIs board the Covenant ship. They plant [[Anvil-II air-to-surface missile]]s at the ship's reactor and detonate them, destroying the ship—resulting in the death of Samuel-034.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 119-130''</ref>

===December===
'''December 1'''
*Blue Team attends a funeral for Samuel-034 aboard the {{UNSCShip|Persian Gate}} .
'''December 3'''
*The UNSC colony [[Alpha Corvi II]] is attacked by the Covenant; a large ground force assaults [[Jamshid]], the largest settlement on the planet. Despite having inflicted heavy casualties, an alliance forged by the UNSC and [[United Rebel Front]] fails to halt the Covenant invasion, forcing the UNSC to abandon the colony.

===Unknown date===
*[[Ages of Reclamation|Ninth Age of Reclamation]] begins with the [[ascension]] of the [[Hierarchs|High Prophets]] of [[Prophet of Truth|Truth]], [[Prophet of Mercy|Mercy]], and [[Prophet of Regret|Regret]]. They declare that the human race destroyed a vast [[Forerunner]] reliquary and are to be exterminated, starting the [[Human-Covenant War]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''pages 379-384''</ref>
*Some time before April 22, then-[[Second Lieutenant]] [[Antonio Silva]] is assigned to command an [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]] [[platoon]] onboard {{UNSCShip|Atlas}}.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''', ''page 134'' (2003 edition)</ref>
*The [[Assembly]] holds a tribunal for one of its members, who is believed to have attempted communication with the Covenant.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', ''Data pad ''</ref> Later in the year, they discuss the [[SPARTAN-II program]] and how it managed to reach operational capacity a year before the [[Insurrection]] expanded beyond control.<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', ''Data pad 9''</ref>

==Notes==
<references group="note"/>

==Sources==
{{Reflist|2}}