Editing 2552

{{Era|HCW}}
{{Ratings}}
{{Timeline}}

'''2552''' was the penultimate year in the [[Human-Covenant War]], during which the [[Human]]s of the [[United Nations Space Command]] nearly saw utter defeat and extinction, though the tide turned, and with the help of the [[Sangheili]], won the Human-Covenant War. The [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] were at the peak of their power and reach in 2552, with major assaults on the Human [[Inner Colonies]] and an invasion followed by a [[Battle of Earth|prolonged engagement]] on their home planet, [[Earth]].<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', level ''[[Cairo Station (Level)|Cairo Station]]''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', level ''[[The Storm (Level)|The Storm]]''</ref> During the [[Battle of Installation 04|battle]] at [[Installation 04]], the galaxy found its first large outbreak of the [[Flood]] threat in over a hundred thousand years.<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', level ''[[343 Guilty Spark (Level)|343 Guilty Spark]]''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', level ''[[The Library (Level)|The Library]]''</ref> Over two months later, an even larger outbreak occurred at [[Installation 05]].<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', level ''[[Sacred Icon (Level)|Sacred Icon]]''</ref>

The war finally drew to a close at [[Installation 00]], known more commonly as the "''Ark''", with the Humans and Sangheili attempting to assassinate the [[Prophet of Truth]], before he could activate the remaining Halo Installations.<ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', level ''[[The Ark (Level)|The Ark]]''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', level ''[[The Covenant (Level)|The Covenant]]''</ref> The alliance was successful in their mission against the Covenant.

==Events==

===January===
'''January 8th'''
*A team of [[ODST]]'s (Including [[Kojo Agu]] and [[Taylor H. Miles]]) descend onto [[Ariel]] (a small science colony) in response to a distress call on the planet in [[Operation: FIRESIDE]].<ref>[[Halo: Helljumper Issue 1]] page 3 "''UNSC Operation 2552-JA-8 Codename: Fireside''"</ref>

===February===
*[[Insurrectionist]]s on [[Harmony]] disable the planet's primary communications relay and steal two drydocked [[freighter]]s.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''' level ''[[Noble Actual]]''</ref>

===April===
'''April 22nd'''
*[[Battle of the Unidentified Human Colony]]: [[Noble Team]] member [[Thom-293]] destroys a [[CCS-class Battlecruiser]] but kills himself in the process, and [[Catherine-B320]] loses her arm.

===July===
'''July 17th'''
*The Slipspace probes from the [[Archimedes]] encounter the [[Covenant]] ships sent to attack [[Sigma Octanus IV]]
*The {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}} is tasked with patrolling the Sigma Octanus Star System.
*The [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]] begins.

'''July 18th'''
*The UNSC win a victory during the battle at Sigma Octanus IV. [[Jacob Keyes|Commander Jacob Keyes]], of the {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}}, plays a critical role in this success. Keyes is subsequently promoted to [[Captain]] by [[Michael Stanforth|Admiral Stanforth]]. Unknown to the [[UNSC]], the [[Covenant]] place a tracker on the hull of the ''Iroquois''. The importance of [[Reach]] to the [[UNSC]] is revealed to the [[Covenant]] when the ''[[Iroquois]]'' returns to that world.

'''July 24th'''
*Two months after the death of [[Thom-293]], [[SPARTAN-B312]] joins [[Noble Team]] as Noble Six.
*Noble Team is sent by Colonel [[Urban Holland]] on a mission to investigate a downed [[Visegrad Relay|communication relay]] on Reach.

'''July 26th'''
*The [[Sword Base]], a ONI research facility comes under attack by a [[Covenant corvette]]. The [[UNSC Army]] with the help of [[Noble Team]] successfully repel the attack and the Corvette is destroyed by orbital support.

===August===
'''Early August (sometime from the 6th to the 12th)'''
*The {{UNSCShip|Apocalypso}} crashes in lunar orbit, a [[Slipspace Anomaly]] knocking out communications within the Solar System for [[seven]] seconds.

'''August 12th'''
*[[SPARTAN-117]] and [[Corporal Harland]] are debriefed by [[ONI]] at [[Camp Hathcock]], [[Reach]], on the events on [[Côte d'Azur]] during the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]].
*[[Battle of Viery]]: UNSC forces assault an amassing Covenant invasion force in the [[Viery Territory]] on Reach. A cloaked [[Covenant supercarrier]] (the ''Long Night of Solace'') that spearheaded the Covenant invasion is revealed.

'''August 13th'''
*60% of the remainder of the UNSC fleet is recalled to Reach, destined to arrive within the next 48 hours.

'''August 14th'''
*[[Operation: UPPERCUT]] is initiated, as Noble Team retakes the [[Sabre Program Launch/Research Range]] and joins the battle in orbit, eventually capturing the Covenant corvette ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'' and using it to deliver the {{UNSCShip|Savannah}}'s [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]], used as a makeshift bomb, to the ''Long Night of Solace'' . The ''Solace ''is destroyed at the cost of [[Jorge-052]], who sacrifices himself to detonate the drive manually. Moments after the carrier's destruction, [[Fleet of Particular Justice|a massive Covenant fleet enters in-system]].

'''August 23rd'''
*Noble Six participates in the Battle of New Alexandria on Reach. Six rescues civilians by helping them escape. Noble Six eventually meets up with the rest of [[Noble Team]], and the Covenant begin glassing the city. As Noble Team is on their way to a fallout shelter under the [[Olympic Tower]], [[Catherine-B320]] is killed by sniper fire.

'''August 25th'''
*[[Dr. Halsey]] and [[Cortana]] choose the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}, with [[Jacob Keyes]] as its commander, for a secret mission Halsey is planning.

'''August 27th'''
*All available [[SPARTAN-II]]s gather at the [[Fleet Command Headquarters|FLEETCOM Military Complex]] on [[Reach]], where they learn of their next mission: to acquire a [[Covenant]] vessel, navigate to the Covenant home world, and return with captured Covenant [[Hierarchs|leadership]].

'''August 29th'''
*[[SPARTAN-117]] receives a [[Spartan Neural Interface|neural interface]] upgrade, [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V|MJOLNIR Mark V armor]], and is introduced to Cortana.
*[[Noble Team]] is ordered to destroy Sword Base in a torch-and-burn op. During the operation, Noble Team makes their way inside Sword Base where they encounter Dr. Halsey, who asks them to protect her lab. Noble Team is then given direct orders to escort a fragment of Cortana holding crucial data from the [[Babd Catha Forerunner Complex]] to the ''Pillar of Autumn''. Halsey is then escorted back to CASTLE base by [[Jun-A266]].

'''August 30th'''
*[[Cortana]] has [[ONI]] [[James Ackerson|Colonel James Ackerson]] illicitly transferred to the front. This is her revenge for his attempts to eliminate both her and [[SPARTAN-117]].
*[[Jake Chapman|First Lieutenant Jake Chapman]], along with most of [[Charlie Company]] is killed during the [[Fall of Reach]].
*The [[Covenant]], despite sustaining heavy losses, wins a crushing victory at the Fall of Reach. Many of the remaining [[SPARTAN-II]]s are killed.
*The surviving [[SPARTAN-IIs]] on Reach are separated into two groups. One recovers [[Danforth Whitcomb|Vice Admiral Whitcomb]] and goes into hiding at [[Camp Independence]]. The others are admitted into [[CASTLE Base]] by [[Dr. Halsey]] and receive parts of the [[MJOLNIR]] Mark V upgrade and new weapons.
*[[Dr. Halsey]] learns of [[Colonel Ackerson]]'s mysterious plans that seem to involve "her" [[Spartans]].
*[[SPARTAN-B312]] destroys a [[CCS-class Battlecruiser]] with a [[Onager|mass driver]] to allow the ''Pillar of Autumn'' to escape Reach. The Spartan is killed by Sangheili soon after. The ''Autumn'' jumps away from the system, with Cortana using Forerunner navigation data from the [[Sigma Octanus IV Artifact]] as well as the [[Babd Catha Forerunner Complex]].

===September===
*The planet [[Coral]] is reported glassed by the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]].
*After the battle of Reach, the Covenant move on to glass the other planets in the system, including [[Tribute]], resulting in the prolonged [[Battle of Tribute]].
*During the [[Battle of Tribute]], [[SPARTAN-II]] [[Team Black]] is sent to [[Verge]] to destroy a Covenant [[Beacon]] supplying [[Helium|helium-3]] to the ships laying siege on Tribute. The team successfully destroys the beacon.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''' - ''[[Blunt Instruments]]''</ref>
*The [[Battle of New Jerusalem]] takes place. After a chain of events involving a group of ODSTs attempting to steal [[gold]] from a bank vault,<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''' - ''[[Dirt]]''</ref> the [[26th Marine Expeditionary Force]] is nearly wiped out, leaving [[the Rookie]] as one of few survivors. Eventually, the UNSC forces cut their losses and fall back to Earth.<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/projects/odst/guide.aspx '''Bungie.net''': ''Halo 3: ODST Field Guide'']</ref>

'''September 4th'''
*[[Lieutenant Wagner]] returns to [[Earth]] and reports on the evident destruction of [[Reach]] to [[Colonel James Ackerson]], [[Admiral Hood]], and [[Major General]] [[Nicolas Strauss|Strauss]] at [[HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6]] in Sydney, [[Australia]].

'''September 14th'''
*Earth's [[Orbital Defense Platform]]s are scheduled to come online.<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 104''</ref>

'''September 19th'''
*The {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} arrives at [[Installation 04|Alpha Halo]].<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''', page 1</ref>
*The [[Battle of Installation 04]] begins.
*[[SPARTAN-117]] is awoken from cryo sleep and tasked with preventing [[Cortana]]'s capture by the Covenant.
*[[SPARTAN-117]] and [[Cortana]] escaped the ship aboard a [[Bumblebee-class Lifepod]], which later crashed on the ring.
*The {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} is forced to crash land on the ring. A significant portion of its crew survives to continue the fight on the ground.

*[[Jacob Keyes|Captain Keyes]] and the others in his escape pod are captured by the [[Covenant]]. Only Keyes escapes summary execution, and is taken to the {{Class|CCS|Battlecruiser|}} ''[[Truth and Reconciliation]]''.

'''September 20th'''
[[File:SC new.png|200px|thumb|right|John-117 leading Marines on Installation 04.]]
*[[SPARTAN-117]] leads a [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine]] force to board the ''Truth and Reconciliation''. They recover Keyes and escape aboard a [[Type-25 Troop Carrier|Covenant dropship]]. Keyes orders SPARTAN-117 to find the "[[Silent Cartographer]]", a map room that will reveal the location of the [[Control Room]]. Keyes leaves to lead an assault on a Covenant weapons cache.
*Having found the map room and the pertinent information, Cortana directs a [[Echo 419|Pelican]] to take them to the area where the ring's Control Room is. Upon reaching the Control Room, Cortana transfers to the Control Room's computer and directs SPARTAN-117 to stop [[Jacob Keyes|Keyes]] from accessing the 'weapons cache', really a [[Forerunner]] research and quarantine facility.
*SPARTAN-117, without [[Cortana]], enters the facility but is unable to locate Keyes. Instead, he discovers the "[[Flood]]" and is forced to retreat. He links up with marines and takes command of the surviving members of Keyes' team and together they fight their way to the extraction point. However, the Spartan is conscripted by the "[[343 Guilty Spark|Monitor of Installation 04]]" and teleported away before he can be evacuated with the surviving members.

'''September 21st'''
*The Monitor takes [[John-117]] to the ring's "[[Library]]" to retrieve the "[[Index]]", a device needed to activate the ring's primary weapon. Having retrieved the Index, the [[Monitor]] teleports the [[Spartan]] back to the Control Room where an irate Cortana confiscates the Index and prevents the ring from firing. SPARTAN-117 and [[Cortana]] flee a now-hostile 343 Guilty Spark and [[Sentinel]]s.
*To forestall the ring from being activated manually, SPARTAN-117 disables the ring's three [[Pulse Generator]]s. This is to buy time to destroy the ring by activating the auto-destruct on the ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|Pillar of Autumn]]''. Only Keyes neural interface can activate the ship's self-destruct, and [[SPARTAN-117]] embarks once more to rescue the captain.
*Cortana teleports the Spartan to the Flood-overrun Covenant cruiser where [[Jacob Keyes]] is being held. Alas, the pair arrives too late to save Keyes, who has been merged into a [[Brain Form]]. [[SPARTAN-117]] retrieves the neural interface by punching in the former-captain's head. Cortana downloads the necessary codes, and the duo returns to the ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|Pillar of Autumn]]'' on a captured [[Banshee]].

'''September 22nd'''
*[[343 Guilty Spark (Monitor)|343 Guilty Spark]] overrides the auto-destruct codes, forcing SPARTAN-117 to manually destabilize the ship's still-functioning fusion cores. SPARTAN-117 and Cortana then escape the resulting explosion and the fragmentation of the ring aboard a [[Longsword]].
*[[Avery J. Johnson|Staff Sergeant Johnson]], [[Lieutenant Haverson]], [[Warrant Officer Polaski]], [[Corporal Locklear]] also escape the destruction of the ring aboard a Pelican.
*SPARTAN-117 and [[Cortana]] rendezvous with Johnson's group in [[Installation 04]]'s debris field. They also recover a set of [[cryotube]]s, one which contains [[SPARTAN-058]].
*The [[Battle of Installation 04]] ends. [[Pete Stacker (Marine)|Gunnery Sergeant Stacker]] and PFC [[Chips Dubbo]] survive, but it is unknown how they do.
*[[Skirmish over Threshold]]: As the [[Longsword]] and [[Pelican]] are not jump capable, the [[UNSC]] survivors assault and capture the ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'', a [[Covenant]] warship and apparently the flagship of the Covenant Fleet sent to [[Installation 04]]. They then set course for [[Reach]].
*[[Jersey Morelli]] confronts his mother about having an affair.

'''September 23rd'''
*A Time/Date Record Anomaly continues from this point in the narrative, resolved above on Sep 7, 2552.

====September's Anomaly====
After the recovery of a Forerunner device on Reach, the members of an organized resistance comprised of SPARTANs from Reach and survivors of the Battle of Installation 04 are in some sort of time anomaly, causing them not to be in the "correct timeline".<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]'''</ref> What is known is that the events taken place with the possession of the device take place after September 7th.

[[File:Fight_on_Ascendant_Justice.png|thumb|250px|John-117 and Marine survivors fighting on the ''Ascendant Justice''.]]
'''September 7th'''
*The Time/Date Record Anomaly of Sept 23, 2552 most likely rejoins the correct timeline.
*[[Dr. Halsey]] and members of Red Team discover an [[Forerunner Crystal|enigmatic shard]] in a [[Menachite Forerunner Complex|Forerunner installation]] below [[CASTLE Base]]. They are besieged by Covenant forces who seek to possess the shard.
*The remaining [[Spartans]], [[Admiral Whitcomb]], [[Dr. Halsey]], [[Avery Junior Johnson|Sgt. Johnson]], [[Elias Haverson|Lieutenant Haverson]], [[Warrant Officer Polaski]], and [[Corporal Locklear]] jump to Slipspace on board the Covenant/Human hybrid ship ''[[UNSC Gettysburg|Gettysburg]]-[[Ascendant Justice]]'', and discover that the shard seems to have the ability to bend both space and time.

'''September 12th'''
*The ''Gettysburg/Ascendant Justice'' arrives for refit and provisioning in [[Eridanus system]] and meets with the rebels under [[Jacob Jiles|Governor Jiles]]. Dr. Halsey sedates Spartan 087, [[Kelly]], and absconds with her on Governor Jiles' personal ship, the {{Class|Chiroptera|Stealth Vessel|}} [[Beatrice]]. Before she goes, she gives the alien artifact to [[Corporal Locklear]], with implicit instructions to destroy it.

'''September 13th'''
*UNSC forces aboard the ''Gettysburg/Ascendant Justice'' win a crucial victory at the [[Operation: FIRST STRIKE|Battle of the ''Unyielding Hierophant'']]. [[SPARTAN-093]], [[Lieutenant Haverson]] of ONI and Vice Admiral Whitcomb are killed. The survivors, now aboard the singular {{UNSCShip|Gettysburg}} and with a captured Covenant slipspace drive, depart for [[Earth]] to warn of the impending Covenant invasion.

===October===

'''Unknown Date'''
*An Edict from the Office of the High Prophet of Truth orders that in the virtue of the Jiralhanae, all Sangheili posted with the [[Fleet of Profound Solitude]], the [[Fleet of Tranquil Composure]], and the [[Fleet of Inner Knowledge]] to be completely replaced by Jiralhanae. Each removed Sangheili to be assigned other duties. In celebration, all imprisoned or criminal Jiralhanae were released, rehabilitated, and pardoned.<ref>'''Halo Wars''': ''Halo Timeline''</ref>
*The {{UNSCShip|Red Horse}} is sent to Installation 04's debris field in the Soell System to scout the area for survivors. They detect the prison ship {{UNSCShip|Mona Lisa}} and deploy Marines into the ship. Soon after, it is revealed that the ship is infested by the Flood and was used by the Office of Naval Intelligence as a laboratory to test the parasite on prisoners. The infestation is contained as the ''Red Horse'' unleashes a [[Shiva-class Nuclear Missile]] on the ''Mona Lisa'', destroying it.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''' - ''The Mona Lisa''</ref>

'''October 20th'''
[[File:Battle of New Mombasa.jpg|200px|thumb|right|The Battle of Earth at Mombasa.]]
*SPARTAN-117 is outfitted with the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark VI|MJOLNIR Mk. VI]] aboard [[Cairo Station]].
*The [[Thel 'Vadam|Fleet Commander of Particular Justice]] is deemed a [[Heretic]] by the Covenant [[High Council]] and sentenced to death.
*SPARTAN-117 and Staff Sergeant (now promoted to Sergeant Major) Johnson are decorated at a ceremony aboard Cairo Station. [[Jacob Keyes|Captain Keyes]] is awarded posthumously and the decoration is entrusted to [[Miranda Keyes|Commander Keyes]].
*The [[Battle of Earth]] begins.
*The High Prophet of Regret's fleet arrives at Earth, not expecting any human presence. The vastly outnumbered Covenant force attacks without seeking support from other Covenant forces.
*SPARTAN-117 foils a Covenant attempt to demolish Cairo Station and commandeers the Covenant [[Covenant Bomb|bomb]] to destroy an assault carrier.
*The [[High Prophet of Regret]]'s [[Regret's Carrier|assault carrier]] breaks through the [[Orbital Defense Platform|orbital defenses]] and initiates a [[Battle of Mombasa|ground assault]] on [[New Mombasa]] and the [[Mombasa|surrounding area]].
*SPARTAN-117 deploys to New Mombasa in an attempt to capture the High Prophet of Regret. Before this can happen, the assault carrier initiates a slipspace jump within the city, escaping Earth and severely damaging the city in the process. The {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}}, with SPARTAN-117 aboard, successfully pursues the carrier through slipspace.
*Immediately after Regret's retreat, an additional [[Jiralhanae]]-led Covenant occupation force is inserted to New Mombasa, as a part of the [[Prophet of Truth]]'s plan to eventually replace the [[Sangheili]] with the Brutes as the Covenant's primary warrior race. For the rest of the day, UNSC and Covenant forces battle for control of the city. Meanwhile, the Covenant fleet begins the process of uncovering the [[Installation 00|Ark]] [[Portal]].
*The [[Thel 'Vadam|former Fleet Commander of Particular Justice]] is made the [[Arbiter]] by the [[Hierarchs|High Prophets]] of [[Prophet of Truth|Truth]] and [[Prophet of Mercy|Mercy]].
*The Arbiter destroys a [[Heretics|heretic]] group and 'recovers' the [[343 Guilty Spark|Oracle]].

'''October 21st'''
*The Battle of Mombasa ends with a Covenant victory.
*In the dawn, Covenant reinforcements sent by the Prophet of Truth continue arriving at Earth to uncover the Portal.
*[[Dare's Shock Trooper Squad]] escapes New Mombasa as the city, along with its surroundings are [[Glassing|glassed]] by the Covenant excavation fleet.

'''October 20th through November 2nd'''
*The Spartan-II [[Blue Team]] is deployed to defend Earth during the two weeks that follow the initial Covenant invasion. They participate in numerous combat missions on and around Earth, including [[Battle of Ross Island]] in the [[Antarctica]] and an underwater operation in the [[Yucatan Peninsula]].

'''October 31st'''
*The [[Battle of Onyx]] begins.
*The standby signal rouse the [[Sentinels]] of [[Onyx]], who destroy the UNSC base on the world.
* Kurt, Mendez, and some Spartans battle to survive the Sentinel's onslaught.

===November===
'''November 2nd'''
*The [[Battle of Installation 05]] begins.
*The UNSC ''In Amber Clad'' arrives at [[Delta Halo]], following the High Prophet of Regrets assault carrier. SPARTAN-117, aided by [[ODST]]s and [[marine]]s, pursue the High Prophet to a Forerunner temple and assassinate him. However, orbital bombardment from the escorting fleets of the newly arrived [[High Charity]] destroys the temple. SPARTAN-117 is thrown into a lake and captured by [[Gravemind]].

'''November 3rd'''
*The [[Great Schism]] begins.
*The [[UNSC Dusk|UNSC ''Dusk'']] arrives at Delta Halo and witnesses the final stages of the [[Battle of Installation 05]]. She retreats to Earth via a [[Slipspace Wake]] caused by the Forerunner ship.
*[[Dr. Halsey]] and [[SPARTAN-087]] arrive at Onyx and are trapped along with the rest of the human survivors. Halsey sends a distress signal piggybacked on Cortana's October 28 signal.
*The [[Battle of Havana]] is fought. Having received Halsey's signal, [[SPARTAN-043]], [[SPARTAN-058]], and [[SPARTAN-104]] redeploy from Earth to Onyx aboard a captured Covenant ship. They rendezvous with Halsey. The UNSC survivors are forced to retreat underground as a newly arrived Covenant fleet beings landing troops.
*The ''Dusk'' arrives at Earth after mere hours. Upon arrival, she is re-assigned to Battlegroup Stalingrad. The group jump to Onyx via the captured Covenant Ships Slipspace wake.
*[[Battlegroup Stalingrad]] arrives at Onyx to retrieve the survivors, but is unsuccessful due to the Covenant presence. The UNSC battlegroup is destroyed.
*Onyx is found to be an artificial [[Shield World]] built by the Forerunners.
*[[Kurt-051]] dies after detonating 2 FENRIS warheads inside the Onyx [[Shield World]] structure.
*Halsey and the other survivors hold off pursuing Covenant troops long enough to flee to the safety of the [[Shield World]] and seal the entrance.
*[[Sentinels]] annihilate the remaining Covenant forces as Onyx's artificial landmass disintegrates.
*The [[Battle of Onyx]] ends.
*The Arbiter is sent to [[Delta Halo]] to retrieve that installation's [[The Index|Index]]. The Arbiter is successful, but is then betrayed by [[Tartarus]], who casts the Arbiter into the depths of the ringworld. The Arbiter is subsequently captured by [[Gravemind]].
*[[Gravemind]] sends [[John-117]] and the Arbiter to secure the Index and prevent the installation from being activated. [[SPARTAN-117]] is teleported to [[High Charity]] while the Arbiter is teleported close to the [[Control Room]]. Both are aided by the chaos of the [[Covenant]] civil war.
*SPARTAN-117 is unable to prevent the Index from leaving [[High Charity]] with [[Tartarus]]. Instead, on the advice of [[Cortana]], the Spartan stows away aboard the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] that is carrying the [[High Prophet of Truth]] to Earth. Cortana remains behind to ensure the destruction of Installation 05, should that become necessary.

'''November 3rd through November 7th'''
[[File:H2 High Charity Orbital Battle.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Loyalist and Separatist ships fighting over High Charity.]]
*Cortana sends a slipspace message to Earth informing them that SPARTAN-117 is en route.
*The Arbiter reaches the Control Room but is unable to prevent Tartarus from activating the ring. With the help of humans and the [[Elites]], the Arbiter kills Tarturus. This allows Commander Keyes to physically remove the Index from the [[The Core|Core]], temporarily interrupting the firing sequence.
*Due to the interruption, [[Installation 05]] automatically sends a signal to all other Forerunner installations in the galaxy, activating and placing them in standby mode.

'''November 8th'''
*The [[Prophet of Truth]] arrives in the [[Sol System]] aboard the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]], and proceeds on course towards Earth at near-relativistic speeds.<ref name="timeline">[http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=16989 '''Bungie.net''': ''Bungie Weekly Update: 01/23/09'']</ref>

'''November 8th through November 17th'''
*Before the Forerunner Dreadnought lands to Earth, Covenant Loyalist forces assault the human city of [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]] in the [[United Republic of North America]] on Earth. The Loyalists look for the [[Key of Osanalan]], a mysterious [[Forerunner]] device related to the [[Halo Array|Halo Installations]], which eventually turns out to be nonexistent.
*[[Sergeant Major Johnson]] arrives back on Earth and gets clearance from [[Lord Hood]] to question [[Vergil]] about the artifact the High Prophet of Truth is digging up near Voi.

'''November 17th'''
[[File:S117returnstoEarth2552.jpg|thumb|John-117 and the Forerunner Dreadnought entering Earth's atmosphere.]]
*The Forerunner Dreadnought enters [[Earth]]'s atmosphere. Onboard is [[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]], who ejects from the ship, using a hatch as a heat shield upon re-entry. Meanwhile, [[Battle of Sector Six]] takes place at [[Pawa]], [[Afghanistan]]. There, numerous Marines of the [[2nd Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Battalion|2nd ODST Battalion]] track SPARTAN-117's descent. SPARTAN-117 eventually lands in the [[East African Protectorate|East African]] jungle near [[Mount Kilimanjaro]], going unconscious for hours.<ref name="timeline"/>
*The [[Prophet of Truth]]'s Dreadnought lands in the middle of [[The Artifact]] near [[Voi]], [[Kenya]]. During the last few weeks, Truth's fleet of twenty-odd {{Class|CCS|Battlecruiser}}s and two [[Assault Carriers]] have almost entirely uncovered the artifact and occupied the entire region surrounding it.
*SPARTAN-117 leads a UNSC counterattack to regain lost UNSC ground, retaking a jungle near [[Africa|Mount Kilimanjaro]] and securing the area around [[Crow's Nest (Base)|Crow's Nest]], an underground facility used by the UNSC Defense Force to coordinate local Army, Navy, and Marine forces. The UNSC organize a small strike force led by SPARTAN-117 to attack the Covenant Loyalist-held [[Tsavo Highway (Location)|Tsavo Highway]], and thus have a platform for a strike at Voi.
*The UNSC Marine Corps is able to retake the Tsavo Highway, and it serves for a staging ground for the battalion that would retake Voi. The UNSC forces stationed already at Voi have suffered severe casualties, with only pockets of Marines drawn in a scattered last defense against numerically superior and vehicle-supported Loyalist forces.
*[[Fleet Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood|Sir Terrence Hood]] declares that it is imperative that SPARTAN-117's attack force retake Voi. Lord Hood's plan is that he will launch a low-level aerial strike on Truth's fleet above the Forerunner artifact, and prevent him from activating the presumed Ark. However, a Loyalist anti-aircraft emplacement stationed at Voi is preventing Hood's fleet from advancing; SPARTAN-117 is to retake Voi and destroy the anti-aircraft emplacement to allow Hood to attack Truth's fleet, and prevent him from activating the Ark.
[[File:H3 TheArk Opening.jpg|200px|thumb|right|The Ark Portal on Earth activates.]]
*They later defeat the AA guns, opening up a pocket in the Loyalist Defenses for the [[UNSC Home Fleet|Home Fleet]] to come in and engage Truth's forces. They are unsuccessful in damaging the Dreadnought, and it escapes through the Portal. At the same moment, a [[Unnamed Flood-Captured Battlecruiser|Flood-controlled ship]] slips in, crashing in Voi.
*[[Miranda Keyes|Commander Miranda Keyes]] orders her troops to fight to the core of the Flood Battlecruiser and overload its reactors, destroying the ship and the town and any Flood along with it. The [[Fleet of Retribution]], having followed the Flood infected ship from their blockade at [[Installation 05]] to its arrival at Earth, begins to drop forces to push towards the ship, seeking something that lay within it. It isn't until they come back into [[Traxus Factory Complex 09|Traxus Facility]] that the Sangheili tell the [[UNSC]] that [[Cortana]], the AI formally attached to the Spartan-IIs, the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}, and companion of John-117, is supposedly on the downed ship.
*The joint UNSC/Separatist force press on to the crash site and eventually break through, fighting past hordes of [[Flood]]. With the remaining forces giving cover to the Chief, he enters its Flood created carcass and retrieves what is believed to be Cortana. After the ground forces are evacuated safely the Elites begin to glass the immediate area, annihilating the Flood and eliminating any chance of further Flood infection, effectively ending the [[Battle of Voi]].

===Late November through December===
The end of 2552 saw the bloodiest period of the [[Human-Covenant War|Great War]] and the beginning of the end. The Prophet of Truth was killed in the later months along with a sizable Covenant armada, leaving the Covenant forces crippled and leaderless as well as the full destruction of [[Gravemind]] and its [[Flood]] forces.

====Battle of Installation 00====
{{main|Battle of Installation 00}}
[[File:H3 E3 Orbital Battle.jpg|200px|thumb|right|A battle rages above Installation 00.]]
*The [[Prophet of Truth]], having successfully activated the artifact in Kenya, left [[Earth]] through a Slipspace portal to the [[Ark]], a [[Forerunner]] structure that could be used to fire all of the Halo installations at once.
*Despite [[Lord Hood]]'s urging, [[Commander Keyes]] took ships from the Home Fleet with a small fleet of [[Separatist]] cruisers led by the carrier ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'' and proceeded through the Slipspace portal and arrived at the [[Ark]].
*The Separatists on arrival immediately engaged the Loyalist fleet stationed to protect the Prophet while the ''[[Forward Unto Dawn]]'' deployed [[ODST|Marine Shock Troopers]] to locate Truth. Despite being outnumbered 3-to-1 in space, the Separatist fleet made short work of the Loyalist space forces, likely due to the Elites' superior tactical skills. The Covenant Loyalist Fleet had been destroyed and the only Loyalists left alive were Truth and his forces on the Ark. [[343 Guilty Spark (Monitor)|343 Guilty Spark]], now working with the UNSC-Separatist Alliance, led SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter to the Ark's Cartographer where they pinpointed the Prophet's location. By then Truth had already holed himself in a secure facility near the core of the Ark and had activated a large barrier around the entire core to ward off the attacking forces.
*The UNSC ground forces, along with Separatist reinforcements, assaulted three emitter pylons that powered a small section of the barrier. When the defending forces were eliminated and the pylons shut down, the ''Shadow of Intent'' began its attack on Truth. At the same time the former Covenant city ship ''[[High Charity]]'' arrived from slipspace and crashed on the Ark. Debris, spread from the city-ship, heavily damaged the ''Shadow of Intent'' and helped spread a new Flood infestation on the Ark as a means to stop Truth and to be safe from the Halo activation array. Without any heavy support, SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter personally attacked the facility where Truth was to activate the Halo installations.
*Sergeant Major Johnson, who had disappeared during the assault on the towers, was in fact captured by Truth's forces and was being tortured into pressing the final switch to activate the other Halos, as fail-safes within the structure prevented anyone other than a Forerunner or a Reclaimer to do so. With [[SPARTAN-117]] and the Arbiter too far away to stop Truth, Commander Keyes grabbed a Pelican dropship and crashed into the facility to rescue Johnson, but was killed soon thereafter by Truth himself. The Gravemind dispatched Flood forces to assist SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter in order to prevent the activation of the Halo Array system; their support enabled the Master Chief and the Arbiter to reach Truth in time. The Arbiter personally killed Truth with his sword. However, the Gravemind betrayed the two of them after knocking them out of Keyes' Pelican,(then piloted by Johnson and also carrying the Commander's body), thwarting their plan of escape and forcing SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter to fight their way outside.

====Raid on High Charity====
*343 Guilty Spark had managed to facilitate the making of a new Halo through the Ark, explaining that a tactical pulse from it would eliminate the Flood infestation. However, this new Halo lacked an Activation Index. The only way they could get another Index was to rescue Cortana from High Charity since she still possessed the Index from Installation 04. Through a tough battle, SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter successfully entered the ruins of High Charity and recovered Cortana, using a partly-damaged Pelican to escape while High Charity was destroyed when its reactors went critical after the Spartan blasted them.

====End of Human-Covenant War====
*With the Index secure, the Arbiter ordered that the remaining [[UNSC]] forces relocate to the [[Separatist]] ships and escape back through the Slipspace portal to [[Earth]] while he, [[SPARTAN-117]] and [[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Junior Johnson]] moved in on the Control Room of the incomplete Halo, the latter coming in alone aboard the ''Forward Unto Dawn''. The Dawn was left behind as the only means of escape. By now what was left of the Gravemind had relocated to the new Halo. The Arbiter, Johnson, and SPARTAN-117, along with 343 Guilty Spark made it through waves of Flood to the Control Room. 343 Guilty Spark explained that the new Halo would be ready to fire within a few days, but with Flood moving in all around them Johnson explained the necessity of firing the ring immediately, prompting Guilty Spark's protest that activating Halo now would destroy both the Ark and the installation, and Johnson's subsequent reply of, "deal with it," as he prepared to activate the ring. Unwilling to let "his" ring be destroyed again, Spark went rampant, attacking Johnson, [[SPARTAN-117]], and the Arbiter. However, with the help of mortally-wounded Johnson and his laser, [[SPARTAN-117]] managed to destroy Guilty Spark and start the firing sequence for the new Halo. Just after Johnson's final remarks to [[SPARTAN-117]], he died. SPARTAN-117 and the Arbiter then escaped the control room by taking Johnson's [[Warthog]] to the ''Forward Unto Dawn''. Due to the unstable, incomplete nature of the ring as it fired, the Slipspace portal collapsed as the ''Dawn'' entered it, causing it to be sheared in two. The forward half with the Arbiter made it to [[Earth]], crashing into an ocean (presumably the Indian Ocean). Cortana and SPARTAN-117 were in the hangar area at the time of the separation, and were thus left in the aft section of the ship, which fell out of Slipstream space at an unknown location, eventually drifting towards an [[Legendary Planet|unidentified planet]].

===December===
'''December 31st'''
*[[Codename: SURGEON]] filed a report to [[Codename: USUAL SUSPECTS]] entitled "[[Historical/Psychological Analysis of Cole, Preston J.]]" The report was filed from {{UNSCShip|Point of No Return}} in synchronous orbit on the far side of [[Luna]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''' - ''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]'', pages 413-487</ref>

==Battles==
'''Human-Covenant War'''
*[[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]]
*[[Battle of Reach]]
*[[Battle of Installation 04]]
**[[Raid on the Truth and Reconciliation]]
**[[Battle of the Silent Cartographer]]
*[[Massacre at Eridanus Secundus]]
*[[Operation: FIRST STRIKE]]
*[[Battle of Earth]]
**[[Battle of Mombasa]]
**[[Battle of Havana]]
**[[Battle of Cleveland]]
**[[Battle of Sector Six]]
**[[Battle of Voi]]
*[[Battle of the Gas Mine]]
*[[Battle of Installation 05]]
*[[Battle of Onyx]]
*[[Battle of Mare Erythraeum]]
*[[Battle of Installation 00]]

'''The Great Schism'''
*[[First Battle of High Charity]]

'''Quarantine of the Flood'''
*[[Battle of Installation 05|Quarantine of Installation 05]]
**[[Battle of the Quarantine Zone]]
*[[Second Battle of High Charity]]

==Deaths==

{{Under Construction|section}}

'''Human'''
*[[General]] [[Kits]]
*[[Vice Admiral]] [[Danforth Whitcomb]]
*[[Colonel]] [[James Ackerson]]
*[[Herzog|Colonel Herzog]]
*[[Felicia Sanderson|Colonel Felicia Sanderson]]
*[[Teller|Colonel Teller]]
*[[Unnamed UNSC Colonel]]
*[[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]]
*[[Dr. Endesha]]
*[[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Kurt Ambrose]]
*[[Miranda Keyes|Lieutenant Commander Miranda Keyes]]
*[[Gail Purdy|Lieutenant Commander Gail Purdy]]
*[[Major]] [[Antonio Silva]]
*[[Lieutenant]] [[Buckman]]
*[[Lieutenant]] [[Rick Hale]]
*[[Lieutenant]] [[Elias Haverson]]
*[[Lieutenant]] [[Aki Hikowa]]
*[[First Lieutenant]] [[Jake Chapman]]
*[[First Lieutenant]] [[Melissa McKay]]
*[[Second Lieutenant]] [[Dalu]]
*[[Second Lieutenant]] [[McCasky]]
*[[Second Lieutenant]] [[Oros]]
*[[Ensign]] [[Ellen Dowski]]
*[[Ensign]] [[William Lovell]]
*Flight Officer Captain [[Carol Rawley]]
*[[Warrant Officer]] [[Shiela Polaski]]
*[[Chief Petty Officer]] [[Thom Shephard]]
*[[Petty Officer Third Class]] [[Samuel N. Marcus]]
*[[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery J. Johnson]]
*[[First Sergeant]] [[Tink Carter]]
*[[Master Sergeant]] [[Lister (Marine)|Lister]]
*[[Gunnery Sergeant (UNSC)|Gunnery Sergeant]] [[Waller]]
*[[Staff Sergeant]] [[Marvin Mobuto]]
*[[Sergeant]] [[Corly]]
*[[Sergeant]] [[Parker]]
*[[Corporal]] [[Locklear]]
*[[Corporal]] [[Lovik]]
*[[Corporal]] [[Mitchell]]
*[[Corporal]] [[Perez]]
*[[Lance Corporal]] [["Snaky" Jones]]
*[[Private First Class]] [[Hosky]]
*[[Private First Class]] [[M. Fitzgerald]]
*[[Private First Class]] [[Wallace A. Jenkins]]
*[[Private]] [[Kappus]]
*[[Private]] [[Manuel Mendoza]]
*[[Private]] [[Marie Postly]]
*[[Private]] [[McKenzie]]
*[[Private]] [[O'Brien]]
*[[Private]] [[Riley]]
*[[Private]] [[Satha]]
*[[Hospital Corpsman]] [[Ngoc Benti]]
*[[Governor]] [[Jacob Jiles]]
*War Photographer [[Jake Courage]]
*[[Ruwan Ackerson]]
*[[Patrick Rimmer]]
*[[Clarence]]
*[[Gage Yevgenny]]
*[[Eric Santiago]]
*[[Sita]]
*[[Orrin]]
*[[Dale (ODST)|Dale]]
*[[Amey]]
*[[Charleston]]
*[[Connor Brien]]
*[[Hague]]
*[[Nixaliz]]
*[[Vern]]
*[[Jorge-052]]
*[[Catherine-B320]]
*[[Carter-A259]]
*[[Emile-A239]]
*[[SPARTAN-B312]]
*[[Thom-293]]

'''Sangheili'''
*[[Imperial Admiral]] [[Xytan 'Jar Wattinree]] <small>(Presumed dead by the NOVA activation near Joyous Exultation)</small>
*[[Fleet Master]] [[Voro Nar 'Mantakree]]
*[[Field Master]] [[Noga 'Putumee]]
*[[Heretic|Heretic Commander]] [[Sesa 'Refumee]]
*[[Shipmaster]] [[Orna 'Fulsamee]]
*[[Special Operations Officer]] [[Zuka 'Zamamee]]
*[[Ado 'Mortumee]]
*[[Isna 'Nosolee]]
*[[Soha 'Rolamee]]


'''San 'Shyuum'''
*[[High Prophet of Regret]]
*[[High Prophet of Mercy]]
*[[High Prophet of Truth]]
*[[Truth and Reconciliation's Prophet]]
*[[Minister of Etiology]]
*[[Minister of Inquisition]]


'''Jiralhanae'''
*[[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae]] [[Tartarus]]
*[[Ceretus]]
*[[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Parabum]]
*[[Maladus]]
*[[Facius]]
*[[Hammadus]]
*[[Jupentus]]
*[[Brunus]]
*[[Golubus]]

'''Unggoy'''
*[[Gagaw]]
*[[Linglin]]
*[[Yayap]]
*[[Zawaz]]
*[[Kwassass]]
*[[Flipyap]]

'''Yanme'e'''
*[[Hopalong]]

'''Forerunner'''
*[[343 Guilty Spark (Monitor)|343 Guilty Spark]]
*[[032 Mendicant Bias]] <small>(Presumed destroyed with the Ark)</small>

'''Flood'''
*[[Gravemind]]
==Trivia==
*The first and second parts of 2552 equal 2+5=7 and 5+2=7, another one of Bungie's 7 references.

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