2553

Events

Dr. Ruth Charet gives her inaugural address after her election as President of the Unified Earth Government.^[1]
The Black Ops cell Kilo-Five is formed by Admiral Margaret Orlenda Parangosky. Its members include Captain Serin Osman, Naomi-010, and several ODSTs. Because of Parangosky's distrust of the Sangheili, she sends Kilo-Five on a mission to cause insurrection between the Covenant separatists led by Thel 'Vadam and the Servants of Abiding Truth.
The UNSC Security Council begins the reconstruction of the colonies. Lord Hood plans a diplomatic mission to surviving UEG colonies to discuss plans for reconstruction.
Lord Hood arrives at Sanghelios to meet with Thel 'Vadam to formalize a treaty of peace between the humans and the Sangheili. Hood also invites Thel to attend the memorial ceremony dedicated to those who died during the war.
January 31: Dr. William Arthur Iqbal sends a message to his colleagues, concerning the ongoing study of Forerunner artifacts.^[2]

Andrew Del Rio is chosen as the commanding officer of the experimental ONI vessel, UNSC Infinity.
March 3: In a ceremony presided over by Lord Hood, a monument is erected in the Kenyan savannah near Mount Kilimanjaro to officially mark the end of the Human-Covenant War, and in remembrance of those who gave their lives in the war, including John-117, who is labeled MIA and is (presumably) posthumously promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. A full military detail, led by Gunnery Sergeant Pete Stacker and including PFC Chips Dubbo, deliver a 21-gun salute to the fallen. All the remaining SPARTAN-II super-soldiers are present for the ceremony. After the ceremony, Thel 'Vadam and his surviving brethren depart Earth for their homeworld, Sanghelios.^[3]

Lucy-B091 discovers a population of Huragok within the Dyson sphere. The Huragok assist the human survivors in establishing communications with the ONI ships prowling the debris field of Onyx.
The shield world is eventually brought into normal space from the slipspace bubble by the Huragok, thus allowing the ONI vessels to rescue Dr. Catherine Halsey, SCPO Franklin Mendez, Blue Team, and the SPARTAN-III's. Per an order from Admiral Parangosky, Dr. Halsey is arrested by Captain Serin Osman.
ONI dispatches science teams to recover Forerunner technologies from the shield world, designating the sphere as ONI Research Facility Trevelyan at Dr. Halsey's request.