SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures

The SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures were a series of biochemical and biomechanical manipulations applied to SPARTAN-II Conscripts at the onset of puberty.

Introduction
Human biochemical experiments and enhancement procedures have been a part of society dating back to the 20th century, their gains have attracted widespread attention in the hopes of improving human strength and endurance. Military experimentation of such enhancements has always been limited for the sake of morality and ethical concerns. However as technology improved and as scientists continued to understand the human body, advancements paved the way for the eventual use of body enhancement chemicals — the first bio-engineering protocol was established to help humans adjust to long duration spaceflight and different planetary environmental conditions; and subsequently for interplanetary war. The fruition of such procedures to help create a superior soldier did not solidify until the limited success of the ORION Project which would pave the way for the success of the SPARTAN-II Program.

Effects
Although the subject is in a state of unconsciousness, a state of which the subject should not feel any pain, the effects of the augmentation procedures produce excruciating pain. Physiological stress of the augmentations can produce cardiac arrest, in addition to cross-chemical complications that can result in augmentation failure.

Each procedure is marked with their set of unbearable pain, the carbide ceramic ossification is said to feel like the subjects bones are breaking, as if their marrows were made of glass and were being shattered. The catalytic thyroid implant and muscular enhancement injections produce extraordinary pain as if the subject's veins had been injected with napalm as well as pulsating and the feeling of them being torn out of the subjects skin. The effect of the muscles increasing in density is said to feel like the entire body was on fire mixed with the feeling of plated glass shattering and being worked in the subject's body. The superconducting fabrication of neural dendrites is said to feel like fire is burning along the subject's nerves on their spines.

The side effects of completing the augmentations vary, as the subject's brain relearns how to move their body with faster reflexes and stronger muscles and may experience neurological confusion that includes falling over, exaggerated reflexes as well as problems holding onto objects or problems grabbing them. The subject can experience bleeding eyes, incredible pain, constant headaches and aches in the bones.

As time goes on successful augmentation subjects side effects diminish either completely or to the point where it is considered mild.

Results
Only a few months after augmentation procedures the SPARTAN-IIs were noted of being capable of running at speeds exceeding 55 km/h or 34.2 mph. Kelly-087 was capable of running even faster than this speed. Later during the Human-Covenant war while in her Mark V MJOLNIR Armor, Kelly-087s the top speed recorded was 62 km/h or 38.5 mph John-117 has been noted to have briefly ran at around 105 km/h or 65.2 mph during a MJOLNIR MARK V training exercise, however his Achilles tendon was torn because the strain put on his body was unsustainable.

The SPARTAN-IIs are capable of lifting three times their body weight, which is double the normal weight of an average human due to the ceramic bone augmentations, in addition to their increased muscle density. Fred-104 is noted for using his enhanced strength combined with his skills to kill a Brute with his bare hands during Operation: First Strike. Cal-141 was capable of blocking a Jiralhanae Chieftain's Gravity Hammer swing with a single hand, dodging multiple swings from the Chieftain, use her enhanced muscle strength to jump to great heights, and wound the Chieftain with a few punches and kicks. During the events of Halo: The Flood, John-117 was able to use his enhanced strength to kill Covenant Elites with skull breaking punches. During the events on planet Onyx, Will-043 used his enhanced strength to engage a Hunter pair in hand to hand combat, and succeeded in killing one by ripping the worms out of its body. In the same battle, Kelly-087 engaged three Sangheili Major/Spec-Ops Elites in hand to hand combat, snapping the wrist of one Elite, taking his energy sword, and cutting three Elites in half with a single swing. During the events of Halo: Glasslands, Naomi-010 knocked out a Brute with a single uppercut, breaking it's spine in the process.

A SPARTAN-II's reaction time, while impossible to chart accurately, is estimated to be twenty milliseconds. Their reaction times are significantly faster in combat situations or with A.I. assistance. The reaction times of the SPARTAN-IIs are so fast that they are able to think, react and see things happen in slow and fast motion - it is dubbed as "SPARTAN Time" by Kelly-087. SPARTAN-IIs are also known for their sharp eyesight being able to virtually see in the dark.

The thirty-three SPARTAN-IIs that were able to accomplish all this are without any serious physiological or mental instabilities.

Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez states after the augmentations that the SPARTANs will only get better as they adjust to the augmentation. Therefore many of the SPARTANs attributes have increased through time. These abilities were completely independent of the MJOLNIR armor, which only further augmented the SPARTANs' unprecedented capabilities. Despite the impressive feats the surviving SPARTANs performed, many of the fourteen year old candidates died or "washed out" as a result of the augmentations. Rather than be buried or cremated their bodies were cryogenically preserved with the hopes of one day reviving these candidates. Experimental rehabilitation programs were performed on more than 80% of the washouts. The result of these programs, however, has yet to be determined. The augmentation procedures performed on the SPARTAN-IIs paved the way for Project CHRYSANTHEMUM and thus for the "disposable" Spartan-III's.

Appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo Evolutions
 * Halo Legends
 * Halo 4
 * Scanned Trailer