The Inner Colonies, sometimes referred to as the Core Worlds,[1][2] were the first worlds terraformed and colonized by the Unified Earth Government and the United Nations Space Command, relieving the overpopulation pressure on Earth that resulted in the Interplanetary War.
History
The Inner Colony Wars
- Main article: Inner Colony Wars
It is known that there was a war some time before the 26th century called the "Inner Colony Wars."[3] Very little is known about it and it might just be an alternate name of the Interplanetary Wars, though the name would be of a post-Outer Colonies age, and probably only referring to the Sol system colonies.
Continuing Development
The Inner Colonies consisted of the 210 planets which were colonized before 2390. In 2490, Reach, which was located near the boundary of the Inner and Outer Colonies, became the UNSC's military center. As the UNSC began settling the Outer Colonies, the Inner Colonies, with their established social and economic infrastructures, became the political and economic basis of the UNSC, supplied with raw materials from the newer settlements.[4]
The Insurrection
- Main article: Insurrection
While the outer colonies held the brunt of the Insurrection, the inner colonies were not spared violence. Tribute was turned into a battleground as a part of Operation: TREBUCHET[5] and Reach was the site of an attack on a luxury liner.[6]
The Human-Covenant war
- Main article: Human-Covenant war
The war with the Covenant would take years to reach the inner colonies, mostly due in part to the Cole Protocol which was designed with the protection of Earth and the inner colonies in mind.[7]
As the Covenant rampaged through the outer colonies, refugees poured into the border system of Ectanus 45.[8]
The Siege of the Inner Colonies
- Main article: Siege of the Inner Colonies
In 2536 the Covenant breached into the inner colonies,[4] despite the utmost diligence to the Cole Protocol.
As the years went on, many colonies were attacked and some were glassed, like Skopje.[9] Some battles, like the Battle of Ballast, were even won by the UNSC.[10] However, the odds were getting worse every year and in the July of 2552, Reach was discovered.[11] The resulting battle would see the planet ultimately glassed,[12][13] but would pave the way for the very significant Battle of Installation 04.[14]
The Battle on Earth rages on.
After almost 27 years of war, Earth and the Sol system were attacked. Earth's New Mombasa would get the first hit.[15] Mars would also come under assault, a battle the UNSC lost.[16] Earth would continue to be fought over up until December of 2552, when the portal to the Ark was discovered.[17] This led to final battle of the war, the Battle of Installation 00.[18]
Post-war
Immediately following the war, rebuilding the colonies was the biggest priority. Earth began rebuilding in January of 2553,[19] and in November, Reach was scouted for possible reterraforming.[20]
New Phoenix Incident
- Main article: New Phoenix Incident
In the July of 2557, the Ur-Didact's ship, Mantle's Approach, arrived in Earth's orbit. The Didact would fire the Composer at the city of New Phoenix.[21] The city was left in quarantine for eight months.[22]
Inner-Outer Colony Disconnect
Following Benjamin Giraud's interruption of a joint UEG Senate and ONI meeting, the Waypoint buoys connecting the inner and outer colonies were shut down.[23] When Benjamin was publicly discredited on ECB, tensions died down and the buoys were turned back on.[24]
Reclamation
- Main article: The Reclamation
In 2558, Cortana sent her Guardians to Earth, and most likely other Inner Colonies.[25]
Infrastructure
Transit
Transit in the Inner Colonies is monitored by the Inner Territories Transportation Administration.[26]
Defenses
The defenses of the Inner Colonies were known to be incredibly strong. On the edge of the Inner Colonies is Fort York, which housed the best and brightest soldiers.[27] The Sabre Program was also designed with the defense of the Inner Colonies in mind. In fact, several Inner Colony worlds held launching stations for them.[28]
Astrography
Much of the astrography of the Inner Colonies isn't known. It is known that the border worlds of Inner Colonies are in the Outer Fringes.[29] It is also known that the Inner colonies were within 38-lightyears of the Sol system.[note 1] There is also one known FLEETCOM sector within the Inner Colonies, Sector One.[30]
Known Colonies
There are at least 210 Inner Colonies.[4] So far, only 20 colonies and 6 systems have been referenced.
| System | Colony | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ectanus 45 system | Chi Rho | Unknown |
| Epsilon Eridani system | Reach | Glassed in 2552, terraformed to be habitable by 2589. |
| Tribute | Glassed in 2552 | |
| Tantalus | Unknown, likely glassed | |
| Circumstance | Unknown, likely glassed. | |
| Beta Gabriel | Unknown, likely glassed. | |
| Groombridge 34 system | Unknown | Unknown |
| Lacaille 9352 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Sol system | Earth | Still held |
| Luna | Unknown, likely survived. | |
| Mars | Still held | |
| Jovian Moons | Unknown, likely survived. | |
| Tau Ceti system | Unknown | Unknown, likely survived |
| Unknown | Actium | Glassed in May 2545 |
| Ballast | Unsuccessfully attacked | |
| Camber | Glassed | |
| Gannick 22 | Still held | |
| Imber | Attacked, unknown status | |
| Minister | Still held | |
| New Carthage | Still held | |
| Skopje | Glassed in 2547 |
Appearances
- Halo: Combat Evolved (Mentioned only)
- Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (Mentioned only)
- Halo: The Fall of Reach (First appearance)
- Halo 2
- Halo 3
- Halo 3: ODST
- Halo: Reach
- Halo 4
- Halo: The Flood
- Halo: First Strike
- Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
- Halo Graphic Novel
- Halo: Uprising
- Halo: Contact Harvest
- Halo: The Cole Protocol
- Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
- Kilo-Five Trilogy
- Halo 5: Guardians
- Halo: Fleet Battles
Notes
- ↑ As the Lambda Serpentis system was one of the last outer colonies to be attacked before the Inner colonies in 2536, this means that the Outer Colonies begin at least 38-light years away from Earth.
Sources
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 33
- ↑ Halo Wars: Genesis
- ↑ Halo Graphic Novel, Second Sunrise over New Mombasa
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Xbox.com Halo Storyline (Defunct, Copy on HBO Forums)
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest, pages 9-20
- ↑ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 127
- ↑ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 135
- ↑ Halo: The Cole Protocol, page 25
- ↑ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, Dirt, page 313
- ↑ Halo Encyclopedia, page ??
- ↑ Halo: Reach - Level: Winter Contingency
- ↑ Halo 2 - Level: The Heretic
- ↑ Halo: Reach - Level: The Pillar of Autumn
- ↑ Halo: Combat Evolved - Level: The Pillar of Autumn
- ↑ Halo 2 - Level: Cairo Station
- ↑ Halo: Uprising Issue 1
- ↑ Halo 3 - Level: Tsavo Highway
- ↑ Halo 3 - Level: The Ark
- ↑ Halo: Glasslands - Page 27 (Electronic Version)
- ↑ Halo Waypoint: Catalog Interaction - Page 43
- ↑ Halo 4 - Level: Midnight
- ↑ Halo: Escalation Issue 7
- ↑ Hunt the Truth - Episode 09: Phantoms (Part 1)/(Part 2)
- ↑ Hunt the Truth - Episode 13: In The Bag (Part 1)/(Part 2)
- ↑ Halo 5: Guardians - Level: Guardians
- ↑ Hunt the Truth - Episode 05: Out of Time (Part 1)/(Part 2)
- ↑ Halo: The Fall of Reach - page 283 (Physical), 321 (Digital)
- ↑ Halo Waypoint (Xbox 360 App): The Universe - Vehicles - Sabre
- ↑ Halo: Cole Protocol - Page 22 (Electronic)
- ↑ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 289