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At the height of its power, there were over 800 colonies under the authority of the United
Earth Government.
As the war against the Covenant dragged on, that number dwindled, and names that had once
represented human progress and achievement; Harvest, Troy, Arcadia, became synonymous
with defeat and hopelessness.
It is a morbid testament to its status that even at a time when every month brought news
of fleets destroyed and planets lost, the fall of Reach was a shock to the collective
psyche of humanity of a kind never before experienced and never since repeated.
To many, the loss of such a critical world, often called United Nations Space Command’s
fortress amongst the stars, sounded the death knell for all mankind, and had certain events
transpired differently, they would have certainly been correct.
A comparatively young planet, Reach was estimated to have formed no more than one billion years
ago yet remains remarkably geologically stable.
Roughly twenty percent larger than Earth, its surface was pockmarked by meteor impact
craters, with many of them forming large oceans or seas.
A rugged wilderness at the time of its discovery, Reach was deemed unsuitable for immediate
human colonization and instead underwent the process of terraforming.
Upon its completion, the harshest aspects of its climate and environment had been softened,
and the planet had become famous for its bold mountain ranges, large unbroken glaciers and
formidable deserts.
In addition to human settlement, various species of animal and plant life, some imported from
Earth or its colonies, others already native, flourished and spread across its surface.
The planet’s abundance of titanium combined with its strategic location only 10.5 light
years from Earth made Reach a natural candidate for settlement once the terraforming had been
completed.
The first colony ship, The Odyssey, touched down in 2362 and in the span of a century,
Reach developed into one of the most important worlds in human space.
A natural hub for interstellar colonization, the Epsilon Eridani star system, in which
Reach was located, eventually overtook the Solar System as the most active slipstream
space transfer zone.
The planets first few generations of settlers traced their lineage to Eastern Europe, particularly
Hungary, which was reflected in many of the names given to regions and landmarks.
While its cities were every bit as cultured and cosmopolitan as any found on Earth or
any other extra-solar colony, their citizens developed a reputation as willful, independent,
and even harsh at times.
Many chose to live in small, secluded settlements known as “Kivas”, comfortable but practical
communities often bunkered into hillsides and completely self sustaining.
As a result of its innumerable titanium mines, the planet became a focus of heavy industry,
hosting the headquarters of some of humanity’s largest corporations.
Nine space elevators were built across Reach, allowing its resources and machinery to aid
in the development of hundreds of other colonies.
By the 26th century, Reach had become the undisputed industrial powerhouse of the United
Earth Government and the largest active shipyard within the UNSC.
Dozens of ship classes were constructed on the planet, while various shipbreaking yards
both in orbit and on the planet recycled older, obsolete designs.
Reach’s close relationship with the UEG’s military industrial complex made it one of
the most critical headquarters for United Nations Space Command.
HIGHCOM, FLEETCOM and the UNSC Marine Corps all maintained headquarters on the planet,
as well as housing many bases operated by the Office of Naval Intelligence.
Many of the UNSC’s most elite forces were trained on Reach, including Orbital Drop Shock
Troops and members of the Spartan-II program.
Members of the latter in particular regarded Reach as their homeworld, revered even above
Earth itself.
Despite the system’s heavy military presence, Epsilon Eridani was wracked by insurrectionist
activity throughout the early 26th century.
Reach and its sister worlds, Tribute and Circumstance, suffered prolonged bombing campaigns, while
the destruction of the luxury liner “National Holiday” while in orbit of Reach soured
the entire system’s reputation.
With the outbreak of the war against the Covenant and the loss of the outer colonies, the importance
of Reach grew exponentially.
The planet became perhaps the largest contributor to the war effort, producing ships, weapons,
machinery and soldiers badly needed on the frontlines.
For the majority of the conflict, Epsilon Eridani was patrolled by a full strength carrier
group centered around the Punic-Class supercarrier, Trafalgar.
In orbit of Reach, a network of defense platforms and repair stations continually protected
the planet and serviced UNSC starships.
Despite these defenses, when the Covenant finally arrived in the system, Reach and its
sister worlds were conquered in just over a month.
Only the presence of ancient artifacts considered holy to the Covenant prevented its entire
surface from being glassed, but UNSC losses were nevertheless tremendous.
By the time the Covenant had moved on, almost nothing was alive on the planet’s surface.
When the miraculous victory against the Covenant was achieved, the symbolic and strategic value
of Reach had not been forgotten.
Within months of the war’s end, the first pioneers had already arrived back on Reach,
assessing the damage done to the world, and preparing the planet for terraforming.
Today, there is perhaps no greater symbol of humanity’s resolve than the sight of
cities being rebuilt in the shadow of mountains, that only decades before, were split apart
by weapons that seemed to herald the end of all mankind.
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