Querencia

One of the UNSC's smaller colonies, Querencia was an Insurrectionist hotspot during the late 25th Century, neccessitating numerous UNSC strikes against local secessionist organisations. Like many Outer Colonies, the Insurrectionist troubles stemmed from dissatisfaction with the Colonial Administration Authority and its mishandling of the colony's unique demands and needs, exploding into outright conflict in 2493, neccessitating a reactionary strike by UNSC Army special forces. The UNSC would control the planet for another thirty two years, desperately trying to keep the colony under control despite terrorist bombings, paramilitary actions, and even sympathy for their cause among the Inner Colonies after the Massacre of New Aragon, one of many blunders by the Army resulting from a poorly defined local command structure. Although tensions had begun to simmer down towards the beginning of the next century, Insurrectionist forces still had a stranglehold on the local government and economy, neccessitating a constant UNSC presence. Contact with the colony was lost in early/mid 2525, and a Navy taskforce of three corvettes was dispatched to investigate. The taskforce confirmed the presence of nuclear fallout on the surface of the planet at most population centres, and reported the find to HIGHCOM. Still reeling from the loss of Harvest and a number of other Outer Colonies, desperately trying to forma response to the newly discovered threat of the Covenant, the taskforce was withdrawn with no further investigation, and the matter was left alone until 2557.