Project NEMESIS

Project NEMESIS was a highly classified program managed by ONI Section III's Subsection XIII. The purpose of the project was to create genetically and intellectually superior human beings who would be educated and trained throughout childhood and adolescence to become peerless combatants in service to the UNSC, much like the SPARTAN-IIs. As part of a larger project codenamed HERCULES, NEMESIS was essentially the first phase in ONI's efforts to accelerate humanity's evolution; to this end, the test subjects created for the project were derived from SPARTAN-II genetic material and other "perfect" sources, born into the project rather than kidnapped or conscripted. The children were genetically engineered prenatally to induce the development of superhuman characteristics early on, and began the rigorous education as early as two years of age. The project was shut down in 2577 after a flaw was discovered in Test Subject Class 1, made up of one hundred children roughly ten years of age; the "flaw" was in fact the result of genetic tampering, an attempt by the ONI to reduce the subjects' free will, which caused significant instances of mental illness and personality disorders. When the decision was made to liquidate Class 1 and use their bodies for further research, the children learned of their impending termination and revolted. The revolt cost seventy-two Class 1 subjects their lives and wiped out nearly all of Class 2, then around three years old; only six Class 2 subjects survived. The ONI took control of the situation and shut down Project NEMESIS, and Subsection XIII ceased to exist, its ringleaders vanishing along with a considerable amount of valuable technology. The surviving test subjects were kept in ONI custody until they could be transferred to the Spartan Enclave, where they would be trained and accepted into the Spartan ranks.

Project NEMESIS would be revived years later as NEMESIS-II, and would produce significantly better results; the subjects produced by NEMESIS-II went on to become fully-fledged commandos and served SubSection XIII's rogue paramilitary reincarnation, Prometheus.