Human-Krythenan Conflict

The Human-Krythenan Conflict was a short-lived war between the United Nations Space Command and the Krythenan Empire. The war came to an abrupt end with the invasion of the Forefathers and the formation of the Galactic Alliance.

Background
In December of 2559, the United Nations Space Command militiarised it's economic assets on the frontier of Human space. On the 24th of December, a number of human commercial vessels entered Krythenan space, and were intercepted and boarded by Commander Badimian of the Krythenan Empire. The boarding of the vessels lead to the discovery that they were sent by the Office of Naval Intelligence as part of OPERATION: DEEP BLUE. The Krythenan Empire began the gathering of its navy to counter what they now perceived as an imminent threat, and declared war with the Frontier Campaign.

Frontier Campaign
The Frontier Campaign, which began on the 7th of January 2560, was a series of invasions of relatively undefended, low-population planets in the outer fringes of the UNSC Frontier. The UNSC, seeing no strategic value in holding the Krythenans on these insignificant planets, offered little resistance aside from aiding local resistance groups and militias.

The Frontier Campaign reached it's apex when Captain Wes Kabendi defied orders from HIGHCOM and moved to defend the planet of Stamford IV, thus beginning the battle of Stamford IV, the largest engagement of the war.

Final Days
Following a decisive victory at Stamford IV, the Krythenan fleet had unhindered access to the planet of Mirage, a large agricultural planet in the frontier. Due to the destruction of Kabendi's fleet, the UNSC did not have the ability to relocate forces to defend Mirage in time to hold off a Krythenan invasion. The Krythenan fleet arrived at Mirage on the 1st of February.

Following the arrival of Cobadarama's fleet at Mirage, the Forefather Invasion of the Galaxy began, and UNSC representatives met with the Krythenan High Court and ended the war, forming the Galactic Alliance.

Aftermath
Despite the war taking place across a large number of frontier systems, very little open engagements took place with the exception of Stamford IV. Due to this, there were minimal civilian and military casualties which allowed both Humanity and the Krythenan Empire to retain their already mobilized fleets and have them ready for combat when the Forefathers invaded.