Originally posted by sqwunchy[Got it..
((me and Rae r goin back to the base in the trees with water and u r there with big blue and jacko, we escaped from the flood))
I also got a big discription on the Flood. The Whole Species. All Forms and what they do. Here they are:
Brain Form
The rarest Flood type is the brain form. A brain form is a type of Flood unlike all the others because it lacks any sort of mobility. While the infection, combat, and carrier forms are dangerous and always hostile, the brain form is passive in a tactical sense. When the Flood attempt to control a starship or interface with a computer system, the brain form is used. It normally contains the body of someone who has knowledge of the computer systems necessary for operation. Like the combat form, it can read the thoughts and memories of its host provided he or she is still alive, and it will sift through every memory until it finds what it needs. If it cannot find the information it requires, it will direct other Flood to bring it a new body to search while it consumes the last body. It interfaces with computers the same way an Infection Form infects a host, through tendrils that attach themselves to the computer's "neural" system.
Carrier Form
If an infection form takes over a body that is unsuitable for combat, or once a combat form is damaged beyond usefulness, it becomes a carrier form. Carrier forms perpetuate the Flood species by acting as incubators for new infection forms and keeping them safe until they're fully developed. Once the infection forms are ready, the carrier simply explodes, sending the new infection forms flying into the air. As soon as the new parasites are released, they start searching for something to infect. It should be noted that carriers will sometimes not wait until full maturation has occurred, and will simply get close to an enemy and explode, sending the infection forms flying at the unsuspecting and often damaged enemies. These should be considered dangerous even though they may not have any other means of inflicting damage.
Combat Form
After an infection form has obtained a frequency match for the host's neural system, it begins to rewrite the very DNA of the body it's using. Once fully transformed, the Flood infection is in total contol of the body. Unfortunately for the host, he or she stays alive for the duration of the transformatoin process and is even conscious of his environment as the Flood takes over the body. Once completely infected, the Flood becomes a combat form. Any body capable of carrying a weapon or that is still useful in combat becomes a combat form and is very deadly. The Combat form grows whip-like tendrils on its arms, and will use them as melee weapons in close range, or if it loses its weapon.
The Flood infection is capable of not only controlling the host's body, but of also tapping into its memories to find relevant information about using weapons and equipment. After enough damage has been taken and the combat form cannot function effectively, it becomes a carrier form that incubates more infection forms. Eventually a combat form will mutate into a carrier, regardless of damage, to prepetuate the Flood species.
Note: The Combat forms can take extensive damage before being neutralized. Arms, legs, even heads can be totally blown off their bodies before they are incapacitated. The only known weakness of a combat form is its sensory feelers that normally develope in the upper chest region. This is where the infection form has nestled, and once destroyed, the body is incapacitated.
Infection Form
The infection Flood form is nearly harmless at first glance, but once it gains physical contact with a biological host it becomes highly virulent. Small tendrils underneath its "body" penetrate the skin and unleash an attack on the host's nervous system. First, it paralyzes the host's body. Once this is accomplished, it rewrites the neural pathways of the victim's brain with it's tendrils, forcing a resonant frequency match between it's neural signals, and the host's. When this is done, it starts to edge its way into the body, slowly moving organs out of the way so it can nest itself into the chest cavity of its host. If a match cannot be obtained, the host is left alone and cannot be used. After forcing a match, it begins releasing spores that mutate the host body with Flood DNA.
The Gravemind
No one truly knows the Gravemind's purpose, but it is comprised of a huge mass of flesh and bio-matter that the Flood combat forms have brought it to absorb. it has a "mouth" through which it communicates, and has may far-reaching tentacle-like appendages.
It is thoerized that the Gravemind may in fact control other Flood forms, or at least influences them via telepathy. It is also speculated that the Gravemind may be a highly evolved Flood Brain form.
The Gravemind was discovered on Delta Halo in October of 2552. It "saved" Spartan-117 after he fell into the lake under which the Gravemind resides. It also captured the Arbiter, and forced the two of them to work together to stop the Prophets of Mercy and Truth from activating Delta Halo's primary weapon.
Cortana later deduced that Gravemind had in fact duped everyone. Gravemind needed to get off of Delta Halo and while the Master Chief, The Arbiter, Sgt. Johnson and Commander Keyes were trying to stop Truth and Mercy it had the Flood take over In Amber Clad, Keyes' ship. It used the ship to move itself from Delta Halo to High Charity, the Covenant holy city.
Spartan-117 boarded the Forerunner ship that fled High Charity with Truth, and in the process left Cortana at the mercy of Gravemind.
This is just to show the real perpose of the Flood. SilentWolf would probably know all of this already..It's long, but a good read!]
"Yeah right, we're just lucky the flood didn't hear or smell us when we passed them. That one branch made quite a bit of noise." But Striker had spoken too soon, right when he finished this sentence a stray flood pounced n him, and they were only about two hundred feet from the base. He struggled on the ground with it, trying to pull out his sword or even a pistol, but the flood restrained his arms. Striker head-butted it and kicked it off of him. He pulled out his sword and sliced it in half, right down the middle. He struggled to get up off of the ground, and blood dripped from his armor where he had hit a branch on the way down.
*Darrek jumped into the base after Big Blue and Jacko did. He shut it quickly and yelled out orders* Are the ships ready yet? *One Elite replied* Yes sir, their ready, all the Banshees have been loaded, and we're wating for the others to arrive back *He looked wide eyed* THEY HAVN'T COME BACK YET??!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE FLOOD ACTIVATE THAT BOMB??!!! WE WILL ALL DIE! WE'L BE WIPED FROM EXISTANCE! *He yelled out more orders* Get the men aboard the ships! If I don't return within the hour, get going! I'l send the others your way when I find them. Wait for them and then go if i'm not with them! *He said the password in the Alien tougne, jumped out, and the passage closed. Elite Officers directed the other Elites out to the docking area to get on the ships. Darrek ran through the forest, carrying his new Brute Plasma Rifle, and his sword with him*
[]theres a recap somewhere on this page. And awsome information... thats really usefull[]
Raevynn leapt to the ground without thinking. Her knees nearly buckled from the pressure of the impact but she ran foward to Striker, hastily helping him to his feet. "We'll have to get a look at that wound when we get back." She said cringing.
Without questioning his orders she removed the air tight helmet and handed it to him. "Hang on where almmost there." She handed him a container of water and looped his arm around her neck to help him stand. Her knees burned everytime she took a step but she half ran half stumbled her way towards the base as fast as she could.
*Darrek heard voices up ahead, and knew it was Rae and Striker. He saw them slowly getting off the ground, and saw a huge array of Flood Infection and Comabt forms behind them. He pulled out his Brute Rifle and jumped over them, firing and butting down Flood like a madbeast. He turned for a second to look at them* GO! GET OUT OF HERE AND TO THE BASE, QUICK! *He spoke on his com for a minute* I've sent for 2 more Elites to carry you there, now GO! I'l hold them off! *He ripped open the chest of an Elite Combat form and let out a large roar, charging into the fray with his sword*