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Just some speculation...
Posted By: Free Weights <the_human_wick_effect@yahoo.com>Date: 6/9/08 1:48 p.m.

In Response To: Beating that horse, nice and hard (De Laal)


Why store the flood for further study?

It is a good question, and one I have asked myself many times. To answer this question (or at least speculate), one has to ask more questions: what do we know about The Flood, and what do we know about the Forerunners?

We know that The Flood consumes everything in its path. I remembering it being described in IRIS as the antithesis to life. Nothing seems to be able to completely stop The Flood, only slow its growing empire once it takes root in a galaxy. We know that it is extragalactic in origin, so for all we know, we could be one small galaxy swimming in a sea of flood infected galaxies. Like the red tide, it slowly makes its way through the universe, cleansing the cosmos of life and disappearing until evolution once again brings lesser species or even single celled organisms to sentience.

We know so very little about the Forerunners, except that they were an extremely advanced race of beings, or perhaps even an advanced conglomerate of different species, who inhabited the Milky Way some 100,000 years ago. They believed they were entrusted a mantle, to care for the life in this galaxy, and so even in their Pyhrric defeat of The Flood, they were caring for the life in this galaxy.

I think that in knowing The Flood were extra-galactic in origin, and their knowledge of The Flood's biology from both studying it scientifically and watching it spread from system to system, they understood that a) this was a threat like no other and b) it's not from around here, and there's probably more of it out there. Of course, there could always be even stronger flood out there. Like I wrote before, we could be the last remaining non-flood infected galaxy, or perhaps the flood only exists where it infects, and this is the last remaining source of its plague? Who knows.

With all that said, I think The Flood were kept on the Installations for further study, because the Forerunners knew that humanity (as well as other races such as the Sangheili) would rise up and one day find the rings. Upon finding the installations, they would perhaps read the data on the Flood that had accumulated after 100,000 years of study, and find a use for them. Perhaps they could be used like maggots on a wound, or probiotics against the other Flood outside of our own galaxy. Besides, upon defeating an enemy, you don't just forget about them. You want to study their strengths and weaknesses to further ascertain strategy against similar foes.

That's just a whole lot of speculation on my part, but it's what I think it makes the most sense to keep the ol' dirty bastards around for study.

And I know I'm probably not the only person who's thought of this, or has written it, but I felt like typing it out.

: Agreed.

: This is something I often wondered about (still do, actually) - is there a
: MINIMUM range to the Halo effect? That is to say, does the pulse affect
: the Halo installations also? Obviously there were samples of Flood on the
: Halo rings, and presumably none of the installations were infected prior
: to the original detonations. This is something of an incongruence - if the
: Halo effect hits the Halos, then the Flood samples would've been destroyed
: (perhaps infection forms aren't large enough?), but they weren't. That
: would mean that the Forerunner either had some form of shielding against
: the Halo effect, which has otherwise in the story been indefensible, or
: the Halo installations had a minimum pulse range.

: I think the other thing that fans tend to assume is that the Flood only
: consume FLESH. I've always leaned towards the belief that they eat
: EVERYTHING, flora and fauna. But it's not clear. 343GS states in Halo CE
: that the Flood "consumes all." Given that we've never seen an
: infected environment other than High Charity, I think this argument has
: some basis, but there's also the terminals in Halo 3 to consider. Terminal
: Six's primary text talks about the Forerunner first contact with the
: Flood, or perhaps the first time that the Flood is recognized (given that
: first contact happened with the original pioneer group). Anyway, terminal
: six states: "Report [G617a~k/g/post_landfall] seemed most promising:
: a planet capable of supporting life located within the near border region
: of the [galactic halo] with no indigenous sentient species. The section
: indicating no fauna of any kind shall be considered anomalous until
: verified by Advance Survey Team-Alpha"

: Pretty bluntly right there, a report "indicating no fauna of any
: kind," but a planet capable of supporting intelligent life.. hmm.

: Again, the point is that I'm not sure that the Flood would use the plant life
: bio-mass available on the Halos, and I agree with yakaman's analogy -
: "It would be akin to storing gasoline next to a firepit. Why have
: containment, but store supplies for escape right outside the prison?"

: This points towards intervention. I think the idea that it's a race we
: haven't come across yet is a good one, but there's also the question of
: the number of intelligent races which the Forerunner actually reseeded
: (posthumously) using the keyships and the ark. I certainly hope they
: secured more than the eight Covenant races and humanity...


Message Index




Replies:

The Smuggler, Part 2?Avateur 6/7/08 4:00 a.m.
     Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Ze Møøse 6/7/08 1:05 p.m.
     Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Omega 6/7/08 4:26 p.m.
           Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Avateur 6/7/08 5:28 p.m.
           Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?De Laal 6/7/08 10:22 p.m.
                 Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?De Laal 6/7/08 10:26 p.m.
                 Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Avateur 6/7/08 10:43 p.m.
                 Correctyakaman 6/8/08 10:39 a.m.
                       Re: CorrectSPARTAN-034 6/8/08 11:01 a.m.
                       Re: CorrectBry 6/8/08 3:00 p.m.
                             Re: Correctyakaman 6/8/08 5:29 p.m.
                                   Re: CorrectBry 6/8/08 6:48 p.m.
                                         Re: CorrectCthulhu117 6/8/08 7:24 p.m.
                                               Re: CorrectBry 6/8/08 8:10 p.m.
                                               Re: CorrectAvateur 6/8/08 9:53 p.m.
                                                     Re: Correctelpolloguapo 6/9/08 10:09 a.m.
                                                           You Suck *NM*Don 6/9/08 11:44 a.m.
                                         No-Clipping FishSonofMacPhisto 6/11/08 12:50 a.m.
                                   Beating that horse, nice and hardDe Laal 6/8/08 11:47 p.m.
                                         Just some speculation...Free Weights 6/9/08 1:48 p.m.
                       Re: Correctasd1070 6/12/08 11:05 p.m.
                             Re: CorrectDirkgently 6/13/08 8:26 a.m.
                                   Re: Correctasd1070 6/15/08 3:41 p.m.
                                         Re: CorrectDirkgently 6/16/08 3:29 a.m.
     Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?General Vagueness 6/9/08 8:56 p.m.
           Sorry about the errorsGeneral Vagueness 6/9/08 8:58 p.m.
           Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Omega 6/9/08 10:11 p.m.
                 Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Kurk 6/10/08 12:41 a.m.
                       Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Speedhuntr 6/10/08 1:29 a.m.
                             Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Avateur 6/10/08 3:24 a.m.
                                   Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Urban Reflex 6/10/08 3:52 a.m.
                                         Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Cthulhu117 6/10/08 5:56 a.m.
                                         Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?yakaman 6/10/08 8:28 a.m.
                                               Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Urban Reflex 6/10/08 9:22 a.m.
                                         Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Speedhuntr 6/10/08 11:55 a.m.
                                               Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Don 6/10/08 12:09 p.m.
                                                     Re: The Smuggler, Part 2?Speedhuntr 6/10/08 12:12 p.m.
                       Halo Effect absolutely kills Floodyakaman 6/10/08 8:23 a.m.
                             Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills FloodEmpty Set 6/10/08 10:44 a.m.
                                   Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills FloodSpeedhuntr 6/10/08 11:52 a.m.
                                         Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills Flood7he grunt w/a plasma pistol 6/10/08 3:11 p.m.
                                   Nice post.yakaman 6/10/08 12:50 p.m.
                                         Re: Nice post.GatchamanUK 6/10/08 1:30 p.m.
                                         Re: Nice post.Empty Set 6/10/08 4:11 p.m.
                                               All right, here's the problem here.Cthulhu117 6/10/08 8:16 p.m.
                                                     Re: All right, here's the problem here.yakaman 6/11/08 8:13 a.m.
                                                     Re: All right, here's the problem here.Empty Set 6/11/08 10:23 a.m.
                                                           Re: All right, here's the problem here.Dirkgently 6/12/08 6:11 p.m.
                                               Re: Nice post.yakaman 6/11/08 8:18 a.m.
                                         Keyes Wasn't a GM FormSonofMacPhisto 6/11/08 12:44 a.m.
                                               Re: Keyes Wasn't a GM Formelpolloguapo 6/11/08 9:59 a.m.
                                         Did GM survive the Array?Capt Spanish 6/13/08 1:37 a.m.
                                               I agree whole-heartedlyyakaman 6/13/08 12:23 p.m.
                                                     Re: I agree whole-heartedlyDHalo 6/13/08 2:52 p.m.
                                                           Re: I agree whole-heartedlyDirkgently 6/13/08 3:32 p.m.
                                                                 Re: I agree whole-heartedlyDHalo 6/13/08 4:03 p.m.
                                                           It absolutely kills Flood, and Gravemind.yakaman 6/13/08 4:33 p.m.
                                                                 Well said *NM*scarab 6/13/08 4:39 p.m.
                                                                 Re: It absolutely kills Flood, and Gravemind.DHalo 6/13/08 4:50 p.m.
                                                                       Halo: Story Evolvedscarab 6/13/08 5:44 p.m.
                                                                             Re: Halo: Story EvolvedDirkgently 6/13/08 6:14 p.m.
                                                                                   No, I misremembered. *NM*scarab 6/14/08 12:35 a.m.
                                                                       Re: It absolutely kills Flood, and Gravemind.Dirkgently 6/13/08 6:06 p.m.
                                                           Re: I agree whole-heartedlyStephen L. (SoundEffect) 6/13/08 8:30 p.m.
                                                                 Heh. It doesn't get more direct than that. *NM*yakaman 6/14/08 7:31 a.m.
                                               Re: Did GM survive the Array?Empty Set 6/13/08 6:30 p.m.
                                                     Re: Did GM survive the Array?DHalo 6/13/08 6:55 p.m.
                                                           Re: Did GM survive the Array?Dirkgently 6/13/08 7:01 p.m.
                                                     Re: Did GM survive the Array?Capt Spanish 6/13/08 7:21 p.m.
                             My opinion's out there on thiselpolloguapo 6/10/08 10:52 a.m.
                             Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills FloodPeptuck 6/10/08 12:03 p.m.
                                   Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills Floodyakaman 6/10/08 12:52 p.m.
                                   Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills Floodelpolloguapo 6/10/08 2:05 p.m.
                                         Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills FloodCthulhu117 6/10/08 8:27 p.m.
                                               Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills Floodelpolloguapo 6/10/08 8:33 p.m.
                                                     Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills FloodCthulhu117 6/10/08 8:51 p.m.
                                                           Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills Floodelpolloguapo 6/10/08 9:00 p.m.
                                                                 Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills FloodFree Weights 6/10/08 11:04 p.m.
                                                                       Halo effect uses Flood telepathy ;-)scarab 6/11/08 1:13 a.m.
                                                                             Re: Halo effect uses Flood telepathy ;-)free weights 6/11/08 8:00 a.m.
                             Re: Halo Effect absolutely kills FloodBry 6/10/08 6:16 p.m.
                                   Is that like being only slightly pregnant? *NM*scarab 6/11/08 1:16 a.m.
                                         HaBry 6/11/08 3:56 a.m.
                                         Re: Is that like being only slightly pregnant?elessar787 6/12/08 12:05 a.m.
                                               All together now: EEEWWWWWWWW *NM*General Vagueness 6/12/08 7:54 a.m.



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