Halo: Extinction

[Sabby]

Anyone in their right man had evacuated the neighboring planets. Those who didn't... they were assimilated.

So far, only a few inhabited planets have been attacked. Ships in horrid states of disrepair had limped into the atmospheres, festered, putrid things, as much flesh as metal. From them, the infection took hold. So many fell to the parasite, writhing and screaming as the little bulbous creatures latched on took them for their own.

Local military forces had responded, but they too were defeated.


Human Stronghold, on the planet 'Foundation', on the outskirts of the humans secured space


Lord Hood, an aging, wrinkled General, viewed the recording on the holoscreen. Around him sat the bigs of the UNSC, various men and women of high rank and authority. Also present were what could only be the equivalent of the Sangheili higher-ups. Sharp as ever, the few Spartans present hung back, at attention, always ready to fight or intervene. There had actually been confusion among the Sangheili over whether or not The Spartans were humans or cyborgs. As they stood now, it was an easy mistake to make.

All eyes were intent on the recording. It was only several hours out of date.

From above, the drone had watched the ruined streets of Humesh, a human settlement that had sent a distress signal, but had then lost all comunications.

Bodies littered the streets. Thousands upon thousands of them. Bullet holes, plasma scarring, craters, uncontrolled fire, the signs of battle were in abundance. The only movement was that of the Flood. Humans and Sangheili had encountered them before, and they were quickly becoming a very serious threat. It was now known that the Flood was responsible for the Forerunners near eradication, and the Halos were all that saved them, at the cost of all life.

The bipedal creatures loped and lurched around, their bodies destroyed in places that made practical tasks more difficult. Even so, they gathered the multitude of corpses, dragging them, carrying them, tossing them into piles, where the floating, bulbous creatures that spread this infection descended upon, as if to feast.

Several people in the room cringed as a bulky Flood warrior swung a crying woman to the ground, killing her and tossing her into the pile. Even worse, a small child had been picked up in one hand and thrown in, wailing and screaming as he consumed, flailing his arms and struggling as the slow transformation took place.

"Remus, get a closer look on that pile" The A.I. responded and zoomed in. The bodies were merging. Flesh and bone would twist, curl, expand... the bodies were being used as construction material, the matter grotesquely bending the the Floods will to become whatever was needed.

"We've seen enough Remus" Lord Hood took a second to steel himself against the horrific images. Even the Sangheili were unnerved by the images. One of them spoke up, his two left mandibles missing.

"It seems the Floods capabilities extend from reanimating the corpses. They could easily adapt to any situation with such an ability..." "I agree" spoke up a very pale, sickly looking woman. "A war with them could drag on until either sides defeat. Tactics would soon be obsolete as the enemy keeps changing to rise above its former disadvantages"

Lord Hood rested his pock marked forehead in his hand, silent a long while.

"They will have the numbers, and the advantage... as we are, our hopes are slim. We must defend our borders, but right now, I say the best course of action is to understand these... Flood. If there is something to give us an edge over them, we will only find it with research"

Many were in agreeance.   

[psouth119]

Zeke aka SPARTAN-724 was standing at attention with the few other Spartans next to him. He still doesn't trust the Covenant but he was starting to like one of the Elites only because he was smart and calm most of the time. Spartan 724 was starting to get uneasy watching the recording he couldn't stand watching the humans being tortured. He broke attention and stepped forward and looked around the room at the all the races in the room.

"I don't mean to sound blunt or anything but why don't we just take these 'things' out from long range or go to a planet and get these 'things' to follow us and then blow up that planet with all of them on it sir."

Spartan 724 said before he went back to his spot and once again stood at attention.

[Sabby]

"724, this is a border attack. A probe more then anything. The real enemy force is assuredly much larger then this, and centered somewhere else. To mount the necessary force needed to wipe out a planet, we would accomplish only in destroying a patrol. Not a wise move in the least"

[psouth119]

Spartan 724 didn't break his stance, but only moved his head to look at who had replied to him. It was a Elite the only one he trusted enough to think was actually good and not just following orders like all the other covenant.

" So then if what we just saw was only a very little piece of what is to come...how are we suppose to attack our enemy or even know how strong and big their army really is? Because if what we just saw was nothing compared to what they really can do how can we destroy this enemy if their weakest ranks can completely take over planet after planet after planet?" 

[Sabby]

His words were true, and all present knew there was no good answer for it.

"The Forerunners asked the same question 724. This is not an 'army' or a hierarchy of any kind. It is an infection. It spreads to all it touches. A small invasion force is what we all just saw, and many neighboring planets have suddenly dropped out of communications. I am agreeance with Lord Hood. We must first find an advantage. Right now... we do not stand in good odds"

[psouth119]

It was a good thing Spartan 724 had a helmet on so no one could see him role his eyes.

"But that's the point I am trying to get at....if we don't know how big this infection really is how can we find a advantage? Because if we find a advantage over a little part of this infection, the rest of the infection will find a way to overcome that disadvantage. Then we will be back to where we are now trying to find another advantage. I know I may be getting irritating but all I'm trying to say is how can we get a advantage over this infection if we don't really know exactly how large this infection really is."

Spartan 724 was starting to get mad but didn't let it show through his voice or his motions. But he was thinking to himself that they were going to be defeated because there was no way to overcome this enemy because of so many reasons right now.

[LordAnubis]

"They are using the bodies of the fallen.  That might be the key.  Either they should have inherit weaknesses from the bodies they use, inwhich case we can engineer a weapon to be more effective, or they have to change the bodies through some process.  If we're lucky enough for the latter we might be able to find something to disrupt the process.  It might not stop provide a combative edge, but if we stop them from reproducing as fast attacking these patrols wouldn't be a waste of time."

592 would speak up.  Stop an enemy from resupplying, then you had a finite number of enemies which made it much more managble.

[Sabby]

"Actually, I do stand with 724 on this one, partly" spoke up Lord Hood. "You are correct, a simple advantage learned will soon become ineffective. But the fact still remains we know little of their biology. Whatever form it is they take, they are still the same creature, biologically, and that biology will not change. If we understand what makes them tick, it will be easier to stop them ticking"

The Sangheili who 724 held in special regard nodded to them both. "Your Lord Hood is correct Spartan, as are you. The concerns you have voiced are valid, but his suggestion is the best course of action we have of now, and it may just reap some better choices soon"

"Our young Spartan is quite out spoken, but I too must agree with him and Lord Hood on all accounts. I think we should all settle on this decision for now"

It was then the other Spartan spoke up.

"Even more reason to settle on research 592. There could be any number of war aiding details garnered from close examination. What you say could very well happen and limit the rate of their reproduction. We don't know..."

[psouth119]

Spartan 724 looked to the new voice and noticed it was one of his fellow teammates.

"You have a very good point there...But the question still is how big is this infection and if we can stop them from resupplying, won't they just send more of their kind to stop us and try and over run us?"

Spartan 724 asked, now thinking that they might have a chance but when they figured out one solution another one arouse.

" See there is only one problem, and that problem is that when ever we come up with one solution another will arise until we completely wipe out this infection."

724 said uninsured. Then he got a idea from the basic human body.

"Wait I know how to slowly stop this infection. For one they have bodies right, two if there is a body there has to be a heart and or brain to make the body work. So therefore if we can find what makes these 'things' move whether it be a heart or a brain we can just attack that spot and stop them. But just like the human body, you can take away a humans heart and they can still somewhat live. But when you take away the brain the body dies because there is nothing telling it what to do, so what we need to do is cut of these 'things' heads or where ever their brain part is at and it should eventually stop them and start to lower their numbers. So if we use this method combined with Spartan 592's method we should be able to wipe this infection out, and it will only just take some time. But the most important thing is that we stop this infection from reproducing and kill it off."

Spartan 724 said hoping everyone caught what he said he was confused a little now himself but hopefully someone or something in the room caught what he was trying to say.

[Question Mark]

Der' Vishumii shifted uneasily on his hooves, leaning towards one side, and then the other.  His hands were locked in a clasp behind his waist, an action of habit, but difficult in the bulky Pariah armor.  The Sangheili stood last in the line of his fellow race, arranged so they were behind and a little to the left of the table where the Humans took their council.

Vishumii was a tall Sangheili, with a body more lean and toned than normal.  His waist was slightly thicker, and, if one were to remove his helmet, they would be able to see a series of spirals carved into his skin; ritualistic scarring done as a reward for bravery in battle.  Vishumii's red armor, polished to a high sheen, glinted with the fractured reflections of the dim light panels lining the room.  His shoulders bore the tell-tale purple stripes of the Covenant Splinter Army, both displaying his allegiance and his rank.

The Major Veteran kept his mandibles sealed shut against the somewhat metallic air, his dark brown eyes watching the recording play without a single blink.  'Vishumii had seen Flood before.  Fought them, killed them.  The Parasite has claimed numerous soldiers under his command, wreaking untold horrors on their body.  Although his face never moved, his eyes bore the look of grim acceptance.  Somehow, against all odds, the Parasite had broken through the Blockade and was now infesting the few remaining Human colonies.  Although Vishumii had fought Flood before, he had only ever observed them on the field of battle.  Watching them operate like intelligent beings, collecting bodies and... constructing new abominations contradicted everything Vishumii knew about the Parasite.  It was unnerving, and the red armored Sangheili shifted back to his right side.

Still, no matter how repulsed or unsettled he was by them, Vishumii knew that he would have to learn from this recording.  Take advantage of the oppurtunity to observe the Parasite without the red haze of combat obscuring his vision.  Eyes narrowing, Vishumii wondered why the Parasite had waited to kill the Human before adding it to the pile, or why it threw the child in without killing it first.  He catalogued that bit of knowledge away in his memory, saving it for analyzation when he had the time.

Several figures around the table shifted uneasily; one appeared to contort its face into what Vishumii assumed was disgust.  Defining emotions in Humans could be very complicated because of their radically different facial structure.  The mouth seemed to open slightly, the edges aimed downward with a wrinkling of the chin.  A chin!  How terribly ineffecient!

Vishumii refocused on the screen, only to see that it was blank.  The human said something to the wall, apparantly communicating with an intelligence contained there-in.  The Sangheili fought down a wave of disgust at the thought of artificial intelligence; something that remained from his days in the Covenant before the Schism.  Sometimes, Vishumii wished life were still like that.  Simple, unchanging, blissful unawareness.  But then he would look at the here and now, and thanks the Gods, or whoever the Gods actually were, that he had a chance to free himself from the bonds and lies the Prophets rained on him and his brethren.

The Sangheili listened as one of the Demons (formerly a derogatory and hateful term, now one of respect amongst the Sangheili) addressed the aged Human.  His views and ideas were rash, stupid, naive.  Destroy a planet to eliminate an infestation?  Then Vishumii froze, realizing that was the same mentality that had driven the Forerunners, and currently drove the Sangheili in their unending war to contain the Parasite.

Sacrifices have to be made.

He blinked a couple of times, resolving to think on that subject later.  Until then, he would gather as much intelligence as he could.  While he still could.

[Question Mark]

The last comment caused Vishumii to flinch.  He had held back his tongue so far, willing to let the Humans settle their debate amongst themselves.  But once Fedrumii spoke, it became a Sangheili matter as well.  Vishumii decided this was a good oppurtunity to explain what he knew.

"Demon, Human, fellow Sangheili," he started in Sanghelian, letting everyone's translators do their job.  "The Parasite is not a threat we can counter using traditional means.  You speak of removing its brain, isolating them from their supply lines.  These are viable only against you and me; possible aomgst all races beside the Flood.  The Parasite does not have supply lines: it's food comes from us.  The Parasite has a brain, but it will spread with or without it."  Vishumii stepped forward, his head held high, arms up in front of him and accentuating his words.

"You speak of advantages.  There are few advantages in this fight.  The Parasite bests us at nearly every approach.  Numbers, speed, morale, logistics, transportation, communication."  The Sangheili paused, taking a breath.  "You speak of ignoring certain advantages.  Your reasoning is flawed, Demon.  Even if the Parasite will at one point turn an advantage of our own into an insignificant detail, or perhaps even a disadvantage, we have too few of them to warrant ignorance!  Every advantage of our own must be exploited, emphasized, used to its fullest ability.  Do not ignore the little things, Humans."  Vishumii's eyes burned with anger from their ignorance.  "That is how you lose a war."

Out of the corner of his eye, 'Vishumii caught Rtas 'Vadumee, the Sangheili commonly referred to as "Half-Jaw" by the unknowing Humans, lift up his hand with a slight nod of his head.  The Major Veteran bowed his helmeted head gracefully towards the Ship Master, backing back into his former position amongst the Sangheili.  'Vudamee then stepped forward.

"Thank you for your words, Honorable 'Vishumii," he said warmly towards the red armored warrior.  "However. words will NOT finish this fight.  You say you do not understand the Parasite?  Then we have much to tell you.  As the Human said itself, knowledge and understanding is the first step to victory."

'Vadumee paused for a second.  "To obliterate this infestation, we need to predict their moves.  But first, quarantine is neccessary for those areas already tainted by this foul blight.  That, I'm afraid, is up to," the Sangeheili said, looking at the aged Human called Lord Hood.

Although no one seemed to be looking, 'Vishumee nodded his head very slightly in silent agreement.

[Sabby]

"We understand you points 524" the sickly woman seemed irritated, but she did see the logic behind his words. "They have been logged, but to be bluntly honest, we are jumping four paces a time, when really we should keep a sound pace. We will delve and explore all these 'what if' scenarios when the time comes"

524 was a skilled and valued combatant, and though he was as intelligent as any Spartan, his lack of tact was something his superiors had seen fit to overlook.

"Now..." Lord Hood picked up at a solid point. "I believe some among the Sangheili present have fought these things before. I understand important political figures in your culture are often tried warriors, but that is not the case with humans. Tell us of this 'Flood'"

[Question Mark]

'Vadumee listened intently as the Human spoke, his head bobbing up and down at points to show his agreement.  "Good, at least you understand the situation," he said.  "However, your intelligence has already recieved the information.  I would advise you reprocess it and distribute it as you see fit within your heirarchy.  Our time is running short," warned 'Vadumee, speaking of the worlds that had dropped out of contact.  "And we should not waste it."

[LordAnubis]

592 listened to the conversation going on around him.  The situation was feeling very much like too many cooks in a kitchen.  They each had thier own ways of looking at it, but more time was being spent discussing how something may or may not work and the Sangheli was even saying to not waste the time they had.

"Correct me if I'm mistaken, but regardless of how we decide to proceed in approaching the Flood situation,  we need more detailed information then can be achieved looking at them from here.  If we want to understand how they do what they do, we are going to have to capture a large enough sample to bring it back and run some test on it.  Unless this has occured prior to now it'd be a good idea for both a steady pace and wise use of our time to have engineer's making a controlled container and making a surgical strike to try and capture some of the Flood.  Maybe use liquid nitogen to shock it's system to make it more transportable or slow it down, air tight containers."

Regardless of the plan, they needed to get the Biologists and Chemists some test subjects.

[Question Mark]

'Vadumee had already stepped back into the line of Sangheili, so Vishumii again took this oppurtunity to speak.  "Demon, you are correct in that aspect.  We need samples of the Parasite in order to build a worthy offensive, yes.  However, we already have these samples."  'Vadumee inhaled sharply at this, but nodded for 'Vishumee to continue.

"On the Halo, both of them, we may find these Flood in unfourtunate abundance.  I'm also sure your commanders," he said, shooting an accusing glance at Lord Hood.  "...have several samples catalogued.  Until we may create a worthwhile weapon to eleminate the Parasite, we have to control them with conventional means.  I suggest recombining our Fleets and forming a blockade over our worlds."

'Vishumee stepped back into the line after he finished even as mutterings spread across the room.  Recombine the Fleets?  Since the Battle of the Ark, Human and Covenant ships had remained with their respective species.  Bad blood, racism, and underlying tensions made the possibility of a permanent interacial fleet seem very slim for the near future.

'Vadumee stepped forward, his inspiring, yet intimidating, presence silencing whatever sub-audible whispers were circulating the room.  'Vishumee waited on bated breath.  Being the highest ranking Sangheili here, an official representative from the Council of the Covenant, 'Vadumee's word carried considerable weight.  "Recombination of the Fleets may seem a little extreme..."  Scattered nods and remarks of approval came from the Humans.  "...but given our current circumstances, we should not disregard this because of pure prejuduice.  To quote the Old Scripture, 'United, we excel.  Divided, we fail.' "  'Vadumee's eyes blinked rapidly, quickly remoisturizing them in the dry air.  "Perhaps, if we set aside our bad blood, we can unite and hold our ground against the Flood.  However, we stand no chance divided into our varied factions."

[psouth119]

Spartan 024 was still standing at attention when he let out a light chuckle at what the Elite said.

" Don't tell me you really think that quote is right. It's been proving wrong many times before, I don't know if your weak race has been able to do it, but us Spartans have overcame odds like that before. Divided we fail my ass, I've been separated from my team before and I have survived thats why I'm still alive and standing here right now. But that also shows that we are way better then any Covenant race there is."

Spartan 024 said before he broke attention and left the room. He couldn't stand to work with the Covenant they had fought against those bastards for so long and he had lost some good friends and even some good Spartans to fighting the Covenant. He couldn't see why they needed help from the Covenant, there were only a few that were any help at all to the humans.

[Question Mark]

'Vishumii listened to the Demon's tirade.  He was taken aback; for such professional and highly esteemed warriors, the Demons seemed prone to immature bouts of anger.  The Sangheili's eyes narrowed as the Demon continued.

"I don't know if your weak race has been able to do it...

"We are way better then any Covenant race there is."

At that last remark, one of 'Vishumii's fellow Major Veterens, Tres 'Gugomemee stepped forward, his mandibles out and bared in challenge.  He had drawn his hilt, but had yet to activate the blade.  But the Demon ignored the challenge, instead leaving the room, it's heavy, armored boots making dull thunks on the plated floor.  'Gugomemee gave a growl of frustration, staring at the now closed exit with black eyes.  "They say they are better than the Sangheili!  And yet they run from a challenge!"

'Gugomemee turned around facing the Human council.  "Is that your grand strategy, Humans?  Run and hide, hope the Parasite never discov--"

"That, is enough, 'Gugomemee," the High Commander 'Vadumee said calmly, his voice trim and precise, yet ringing with authority.  The angry Sangheili immediettaly stopped talking, stepping back into the line without a single comment.  "Just because one Human speaks in that manner," 'Vadumee continued cooly.  "...does not mean all Human speak in that manner."

"My apologies, Honorable Commander," said 'Gugomemee, the faintest hint of shame lacing his voice.

'Vishumee watched the entire scene unfold from his position, again believing discretion was the better part of valor.  He resolved himself again to study and observe all he could, helping when he could.  'Vishumee sighed, glancing around the room, awaiting the Humans' response.

[LordAnubis]

092 was glad for the helmet right now, wincing when the other spartan left.  The spartans were trained ot be teams but 024 had a point, they did end up losing alot of friends and overcoming odds they shouldn't have ever overcome.  Still, he wished he hadn't chosen that moment to walk out.

He Shared the distrust of the Covenant, especially since he is continued to be refered to as Demon.  He'd have a few choice names to call them as well, but he'd worked too hard to get where he was and let a little thing like a name risk it.

When the Covenant reached for his blade, not yet activating it, he has his hand on his sidearm.  It was a pistol and he knew from experiance that even a good shot wouldn't matter if he was shooting the covenant but his target would have been the plasma sword if it'd activated.  The movement was quick and stopped just with his hand on the pistol handle.

When the other Sangheli settled the issue he removed his hand from his pistol.

"My brothers and sisters ahve been left with dead commrads at the start of missions and have still been expected to achieve the objective, leaves some of us with the mentality that in the end we can only count on ourselves and to not expect back-up."  He'd speak up looking at the Covenant elite.  It wasn't an excuse, but a fact, so it lacked either sarcasm or a whine nature to the speak.  It was even.

092 didn't have alot of faith in the bad blood being buried easily.  He has ihimself under contorl now, but he is not sure how long peace will last if he is refered to as Demon for days on end.  "But as it was said, neither side seems to be able to stand alone against this.  We will all have to begin depending on one another.  And speaking to each other's as equals."  He didn't like 024's attitude either, but since walking into here he'd felt like they were being talked down to or information hadn't been shared leaving him suggesting things they had already done..  And the Demon thing had to go.

[psouth119]

Spartan 024 being a Spartan had all the heightened skills and he used them to his advantage. He could slightly hear what was going on in the room and he did remember seeing the elite barely advance on him but he ignored it but now that he was calling the humans weak he was going to get it all out of the way. The problem had to be settled or either he was going to leave or the elite would have to leave. Spartan 024 reentered the room and stopped right in of the elite.

" Do you have a problem with us alien? If you want to attack me do it like a solider not like a coward and attack unknowingly. There is only one thing we have in common us humans and you aliens, and it is that we don't trust each other or want to work with each other but we have to put our dam differences aside and work together. We don't have to trust each other but we have to work with each other and not fight, so if there is anything you need to get out of the way please do it now so it won't happen in the future and screw us all over."

Spartan 024 said almost yelling at the elite.

"O and one more thing, we are not demons we are humans and we look like humans. If anything is to be referred to as a demon it is you, you Covenant.You all look like demons. So if you are going to address us, call us humans or by our names or numbers."

Spartan 024 said before he walked over and stood next to Spartan 092 and made his visor transparent and gave him a look telling him he knew that being called a demon was getting on his nerves and it was also getting on his own nerves as well. He also gave Spartan 092 a look that meant thanks for having his back when he left earlier.

[LordAnubis]

092 blinked as the other spartan came back in and began talking.  The look from behind his mask was one of a good degree of shock.  He just got done saying they had to speak with one another as equals and 024 was coming back in saying this? 

He was never happier that his face mask hid his face then he was right now.  He had a feeling it was going to hit the fan real qick like this.

"Stop.."  Would be the short curt word exchanged to  the other Spartan when he took a spot back next to him.  It was just antagonizing the situation to have his outbursts like this.  They needed cool heads right now and everytime his brother spoke up he didn't seem to have a cool head anymore..

They were under stress and he could understand that, but he really needed to stop treating the situation like they were fighting.  He was a soldier...

[Sabby]

"024, enough!" Lord Hood had now risen from the table. "I will have you removed Soldier. I couldn't give a damn how many Spartans have been killed in the line of fire, but you have killed the Sangheili's brethren as well. Leave your prejudices out side, or leave!"

Lord Hood was in an... understandably embarrassing position. Before the officials of an entire race, trying to save a tenuous alliance between the two, and now this. It was his place to stem this.

"I am very sorry for our Spartans outburst. The war has left bad blood in many of us, but-" he shot a sideways glance at him "-a Spartan of all people knows control. 024, you will apologize, and unless you have anything useful to add, I suggest you remain quiet for the rest of the conference"

[psouth119]

Spartan 024 looked around the room and didn't say anything, all he did was darken his visor and remained silent for the rest of the conference and wondered when this little conference was going to be able to leave. He couldn't stand being in the same room as these Covenant for much longer right now, he couldn't make the flashbacks stop running through his head, and not about his fallen comrades to the Covenant but what the Covenant had done to him.

[Question Mark]

'Vishumee eyed the Spartan closely.  It's voice was loud and clear, despite the stifling helmet, and its tone was rough and loud.  The officer had the sudden urge to step forward and interfere; bring this irrational nonsense to a close, but training held his hooves in place.

After the Human had finished, the line of Sangheili, from 'Vishumee to 'Vadumee, seemed to shudder, then were still again.  The attentive, observant mood was gone, evaporated like water underneath a cloudless sky.  Cold, calculating agressiveness had replaced it.  An invisible tension seemed to fill the room and 'Vishumee had a sudden urge to step back from the Humans, activate his personal shield, and level his rifle.  He shook the feeling away, recognizing it as a side effect of a life spent living under lies.  The Humans had always deserved respect.  The outspoken Spartan showed this.  Humanity had a counscious will, a need to survive, a mentality molded by years spent on the brink of extinction.  They would, as a race, be more aggressive, quick to act and never to trust.

'Vadumee seemed to realize this as well, given by how he replied to the Human Commander.  "Commander Hood, do not worry.  A single person acting out of rash..." The silver armored Sangheili searched for the right word.  "...dislike would not sway our opinion of you as a whole.  We understand the need for immediate action, and I suggest, no, I say we must act now!  Look at the screens, Humans.  Your worlds are burning with a putrid infestation.  If we do not immediatelly quarantine the uncontaminated worlds, they too will succumb to the Parasite.

"Those worlds that are infested, they must be abandoned.  The Flood on those planets will now have access to interstellar craft, and their first action will be to spread to other worlds."  He sighed.  "We must be defensive, not offensive.  At least for the time being.

"I have already made my decision.  The Council will hear the truth, and will be pushed into enacting quarantine on our own worlds.  If you do not do the same, there will be no need for unity."  With those final, foreboding words, 'Vadumee stepped back into the line.

[Sabby]

"Agreed" nodded Hood, and in turn, all the officials also nodded their agreement. "Do what you must for your worlds. We will make sure any planets near the infected zones are protected. It... gives me no pleasure to do this. But I see no alternative" he brought up a holographic map of all the planets that had recently fell to the Floods onslaught, specific areas showing up in their surfaces. Space ports.

"Remus. You have the co-ordinates" they only had so many munitions of this kind, but he could think of no other time they would need them more. "Load up 13 Journeyman and destroy those spaceports"

Journeyman were an expensive nuclear weapon, in short supply. They could course through space, from this out post all the way to the specified planets and destroy the space ports. The Flood would not yet know how to use the planets defense systems to stop the nukes.

A holographic figure appeared, orange and stuttering, an A.I. unit called Remus. Shaped like a bipedal wolf, with long, slowly thrashing hair, it nodded to Hood, the main of hair on its back rustling somewhat as it proceeded in its task.

"Missiles launched Lord Hood. ETA 82 hours" Lord Hood sighed. "Thank you Remus"

"No doubt they will spread regardless, but that will slow them considerably"

[LordAnubis]

092 thought for a few minutes as something started to come to him.  The type of weapon hadn't been used in a very long time.  Rules of war and treaties had prevented such weapons from being used.  But given the nature of the enemy it might not be seen as a bad idea.

"What about Nerve gas?  It hasn't been used in hundreds of years due to treaties, but the Flood is most likely an exception.  It's going to disrupt the neuropath ways and break down any brain activity instinct or intelligence.  So if they have individual intelligence it isn't going to have much time to adapt and if it's a collective intelligence, well we might make the flood throughout the Galxey enter a seizure.  Either way it'd make a most effective weapon.  And we can ready the collective fleets.  If the flood seems to resist it or try to leave we fire enough ordinance to purge the planet twice."

092 recomended to the higher ups.  The idea might be recieved with some mixed reactions.  The Sangheli might be questioning or thankful they hadn't used such weapons against them, since if they can make it work on the target's biology the fight is over.  And the higher ups on his side he expects to have at least one person say they aren't that desperate and someone else to think they should entertain the idea.  It'd probably violate any number of international laws, since they've been illegal for a long time, but if a lawyer really wanted to try the case, 092 would say that the lawyer should have to confer with his client and solve the problem, but then 092 hated lawyers... more then any Covenant soldier.