Flood attacker form

Attacker form
Sangheili, Jiralhanae, and human attacker forms
General overview
Distinctions:	Host body covered with greenish-gray decaying skin and armed with mutated appendages. If infected via pod infector, the host's head is pushed aside to make room.
Method of attack:	Lunging at a victim, whipping with appendages and using held weapons.
Notable individuals:	Bero 'Kusovai Wallace A. Jenkins Manuel Mendoza Jacob Keyes

"Knowing that monster firing a Battle Rifle at you used to be Kevin from 2nd Platoon is just creepy. That could be me."

— Specialist Archibald Berger, 6th Airborne Division, UNSC Army

Attackers are the most basic kind of Flood combat form, serving as the parasite's primary combatants. While combat forms can be created from both sapient and non-sapient hosts, attackers are solely formed via the infection of sapient victims. This is accomplished through exposure to the Flood Super Cell, generally via a pod infector. Attacker forms are commonly referred to simply as combat forms, as the other combat form variants are significantly more uncommon during Flood outbreaks.

Pathology

Infection and creation

Flood Super Cells dividing while within a host.

Like other combat forms, attackers are typically created when a pod infector burrows into a host, though this can also be caused by spores or other microbiological vectors entering the host body. As attacker forms naturally produce the Flood Super Cell (or FSC), even coming into contact with one can result in infection for an unprotected potential host. Given the combat forms' preference for melee combat, this makes even non-fatal strikes a death sentence, though such infections may progress slowly. However, infection by spore inhalation or infection form is extremely quick, with a host succumbing often in as little as a few seconds.

When infected by a pod infector, the infector latches onto the host and dig into the host's flesh with a razor-sharp barb-like appendage, injecting the FSC. Typically, the pod infector burrows itself into the chest cavity of the host. As it gains control of the host and tranforms it into an attacker form, the pod infector will dislodge any bones and organs to make room for itself, resulting in extreme pain and disfiguration such as dislocating the host's jaw or, in the case of infected Sangheili, completely snapping their necks. This process can be performed on living or recently-deceased hosts, though often results in the "death" of a living host prior to their re-animation once the FSC takes hold. Some hosts may be attacked and infected by multiple pod infectors. Even if the infection form is removed, the injection of FSC into the victim's bloodstream results in those wounds becoming spore-filled blisters, and the host cannot be saved from infection.

Pod infectors attempting to convert a UNSC Marine into an attacker form.

Once the sapient host is infected, the FSC begins to consume and convert sections of the host body, creating growths and new appendages formed by the FSC itself. These growths appear randomly, and appendages produce whip-like tentacles that can be used by the attacker form for striking enemies. As this process occurs, bodies take on the appearance and smell of decay. Some limbs and sensory organs are preserved in the transformation, and are used to operate tools, equipment, weapons, vehicles, and even ships. Infection forms will often augment a host's body to better serve as a living weapon, and damage taken during fighting and infection can be repaired by the controlling infection form, though the attacker form is ultimately disposable. Any damage that the attacker form receives ultimately creates more vectors of infection as the chunks of infected flesh it leaves behind are scattered throughout the environment. The FSC is able to arrange itself to mimic any organ needed to keep the host working, while other internal organs are replaced with accretions containing a sickly green liquid full of spores in suspension. Spore-filled polyps also often cover the exterior of attacker forms. Even once the FSC has taken control of the victim, the controlling infection form can often be seen buried within the victim, with the infection form's red sensory appendages poking out of the flesh. Until the body is completely subsumed by super cell growth, these appendages are maintained as an impromptu central nervous system. Some attacker form super cell growths may take on a more chitinous appearance, akin to armor plating, helping protect to the attacker form from enemy retaliations.

Attacker forms can be created from living or recently deceased hosts, though the infection process typically kills living hosts. Regardless, the process of infection and reanimation is extremely painful and victims writhe in pain as the Flood takes control irrespective of if they were previously dead or not. The victim may still attempt to cry out from what remains of its mouth and throat even while being controlled, though it is also possible for the infection form to do so using the host's thoughts and memories as a psychological weapon. In some circumstances, a victim may remain fully aware of their present status, unable to do much but watch as their body is controlled by an outside force.

In the case of Private Wallace Jenkins, an infection form had been weakened by eons of stasis and failed to completely take over Jenkins' body as it tried to create an attacker form. As a result, the Marine was able to watch and listen as his body was driven to try and kill or infect those he once considered allies. Jenkins described the presence of the infection form controlling his body as the "other," a strange being without any thoughts and seemingly unaware that the host consciousness was still active inside its body. Jenkins was able to retain a limited amount of motor control of his body, and was able to mime a request for a mirror while in captivity, though the infection form was also able to take back control to attack the Marines surrounding him.

Capabilities

The infection form controlling an attacker does not feel pain or fear, though the host is able to feel the physical effect of attacks rendered upon it if they are still conscious. In extreme cases, the infection form will resort to self-mutilation of the host body if it needs to, such as breaking its own arms to use the snapped bone as an impromptu weapon. However, in an isolated case, pain inflicted on the host body has been observed to weaken the controlling infection form. However, this may have been a result of the unique circumstances of Private Jenkins' infection and not representative of all attacker forms. The attacker form is reliant on the infection form for all bodily and motor functions, and shooting the infection form will "kill" th