[quote]This would require more biomass then was actually in high charity, and as far as we know they never had a chance to get more. So this shows that the Flood can create more bio mass. Another showing was when they created a spore mountain.[/quote]That's a logical fallacy. You're assuming that the Flood can only convert biomass not grow their own. Note that for a life form like us, or any of the Covenant, we require dense energy reserves because our survival is based around movement and displacing objects that often are way heavier than our own bodies. Something like the FSC walls and structures you're pointing out don't require movement. They're stationary, and would require significantly less energy than something designed to move. [quote]This would require more biomass then was actually in high charity, and as far as we know they never had a chance to get more. So this shows that the Flood can create more bio mass. Another showing was when they created a spore mountain. “The object rises fifty kilometers above the planet’s datum and measures four hundred kilometers across the base, at its greatest diameter. It intersects many Forerunner constructs and appears to have arisen at the center of a major city, which city is, if memory serves— if this is truly Uthera—”[/quote]Again though, it arose at an incredibly dense and populated city. More than that, the only purpose of a spore mountain is to propel FSC spores into the atmosphere. That's considerably simpler than needing energy to supply energy to complex organs like a brain, liver, or kindeys. [quote]Also of note is that the Flood were quarantined to 12 systems for 290 years by the Forerunners, whenever they escaped to another system the Forerunners would detonate the systems sun. If the Flood could still starve, they would have at this point.[/quote]The question is though. Is a system referring to a solar system? Or a system of stars? How big were these systems? How heavily populated? Did the Flood conquer those systems immediately, or did they make constant gains throughout those ~300 years? I understand where you're coming from, but a lot of the claims you're making are based off of incorrect assumptions and misunderstandings. Not to mention, you're contradicting explicitly stated canon. [i] "[b]The only way to stop the Flood is to starve them to death. And that's exactly what Halo is designed to do[/b]: wipe the galaxy clean of all sentient life. You don't believe me? Ask him." -Cortana, Two Betrayals, Halo CE "The Flood cover more of our galaxy with each passing day. They feast on the essence of life itself. [b]The only way to stop their advance is to remove that life upon which they feast.[/b]" -Faber, Terminal 5, Halo 4[/i]

[quote][quote]This would require more biomass then was actually in high charity, and as far as we know they never had a chance to get more. So this shows that the Flood can create more bio mass. Another showing was when they created a spore mountain.[/quote]That's a logical fallacy. You're assuming that the Flood can only convert biomass not grow their own. Note that for a life form like us, or any of the Covenant, we require dense energy reserves because our survival is based around movement and displacing objects that often are way heavier than our own bodies. Something like the FSC walls and structures you're pointing out don't require movement. They're stationary, and would require significantly less energy than something designed to move. My point is if they had a limited supply of energy they wouldn't have wasted it by placing some much biomass that served no purpose. [quote]This would require more biomass then was actually in high charity, and as far as we know they never had a chance to get more. So this shows that the Flood can create more bio mass. Another showing was when they created a spore mountain. “The object rises fifty kilometers above the planet’s datum and measures four hundred kilometers across the base, at its greatest diameter. It intersects many Forerunner constructs and appears to have arisen at the center of a major city, which city is, if memory serves— if this is truly Uthera—”[/quote]Again though, it arose at an incredibly dense and populated city. More than that, the only purpose of a spore mountain is to propel FSC spores into the atmosphere. That's considerably simpler than needing energy to supply energy to complex organs like a brain, liver, or kindeys. The energy requirement would be enormous, we humans put about 40,000,000,000 tons of pollution into the atmosphere for year. Or about 110 million tons per day. In order for the flood to convert the the planetary ecosystem to a flood state within the mere hours/days it usually takes, they would have to pump vastly more flood spores into the atmosphere than this. http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2014/08/20/atmospheric_co2_humans_put_40_billion_tons_into_the_air_annually.html [quote]Also of note is that the Flood were quarantined to 12 systems for 290 years by the Forerunners, whenever they escaped to another system the Forerunners would detonate the systems sun. If the Flood could still starve, they would have at this point.[/quote]The question is though. Is a system referring to a solar system? Or a system of stars? How big were these systems? How heavily populated? Did the Flood conquer those systems immediately, or did they make constant gains throughout those ~300 years? Halo Encyclopedia; pg. 169 It soon became clear to the Forerunners that ordinary naval tactics would prove fruitless in stemming the mounting infection. They decided their only hope of defeating the parasitic swarm would be to create even more lethal weaponry. At first, robotic drones were sent to battle and contain the Flood onslaught using surgical, localized tactics. Soon after, the Forerunner Fleet Command considered “premature stellar collapses,” by which a supernova would be triggered by a naval battle group, engulfing a planetary system and preventing any possible risk of Flood infection. Halo 3; Terminal 2 It is my opinion that any system where there is evidence that the enemy has established a physical presence is lost and must be razed. This fleet currently retains the capacity to force premature stellar collapse; I advise that this be established as standard operating procedure for all compromised systems forthwith. We cannot fight this war by half measures if we intend to win. Going by these quotes systems are solar system. I understand where you're coming from, but a lot of the claims you're making are based off of incorrect assumptions and misunderstandings. Not to mention, you're contradicting explicitly stated canon. [i] "[b]The only way to stop the Flood is to starve them to death. And that's exactly what Halo is designed to do[/b]: wipe the galaxy clean of all sentient life. You don't believe me? Ask him." -Cortana, Two Betrayals, Halo CE It was also said at that time that the halos didn't kill flood, and it was also implied that humans and Forerunners were related. So I'm skeptical seeing as the Canon has changed. "The Flood cover more of our galaxy with each passing day. They feast on the essence of life itself. [b]The only way to stop their advance is to remove that life upon which they feast.[/b]" -Faber, Terminal 5, Halo 4[/i][/quote] That was after the flood escaped containment, where they then proceeded to take over two thirds of the galaxy in a mere 10/4 years. Also I want to say that this is a really good debate. :)

[quote]My point is if they had a limited supply of energy they wouldn't have wasted it by placing some much biomass that served no purpose. [/quote]It actually does serve a purpose. High Charity isn't exactly the most stable space station, and since it was built around the Keyship that is no longer there, it's going to be fragile. The Flood biomass was used to support the weakened superstructure, as well as allow the Gravemind to directly alter slipspace to allow quick and safe passage to the Ark. [url=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-feet-first][i]His modifications to High Charity were far-reaching, both to keep the facility functioning after the departure of the Keyship, and to better serve as a mobile plagueship from which he could sing victory everlasting in a galaxy consumed of thinking life. But even with an intellect impossibly vast and deep, able to twist the technologies of the Covenant far beyond their original functionality by application of esoteric Precursor science, the ancient abomination was unable to both conduct a desperate bridging maneuver to the Ark and maintain the structural integrity of High Charity after its arrival.[/i][/url] [quote]The energy requirement would be enormous, we humans put about 40,000,000,000 tons of pollution into the atmosphere for year. Or about 110 million tons per day. In order for the flood to convert the the planetary ecosystem to a flood state within the mere hours/days it usually takes, they would have to pump vastly more flood spores into the atmosphere than this.[/quote]I don't really see how our pollution emissions are comparable (or even relate) to FSC spores being launched by a spore mountain. If you want to find a good comparison, I'd look at fungi - specifically [url=https://youtu.be/XuKjBIBBAL8]cordyceps.[/url] It's more about the virulent nature of the spores rather than filling up every square inch of atmosphere with them. [quote]Going by these quotes systems are solar system.[/quote]I do agree, though my questions still stand as there are many, many unknowns about the 12 systems and their quarantine. [quote]That was after the flood escaped containment, where they then proceeded to take over two thirds of the galaxy in a mere 10/4 years.[/quote]Halos were designed with that strategy in mind before the Flood returned from their defeat during the human-Forerunner wars. [spoiler]Aha! You've got responses hidden inside the giant quotes! Easy to miss those.[/spoiler]