Sometime after John left the cruiser, the remaining UNSC Marine forces on the ring staged an assault on the Flood-held Truth and Reconciliation, and managed to neutralize most Flood Forms on the cruiser in a swift assault, and the captain, Major Antonio Silva, violated the Cole Protocol by having the ship leave immediately after emergency repairs in an attempt to gain glory by bringing a Covenant cruiser to Earth rather than sweep the ship to ensure no Flood forms were hiding inside. In addition, Flood Combat Forms have more tentacles than before, and resemble spikes rather than flexible appendages. The primary animals affected were popular pets in human societies: the Pheru, lively and gentle creatures found on Faun Hakkor. Showing the various flood forms and their size differences. Taking advantage of the distraction that John-117's presence caused, as well as the ensuing Covenant Civil War, Gravemind took the opportunity to deliver himself, as well as a multitude of Flood underlings, onto In Amber Clad and then performed a slipspace jump, forcing the UNSC ship inside High Charity, whereupon it immediately crashed into the city's superstructure to deliver its infectious cargo, while a wave of Flood-controlled Pelican Dropships delivered Flood all over the city. When he was infected and initially used as a Combat Form, the Flood realized Keyes was holding vital information and relegated him as biomass for a Proto-Gravemind. When the team arrived at the swamp however, they found the facility was completely devoid of Covenant personnel. The sheer numbers of Flood forms on the planets overcame Forerunner ground forces. Guilty Spark then did battle with John-117, using a powerful hard-light beam that easily drained John's shields. Thel 'Vadamee took the Index from Miranda Keyes and Sergeant Johnson, who had gotten there first, but was betrayed by the Jiralhanae and knocked into the depths of the Library. The first indicator of the coordinated stage is found in the atmosphere, as the FSC propagates spores and creates a hive-like carapace holding a warm, humid environment at its center. In the latter stages of Food development, the FSC can also be spontaneously generated as the Flood attempts to transform the environment into one more conducive to the growth of the parasite. However, it was later revealed through discoveries by the Forerunner Bornstellar that there never was a cure; that it was humanity's displayed acts of how far they would be willing to go to survive that prompted the Flood's leaders to spare them. Here, the Flood demonstrated their unusual technical aptitude, commandeering Covenant and UNSC vehicles, possessing dozens of Ghosts, Wraiths, Warthogs, and Scorpions to do battle with the hovering Enforcers. The plan failed, and instead allowed the Flood to infiltrate other parts of the station, killing both Covenant and Heretics alike. The squad noticed a locked safe room, and after some persuasion, convinced the room's occupant, Dr. John Smith, to come out. The tenuous, agonizing elevator was nicknamed "A Descent Into Hell. These commendations are primarily advanced through playing War Games and Spartan Ops; only nine commendations can be completed in the campaign. However, below Truth and Reconciliation, in a series of rocky canyons, the Covenant were much stronger in force, with large numbers of Sangheili supported by Unggoy, Kig-Yar, and Mgalekgolo, fighting off the Flood. In a war of losses, this was another grim revelation for humanity. Carrier Forms don't always explode upon death. John-117, with the help of the Sangheili, fought their way through the Flood. However, after he opened the door that Captain Keyes had unlocked, he learned the truth through Private Jenkins' recording: this was no Covenant weapons cache. Using the advantages of elevated ground, Shielded Plasma Cannons, and a Deployable lookout tower, the small Special Operations contingent was able to hold an LZ for a Phantom to drop off a Spectre and a pair of Ghosts. These cells (LF.Xx.3273) form the Flood biomass, which can be configured into any shape or muscle necessary to continue and sustain the biological and organizational growth of the parasite. They lack the ability to coordinate their efforts, but the Flood will spawn spontaneously and spread by infecting sentient life forms, specifically those that are self-aware and capable of introspection. Johnson was holding Miranda, even though it was too late, and told the two to kill Truth and stop the rings from firing. After the Flood threat was destroyed, Keyships were dispatched, and reintroduced the indexed species to their origins, sparking life back into the Galaxy again. It should also be noted that a yellow Infection form is released upon the death of a human combat form and a large (around 6) amount are released on the death a combat carrier form.