Sentient Races of the Milky Way

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Humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) A.K.A. Reclaimers

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Human beings or humans or man (Latin: Homo sapiens sapiens) are a sentient species within the Genus Homo and part of the primate family. They were the second (after the Forerunners) sentient species to develop advanced methods of living on their home planet of Earth, fossil records date Human existence at about 200,000 years. They are currently rated a Tier 2 species on the Forerunner Technological Achievement system.

Anatomy and Physiology:

Humans are mammals, and closely related to other dominant apes on the planet Earth, meaning that they are warm blooded and give birth to live offspring, and nourish their offspring with milk. They have five fingers, one being an opposable thumb. Their circulatory system is closed and consists of one heart and a network of blood vessels and red blood due to the iron based hemoglobin of humans, as well as two lungs which breathe mainly a nitrogen-oxygen based atmosphere. Their eyes have more pinpointed pupils, and additionally have a poor sense of hearing and smell. They are omnivorous, meaning that they will eat both meats and plants, as well as consume high calcium foods, such as the milk of other animals, in great quantities. They have a large calcium deposit, as well as a more developed bone structure for protecting organs, allowing them to be a perfect target for the Flood. Muscle-wise, they are leaner and possess less muscle matter, though physical conditioning can still negate this somewhat as even a standard UNSC marine can be witnessed flipping a turned over vehicle, and with the right enhancements and equipment, overcome their physical disadvantages to an even further extent as demonstrated by the SPARTANs. If in extreme distress, humans can tap into hidden reserves of energy, giving them drastically increased strength. This response is known as "Fight or Flight".

Approximate Population:

It is known that in the 22nd century, Earth was deemed overpopulated, jump-starting the colonization programs of the time. After twenty seven years of war with the genocidal Covenant, the human race was supposedly brought to the brink of extinction, reduced to approximately only 200 million. Since the war however, A.I. estimations show the human population is somewhere near 12 billion, thanks to modern medical technology and renewed colonization efforts.

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Sangheili (Macto cognatus) A.K.A. Elites

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The Sangheili, (Latin Macto cognatus) are a saurian species of fierce, proud, strong, agile and intelligent warriors and skilled combat tacticians. Sangheili are named after their home planet, Sanghelios. Known to Humans as Elites, due to their adeptness and skill in combat, the Sangheili formed the military backbone of the Covenant for almost the entirety of its existence. They had a very strong rivalry with the Brutes, which finally became open hatred during the Great Schism, and the conclusion of the Human-Covenant War.

Originally a founding member of the unified conglomerate of races known as the Covenant, they later led the Covenant breakaway faction known as the Covenant Separatists, who sided with the humans against their former allies, due to the fact that the Prophet of Truth and the Prophet of Mercy had ordered the genocide of the entire Sangheili race. This was established after the assassination of the Prophet of Regret at the hands of the "Demon". It was the Sangheili who were ultimately held responsible for the Prophet of Regret's death, and were seen as "unfit" to continue to guard the Prophets. The Prophets sought to achieve this through the use of the other Covenant races, primarily the Brutes. The aftermath of the Great Schism formed the bedrock of the Covenant's ultimate collapse.

Anatomy and Physiology:

Sangheili are muscular and at least a foot taller than a SPARTAN-II. Their jaws are quadruple-hinged, with an upper jaw and four mandible-like lips. With few exceptions, these mandibles are generally shown with six teeth each; many sources also depict an additional large fang on the tips of each mandible. Anywhere from eight to ten broader teeth have been observed mounted on the central jaw structure. Sangheili smell with the use of two nostrils, each a little in front and below the eye socket. Given their predatory nature, a Sangheili's sense of smell is very developed. Their hands are tetradactyl, having four digits; two middle fingers, and two opposing thumbs on the outside for grasping. Their legs are digitigrade, with short upper and lower legs, and elongated tarsals, using the distal and intermediate phalanges to support their weight when walking. This arrangement possibly allows them to run very quickly and jump large distances. Their superior agility may also be attributed to their homeworld's higher gravity; the additional strength required to move normally in a high-gravity environment would likely cause them to be more powerful in lower gravity situations. They also appear to have a double set of pectoral muscles, which contribute to their incredible strength.

Sangheili have at least two hearts which circulate indigo-colored blood through their veins; the coloration is most likely caused by bimetallic hemoglobin, possibly cobalt-iron, whereas the crimson-blooded Humans possess monometallic iron-based hemoglobin. Though there are many theories on the subject, the chemical formula(e) of Sangheili hemoglobin is still unknown. They breathe oxygen, and their homeworld has a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere, similar to Earth's.

Male Sangheili have grayish-brown skin, which looks spotted or scaly, and the majority of Sangheili have either dark blue, black, or brown eyes, although there are a few exceptions. Sangheili have laterally-positioned eyes with slit-shaped pupils, large irises, and horizontal eyelids.

Approximate Population:

Before the Great Schism, the population of the Sangheili was estimated to be around 8.135 billion, however, it has grown to about 30 billion since the ceasefire.

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Jiralhanae (Servus ferox) A.K.A. Brutes

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The Jiralhanae (Latin, Servus ferox), also known as Brutes, are the newest members of the Covenant. They are a large, bipedal, ape-like species from Doisac. The Jiralhanae were the the second Covenant species encountered by the Humans, after the Kig-Yar raid on the freighter 'This Way Up'. They were first encountered by the Harvest colonial militia. The Brutes have a profound hatred of the Sangheili, unmatched by any other feud within the Covenant, fired by the Jiralhanae's natural aggressive nature and the Sangheili's attitudes of superiority.

The Jiralhanae have been part of the Covenant since before the destruction of the UNSC agricultural colony on Harvest, and were always feared by the Sangheili for their monomaniacal behavior. The Jiralhanaes' plans to seize power over the Sangheili began with their alliance with the High Prophet of Truth during the Battle of Harvest and continued to gain headway until the eventual splitting of the Covenant. They eventually took the role of the Prophets' Honor Guards from the Sangheili after the Sangheili failed to prevent the assassination of the High Prophet of Regret by the Master Chief, finally culminating with the Jiralhanae replacing the Sangheili as the leaders of the Covenant Military.

They are rated a Native Tier 4/Adopted Tier 2 species by the Forerunner Technological Achievement Tier scale.

Anatomy and Physiology:

Brutes are physically imposing enemies to face in combat. Standing at approximately 8 feet tall, they not only tower over their human opponents, but the majority of their Covenant allies, with only Hunters standing taller. They have thick, gray skin that is extremely resilient to damage.

They are covered in thick, shaggy fur that offers further protection. It covers most of the body except for the head and the shoulder blades. However, Brutes also have what looks like scales on their arms, though this is because of their very thick skin. Brutes exhibit two coloration's: brown and gray. It is most common that the older a Brute is, the less brown his skin will contain.

Brutes have mixed red-and-blue blood which at first glance looks completely red. Brutes resemble a cross between an ape and a rhino, being taller and more muscular in the torso and limbs than a human.

Heavily muscled and possessing an animalistic brutality and strength, Brutes can rely on close combat to defeat their enemies, even more so than their Elite counterparts. However, their great strength may in fact be simply relative, due to the species' evolution on a world with twice the gravity of Delta Halo, Earth, and other planets and structures with one G. Featuring characteristics simian, ursine, and alien, their appearance fits their human given name.

Brutes have digits on each hand including opposable thumbs. As such they can make use of a variety of weapons both of Covenant and human design. Their feet have only two digits. They also typically have a red tongue. When it comes to ranged conflict Brutes show a tendency to use large, rapid firing, often powerful weapons. This may be indicative of their mentality and an extension of their brutal nature. The many spikes and serrated edges that adorn their race's weapons, vehicles and armor further exhibit this. .

Brutes are not as mentally slow as they may appear, and are often fairly cunning tacticians. As such they can pilot vehicles & ships and command both land based & fleet encounters with strategic competence, albeit lacking in artistic flair. They also have a higher vocabulary than other members of the Covenant apart from Elites and Prophets.

Brutes are known to descend into a highly aggressive berserk killing-rage when all their pack mates have been killed. Their incredible physical strength coupled with a dogged self determination to kill their target makes a berserk Brute a force to be reckoned with, powerful enough even to kill Hunters. Also, when berserking, they will not hesitate to attack an enemy, even if the target is in a vehicle, such as a Ghost, they will attack the vehicle head on or attempt to force the enemy out.

Before Jiralhanae reach full maturity, they naturally release pheromones. Other Jiralhanae can smell these pheromones and tell how others are feeling by the scent. When they do reach maturity, they learn to control the releases of their pheromones andcan stop them all together if they wish.

Approximate Population:

Before the Doisac civil war, the approximate population was around 12 billion. Despite the largescale war on their homeworld, efforts of the Covenant Remnants have managed to keep the population steady for the time being.

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San 'Shyuum (Perfidia vermis) A.K.A. Prophet

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San 'Shyuum (Latin Perfidia vermis), also known as Prophets, are a mammal-like species who are the leadership caste within the Covenant and one of the more mysterious member races of the hegemony. Prophets appear to exert complete control over religious and political affairs, fulfilling the role of religious and political leaders. Prophets enforce a misguided theology based on the false belief that firing the Halo Array will start the Great Journey transcending them into a God-like status. Although physically frail compared to other Covenant species, they wield absolute power over the Covenant, making them more dangerous than most.

Anatomy and Physiology:

While little is known of the San 'Shyuum homeworld, it is known that its gravity was quite lower than Earth's. Because of this, and their status of political figureheads who perform little physical work, most Prophets are physically frail creatures, preferring to move around using anti-gravity technology. A life of physical inactivity leaves most if not all Prophets withered and weak.

Each Prophet has distinct, often fur-covered lobes of skin hanging underneath their chin similar to a beard, known as "wattles". Prophets of greater age, for example the High Prophet of Mercy, have skin lobes on either side of their heads reminiscent of ears; despite this resemblance, the San 'Shyuum actually receive sound at the back of the head. Prophets have three digits on each hand, and are usually found wearing ornamental pieces that may also double as life support systems. These head-pieces bear a holographic representation of a Halo (indicating that the Covenant have known about the Halo rings for much longer than originally thought), but each is uniquely shaped and highly ornamental. However Prophet Councilors have been seen wearing more functional robes that lack any ornamentation whatsoever. These Prophets have a lower status and, as a result, wear simple robes and can be found on the seating above the Council Chamber. Prophets also seem to have parts of their brain showing through absences of skin on their heads, while skin is still there, it may be possible that they evolved to allow their brain to grow to such a size that the skin is there simply to hold it in place.

The lifespan of a Prophet appears to be extensive, largely through the development of technologies to increase it. Such a process began in about 1552. The San 'Shyuum have put considerable effort into the increase of lifespan of their own species, as more than a quarter of their population are now super-bicentenarians.

Approximate Population:

After the destruction of High Charity, nearly half of the race of the Prophets was killed, as High Charity had been their new 'home world.' Since the second 're-seeding,' their population is estimated to be approximately 750 million.

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Kig-Yar (Perosus latrunculus) A.K.A. Jackals

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The Kig-yar (Latin: Perosus latrunculus) are a saurian species which serve the Covenant Loyalists, as mercenaries and privateers. Humans have termed these vicious creatures Jackals, as they are known for their swiftness, viciousness, and dexterity, despite their physical frailty. In combat, Kig-yar serve as either snipers or scouts within the Covenant due to their excellent senses of sight, smell, and hearing.

Anatomy and Physiology:

Despite their saurian origins, Kig-yar are avian in appearance, with feather-like quills on their heads and arms on males and calloused plates on females for protection from males during mating, and three-toed bird-like feet with deadly talons. They have three fingers on each hand with razor-sharp claws. Kig-yar have bird-like beaks and razor sharp teeth that can easily rip flesh apart. They are mainly carnivorous and are known to the consume flesh of other sentient beings.

Though they are not a low-gravity species, they do have many qualities that are shared with species from low-g worlds. The female of the species lack the spiny plumage (said plumage's color serving as indication of the Jackal's mood) of the male; replacing it with calloused plates at the forearms and the rear of the head. This thick skin helps protect the female during courtship. When mating, the male can choose to fertilize the egg, in which a male is produced, whereas if the eggs are not fertilized a female is produced. Aside from the obvious differences in reproductive organs, the male and female of the species are more or less identical in appearance with no physical disparity or mass distribution between the sexes.

Kig-yar skin is scaly and typically light brown or sickly yellow in color. Their blood is bright purple in color, similar to that of the Sangheili, possibly showing a similar chemical makeup. The lack of calcium in their skeletons makes them a poor source of food for potential Flood forms, though this does not stop the flood from converting them to combat forms.

Population:

After the Human-Covenant War, the population of the Kig-Yar is estimated to be approximately 10 billion

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Lekgolo/Mgalekgolo (Ophis congregatio) A.K.A. Hunters

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The Lekgolo (Latin Ophis congregatio) are a species of small colonial worm-like creatures that can join together to form purpose specific assemblages. Lekgolo are also able to combine themselves within machinery such as the Scarab and use their combined intelligence to pilot, or control, the vehicle or machinery.

Every worm-like creature is an individual eel, about 1.4 meters long, with its own central nervous system. It is speculated that the Lekgolo have microscopic muscular cilia which are used to connect to other Lekgolo and that each cilium is capable of communicating chemically similar to a synapse, explaining how the species can become a collective being in the form of the Mgalekgolo.

The Mgalekgolo, more commonly known as Hunters, a combination of the tiny, orange, worm-like creatures that group together to exponentially increase their intelligence, strength, and maneuverability. During and after the Great Schism there was a division within the species, some aligning with the Covenant Separatists and others remaining with the Covenant Loyalists. They always come in pairs or "bond brothers." The death of one will enrage the other if it witnesses the other's death.

Anatomy and Physiology:
The Lekgolo form a single collective consciousness and act as one, a single "hive-mind", similar to the structure of operation in the Flood. In other words they are a communal organism working together to perform specific tasks. Mgalekgolo are capable of manifesting in several different iterations according to what goal they are striving to achieve and the amount of Lekgolo worms that are present. The Mgalekgolo is the most common form seen in combat during the Human-Covenant War, but is actually one of the more rare forms in the Lekgolo society. This Mgalekgolo is employed by the Covenant as heavy infantry. Their society is predominated by this combination of being able to create exponentially more intelligent creatures, and the actual "Hunter" organism is one of the rarer and smaller forms to be found, used primarily in interaction with the Covenant hierarchy. Because of their make-up of several hundred "eels" instead of being a single large organism, the Lekgolo are one of the only species in the Covenant that cannot be assimilated by the Flood, as their unique physiology does not allow the organism to access a central nervous system or control them to any capacity. As such, there has never been a Hunter Combat Form, though the flesh of the Lekgolo can most likely be used by the Flood simply for its biomass.

The collection of eels that make up a Hunter's body are unintelligent at the most basic level, but can form complex thoughts and emerge as a conscious individual when they combine into larger masses that communicate through chemical and electrical means. The neural net that Hunters develop enables them to be incredibly strong and very sensitive to all things within a 1,000 foot line pointing out from non-combat form, and a half sphere that extends 500 feet in combat form. This is why Hunters can think and work as an effective combat unit without even using verbal communication. Hunters generally growl during battle but will sometimes talk and make remarks like the other Covenant species. Instead of using vocal chords, like other Covenant species, they vibrate their bodies to make a low rumble that is described as "more felt than heard" to produce speech.

It is theorized that Hunters reproduce asexually similar to earthworms; however there is no way to be certain. If true, calling Hunter pairs "mates" would only make sense in term for the pairing of two, not actually mating.

Approximate Population:

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Unggoy (Monachus frigus) A.K.A. Grunt

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The Unggoy (Latin, Monachus frigus) are a species of small, squat and bipedal arthropods in the unified races of the Covenant. They are the lowest rank in the hierarchy, and are frequently mistreated by higher-ranking races such as the Sangheili and Jiralhanae, so much so that killing Unggoy is not even considered a crime in the Covenant homeworlds. Unggoy are primarily used as laborers or, in combat situations, cannon fodder. They are one of the later races to be introduced into the Covenant. They were the third Covenant species to be encountered by humans. They are referred to as Grunts by humans, mainly because they are considered weak compared to their superiors and also because they perform the majority of the labor required by the Covenant.

Anatomy and Physiology:

Unggoy are average of about 5 1/2 feet tall and are relatively weak compared to other Covenant species. Although they can easily walk upright on two legs, they may often use their arms to move in a quadrupedal fashion. While carrying armaments, they are forced to walk upright so that they may support their weapons with their hands, but while trying to flee, or while patrolling without a weapon drawn, they use their oversized arms as forelegs to add speed or stability to their gait. Their eyesight and hearing is average, and seem to have a very well developed sense of smell, sometimes sniffing the air to detect traces of foes or hidden enemies. This is facilitated through the olfactory membranes installed in their masks.

Unggoy also have thick, bio-luminescent, light-blue blood, possibly a result of methane-based proteins in the blood to facilitate methane-based respiration. Like Earth's Horseshoe Crabs, it is possible that their blood is blue due to high copper content.

An Unggoy's forearms are incredibly over-sized, as are their calves, while their upper arms and thighs are seemingly small. This has allowed them to be quite excellent climbers. Spiny protrusions on their elbows help them scale rocky surfaces and may also be used to add force to their melee attacks. They also have an amazingly fast finger reflex speed, as they can fire a plasma pistol of the same rate a Sangheili can with a plasma rifle.

The Unggoy have flat, three-toed feet, with another toe on the back of their feet. While they are small, stocky, and not agile, they are quite sturdy; most may be weak, as they seem to be unable to carry a weapon heavier than a plasma pistol, although certain Unggoy of higher ranks appear to be surprisingly strong, able to carry an undeployed plasma cannon or fire a fuel rod gun with one hand without toppling from the recoil. However, physical strength may not actually go along with rank; the types of weapons available to them may be a part of a "trust" issue with the other Covenant. As rank-and-file Unggoy are clumsy and tactically inept, more powerful weapons are likely only issued to those who are more disciplined and experienced.

Unggoy have been described as breeding prodigiously in many instances, with large egg clutches and short childhood periods.This might explain why there are so many of them on the battlefield. This combined with the large number of young per clutch and rapid sensory motor integration development was one of the primary reasons why the species were given the role of disposable cannon fodder. Their unburdened neural pathway allows them to absorb knowledge more freely compared to their peers. As such, they are constantly monitoring the void for traces of human communication and have developed a clear understanding of two or even three human languages. This serves as a river of confidence in times of great stress for them. Overpopulation is a serious problem and in non-war times, strict laws are placed on Unggoy breeding.

Approximate Population:

With the split of the Unggoy population during the Great Schism, their population dropped to only 320 million, though during the ceasefire it was raised quickly to 1 billion, when both the Covenant Remnants and Separatists took necessary action to slow their breeding.

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Yanme'e (Turpis rex) A.K.A. Drones

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The Yanme'e (Latin Turpis rex), referred to by Humans as Drones, are a race of sentient, flight-capable insectoids who make up part of the alien religious hegemony known as the Covenant.

They are informally referred to by UNSC infantry as "buggers" or "drones". Although they have been part of the Covenant for some time, they have only recently been put to use as combatants in the war against the Humans. Their mastery of antigravity-assisted flight has given them an almost insurmountable strategic advantage in combat.

Anatomy and Physiology:

The Yanme'e are not true insects, as they do not share a common ancestry with Terran life, but they share many similarities with earthly beetles and colonial insects. The Yanme'e have hard exoskeletons made from a glossy chitinous substance, as well as two pairs of veined wings.

Unlike Earth insects, which have three body sections, the segments of the Yanme'e body are broken into five: a head, a cephalothorax, a thorax, a pelvis and an abdomen. The head supports a pair of sensory antennae and a pair of compound eyes. The mouth consists of sets of mandibles like those found on insects. The cephalothorax, or "neck", most likely houses what must be an enlarged brain. The thorax has a pair of segmented arms with razor sharp claws, and two pairs of wings; complete with beetle like wing covers. The first pair of legs are attached to a pelvis like structure, while the second pair is attached to the abdomen. The last set of limbs allow the Yanme'e to latch onto ceilings and hang down vertically during sleep.

Yanme'e exoskeletons are brightly colored, with different hues representing different ranks or stages of maturity. Adolescent, or pupal, Yanme'e are luminescent yellow and orange, workers are greenish, soldiers are pale blue, and Yanme'e majors are dark red.

Very little is known about Yanme'e internal anatomy, but one can make some educated inferences based on what has been witnessed in combat. Yanme'e blood appears a mix of green and gray substances which implies they may have an open circulatory system like insects. The Yanme'e can live for an unknown amount of time in zero-gravity conditions, a strong argument against the open circulatory system. The Yanme'e are too large to rely entirely on the same type of trachea system found in insects; instead they may have some form of true lung system that delivers oxygen directly to the hemolymph, which in turn may carry copper containing hemocyannins (or something similar) instead of hemoglobin though they can do without atmosphere for an unknown though logically limited period of time. It is also possible that the Drones utilize special breathing gear in the vacuum of space, although this is unconfirmed. Because of their size and weight, it is also unlikely that the Yanme'e have only an exoskeleton, and it is possible that some sort of internal struts or other structures are used to hold up their exoskeleton. The weight of the Yanme'e's exoskeleton prevents them from flying in gravity without the use of antigravity support.

There seem to be a number of different varieties, including copper, green, blue, silver, red, and gold. Drones have also shown variation in other characteristics than color, including differences in mandible, limb, and antennae structure. Whether these traits are indicative of different tasks or functions, or simply a result of genetic variation, is unknown. When the Drones sleep, they do so hanging upside down from the ceiling, similar to bats.

Almost nothing is known about the Yanme'e life cycle beyond the fact that the queen lays eggs. It's possible that the Yanme'e go through a complete metamorphosis including an egg, larva, pupae and adult stage, as it is known that the Yanme'e life cycle does include some form of pupal stage.

Approximate Population:

Because of their ability to populate quickly and their smaller role in military operations then other Covenant species, the Drone population has grown to nearly 3 trillion in recent times.

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Huragok (Facticius indoles) A.K.A. Engineers

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Huragok (Latin Facticius indoles), known to Humans as Engineers, are an artificial race that was created by the Forerunners. They are the only known non-combatant race of the Covenant, though some are rigged to explode like suicide bombers.

Anatomy and Physiology:

The Engineers are actually not a natural, biological species at all, but rather an artificial life form created by the Forerunners. While they possess no true tissues or organs, their nano-mechanical surrogates so closely mimic their biological analogs that they seem almost indistinguishable to observers. Multiple gas-bladders serve as their method of locomotion, allowing them to float through the air even after their deaths. The bladders also serve as part of their respiratory system; if their gas bladders deflate, they will asphyxiate and die.

They have small heads with six dark eyes, and four tentacles that can split into very small, near-microscopic cilia. The Engineers use these cilia to construct, repair, or rebuild nearly anything they can grasp. They can take apart whole vehicles and rearrange their entire structure in a matter of seconds, with the resulting machines still operating at least as well as they did before. They learn at an unprecedented rate, and store that information for future reference if ever they need to repair the same thing twice. They are capable of surviving in at least oxygen and methane-rich environments, though they cannot survive in a vacuum.

Huragok are not normally a tactical threat and are hardly ever seen in combat situations. Most UNSC soldiers make a point of avoiding intentionally harming Huragok if possible. Unlike the majority of the Covenant races, they do not regard humans as enemies; during the John-117's assault upon Ascendant Justice, one even aided the SPARTAN-II by repairing the shield generator on his MJOLNIR armor and fixing the SPARTAN's current weapon, a broken Needler.

Huragok "reproduce" by gathering the needed (or available) materials from their surroundings to "build" another Huragok. This new offspring is then filled with a precise mixture of lighter-than-air gasses. The initial buoyancy of the newly born Huragok is what it is named after. Three known Huragok names have been revealed so far. Those who sink are named 'Far Too Heavy'. Those whose buoyancy is almost perfect are named 'Easy to Adjust'. Lastly, those whose gas mixture causes them to exhibit extreme buoyancy are named 'Lighter Than Some'. Up to three Huragok take part in this process, relaying all the information that they have learned to their "offspring". Given sufficient raw materials, a pair of Huragok can produce a unified replica of themselves in approximately 45 minutes; the addition of a third Huragok cuts the time down to thirty minutes. Understandably, it is advantageous to have as many Huragok contribute to this process as possible, raising the "intelligence" of the offspring.

When deployed during large-scale archaeological expeditions, Huragok make use of large Recharge Stations, where they rest, repair each other, and share data between forays.

Huragok blood is luminescent blue-purple in color.

Huragok are bioluminescent, and in dark conditions their heads and tentacles emit a bright bluish glow, which seems to pulsate when the Huragok is calm and dim when it is frightened. The cilia on their tentacles give off a pinkish-red light as well.

Though the inner workings of an Engineer's internal macroscopic biology remain a mystery, it is known that they are capable of using the gas sacks that keep them afloat for anaerobic respiration. This method is painful, dangerous, and apparently only used as a last resort. Huragok use thousands of microscopic organisms to digest the food they consume, producing many gases, including methane, as a by-product.

Approximate Population:

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/*TRUE NAME UNKNOWN*/ Inferi redivivus A.K.A. The Flood

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The Flood (Latin Inferi redivivus), or The Parasite as they are known to the Covenant, are a species of highly virulent parasitic organisms that reproduce and grow by consuming sentient life forms of sufficient biomass and cognitive capability. The Flood was responsible for consuming most of the sentient life in the galaxy, including the Forerunners, during the 300-year-long Forerunner-Flood War. The Flood presents the most variable faction in the galaxy, as it can infect and mutate Humans and Covenant species into Combat Forms. They are widely considered to be the greatest threat to the existence of life, or, more accurately, biodiversity, in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Anatomy and Physiology:

The Flood, a virulent species of parasites, is an anomaly in all known biology, and an anomaly to regular life. This may be explained by its nature as an extragalactic species, originating from a different galaxy. It is extremely adaptive, and mutates hosts through different stages of accelerated "evolution", where the body of biomatter accelerates its own evolution to the point of a massive biological breakdown, where by the infection can first take place. The species can reproduce without host bodies, though this is described as a last ditch effort, and only performed by pure Flood forms.

The only known pathway for Flood reproduction and survival is by the infestation and assimilation of other species. They do this through a form of cellular reproduction known as lysogenic replication where the viral cells infect host cells with their own genetic code which mutates the host cells into viral forms.

Capable of surviving extreme environments ranging from -75 to +53 degrees Celsius and even underwater, the Flood can withstand harsh environments of all known colonized planets.

It would seem that the Flood can infest any living organism, but that they prefer hosts with a large brain capacity to accelerate the formation and expansion of the Gravemind hive intelligence and the Flood intelligence as a whole. They are only as intelligent as the beings they infect; the more cunning the enemy, the more dangerous the Flood will be.

As the Flood spread and replicate, they will alter the environment to better suit their needs. This takes the form of biomass growing on any available surface, and the air being filled with spores. This appears to be part of the Flood life cycle and is done automatically, and leads to the development of a Gravemind and a Flood Hive.

The Flood seem to thrive in moist and humid areas, which lends itself to the fact the the Quarantine Zone is bereft of organic life, and is cold and perpetually snowy, to hinder the development of the Flood.

Approximate Population:

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