CORRUPTER

CORRUPTER is a cryptonym used by the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) indicating that a Spartan has been infected by the Flood, that safeguards have failed, and that weapons of mass destruction have been authorized for use in sterilizing the area. There has been only a single known instance of CORRUPTER being declared, during an outbreak at Site 22 in 2556.

Overview

Protocol

The declaration of the CORRUPTER cryptonym indicates that a Spartan has been infected by the Flood, and that safeguards—such as the failsafe charges present in the "Gallows" VISR—have failed. Spartans who are not assigned to Flood containment Fireteams are ordered to uphold Emergency Contact Protocol Upsilon, and withdraw to a security perimeter. CORRUPTER further dictates that containment is set as a top priority and indicates that an immediate bombardment of the area with weapons of mass destruction—such as Magnetic Accelerator Cannons and fusion warheads—has been authorized, though not necessarily enacted.

History

CORRUPTER has been enacted at least once, during an incident at Site 22 in 2556. After receiving confirmation of a Flood outbreak during the excavation of a Forerunner starship by Imbrium Machine Complex and BXR Mining Corporation, NAVCOM Pedro Alvarez deployed Fireteam Leviathan to contain the Flood. When Lycaon, the Saturn's shipboard AI, reminded Alvarez that the infection of even a single member of the Spartan fireteam obligated him to declare CORRUPTER and prepare to the ship's weapons of mass destruction to sterilize the area, the captain indicated that he would do no such thing, citing the wealth of resources at Site 22 needed by the UNSC Home Fleet and the location's proximity of LV-31, an inhabited asteroid. Hearing this, Lycaon attempted to relieve Alvarez from his post, saying that protocol supersedes his command in the event of a Flood outbreak, as per UNSC Regulation 14-372-01. However, Alvarez used an override code to deactivate Lycaon, ordering his crew to deploy Fireteam Leviathan and a Hazop team. Ultimately, Lycaon's fears were justified and a Spartan fell to the Flood despite their armor's countermeasures. Watching everything go horribly wrong on the ground, Captain Alvarez declared CORRUPTER, giving any survivors seven minutes to evacuate before having the Saturn launch its arsenal of Shiva-class nuclear missiles at Site 22. At least one Flood attacker form managed to reach a Condor before the Shivas reached Site 22, implying that the Flood may have survived the outbreak.

List of appearances

• Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual (First mentioned)
• Halo Infinite
  • Season 04: Infection (Mentioned only)
• Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son (First appearance)