The Infestation

Hostile Species
Full Name	Technocyte Virus
Alias	The Infestation The Great Plague Mutalist Empire (by Mutalist Alad V) Mumblers
Origin	Warframe
Homeworld	None
Abilities	Molecular reconstruction Cognitive and bodily manipulation Hive mind connection
Members	Lephantis Mutalist Alad V (formerly) Jordas Golem Arlo's Zealots Phorid Fass Vohm Infested
Hobby	Infecting lifeforms, machines and locations with itself
Goals	Spread across the entire Origin System
Crimes	Mass murder Brainwashing Mutilation
Type of Hostile Species	Intelligent Plague

“	The Infestation spreads across the Origin System – a techno-organic parasite that attaches itself to natural and synthetic forms, slowly digesting the host subject and transforming it on a molecular level. Organic materials morph into new homogeneous organisms while harder, inorganic materials, like metals, will change structurally into a pseudo-organic substance that holds the characteristics of its previous forms.	„
	~ Codex Fragment describing the Infestation.

“	We embrace you. Why do you defile us?	„
	~ Lephantis expressing confusion towards the Tenno's resistance to it.

The Technocyte Virus, better known as The Infestation, is a major antagonistic faction in the MMO third person shooter Warframe.

It is an ancient bioweapon created by the Orokin Empire that got out of control, transforming living creatures into monstrosities of twisted flesh and bone and ravaging across the Origin System.

Characteristics

While the vast majority of infested creatures appear to be mindless beasts, the Infestation itself is actually an intelligent hive mind fully capable of coordinating its efforts and even communicating with non-Infested organisms via hosts still capable of speech. The Infestation's primary means of spread are its airborne spores and the fact that it thrives in any environment. Only a few loose spores are necessary to fully take over an entire ship or area, which is why even the endlessly greedy Corpus have outlawed development of Infested biotechnology.

Those who become Infested experience rapid bodily mutation. Limbs are pushed and twisted out of place, additional ones and infested tissue grow all over the body, eventually rendering the victim completely unrecognizable. The consciousness of most victims is quickly eroded and placed under the complete control of the hive mind, although a few are allowed to retain their individuality to act as a messenger of sorts.

Still, even these select few are under the influence of the hive mind and actively desire to spread it to others. The Infestation and those under its influence do not see it as malevolent and don't appear to understand as to why people are horrified by it, seeing it as an improvement and true unity.

Biography

Origins

The circumstances and true purpose behind the creation of the Technocyte Virus are still unknown. However, it is most likely that the Infestation was originally created to be a weapon the Orokin could unleash against the Sentients in the Old War. As the Sentients were able to control the advanced technology of the Orokin, a biological weapon could perhaps yield powerful results and turn the tides in the Orokin's favor. Unfortunately, the Sentient's adaptive abilities allowed them to quickly build a resistance to the virus, leading to the only ones being harmed by the artificial plague to be the Orokin themselves. Already in a losing position, the introduction of yet another problem to deal with pushed the Orokin further into desperation.

The introduction of the Tenno eventually won the war for the Orokin and succeeded in containing the Infestation thanks to their natural immunity to it. When the Tenno turned against their masters and destroyed the Empire from within, two new powers rose to rule the Origin System in their absence. In the Grineer's ambition to conquer the Origin System, Doctor Tengus discovered and resurrected the ancient Technocyte spores in hopes of harnessing its potential as a weapon. It didn't take long for his Infested test subjects to break free and escape into the Origin System, allowing it to become one of the three great threats to peace and stability. Even the opportunistic and relentlessly greedy Corpus quickly placed a ban on experimenting with Infested biomass, deeming it to be far too dangerous than it is worth.

Variations

Mutalist Strain

Desperate to reconcile with the Corpus Board of Directors after several shortcomings, Corpus scientist Alad V saw fit to forego the ban on research and development of Infested material. Previously, the Infestation was unable to take control of robotics and machinery, which simply became shut down when overwhelmed with its spores, not unlike a malfunction caused by an abundance of dust inside a computer. Alad V's experiments however yielded a new strain of Infestation capable of fully assimilating machines and placing them under the thrall of the hive mind.

While this new Mutalist Strain infesting Corpus proxies like the bipedal MOA's and the flying Ospreys was to be expected, it soon turned out that it now posed a more insidious threat. Even the digital servants known as Cephalons were no longer safe from being consumed by the hive mind, as shown with the corruption of Cephalon Jordas, whom the Infestation used to lure in and spread to other Corpus ships.

Helminth Strain

The Helminth, loyal servant of the Warframes.

After the initial deployment of regular Infested in the war against the Sentients proved a fruitless endeavor, the Orokin attempted to harness the Infestation to make their soldiers more powerful instead. A new domesticated Infested creature known as the Helminth was created, which was used to inject the greatest warriors of the empire, their skin turning hard as steel and their organs interlinking with untold resiliance. The Warframes were born. Unfortunately, even this turned into a colossal failure as the horror and pain of their situation soon caused the Warframes to degenerate into mindless berserkers, turning on the Orokin just like the Sentients had.

When the Tenno eventually made Warframes viable as soldiers and turned the war in the Orokin's favor, the Helminth was nested into their Orbiter ships as it was loyal only to the Warframes themselves and repaired them from damage sustained in battle. It still performs this function to this day and, with a little help from their master, has even gained the ability to infuse Warframes with the powers of other Warframes for even greater combat effectiveness.

Grey Strain

The moon Deimos, home of the Grey Strain.

The Grey Strain is an unusual variant of the Infestation found on one of Mars's two moons, Deimos. Originally a place where the Orokin Entrati Family researched the Infestation, the fall of the Orokin Empire and disappearance of the Tenno meant that the researchers were no longer protected from the creatures they studied. It wasn't long before they breached containment and escaped onto the moon's surface. Thanks to Orokin terraforming Deimos has a breathable atmosphere and water, providing the necessary requirements for a habitable environment, which in turn gave the Infestation plenty of organic matter to assimilate and spread itself.

However, after it conquered the moon the Infestation seemed to reach an equilibrium of sorts. While the majority of Infested still continue their attempts to breach the Necralisk's defenses, home of the still-surviving Entrati, much of the infested wildlife is non-hostile and even tameable. This is no doubt in part to the rulers of Deimos, the twin-wyrms Fass and Vome.

These two colossal Infested function as Deimos's day-night cycle, influencing the activity and aggression of other Infested and locked in an eternal cycle of being killed, regenerating, emerging and killing the other. Whereas the female wyrm Vome calms the creatures of Deimos, the male Fass causes more of the hostile Infested to emerge and boosts their ferocity.

Trivia

• The Infestation is heavily inspired by the Flood from the Halo franchise. Just like the flood, the Infestation is an artificially created disease that converts living creatures into biological weapons, which are connected by a hive mind that directs their actions. Unlike the Flood, the hive mind's influence can be resisted by a sufficiently strong will, as seen with Alad V and the Entrati Family.