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<td valign="top" background="images/design/red/surround_title_s.gif"><span class="sectiontext"><font color="#FF6600"><a href="alien.html" class="sectionlink">Kharaa
Data</a> :: <span class="sectiontext"><font color="#FF6600"><a href="alien_bacterium.html" class="sectionlink">The
Bacterium</a></font></span>: Bacterial Gridlock</font></span></td>
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<p><b>Summary:</b> the bacteria and nanotech attack
each other, constantly struggling for control
and interfering with each other's functions.</p>
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<p> <img src="images/images/10red_data.gif" width="13" height="10">
While no ship or base would expect to be infiltrated
by a hostile microscopic xenoform, in the age
of <a href="front_nanotech.html">nanotech</a>
people are very paranoid about dangerous microscopic
threats – biological or mechanical dangers designed
by enemies, or their own technology, run amok.
The bacteria slips under this screen at first
because it is utterly unlike any human organic
compound – but once it reaches high enough concentration
alarms are triggered and anti-contamination countermeasures
kick in. The countermeasures attempt to contain
and sterilize the bacteria, and the bacteria responds
by trying to corrode and destroy all nanotech.</p>
<p>By the time marines arrive, this battle is well
underway, with both sides gridlocked, interfering
with each other. See <a href="front_nanogridlock.html">nano-gridlock</a>
to learn how this effects marine functions. </p>
<p>The most important consequence of this gridlock
is it prevents the bacteria from attempting to
infect or attack humans. It is our belief that
it views us (humans) as existing for the same
reason its own <a href="alien_species.html">species</a>
do – host lifeforms created by a different
bacterial lifeform to fight for control of an
area's <a href="alien_resources.html">resources</a>.
If it can't win the microscopic battle, it starves
the competitor to death, and outgrows it by destroying
its hosts - stopping the competition from reproducing
or controlling resources. This implies a past
filled with conflict, and explains why it is so
ready, and able, to deal with humans in an aggressive
and deadly fashion.</p>
<p>There are more practical effects of the gridlock.
It also prevents the bacteria from instantly sensing
and transmitting the location of every marine
and marine structure onto Kharaa <a href="alien_hivesight.html">hive
sight</a>. Unless a Kharaa can see you, or you've
been <a href="alien_skulk_primary.html">parasited</a>,
they should not know where you are.</p>
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