I bet you all thought this was going to be about the Loa, didn't you? Sorry, not yet! There's still a little ways to go before the truth about exactly what's happened to the Geth will be revealed. You're also going to have to wait to figure out exactly what's going to happen to Tali and Garrus. Sorry folks. Cliffhangers are a bitch, aren't they? On the plus side, the next story chapter will be a Shepard one, which I know most of you have been waiting for. For a story called Shepherd of the Stars, the good Commander sure doesn't show up much, does s/he?

Anyway, it's time for my long-overdue Codex on psychic powers. Psychic powers in the SotS universe are almost literally space magic, so trying to mesh them into the somewhat more structured Mass Effect universe was...interesting. I decided to take a note from myself and return to an old format: the school essay! This one is a bit more related to the story proper, however, as sharp-eyed readers may recognize the author of this particular essay. Or at the very least, you'll probably recognize her personality defects.

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns? Feel lonely? Leave a review!

*EDIT: This blasted site is playing merry heck with my horizontal rules. I've added in some spacers to clarify where my note ends and the chapter begins, as the rule appears to be nonexistent right now.*


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Irissa, in light of your recent concerns about your daughter's educational progress and mental state, I thought you might want to take a look at this most recent assignment she submitted to me. I've taken the liberty of including some of the messages we exchanged afterward and my final analysis of the essay. I think you'll find them…enlightening.

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Common Applications of Psionics

An Essay by Adile D'nana

Once thought to be nothing more than fantasies concocted by the especially imaginative or paranoid, the past few decades have not only proven the existence of psychic abilities, but shown that much of what we thought we knew about the universe may actually be wrong.

In purely technical terms, psionics are the ability of a sentient mind to alter matter, energy, and probability in local space-time, to detect and communicate with other living beings regardless of medium or language, and to locate specific objects without the use of any 'normal' sensing method. The definition is broad, but psionics are broad. One of the reasons psionic individuals are occasionally greeted with distrust is because there is quite literally almost nothing a properly trained psion cannot do. Certain psychic abilities (which we will explore later in this essay) are so advanced that modern science can barely guess at their mechanics, much less attempt to replicate the results.

What we do know is that psionics are directly related to life itself. Worlds with complex and diverse biospheres are much more likely to produce powerful psions than worlds whose natural balance has been disrupted by too much terraformation. Psions often claim to feel more energetic when surrounded by life than when in completely artificial environments.

Cybernetics and psionics do not often mesh well. Individuals with extensive cyber-modification often have difficulty learning even the basics of psychic ability, and psions who are given cybernetics after their training claim that their powers are weaker and more difficult to access. However, researchers have found ways to use cybernetics and other technologies to shield individuals from psychic attack. Early attempts were quite invasive and often caused serious brain damage, but modern efforts have been able to create not only cybernetics but removable armor that can help disperse the energy of psychic attacks without sacrificing the user's mental capacities.

Back in 2135, the Asari Republics and Salarian Union sponsored a joint research project with the assistance of the Liir to determine the exact nature of psionics and their prevalence in the galaxy. Today, this project has grown into the Mentalist Institute, which stands to this day as the only psionic research and training program that is not directly affiliated with any national government.

According to exhaustive surveys by the Institute on dozens of garden worlds, twenty percent of all life has some potential for psionics. In social or migratory animals, this rises to fifty percent. Most shockingly, ALL sentient species surveyed, from the most powerful Asari Matriarch to the most primitive Tatzel, have the potential for psychic abilities.

This final statistic is puzzling for many. It is obviously true for races like the Liir, Morrigi, or Zuul, for whom lack of strong psionics is considered a crippling birth defect. But races like Humanity, the Hivers, or the Turians are lucky if a single individual out of a hundred has enough psychic potential to be useful. If 99% of the population is not psychic, how can the institute claim that all sentient species are psionic?

The confusion here lies in the definition of a psionic species. Sentient races are divided into two categories: psychic dominant (what is normally thought of as a 'psionic' race), and psychic recessive (a 'non-psionic' race). In a psychic dominant species, the genes that determine psychic potential are dominant. As the name would suggest. This results in virtually every member of the species having some level of psychic ability. The Morrigi, Liir, Zuul, Hanar, Elcor, and Asari are psychic dominant races, and it is speculated that the Rachni and Protheans were also dominant races before their respective extinctions.

In a psychic recessive species, the recessive psionic gene prevents all but a few from displaying any power at all. Paranoia about 'witches', 'sorcerers', and other primitive stigmas often served to further cull psions from the gene pool, particularly among Humanity and the Tarka. The Turians, Tarka, Batarians, Hivers, Salarians, Krogan, Humans, Drell, Volus, and Quarians are all psychic recessive species.

This of course begs the obvious question: how did we not know about psychic abilities, when not only are two Council Associates psychic dominant, but our own people are also universally psychic? Rather than assume that the Council and its affiliates are simply too stupid to notice the obvious (as many in the Orion Arm seem to enjoy doing), or theorize some millennia-long Asari conspiracy of information suppression (as the writers of pulp novels and trashy action movies do), the answer is quite simple. It can be found by looking out your window.

As previously mentioned, social and migratory animals are extremely likely to possess some level of psychic potential. Yet the flocks of birds or swarming insects that populate virtually every garden world in the known galaxy do not throw things with telekenisis, and they do not band together in great metaconcerts to dominate their hunters. But their powers are still there, if you know how to look for them.

Think of a hundred birds swirling in unison, tied together as if by an unseen force. A hunting lizard that can track prey for hours even in the densest jungle. A dancing prey animal that darts away at a sound that was never made. For millennia, we attributed such things to natural phenomena. Even races like the Hivers and Humans rationalized such things decades after meeting psychic dominant species like the Liir. The lizard has a keen sense of smell. The prey animal can hear sounds we can't. There is usually a 'rational' explanation for such things if you try hard enough to find it. It is the same with psionic ability in sentients.

The Elcor and Hanar were never suspected of any oddities because of their unique biologies. Hanar have been found to display rudiments of telepathy, metaconcert, and telekinesis in their daily lives, but the effects are so subtle they are almost unnoticeable. Hanar bioluminence is nearly incomprehensible to other races, so it was a surprise even to the Hanar that their minds conveyed far more message than their lights did. The Elcor's anonymity is a result both of their ponderousness and the abstract nature of the powers common to them. While groups of Elcor have shown the ability to enter limited metaconcerts, their skills with clairvoyance and precognition were always attributed to meditation and slow thought allowing for more complete data analysis. Elcor have also shown talent at psionic resistance abilities, but as an Elcor was extremely unlikely face psychic attack before the arrival of the Orion races, this power was also overlooked. For the Hanar and Elcor, there are many rational reasons why their potential was never suspected. So it is our people's talents that are the most obvious example of the galaxy's willingness to embrace any explanation to avoid 'unscientific' solutions.

Asari have always been famous for our mysterious, almost mystical abilities. But we always found a way to explain them. Our universal attractiveness is an obvious symptom of psychic glamour to any species familiar with the ability. Yet for millennia it was thought to be a result of pheromones or other neurochemical agents. The ability to meld, an integral part of our reproduction, is blatantly telepathic in nature but was always believed to be the result of synchronized nervous systems and an exchange of electrical impulses through the skin. While it is true that a melding Asari synchronizes her nervous system with her partner, this is a result of the telepathic connection, not the cause of it.

Now that the masks of skepticism have been pulled away, our galaxy faces a cultural revolution more complex than it has ever seen before. Though our people also have universal access to biotics, such abilities are only useful for physical activities. Only soldiers and athletes are usually willing to invest the years of training and study mastering biotics requires. But psychic abilities are universal in application. Everyone from teachers to merchants to politicians may benefit. Like the Liir, an Asari's psychic power only grows as she ages, and with many decades to study the mental disciplines required to use such abilities, our people have the potential to become some of the most powerful psions in the galaxy.

Such things may be centuries in our future, but many discoveries have benefited our culture already. For over a thousand years, the parentage of an Asari was thought to have no actual impact on the psychology of the child. The father was only used for DNA randomization, and any personality similarities were either due to the father's influence in raising the child or from the placebo effect. We now know this is not true. Asari are all born with a subtle psychic imprint from their father, which may grow stronger if the father was also psychically gifted.

Knowledge of psionics has also provided many medical benefits. The abilities in the Redaction discipline are capable of impressive feats, and it is theorized that long-lived races like the Asari and Liir may rely heavily on abilities in that field to maintain our 'eternal' youth. But less expected benefits have surfaced. 'Ardat Yakshi' were long theorized to be victims of a genetic condition so rare many believed they were nothing more than urban legends created to discourage in-breeding. But the condition is quite real, and is not a mutation at all. Knowledge of psionics have revealed that, rather than being vampiric monsters, the so-called 'Demons of the Night Winds' are nothing more than Asari born with great talent for the War Mind abilities. This has revolutionized the care they receive at their monasteries, and their caregivers hope that several of the best cases may even be released into regular society in a few centuries.

Different species treat psions differently. As the above entries suggest, our people are fully embracing their psychic potential. The Elcor have made a much more measured approach to psychic abilities, which can be expected considering their culture. They have no active training programs at this time, but many older shamanistic traditions are being examined for signs of psychic channeling. The official position of the Illuminated Primacy is that, like the Zuul, their abilities are gifts from their Enkindlers. As such, psychic training and study is greatly tied to theology on their worlds, and powers are to be used for the greater good.

The Tarka have always been suspicious of psychic ability, referring to psions as 'witches'. Despite this, the advantages of psychic abilities were made obvious in the Zuul War, and they have gone through substantial effort to resurrect the traditions they once attempted to crush. Tarkasian psions are automatically conscripted (ostensibly for their own good) and assigned to a team of other psions called a 'Witch Clan'. Witch Clans are organized around a single powerful psion known as a Witch Lord or Witch Queen, who draws power from the rest of the clan and focuses it into powerful abilities. Though the Tarkasians admit the necessity of psions for defense, Witch Clans are still regarded with suspicion and outright prejudice in their society. The only exception to this appears to be individuals that demonstrate skill with Mecha Empathy. Tarkasians regard powers that effect machines differently than those that effect living beings, often not even considering such abilities to be psychic in nature, and empathic smiths are highly regarded.

The Turians have followed a similar path to the Tarka. Individuals with untapped psychic abilities (typically known as Wild Talents after the Human name for such people) are reassigned to cabals the same way Turian biotics are. There they are trained in the use of their powers, and are able to be deployed where they might do the most good. Turian psychic cabals place a great deal of emphasis on unity of purpose, and are quite skilled at forming metaconcerts. Unlike the Tarka, who use their metaconcerts to empower a single individual, the combined power of a Turian cabal is shared equally among all its members. Psychic cabals are commonly used for telepathic coordination and logistics, rather than flashy offensive strikes.

Humanity's racial paranoia has served it well in establishing what they call the Psion Program, a branch dedicated to psychic recruitment and training. Anti-psychic sentiment was running high at the end of the Zuul Wars, when the most horrific applications of mental abilities were at the forefront of Humanity's collective subconscious. Contact with the Council caused a rapid shift in this attitude. Instead of potential monsters, psions were swiftly hailed by SolForce propaganda as Humanity's best hope of retaining its power and identity. Jump Zero, Humanity's first official psychic training program, was founded in 2167 with the assistance of the Liir, and its spiritual successor, Grissom Academy, is one of the most highly regarded training academies in the Orion Arm. Thanks to such facilities and extensive PR support, psions have been fully integrated into almost every branch of SolForce and are highly respected for their skills.

Many Salarian corporations have dedicated a great deal of effort not to studying powers but to studying the genes that select for them. Psions are already much more common than biotics in Salarian society, and several Daltresses have publicly announced mating contracts specifically designed to select for psychic ability. The Salarian-owned corporation Binary Helix recently sponsored a new study of genetics and psychic potential, and have stated openly that they hope this study will eventually pave the way for psychic recessive races to become psychic dominant.

The Hivers appear to be thinking along the same lines. Though no official psychic training program exists for the Imperium, several Clans have acquired a reputation for producing strong psychics. The Ice River clan is famously resistant to mental attack, and the Shattered Forest clan boasts a sizable number of mecha empaths. The Drifting Smoke Clan is even rumored to have several individuals capable of predicting the future. Concerns have been raised, however, about the distribution of these abilities. Not all psionically gifted clans are allied with the current Queen. Some fear that if enough psychic clans united, they might attempt to revolt, throwing the Imperium into another horrific civil war. Despite these concerns, the Imperium has taken no steps to restrict psions or control them in any way.

Psions are treated with equal variety in other cultures. Drell psions are usually recruited and trained by the Hanar, so their psychic traditions are very similar to those of their historic allies. Krogan culture generally does not allow for the introspection more complex powers require, and Krogan psychics are typically shamans or very old warlords. They exhibit an extremely wide variety of abilities, and psychic disciplines are largely self-taught. The Volus are largely scornful and suspicious of psions, believing that abilities like glamour, domination, and telepathy undermine the honesty of business transactions. Most Volus psychics suppress or hide their abilities to avoid stigma. The Quarian Migrant Fleet has not published any official reports on psychic potential among their kind or how such individuals are treated. Interviews with pilgrims and outcasts suggest that Quarians largely favor mecha empathy and metaconcerts, with gifted individuals given both great respect and responsibility.

Though each race responds differently to the psychics in their midst, a somewhat universal system of categorization has gradually emerged. As the Liir have the most experience with psionic abilities, the current categorizations of psychic powers are drawn from their culture and traditions. Much as Human culture created different schools of martial arts or Asari culture created different biotic forms, the Liir divide psychic abilities into several different disciplines. Various distinct abilities fall under the different disciplines, and some require much more talent to master than others. As previously alluded to, certain races or individuals express natural talent for different disciplines. This does not prevent them from learning new abilities. A person's natural mindset seems to have a great deal to do with the abilities they are able to master, which is why some may find they can use certain abilities with almost no effort, but stumble at even the basics of others.

One of the most common psychic disciplines is Empathy. At its most basic, Empathic abilities allow the user to know what other creatures are feeling. The Liir have extremely powerful empathic abilities that are always active. It is a cornerstone of their culture, and is why acts of violence are so shunned in their culture. Only the most depraved would harm another if they were forced to feel the pain of their victims. Our people are also naturally empathic, though to a much lesser degree. This is believed to be one of the reasons the Asari have attained a reputation as peacekeepers and diplomats. Morrigi are also natural empaths, though they generally do not practice this lowest level of empathy, favoring instead the more advanced abilities.

Empathy can not only be used for sensing the emotional states of others, but for detecting life itself. With a minor amount of effort, empaths may detect living beings purely based off the emotions they create. This ability is known among the Liir as 'Life Sense'. With training, Empathy can be used not only to sense emotions, but also to CREATE them. This is the ability the Morrigi specialize in. Morrigi females are famous for inducing fear as a defense mechanism, and Morrigi males create feelings of love and awe with similar ease. This skill may be leveraged even further, letting an empath tap so deeply into the mind of another that she may borrow some of that person's focus and strength. This ability is commonly known as the 'Psi Drain', and use of this power is frowned on unwilling targets is strongly frowned upon even though it does not actually cause permanent harm.

The most complex and powerful Empathic ability is the Glamour. The small glamour we Asari naturally project is actually much closer to emotional inducement that it is true glamour. The images powerful Morrigi project do not merely hide or exaggerate features, but create a complex mental illusions around the user. Traits that do not fit this illusion are the hardest to hide, which is why Morrigi often retain their serpentine or avian qualities even when using a Glamour. But a true master can hide even these tells, assuming the appearance of anything or anyone they wish.

Telekinesis is one of the most common mental abilities, and is certainly one of the most obvious. While clever or weak uses of Empathy are almost undetectable, only the most primitive applications of Telekinesis can be hidden. The concentration and effort required often cause what is known as 'psychic bleed' when an ability is used, even if the effect of the power is not obvious. Bleed is a minor visual effect (usually piercing rays or clouds of colored light) centered around the user and the target. At its core, Telekinesis is the use of the mind to create impart kinetic energy onto a target. Though it is one of the most draining abilities to use, telekinesis still represents a massive violation of the law of conservation of energy. A telekinetic punch can impart far more energy than it drains from its user. The exact mechanics of how this is possible are still not understood, but it is currently theorized that the psion gathers the energy from the environment, rather than from herself.

Telekinetics must normally be able to clearly see their targets to affect them, but this handicap may be overcome with the use of clairvoyance and other sensing abilities. It can be used offensively to throw objects, or to impart direct force to a target in a maneuver typically known as a Telekinetic Punch. Despite the name, TK punches may inflict serious damage and with enough training can be made to create an artificial edge instead of a blunt impact. Telekinetics may control multiple objects at a time, and masters have been known to throw entire storms of shrapnel and other small objects at opponents. This is extremely difficult, however, and most can only control one or two objects at a time. Telekinesis is also useful for defense. Projectiles, even fast-moving ones like bullets, may be deflected away by carefully slanted telekinetic fields. As these fields are pure energy, energy weapons and even lasers may be deflected by such defenses, but ballistic weapons remain the easiest to block.

As telekinesis functions in much the same way that biotics do, a popular question arises: which is superior? Telekinetics are limited only by perception, and unlike thrown mass effect fields they do not necessarily need a clear line to the target. But telekinetic impacts have difficulty penetrating armor, while biotic abilities like Warp shred armor like paper. Both are draining to use. In general, telekinetics allow for delicate non-combat use and are better against small numbers of lightly armored targets. Biotics are superior for dealing with large groups of enemies or for small numbers of heavily armored foes.

What the Liir refer to as the War Mind discipline is a much maligned school that is only recently overcoming the stigma it carries. Much of this stigma is a result of its primary practitioners: the Zuul. All Zuul are naturally gifted when it comes to War Mind abilities, some more than others. The name actually translates poorly, because while most races only have a slightly negative view of war, Liir see it as an abomination. Among the Liir, War Mind abilities are similar to what Humans would call 'Black Magic'. War Mind, when stripped of all its negative trappings, is actually about turning your opponent's strength against her. Novice users of War Mind can trigger massive surges of aggression, turning the target into a berserker that cannot tell friend from foe. Slightly more skilled individuals can actively paralyze targets by exerting just enough mental control to prevent movement. From here, War Mind's abilities turn ugly.

When imbedded so deeply inside someone's psyche, it is possible to literally drain the life from them. This heals and strengthens the user, but is debilitating and often lethal for the victim. It is this ability that Ardat Yakshi use instinctively when they mate, and it is where their deadly reputation comes from. Though Zuul have historically had no issues using this power to murderous effect in battle, Prester Zuul and Liir consider it extremely taboo and permit its use only in the most desperate of situations. Use of this power anywhere in Citadel space is considered assault and is grounds for arrest and prosecution.

The final and most legendary ability available to those who embrace the War Mind is Domination. In the short term, domination allows the user to seize complete control of a target, moving them like a puppet. Small movements, like hand gestures, are simple, but full control is much harder. Certain individuals are more resistant to this than others, but against a master no form of mundane resistance is enough to gain complete freedom. There are many rumors that techniques like meditation or mind-altering chemicals make resistance easier, but these have universally been proven false. A short burst of intense pain is sometimes effective, as the dominator is often exposed to the same pain as the victim when in control. This is still not one hundred percent effective.

As horrific as the short term effects of domination are, it is the long term effects that are best remembered. Domination against an unwilling target always inflicts a level of psychic trauma, but this can be overcome with treatment. But if a dominator can shatter the ego of a victim the results are immediate and horrific. Shattering someone's sense of self is a difficult process, and depending on those involved can take minutes or hours of constants mental struggle. Individuals whose ego has been crushed lose any ability to resist and become almost mindless automatons that a skilled master can control by the dozen. Such people are almost completely insane when removed from this control, and most are beyond help. Resistance is possible even at this level, but only subconsciously. Thralls display their resistance by losing their will to live, feeding themselves less and exposing themselves to greater and greater levels of harm. Most thralls die within several years of their capture as they deliberately grind their bodies to death from a thousand small injuries. Hundreds of millions suffered this fate in the Zuul Wars, and the Zuul were not ignorant of their slaves' limited lifespan. They worked them viciously, attempting to get the most out of their thralls before they 'expired'.

If the War Mind discipline is 'Black Magic', then the Redaction discipline is 'White Magic'. Redaction is all about altering the body in beneficial and helpful ways. Though some have theorized that it could be used offensively to cause crippling mutations in enemies, this is not actually possible in practice. Radical alterations of self are difficult enough, and against an unwilling subject are almost impossible. It would take a psychic on par the oldest Liir Elders to perform such feats.

The most basic use of Redaction is a jolt of psychic energy that supercharges the healing process in a split-second burst. When combined with the effects of psychic bleed, this creates the illusion of instantly healing physical injuries in a wash of light. This energy burst only boosts a body's natural ability to repair itself, it has no effect on diseases, poisons, or psychological conditions. Such conditions still can be soothed or even cured with the correct application of psychic effort, but this 'Curing' ability is much more subtle and requires much more control than basic healing.

More advanced practitioners of Redaction are capable of a feat known as Metabolic Control, allowing them to go without food or water for extended periods. Use of this ability is believed to be how Liir Elders, which can sometimes grow to be the size of military warships, are able to sustain themselves on ordinary diets. Despite the name, metabolic control adjusts the user's metabolism only slightly. Its exact mechanics are unknown, but it is believed to allow the user to absorb the ambient energy of her environment to fuel her body's natural reactions.

The final ability of the Redaction discipline is similar to its most basic ability. But instead of bombarding the body with a surge of healing energy, mastery of the discipline allows the user to infuse her body with a steady stream of this energy almost constantly. Instead of a dramatic burst of healing, the user regenerates continually, quickly healing from damage and injury over a short period of time. Extremely limited but instinctual use of this power is believed to be how Asari and Liir maintain their long lifespans. Both this ability and the more basic ability of Redaction to heal defy the law of conservation of matter, as damaged tissue is repaired spontaneously without any loss of matter from other locations. It is currently theorized that the user collects the molecules for the repair by 'sifting' from nearby points in local space time, gathering the material in such limited quantities as to be unnoticeable.

Redaction is not the only discipline that blatantly violates the laws of reality as we thought we knew them. The Manifestation discipline almost universally features abilities that would be difficult, if not impossible, to replicate with normal technology. Though it is an extremely difficult school to master, even the most basic use of Manifestation allows for the creation of simplistic objects. The most common creation is carbohydrate paste known as 'Manna', after the divinely created bread that features prominently in a historical Human religious myth. Manna is not usually nutritious and is notoriously tasteless, but it can keep an ordinary person fed and hydrated for limited periods of time. Like the flesh crafted by Redaction abilities, the matter Manna is comprised of is thought to be filtered in tiny amounts from the surrounding environment.

Though the creation of simple foodstuffs may defy easy scientific explanation, some of the more advanced Manifestation abilities are easier to explain, but no less astounding. Pyrokinesis is only slightly more difficult to master than the creation of substances like Manna, and allows the user to excite molecules in a large area until they explode into flame. Naturally flammable objects are the easiest to effect, and as such most users prefer to ignite the air around a target than attempt to ignite the target itself.

Continuing this trend to its logical conclusion, powerful users of Manifestation can sever the bonds between molecules, effectively dissolving or disintegrating them on the spot. This ability requires extended concentration and a relatively homogenous material, so it is only useful against objects. Drones and people are too mobile and comprised of too many complex layers to be effected. While pyrokinesis and disintegration at least make a limited amount of sense (but still violate the law of conservation of energy), the final ability of the Manifestation discipline again defies all known logic. The most advanced masters of Manifestation can scan objects at the molecular level and replicate them, effectively making a duplicate that is identical in almost every way. This ability is extremely difficult to learn and use, and as the size of an object increases so does the complexity of copying it. The potential of this ability for economic gain alone has made it a very coveted power, but its difficulty tends to ward off all but the most determined students.

While Manifestation is one of the most obvious uses of psychic ability, Resistance is the subtlest of the disciplines, focusing on isolating one's self from others. At the most basic levels, students of Resistance learn to project what is known as a Psi-Shield. Despite the name, a Psi-Shield is something of a psychic jamming field in the user's immediate vicinity. This allows the shield to not only protect against mental intrusion, but to blunt or even cancel powers like telekinesis or pyrokinesis. All Morrigi females are naturally gifted with this ability to some degree, and many Justicar mental exercises have also been found to develop strength with this ability as well. With practice, a student of Resistnace can learn to isolate herself not only from the mental but also the physical. Psi-Armor allows a user to reinforce the molecular bonds of her clothing or even her skin, effectively granting natural armor. Some theorize that traditional Justicar armor was designed with this ability in mind, as the armor leaves large portions of flesh exposed in lethal areas.

Advanced users can learn to shield themselves even from light, bending it around them to become completely invisible. Invisibility requires intense concentration and is not perfect. Like infiltrator cloaks, a shimmering in the air will give away the user if they are careless. But unlike infiltrator cloaks, the invisibility that Resistance provides cannot be bypassed with abilities like life sense. True masters of Resistance can not only isolate themselves from others, but can punish those who try to break this isolation. As invisibility bends light, Reflection bends all forms of energy, turning them back against their source. Reflection is very difficult to master, and the complexity of modern weapons makes blocking even the most simple attacks incredibly challenging. But when performed correctly, the user can safely reflect even a direct hit from a heavy weapon like a fusion gun.

Mecha Empathy is one of the most recent disciplines to emerge, and is thought to be a response to the use of advanced technology in modern society. Engrams, VIs, and AIs all 'think' on a different energy wavelength than organics, so abilities like telepathy or domination don't work on them. The core talents of Mecha Empathy are really only substitutions for those powers, shifted to work on the same wavelength as synthetics. So-called 'Mecha Sense' allows users to detect the presence of advanced computational equipment, effectively detecting the presence of VIs, Engrams, or AIs. More advanced users can exert momentary control of complex machines, forcing them to shut down or halt for short periods of time. As a user becomes stronger their control grows more complex, letting them force a machine into suicidal overloads or even sizing total control of it for a brief time.

But the most remarkable abilities of Mecha Empathy are not related to synthetic intelligences at all. All mecha empaths seem to have at least some kinship with even simple machines. Even untrained mecha empaths can easily diagnose defects or problems with only cursory examinations. Many claim to 'hear' flaws in the machine, even when the device has no computational equipment at all. Mecha empaths can forge items that bend or even break the laws of physics. The most famous of these creations is Tarkasian Living Steel, a metal that actually regenerates itself over time. Patches of Living Steel can be applied to damaged objects of any material and will bond seamlessly and instantly with them. Weapons forged of Living Steel are capable of incredible feats, such as returning to their wielder's hand when thrown or charging themselves with heat or electricity. Living Steel often bonds to a specific wielder, and once an item is bonded its unique abilities will not function for others. The exact methods used to create Living Steel are a closely guarded secret, and even small amounts of the material can go for hundreds on the open market.

Related to the sensing abilities of Empathy and Mecha Empathy, the Far Sensing discipline focuses on surveying different areas of space time. Clairvoyance is the most common ability for this discipline, and has an almost limitless number of applications. The difference between life sense or mecha sense and clairvoyance is simple. Life/mecha sense detects mental signals like a sensor pulse, reporting back the location of these signals, but without context. Clairvoyance works similarly to quantum entanglement, detecting the quantum state of a specific point in space and relaying that data in a way the user can understand. In layman's' terms: Empathy only finds people, but it finds them regardless of where you were looking. Clairvoyance finds everything, but only where you looked.

The next step up from clairvoyance is Precognition, but there is a sizable difference between the two abilities. Clairoyance observes an area of space. Precognition observes an area of time. The two can be combined to allow the user to see events in another area and another period of time. The exact mechanics of Precognition are complex, but the ability is believed to function like a computer simulation. The precog (sometimes known as an Oracle or Doomsayer) processes the quantum states of a massive area of space time simultaneously, and shows a reasonable guess at what will happen based off this data. As such, long term predictions or ones with massive numbers of variables are almost impossible to make. Precognition is very difficult to control with any degree of accuracy. Many precogs must spend days in meditative isolation to get any results at all, and focusing on a specific event complicates this even further.

Despite this difficulty, precognition is one of the rarest and most highly prized abilities. There are a variety of uses for this power in both civilian and military sectors. Predictions of disasters have saved thousands, and many large corporations allegedly have several paid precogs on staff to analyze investments and business moves. The Elcor Courts of Dakuuna are believed to have historically used a very subtle form of precognition, accidentally predicting future legal problems and setting laws in place to solve them years in advance. The scientific community has found perhaps the most unique use of precognition, however. Many experiments take place in closed environments and have a very limited number of quantum variables, making them easier to focus on. Experiments are started, and a precog looks forward weeks or months in time and reports the results of the experiment immediately. This strategy is known as scientific prolepsis, and if used properly can shave months off complex research projects.

The final psionic discipline is one of the most famous: Telepathy. There is no Liir name for this discipline, as historically the Liir never need one. Telepathy among the Liir is regarded as speech is for other races. It is a natural medium of communication. Though they do not rely on it as heavily as the Liir do, Zuul are also universally skilled with this ability. Telepathy is an integral part of our people's reproduction, and is also part of how Hanar communicate. It is also one of the least trusted abilities because of its potential for abuse.

In actual fact, low-level telepathy such as the kind used by the Hanar is completely harmless. Alien minds are structured very differently depending on the species, making telepathic probes against members of other races very difficult. Even for races as gifted as the Liir, passive telepathy can usually only pick up the mental equivalent of shouts from aliens. The ability is more potent when used against members of the same race, but passive telepathy can still only read a few surface thoughts. Disciplined minds can block this easily. As such, most telepathy is often only useful for reinforcing speech, mentally projecting the idea the user wishes to convey alongside the words that explain it.

It is as this power develops that it becomes more dangerous. Active psychic interrogation is known as Inquisition, after the Zuul who specialize in it. This is rarely a subtle ability, and if not used with the utmost care can cause severe mental damage to target. More disquietingly, as a psion's power grows, the difference between passive and active telepathy shrinks to almost non-existence. To a thousand-year-old Liir Elder, merely focusing on an unshielded individual is enough to reveal much of their mind. Such powerful individuals must expend great care to avoid completely destroying the minds of those they speak with simply by accident.

While active probing can reveal useful information, it is not the limit of what can be done with Inquisition. With effort, memories may actually be ripped from the victim's mind and absorbed by the Inquisitor. This is always psychologically damaging if done without care or to an unwilling subject. The Zuul once specialized in this ability, spending days or even months slowly ripping apart the minds of gifted captives to steal their knowledge and skills. Ripping differs from simple probing in that a probe gives a brief image of a thought or memory, and does not destroy it. Ripping completely removes the memory from the victim, and the Inquisitor experiences it as though he had lived it. Victims of repeated attacks eventually go irretrievably insane unless the Inquisitor returns the memories taken. Even with full restoration, the mental damage can often be permanent, especially if they were extracted violently.

Most races view Ripping as a horrific crime. However, the Liir and Prester Zuul do not. To them, Ripping is nothing but a knife. A killer may use it to stab someone to death, but a surgeon may also use it to cut out a tumor. Prester Zuul Inquisitors, known as Sin Eaters, specialize in carefully extracting painful or traumatic memories from willing patients. They take the memories into themselves, carrying the pain until the day they die. Ripping is normally a severely punishable crime in Council space. But individuals like Sin Eaters may obtain special psychiatric licenses to perform the procedure legally, albeit with great oversight if performed outside of Liir space.

Telepathy has one more possible use: the creation of metaconcerts. Exactly what a metaconcert is can be difficult to define. The best way to describe it might be as a form of hive mind. All members of the metaconcert are telepathically connected. In weak metaconcerts, this can be as simple as allowing vaguely accurate guesses as to what the other members might be thinking or feeling. In strong metaconcerts, individuals share everything, from thoughts to sensations. Liir naturally form metaconcerts with others of their kind on a planet-wide scale. Each planet's Eldest leads the concert, guiding the others. Thus, when a Liir claims to be the Voice for his or her world, it is being literal.

Male Zuul instinctively form metaconcerts with their wives. Mentally, a 'Zuul' is not one individual, but five or six combined to form a unified mind. This link is permanent, and cannot be broken except by death. It is for this reason that the Zuul have maintained their place as single most lethal race in ground engagements. A Zuul squad automatically knows what every other member is doing, sees what they see, and can coordinate flawlessly.

In combat, races like the Zuul and Liir carry this still farther. As a dominator can control slaves like puppets, so too can the leader of a metaconcert unite all its members into a single purpose. A Turian Admiral must give an order to a squadron leader, who must relay it to a ship captain, who must then relay it to a navigator, who must interpret the order's intention as best he can without having any idea of the big picture. A Zuul admiral merely thinks, and his will is done as though his were the hands on the controls. Metaconcerts allow for nearly instantaneous communication, which is why Shepherds (Prester Zuul who specialize in mental control) make such good leaders, both in and out of combat.

Metaconcerts have one final application: synergies. Like biotics, different mental abilities may be used in conjunction with each other for deadly effect. Microtelekinesis relies on clairvoyance to allow the user to sense and manipulate something on the cellular level. Though this is primarily useful in laboratory and manufacturing work, it may be used in combat to induce strokes or other lethal medical conditions. Metaconcerts are also a requirement for one of the most spectacular applications of psychic ability: macro-level powers.

First seen during the Batarian Extermination, a group of powerful psions linked in a metaconcert can work together to create an effect greater than the sum of its parts. Telekinetic fields large and strong enough to hold a starship in place, or even crush it. Planet-wide clairvoyance that can completely survey a planet in hours. Deflection barriers strong enough to block or reflect a shot from a dreadnought's main gun. Seizing control or sabotaging an entire ship with mecha empathy. Macro use of domination through a metaconcert is a key part of how Zuul commanders may use their subordinates as extensions of themselves. The possibilities are almost endless.

Even more astounding, this unique feature of metaconcerts is not limited to psychic abilities. Powerful biotics joined in a metaconcert may unite to use their abilities on levels never imagined possible. In simulations, macro-singularity fields have proven extremely effective against missiles, drones, and small battleriders, while macro-warp blasts are extremely effective at shredding the armor from heavy cruisers and dreadnoughts.

Fortunately for military planners, macro abilities are usually somewhat short ranged. Thus, the old standards of battle have not been completely disrupted by the advent of such a new dimension to combat. But many ships have already begun mounting special modules designed to support and accommodate teams trained for macro combat. The Humans call their version the Xavier module. We call ours an Adytin Chamber.

Similar to macro ability ship modules are amplifier modules. The exception to the rule about psionics and technology not mixing, amp modules use cybernetics to greatly boost the mental power of their occupants. Unlike biotics, where amplifiers may be quite small and unobtrusive, psychic amplifiers must be full-body rigs. They place the user into an artificial coma, allowing them to use the full potential of their mind without having to worry about distractions like pain or breathing. The first of these rigs was created by SolForce, and is known as the CerebroEnergetic Enhancement rig. Though other races have named their rigs differently, the technology is still collectively known by the shorthand for the Human device: CE.

CE technology has led to two other breakthroughs. It was discovered that individuals in a rig have their perceptions and abilities expanded to the point that they may reliably manipulate plasmas and energy fields telekinetically. As such, many races now use CE rigs to increase the power output of their reactors in both manufacturing facilities and on warships. But it was the Tarkasians who found a way to weaponized CE technology.

When a Witch Queen or Lord and their clan are mounted in CE rigs, their powers grow to the point that they can create a beam of pure kinetic energy. Existing as energy in its purest form, the beam can bypass all known methods of shielding to strike with the force of a lancer heavy beam weapon. As the beam is psychic in nature, no complex mounts are required and the beam may fire in any direction while drawing no extra power from the ship's reactor.

Though CE rigs are useful only for psions and the Tarkasian Empire is the only nation that has the technology to create CE lasers, its spiritual counterpart is found in our own Janiri teams. Another application of metaconcerts and biotics, Janiri are trained to apply large warp fields to the main guns of Asari warships. This effectively turns every shot into the equivalent of a high-speed disruptor torpedo, and warp shells are devastatingly effective against targets that lack any form of energy shielding. The warp fields around the projectiles also react strongly with those created by macro-biotics, which increase their impacts even further.

As you have no doubt gathered from this somewhat longwinded essay, psychic abilities have an almost unlimited number of applications. Each race's perception of psionics colors what abilities are common to them, and how they use such powers. Though we have only known about them for a few decades, psionics have already revolutionized the galaxy in ways we can only begin to guess at. Who knows what new discoveries we might make in this mysterious field in the future? Assuming the Orion Arm doesn't use it to try and enslave or kill us all in the next few years.

Novice comment: There. I expanded the essay like you asked. I threw in some notes about civilian applications of powers, and some bits about psychic abilities in other cultures up at the top. Happy now, Shiala?

I mean, this humble student awaits your review with much anticipation, honored matron.

Pedagia comment: The sarcasm is not necessary, Adile, nor is it as clever as you seem to believe it to be. I studied under Matriarch Benezia for two hundred years before her disappearance. I've heard better. If you must make a scornful comment, at least be intelligent about it. Vulgarity is not the same as wit, no matter what films like 'Call Me Sally' would have you believe.

As for your essay, I agree that this is much closer to the length I expected for such a broad topic. Your text is still somewhat scattered and disjointed, but I found your analysis of psionics in different cultures to be quite insightful. Almost too insightful, considering your previous attempt at this assignment. I found the sudden lack of obvious bias and profanity to be equally suspicious. I must warn you, I do not tolerate plagiarism from my students, Adile. If you got someone else to write this for you, you can consider your position as my student terminated. I don't care who your mother is.

Novice comment: Screw you. I wrote every bit of that. All I did was ask some of my Youth United group some questions about psionics. You're always on me to consider other perspectives, so I went and found some.

Pedagia comment: And how do you explain the sudden shift in your writing style, which is usually so…colorful?

Novice comment: I asked them to edit it for me. I don't have the patience for that crap. It's like you said in when we covered economics: import what you need and export what you have. Lee needed help studying for his test on Council History, I needed to not get yelled at for using 'Azure' as a body part and not a color. Everyone wins. Interspecies cooperation in action.

Pedagia comment: I see. As much as I appreciate the cleverness you displayed in seeking out first-hand sources to interview for your paper, I must disapprove of then using those sources to edit your work. This assignment was about your skill, not theirs. You must learn not to rely on others to assist you when you have difficulty, as must your friend Lee. The two of you should stand strong on your own.

Novice comment: You sound like a Human. [PROFANITY DELETED] you.

FINAL ANALYSIS:

Full marks. Adile's foreign study group is proving to be an even more positive influence than I could have anticipated. There may be hope for her yet.