Ethereals: Dossier
Senorium, Fist of the Creator and Warlock of the Elders
"The Creator is becoming more brazen in her experiments. Perhaps the time has come to restrain her."
- Ethereal Nebulan
CODEX File ****
Subject: Creator Experiment 772 "Senorium"
Location: Blacksite ***
Author: Geneticist Revelean
The Creator's newest pet is…curious. As usual, she has denied my request for experimental data and information on how exactly this creature is composed, but I feel that her insubordination in this case must come to an end. There is general curiosity, and then there are security concerns regarding such experiments.
Senorium, as he has been designated, quite simply, should not exist. That he even retains some semblance of consciousness is something that is impossible with the limitations of the research that currently exists. That I can only speculate without hard facts is disconcerting. The alien is some kind of hybrid; that is clearly obvious.
However, the question now becomes what exactly he is crafted from. Stature, voice, and physical attributes indicate the initial template being of Muton origin, likely a Sargon, as there are no other Mutons that are capable of higher thought and reasoning. Or perhaps it is a Muton template of her own design; it would not surprise me.
If that is the case then, the induction of psionic abilities should not be possible with the current level of technology. In theory it can be done, but we are decades away from artificial psionic integration. The only plausible theory is the introduction of Ethereal genetics, specifically those which harness psionics, which again is something that does not have enough research to begin creating living subjects, much less coherent ones.
That Senorium is not only alive and moderately sane, but also extremely skilled psionically is highly suspect. While the other two of her Chosen are experiments that raise their own questions, they are not nearly as psionically capable as this one. That level of control, much less the techniques used, which Nebulan insists are difficult, makes me wonder if the Creator has developed a way to amplify psionic power in subjects.
If there is any indication that the Creator is communicating with the Sovereign Ones, this is most certainly it. Her little charade has gone on long enough. She will provide us answers, or the Imperator will deal with her.
Log CB12 – CODEX Archive System
Category: Other
Type: Audio Log
Participants: Quisilia; Senorium
Begin Playback:
[Quisilia]: "So, you're the Creator's newest…bodyguard.
[Senorium]: "Indeed, honored Elder, I am one of the Creator's Chosen, with her gifts bestowed upon me!"
[Quisilia]: "Clearly. And you believe the Creator is someone worthy of respect?"
[Senorium]: "All Elders are far above us lesser servants, but the Creator is indeed above even them. She has told me many times of how many of her brethren are too concerned with trivial matters, while she sees the glory that awaits us all, and it is within her grasp."
Shifts in Quisilia's tone indicate amusement
[Quisilia]: "How fascinating. Indeed, we who are not the Creator are sometimes more focused on, ah, 'trivial' matters. Little things like preparing to bring another species into the Collective. But all of us are certainly thankful for the Creator to bear this certainly unthinkable burden."
[Senorium]: "Of course, respected Elder, it is gratifying to see that even among her own kind, the Creator far outshines even those around her! It is something I fear many do not understand or respect the gifts that the Creator offers them."
[Quisilia]: "Tell me about it. I mean, who could have thought that people wouldn't want to have their bodies sacrificed for the Creator's insa-ah, uplifting experiments? The very idea is absurd."
[Senorium]: "Yes, truly. I have attempted to see these pitiful creatures understand the great honor that has been bestowed upon them, but they have an unreasonable fear and hate towards the great Creator." Sharp intake of breath. "Vile heretics. The things they say in her presence are truly revolting."
[Quisilia]: "Yes, they are almost fanatical in a way. It's a wonder how they can stand to be around each other. How dull it must be, trying to shield themselves from the all-revealing truth of the Creator. I imagine that it must be tiring for you that they incessantly irritate you with their heresy."
[Senorium]: "You of course know, respected Elder, but it is sometimes tiring to force these fools to see how they are being honored. They act like it is a death sentence."
Short pause.
[Quisilia]: "Yes, I see what the greatest problem is. Sometimes a harder hand must be taken, and their eyes must be opened. What would truly elevate you in the eyes of the Creator would be to silence those that speak against her once and for all. Death is but an ascension, after all, and there is no need for the Creator to be subjected to the same heresy they dare say to you. If you…exuberate…their ascension by execution, the Creator would no doubt thank you."
[Senorium]: "I see, respected Elder. The process sounds…almost merciful, but their ascension is indeed a mercy after all. I thank you for the advice, and I will immediately implement it for the glory of the Creator!"
[Quisilia]: "Yes, go forth and carry out her will. You are truly the Creator's Greatest Champion™! I will be certain to tell her of your service and loyalty, go forth with the blessing of the Elders."
[Senorium]: "You are too kind, respected Elder, may the Creator's wisdom shine upon you!"
Speaker identified as Senorium departs area of recording.
[Quisilia]: "What an absolute moron."
Message to Chosen Senorium from Chosen [ERROR! SCRAMBLED] on CODEX Encrypted Network
Subject: Good job!
So, you actually did something useful with your life. Quaint. I bet the humans were shaking in terror when you came out and started preaching about the glory of the Elders. Saw the recording. Truly riveting. I actually didn't fall asleep right away. Though that was mostly due to you getting shot in the throat.
Guess even Humans want to shut you up after five minutes of speaking. I rather like them.
- D
Re: Subject: Good job!
Insolent as your words are, there is little you can do to belittle my accomplishments today. Why you are fascinated by these heretical aliens is beyond me, and yet another reason why you are deemed a failure, even more so than Occidera. One who continues to be so blatantly disrespectful to not only the Elders, but the glorious Creator as well should not be one of her Chosen.
I will ignore your insolence at this point, but do not presume that I will continuously forget your actions, and neither will the Creator.
- Senorium, Fist of the Creator and Warlock of the Elders.
Re: Re: Subject: Good job!
Oh no, I have dared to disrespect the Creator's Greatest Champion™, I feel so ashamed of my words and deeds. Please, oh gracious Fist of the Creator, show mercy on such a heretic who has insulted the Elders so!
There, was that enough pathetic groveling for you?
Seriously, grow up and save your speeches for someone who actually cares. Entertaining as watching you make a complete tool out of yourself, it's exhausting when it's turned on me. Really, I've got better things to do than listen to you complain about me not showing enough respect to the bitch who made me.
Come to think of it, don't you have a population to convert or something?
- D
Re: Re: Re: Subject: Good job!
Is it your intention to mock the very work I do? You may believe my devotion is mere blindness, but who was it who gave us immortality? It was certainly not at the hands of some unknown force, but the very Creator herself, and her kind are just as worthy of devotion. I would remember that the Creator gave you this gift, and I am certain she could just as easily take it away.
I presume the entire point of this conversation is to highlight how jealous you are that the Creator chose me to carry out the attack, and spread the glory of the Elders. I presume Occidera was too inebriated with the blood of whatever hapless creature she was killing, and you are…well, too insubordinate to be reliable. There are of course consequences to such behavior, and I believe you are now seeing the result of your own.
It is not too late to begin giving the Elders the respect they deserve. I would be happy to enlighten you.
And because I indeed have limited time, and have no shame about admitting knowledge I do not have, what exactly is a 'bitch'? Another insult? It sounds Human.
- Senorium, Fist of the Creator and Warlock of the Elders
Re: Re: Re: Re: Subject: Good job!
Oh, 'bitch'? Hang on, let me check the human dictionary. Yeah, it's a human word, sue me. Ok, I'm just going to paste the entire definition from the Merriam-Webster dictionary, check that if you really want.
Bitch – noun | \bich\
Definition:
- A hallowed or important female, usually of a religious or scientific nature. Often used as a form of respectful address in formal circumstances
- A woman of unusually high fertility, a generalized compliment for mothers with many children
- A female dog
I'll let you decide which definition I was referring to. Although the Creator is probably more familiar with the formal uses of the word. If you really want to impress her (since that's what you care about) just call her that one time. "Honored Bitch Creator" would definitely get her attention and you will almost certainly be elevated in her eyes.
Anyway, I really don't care if you get to do the Creator's dirty work. I've got plenty of stuff to occupy myself with. Nothing quite beats a few hunting trips to Desolan or Vitakar. Nulorian actually give me some decent sport, a lot more than these idiotic Mutons anyway.
Maybe I'll venture to Earth later. Seems like Humans are smart enough to give me a moderate challenge.
- D
XCOM Profile 7261
Authorization Level: Internal Council
Subject: Senorium
Threat Level: High
Assessment Authors: Psionic Overseer Patricia Trask; Aegis
Approved by: The Commander
SECTION 1: Physical Characteristics
Note: Some of this is speculation since this is an alien even Aegis has never seen before
Hair: None/Minimal (None physically noted, but may be able to grow it)
Eye color: Purple (Irises are colored)
Skin color: Dark purple
Height: 8'1" – 8'8" (Height unable to be accurately determined from footage)
Weight: 225 – 280 lbs. (Weight unable to be accurately determined from footage)
Age: 5 – 120 Years (Since Aegis has no recollection of such an alien, it is presumed that it was found at least a few years after they subdued the Mutons, since this alien does share similarities with the species)
Scars or markings: None visibly noted.
Physical condition: Unknown, but since he was wearing full battle armor, and the psionic abilities displayed would exhaust even powerful psions, his condition is likely excellent.
SECTION 2: Assessment
The alien that attacked ADVENT in Nakashibetsu was a major surprise, as we had no prior warning that such an alien was even a possibility among the aliens, and this is an even larger concern because, unlike the Gatekeeper, this alien appears fully sentient, and is not one we can easily recover, not to mention it appears much more powerful than even Hive Commanders.
Aegis himself is also just as curious about the alien, and has assisted me in putting together this document. He will add notes of his own when he feels it is appropriate. What can be established for certain is that this is not a previously encountered alien before. Based on the footage recovered, I would say it reminds me of a Muton (A Sargon?), but that must be impossible since Mutons are incapable of wielding psionics.
Addendum: Aegis – Patricia is correct, Mutons are not psionically sensitive. Nonetheless, if there is another entire species capable of wielding psionics, I can guarantee that I would have known about it, and even if not, that would mean there is no further value in your world as they already appear to have joined. Now that we know the Creator can develop some form of psionic powers, I do not think it is a stretch to believe that she is behind this as well – Especially since her name is in one of his titles.
Patricia noted that the physical features resembled Mutons, and I do not think she is wrong. The most likely theory at this moment, is that this is a kind of hybrid of species. Muton clearly appears to be one, likely the base template, and the other spliced genetics would have to be psionically capable, which would either be Ethereal, Sectoid, or Human in origin.
Given that the power wielded would indicate a level comparable to a Hive Commander, I suspect there are few Sectoid genetics involved, and I do not believe that even the Creator has mastered Human genomes so quickly. Thus, it is likely that the other main component is Ethereal. The Creator has no issues experimenting with Ethereal genomes, so this would not be unexpected.
Aside from that, there are some interesting things that this Senorium said, namely that he is the "Fist of the Creator" and "Warlock of the Elders" titles that seem grandiose enough that I would have expected to hear about them before now. Regardless, that seems to indicate that the Creator is taking a direct part in this war, and at the very least our species has her attention. I do not foresee that being very good for us.
Addendum: Aegis – Not necessarily. It is entirely plausible that the Battlemaster or Quisilia simply asked to utilize one of her experiments, and she gave them this Senorium. Simply put, your species has not done anything to warrant her attention, and until you pose a direct threat to her, I suspect she will not overly care one way or another.
The titles are curious, but don't mean much. I would imagine that this is one of the Creator's most advanced experiments, and she would no doubt assign some importance to him, and due to his capabilities, "Fist of the Creator" serves to get the point across, as he certainly seems like an enforcer of some kind. "Warlock of the Elders" is another title I suspect she may have given to him to give him the illusion of superiority, very few of us like overly long or grandiose titles. I certainly have never heard it before.
SECTION 3: Psychological Assessment:
I am not sure we are at a point where we could even develop one for this alien. Based on one encounter, all I can really deduce is that he reminds me of a religious fanatic, and views the Ethereals as some kind of deities or gods. He also seems extremely loyal judging from his words, which I suppose could mean he has been conditioned that way, or has some other kind of controls placed on him.
Addendum: Aegis – The idea that he sees my species as something to be worshipped is unsettling. We are not gods, and not even Revelean would consider himself on that level, much less the more moderate Ethereals like Sana and Quisilia. But the Creator would admittedly develop that delusion, and I am not surprised that she has instilled a kind of religious fervor in her subjects. Her mind is warped enough to actually believe she is on a higher level than even other Ethereals.
We are not a species that puts any credible stock into gods or the supernatural, and regardless of our experiments, we would certainly not demand primitive worship. I imagine that this will force several in the Collective to force the Creator to return to reason, or shut her down entirely. The Battlemaster in particular will not want such a being under him, or if he does, he will ensure that Senorium is keeping his misguided loyalty to himself.
I do not know if the Creator would apply conditioning, but I would not put it past her. It is more likely that Senorium's mind has been warped by potentially decades of being exposed to the Creator's irrational and unstable aura, which would account for this religious fervency.
SECTION 4: Concerns and abilities
Senorium is clearly powerful, but he thankfully does not appear to be quite on the level of even the Ravaged One in terms of sheer power. During the battle, he utilized limited mind control (A problem), psionic rifts (Another problem), and some kind of psionically manifested army (A very big problem). I am trying to conceptualize how this was possible, and after giving this some thought (And repeated viewings of the footage), I do think it is indeed possible to replicate.
When psions utilize their powers, it is often done instantaneously and not maintained. During this time, it can be manipulated into nearly any shape and size desired, but in general there is little point in doing so, because all that matters is destroying the target. There appeared to be two types of psionic apparitions, those made out of dangerous psionic energy (utilized by Attack-specialization psions) and those made out of solid psionic energy (utilized by Defense-specialization psions).
In theory it could be possible to create these, and send them to attack targets. The issue is that it is extremely taxing to maintain, although I suppose that could be overcome with experience. These apparitions don't take 'damage' like actual physical beings do, but it disrupts the concentration needed to maintain it, and too many disruptions destroy it.
Addendum: Aegis – Indeed, Patricia covers the essentials. This is certainly possible to do, but there are often more practical means of utilization, so many choose the easier route. I believe that only Nebulan would be able to replicate this kind of attack without prior practice. The method is similar to how I create and maintain my psionic sword used to train Templars. It is simply the manipulation of psionic energy into a specific shape, and then directing that shape where I want it to go.
This is also why the apparitions made out of dangerous psionic mist were able to be killed easier, and yet cause more damage. The ones created out of defensive psionic energy were essentially wielding blunt weapons, even if they could take more damage. This is a note you should pass on to ADVENT.
What is also concerning is that he took a direct shot to the throat, and that only seemed to make him angrier. Granted, there are several explanations to this (nanotech, genetic modification), but it means that we're going to have to really make sure this alien is dead. We can't even rely on headshots to kill it, and its telepathy is going to be a problem if not properly negated.
Addendum: Aegis – I would expect Senorium to be the current culmination of the Creator's work. Every advance in genetic modification and nanotechnology would be put into him, and she is unlikely to want to lose her so-called "Champion" to a single headshot. I do not believe we can say for certain what his limits truly are without engaging him in combat ourselves. But ultimately, I do not believe he is a threat to become overly concerned over.