Ethereals: History
The Guardians of the Ethereal Empire
"We protect the leaders of our species, and ensure our continued future. No more or less."
- The First Guardian of the Ethereal Collective
REPORT: 111101111001
TARGET OF INTEREST: "THE GUARDIANS"
KNOWN ALIASES: "GUARDIANS"
CURRENT POSITION: UNKNOWN – SUSPECTED BODYGUARDS TO THE IMPERATOR OR SENIOR ETHEREALS
SPECIES: ETHEREAL (SUSPECTED)
INFORMATION OF NOTE: APPEARS CONNECTED TO THE TEMPLE SHIP
INFORMATION OF NOTE: NO NAMES CONNECTED
INFORMATION OF NOTE: SMALL NUMBER SUSPECTED
PSIONIC SPECIALIZATION: UNKNOWN
THREAT LEVEL (ALLIED): UNKNOWN – SUSPECTED LOW
THREAT LEVEL (ENEMY): UNKNOWN – SUSPECTED MEDIUM TO HIGH
ADDITIONAL MANUAL COMMENT: The Ethereals have their secrets, and one of the most enigmatic are the continued references to a group or institution known simply as "The Guardians". These almost exclusively come from the Temple Ship, and there is little mention otherwise of what these Guardians are or what they do.
Considering they are almost certainly within the Temple Ship, where the Imperator himself is known to inhabit, the most obvious answer is that they fulfill the role of bodyguards or some other kind of protector. It would fit the title, but it does raise several additional questions if that is indeed their purpose.
The first is why an Ethereal like the Imperator would need guards in the first place? While not confirmed, it is almost certain that the Imperator is, if not close to, the most powerful Ethereal in the Collective. It could simply be insurance or tradition, but if so it is oddly sentimental for a race that does not seem to hold that in any sort of regard.
If we accept that these Guardians exist, the next question then becomes what exactly they are. To our knowledge, they have never departed the Temple Ship, and thus are presumed to be Ethereals of some kind. As "Guardians" is always referenced in plural, it stands to reason that there are at least two or more of these Guardians, which poses an immediate concern as their numbers cannot be verified.
There is no information on their abilities or psionic power, and they could also theoretically not be Ethereals at all, but a modified alien species converted to serve on the Temple Ship itself. As unlikely as it is, these might also not necessarily be of the species within the Collective, but an unknown one. Until these Guardians are revealed, little more than speculation can be given.
RECOMMENDATION: CONTINUE OBSERVATION; IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL REFERENCES WITHIN THE ETHEREAL COLLECTIVE TO THE GUARDIANS; RESEARCH KNOWN HISTORY OF ETHEREALS FOR ADDITIONAL REFERENCES; CONSIDER UTILIZATION OF INFILTRATION NANOTECH TO ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE TEMPLE SHIP
REPORT COMPILER: SPECIAL OPERATOR 77; ANDROMEDON FEDERATION; [ERROR! DATA NOT FOUND!]
END REPORT
CONTINUE OBSERVATION
The beginnings of the Guardians can be firmly traced back to the original formation of the Ethereal Empire, as established by Regina. In the beginning of her quest to improve the Ethereal genome, the need for beings such as the Guardians were unnecessary. Regina had full control over all Ethereal species, and none posed a threat to her.
As Imperial genetic modification and cloning advanced in complexity, and the fledgling government along with it, Regina did recognize the need for some aspect of protection beyond the military. She tasked one of her closest family members, Consect, with forming a group with the sole purpose of monitoring the Ethereals themselves.
Despite this being several cloning generations after her victory, she was still paranoid that those she had conquered would rise again, despite her many safeguards. It is ironic that she never thought to consider that her own clan would pose a threat to her, for that was ultimately where the greatest danger lay. Unbeknownst to her, there had been internal meetings with her close allies and clan members, discussing the merits of allowing Regina to continue to rule the Empire for the centuries to come. She was ultimately deemed unfit to rule, and that the Ethereal species should advance without her.
However, there was disagreement about what path to take, as performing this task could very well lead to a second civil war they would almost certainly lose. Consect was one of these members, and having been given the order to create the order of Guardians, he put forth his own solution to the problem.
Regina was a legend among the Empire, and so simply killing her would cause too much disruption and panic. It would appear to be a coup, which was not an ideal outcome. She needed to be stripped of her power, and removed without conflict. A tall order, but one Consect believed was certainly possible, albeit one that would take several decades to fully complete.
The goal of the Guardians, as envisioned, was to serve both as a defense force to Imperial Civil Command, and provide personal protection to those on the Councils and Administration. The secondary, but true goal was to serve as a check on Ethereals within the Empire to ensure that those who were like Regina, who would maintain an iron grip on our species would not last within the Empire.
This would be done in conjunction with altering new batches of Ethereals by removing the mental conditioning mandated to prevent betrayal. As the Cloning teams of the then Scientific Branch of the Empire were only composed of those in Regina's clan, it made it easy to keep such information from her, and several generations of Ethereals were born without the conditioning to keep them servile.
As the new Ethereal generations began growing and were created anew, Consect began recruiting for the Guardians. He chose the best of the Division of the Battlemasters, ones who had similar goals and thoughts to his own; those who placed the protection of their species above all else. He spent additional time training them in telepathic abilities that weren't taught to others outside Regina's clan, and known only to the Overminds of that time.
Nearly five decades after the original order to create the Guardians, Consect presented the Order of the Guardians to her, and after a public announcement by her introducing them as "Those who would safeguard the Empire from the traitors within it." The celebration that followed was one of the most famous, and that was when the Guardians stormed her chambers in the Imperial Sanctum and quickly overpowered her.
As powerful as Regina was, she was no longer the prime Ethereal, nor could she adequately defend herself against twelve Ethereals trained in the techniques of the Overminds. They did not kill her, but they shackled her mind through sharp telepathic constraints, which forced her to follow all commands of the Guardians and rendered her psychologically unable to use her abilities.
Once the act was completed, the majority left, with only two staying behind to give the illusion of her bodyguards. And over the next months, Regina was forced to slowly give up her power, creating the Councils and Administration branches that controlled the modern Empire; divesting herself with the Empire that she created.
The process took nearly a century, but by the end we had truly and fully united. History was altered to provide the illusion of unity, and Regina was no longer remembered by most Ethereals, or if so it was only by passing mention. While it certainly was not the exact way she wanted, Regina ultimately was witness to her goal of a united species, but she would nevermore guide its path.
The Guardians continued in their role, and executed their tasks within the Empire with as much decisiveness and effectiveness as their first mission.
- Ethereal Cogitian, on the formation of the Guardians of the Ethereal Empire
XCOM File 6993
Authorization Level: Internal Council
Subject: The Guardians of the Ethereal Empire
Threat Level: Artemis
Assessment Author: Aegis
Approved By: The Commander
SECTION 1: Overview
As you have expressed a desire for more information on the old Empire, I feel that this can be tied with some relevant information, as there are two of the Guardians still alive today, now serving the Imperator. The Guardians of the Ethereal Empire were most equivalent to your…law enforcement, I believe. They were to watch for abuses of power and ensured that those in Ethereal Civil Command followed the established guidelines.
They were formally formed nearly half a century after our species unified, and have always been utilized for that exact purpose. However, as there was almost no crime within the Empire, they were largely regulated to extremely powerful bodyguards for the important civilians in the Empire. Nonetheless, they were a pillar in Imperial society for millennia, even if they were rarely used.
SECTION 2: Function in the Ethereal Empire
Their primary function was the safeguarding of the Ethereal species. This has several different interpretations, but what is usually inferred is protection of threats both external or internal. The Guardians were internally managed, and not beholden to any in Imperial Civil Command, and assigned Guardians to various councils, meetings, and individuals.
The duties they had often varied depending on their tasks. Those who were assigned to gatherings or meetings generally had the express goal of protecting from external threats, and handling disputes internally should that become required. This rarely was, but several Guardians reaching for their Sabers was often all that was needed to defuse situations.
Those assigned to individuals were more focused on ensuring that they did not pose a threat to the established order of the Empire. You did not receive a Guardian unless they had deemed the work done concerning, or of high value to the Empire and could not be afforded mistakes. Creators often had Guardians assigned to them, and more radical Ethereals did as well.
In theory, they could be refused, but none ever have because of the perception of guilt. Very few are treated differently if they had an accompanying Guardian with them, but knowingly refusing one was suspicious, and would not generally be treated with respect or trust. The accompanying Guardian was appraised of all facets of the targets life, and would remain so until he or she decided that there was no need for a Guardian.
While the idea of having the equivalent of an ultra-powerful spy following you around at all times might be disconcerting, in truth there was very little stigma attached to it. Most who received a Guardian became friends, and a few even managed to mate and raise children. Guardians had extensive personal freedom, so long as it didn't interfere with their objectivity should they be forced to act.
Interactions with the military were cordial, but separated. The vast majority of Guardians were Battlemaster candidates, and some in the Division of the Battlemasters did not like the Guardians 'stealing' their best and brightest, but this was assuaged by the fact that joining the Guardians was an honor, and they would have thousands more candidates once the next batch of Ethereals were grown.
Despite drawing their recruits from the Division of the Battlemasters, the Guardians conducted their own training regimes which were often totally different to standard Imperial military doctrine, which is unsurprising due to their smaller numbers and equipment. Much of their techniques were kept secret to the Empire at large, although the ranking members of other divisions were aware of what they did and incorporated what was useful into training their best operatives and soldiers.
SECTION 3: Function During the Synthesized War
Guardian operations during peace and war are radically different. The focus shifts from both internal and external to solely external. All investigations or personal guards are dropped in favor of front-line defense. It should be clarified that 'front-line' does not mean on the front lines of nameless planets, but on colony worlds with large numbers of civilians.
The primary objective was the protection and evacuation of civilians, and the Guardians on colony worlds would hold these as long as possible, and wait for military backup. Not once have the Guardians ever conducted preemptive strikes, but only acted in defense of other Ethereals. Shortly into the war, they began integrating with the military proper, and deployed to worlds that needed to be held at all costs.
High-ranking military leaders received Guardians that served largely as bodyguards, which were usually Battlemasters and certain members of the Division of Shadows, Overminds, and Aegis. I did have two Guardians of my own, although both sadly perished in the war, which was the fate of many Guardians.
In the latter days of the war, upon the creation of the Imperators, what Guardians remained moved to exclusively protect them, as did most of the Imperial military. It would not be accurate to say that Guardians were instrumental in the war, but they allowed the Empire to last longer than they would have otherwise, for better or worse.
SECTION 4: Organization and Structure
The Guardians are largely self-sufficient, and each one operates with minimal oversight from the leadership. However, the leader of the Guardians was always the High Guardian, and had a small council of advisors called the Chief Guardians, who were the ones primarily responsible for assigning other Guardians throughout the Empire. The High Guardian largely conducted high-level meetings within the Empire, and approved major decisions for them.
The rest of the Guardians were simply the warriors and watchers I have been primarily speaking of. All Guardians do not have static names as you or even I do, it changes depending on the assignment and where they are located. For example, the Guardians assigned to me were the First Guardian of the Aegis of the Skyllian Sector, and the Second Guardian of the Aegis of the Skyllian Sector, and so on if there were more.
They are fairly long names and titles, but it immediately indicated their role and position. Those assigned to our capital, the Imperial Sanctum, were titled much the same way, like the First Guardian of the Imperial Sanctum. These names can be changed as needed, and the Guardians have never been shown to display a distaste for continued name changes. Perhaps they keep personal names, but this information I do not know, nor do I think is relevant.
As you are likely curious, the names of the last remaining Guardians are structured similarly, although the latter part of the title can change as they are technically assigned to the Imperator, but they are referred to as this: The First Guardian of the Ethereal Collective, and the Second Guardian of the Ethereal Collective.
SECTION 5: Powers and Abilities
Like most, you will likely first compare the Guardians to the Battlemasters. This is, simply put, intentional. While the Guardians fight with melee weapons, that is far from their only primary method of attack. They do not fight like Battlemasters. The styles are almost entirely different, and this style changes depending on the Guardian.
The primary reason for this is that Guardians use their psionic powers far more than even Battlemasters do, much less those in the division itself. They are taught secrets known by the Overminds, Illusionists, Observers, and Battlemasters themselves. Trying to predict how a Guardian will fight is an exercise in futility until you actually fight them.
Their size is a poor indicator of their technique, or lack thereof. If there is one thing I should stress, it is that Guardians use their telepathy heavily during combat, and they rarely seem to use defensive techniques. They continuously train, and likely have been working in preparation for eventual deployment on Earth, and unlike the Battlemaster, they have no qualms about exploiting advantages, such as the ones their weapons give them. Nor will they refrain from using telepathy to disrupt opponents.
They are not honorable like the Battlemaster. They are closer to one like Macula or Quisilia.
SECTION 6: Equipment and Tactics
I have already noted their similarity to the Battlemasters, but as their equipment is standardized, I will repeat what I remember so they are easy to identify. The good news for you is that their armor, while extremely thick and elerium-powered, is not nearly as durable as the Battlemaster's. They are most easily identified by their simpler helmets which only cover their head and mouth, with flaps that can slide down and cover the eyes.
Most Guardians will also have a deep purple cape, also similar to a Battlemaster's, or a hood of the same color. This is not mandatory, and some Guardians only wear one, or neither. However, those that wear them are even more easily identifiable.
Their signature weapons are the Guardian Sabers, handheld weapons that are used for melee combat. The Sabers are one of the most personalized, versatile, and dangerous weapons ever conceived in the Empire. The design is a closely kept secret, and requires highly exotic material to create, which are further changed by the Guardian making them.
Each individual Saber is unique to each Guardian. They are designed, built, and specialized to suit what that Guardian wishes. There is no limit on what they can make. Some have made only one saber, others four. One can tell quite a lot about the fighting style of the Guardian simply from their saber, which you should keep in mind.
As for what the Sabers are, they are best described as weapons that discharge unstable nanites to a certain shape, and then freeze them in place, effectively creating what appears to be a beam or blade of energy. Despite how it looks, which will appear to be yellow-orange, in actuality it is composed of billions of nanites.
The effect is that it allows the Saber to cut right through whatever it touches with near impunity as the nanites eat into the substance touched immediately, or simply explode. There is very little a Guardian Saber cannot cut through, although this does come with a cost. Should a Saber be used too much, it will simply lose effectiveness and the Saber cell will need to be replaced, which has a fresh set of nanites to reinforce the blade. This is similar to how your Templar weapons work.
While these are not completely indefensible against, it is more of a matter of avoiding the weapon entirely than looking for something to block it. Engaging any Guardian is highly dangerous, Commander, these Guardians were originally potential Battlemasters. That innate skill they never lose.