ADVENT: Organizations
The PRIEST Division
"The advancement of psionic research has completely changed the course of scientific progress and Human evolution. This is a new, untouched field of study, just waiting for able minds to master. The Ethereals made a mistake in allowing us to be awakened to this power. Soon they will understand the depths of their error."
- PRIEST Program Director Dr. Akilah Kettani
Proposal 0101
Latest Revision: 11/16/2016
Designation: The Psionic Research, Investigation, Enhancement, Specialization and Training (PRIEST) Division
Program Type: Psionic Utilization and Control
Authors: The Commander of XCOM; Patricia Trask, XCOM Psionic Overseer; Moira Vahlen, Head of Research and Development; Amalda Stein, Chief of Peacekeeper Operations; Elizabeth Falka, Director of ADVENT Intelligence; Akilah Kettani, PRIEST Program Director; Kyong Suk-Chul, Minister of ADVENT Public Relations; Keith Watkins, Chief Overseer of the Oversight Division
INITIAL PROPOSAL: It has become apparent over the course of this escalating conflict with the Ethereal Collective that their strength does not primarily rest in their armies or technology, but in their utilization of the power that has been designated as PSIONICS. The accepted explanation as to the workings of this phenomenon have been documented by Dr. Moira Vahlen in her proposed Psionosphere Theory (See attached document), and will not be addressed here.
XCOM has been instrumental in the field of psionics, and has produced the first Human psions through experimentation, trial and error, and has ultimately proven that Humans can wield the ethereal power as both the alien species known as Ethereals and Sectoids do. They have also proven the effectiveness of such powers in combat, with one psion sometimes equaling an army by themselves.
Thus, Humanity has an untapped reservoir of millions of psions to be recruited and used against the aliens. The PRIEST DIVISION has been established by ADVENT as a means of utilizing, researching, and controlling this phenomenon to ensure that the widespread and invasive abilities allowed by psionics are not used against ADVENT or its citizens, and directing them against the aliens themselves.
Before continuing further, the four disciplines of psionics will be stated below:
OFFENSE: Utilization of psionic energy for destructive purposes.
DEFENSE: Utilization of psionic energy for defensive purposes.
TELEKINESIS: Utilization of psionics for remote manipulation of one or multiple objects.
TELEPATHY: Utilization of psionics to influence, dominate, or destroy organic minds.
The potential for psionics is not simply limited to military applications, but also multiple law enforcement, civilian, and psychological applications as well, all of which the PRIEST Division will dedicate resources and personnel to fully exploring to their fullest ability.
PRIEST DIVISION BRANCHES: Each PRIEST Branch will focus on the utilization of psionics in one field, and multiple sub-fields and specializations within that. This has the potential to be expanded in the future, both within Branches themselves and in the creation of new entire branches for different applications. Each Branch has their own structure, leadership, and resources, although all coordinate and communicate with each other and the various ADVENT Organizations themselves, with special focus on the OVERSIGHT DIVISION, ADVENT INTELLIGENCE, and the PEACEKEEPERS.
MILITARY BRANCH: The immediate application of psions for military purposes is apparent, and all military operations in the PRIEST Division will be conducted under this branch. PRIEST forces will participate in designated military operations in offensive, defensive, and supporting roles contingent on their psionic specialization.
PRIEST Forces will be divided into individual squads, five strong, and squad members will be chosen based on the decision of the designated regional Archpriest. The following hierarchy applies exclusively to the MILTIARY BRANCH of the PRIEST Division.
- VICAR GENERAL: The VICAR GENERAL is the designated leader of the Military Branch of the PRIEST Division, and is responsible for coordinating between other branches, the ADVENT Military, and participating in overall strategy and Priest Deployment. The Vicar General is also responsible for choosing Archpriests and has immediate authority over any Priest forces in combat. As such, the Vicar General will participate in larger operations and assist ADVENT Forces. The Vicar General must also be a Magus-class or higher on the Trask Scale of psionic power.
- ARCHPRIEST: The ARCHPRIESTS are Priests responsible for the MILITARY BRANCH operations over a specific area. There will be at minimum one Archpriest per country, and larger countries such as the United States and Russia will have additional Archpriests to oversee specific areas of the country. They are responsible for assigning squads, and maintaining coordination with the local ADVENT Legions and the Vicar General. Archpriests must be a Psion-class or higher on the Trask Scale of psionic power.
- PROTOPRIESTS: These are the designated leaders of PRIEST squads, and handle inter-squad communication and battlefield coordination with allied ADVENT and foreign forces. Protopriests must be a Psion-class or higher on the Trask Scale of Psionic power, and can specialize in any psionic discipline.
- PRIEST: These make up the squads of Priests, and act in a military capacity to support allied positions or attack alien ones. Priests must be an Adept-class on the Trask Scale of Psionic power, and can specialize in any psionic discipline.
INTELLIGENCE BRANCH: With psions having the ability to read and manipulate minds, it is logical to utilize these psions in ADVENT Intelligence. With psions at their disposal, infiltration missions, in-field interrogations, and agent support can be fully supported and enhanced in a way that was simply not possible before. Utilizing psions, we no longer need to rely on older methods of information extraction and manipulation and can simply extract information actively from captives, or passively from observers in alien or foreign territory, who are unlikely to be aware of our psionic monitoring.
NOTE: The INTELLIGENCE BRANCH of the PRIEST Division will NOT be activated until the development of Manchurian Restraints is completed. This requirement will not be lifted under any circumstances.
Psions in the Intelligence Branch will primarily act alone or in support of small groups or individual agents. Other psions will be employed in Intelligence bases and perform additional monitoring and interrogation duties. The following hierarchy applies exclusively to psions of the INTELLIGENCE BRANCH.
- GRAND INQUISITOR: This is the head of the Intelligence Branch, and has direct control over the entirety of recruiting, policy, deployment, and assignment of psions within the branch itself. The Grand Inquisitor will work directly with the Director of ADVENT Intelligence in all stages of planning, designing and executing operations, and will be appointed by the Director themself. The Grand Inquisitor must be a Magus-class or higher on the Trask Scale of psionic power, and of the telepathic psionic discipline.
- INQUISITOR: These are the primary psionic agents of ADVENT Intelligence and members of the Intelligence Branch of the PRIEST Division. They will have a wide range of applications, which include, but are not limited to the following:
- Surveillance
- Assassination
- Interrogation and Information Extraction
- Loyalty Monitoring
- Counter-Intelligence
- Target Acquisition
They will work primarily alone in the field and will maintain a low profile to ensure secrecy, and if their job is done correctly, they will not be expected. Inquisitors must be a Psion-class or higher on the Trask Scale of psionic power, and of the telepathic psionic discipline. In certain cases, those of the telekinetic discipline will be allowed if they fit the correct psychological profile, and are exceptionally skilled.
For various purposes, it is recommended that the general population, nor any foreign power be officially notified of the existence of this branch even if some suspect. There is little practical or logical reason to reveal one of our arguably greatest assets.
PEACEKEEPER BRANCH: The usefulness of psionics has been adequately shown for the purposes of military and intelligence, and the natural extension of such information is applying it to law enforcement. Psions within the PEACEKEEPER Branch will participate in all aspects of the ADVENT Justice System, including the Peacekeepers proper and the Judicial Courts.
The goal of the branch is not only to protect the citizens of ADVENT, but to end the plague of incorrect judgement that has been the bane of courts since their formation. Utilizing the power of telepathy, false judgements will be rendered a thing of the past and the faith in the courts can be firmly restored for as long as ADVENT exists. There will no longer be a question of guilt or innocence, simply trials and judgements. False testimony, corruption, and subversion will be eliminated by the psions of this branch, and our Peacekeepers will be further reinforced as they bring justice to the lawless in ADVENT.
NOTE: The PEACEKEEPER BRANCH of the PRIEST Division will NOT be activated until the development of Manchurian Restraints is completed. This requirement will not be lifted under any circumstances.
NOTE 2: This only applies to ARBITERS, and does not apply to military support for the Peacekeepers themselves.
Psions in the Peacekeeper Branch will primarily focus on two differing aspects of the Judicial System. The first will work with the Peacekeepers and those affiliated with them, and will support State Officers in their standard law enforcement duties, and assist in combat situations with regular Peacekeeper and SSR forces. The second will work directly in courtrooms with the Judicial Courts in assisting judges with cases. The following hierarchy exclusively applies to the PEACEKEEPER BRANCH of the PRIEST Division.
- PONTIFF: This is the head of the Peacekeeper Branch, and works directly with the Chief of Peacekeeper Operations in determining policy for both Peacekeepers, the Judicial Courts, and the Peacekeeper Branch itself. They will assist in designating assignments, Arbiters, and participate in multiple operations against criminal activity. The Pontiff must be a Leviathan-class on the Trask Scale of Psionic power, and be of the telepathic, telekinetic, or defense specializations.
- ARBITER: These are the psions who work directly with the Judicial Courts to determine the guilt or innocence of certain parties. They will be involved in all criminal cases brought by ADVENT, and will be brought to assist in civil cases on a case-by-case basis. While the final judgement is not up to them, they will provide the condemning evidence, or lack thereof, for the judge to make the correct decision.
Arbiters will also be utilized to confirm the guilt of any persons sentenced to death or experimentation, to ensure that there are no false convictions, regardless of if this was previously confirmed by another Arbiter. Arbiters have the authority to arrest any citizen if they are performing psionic reconnaissance on an area and learn of criminal activity. This will be confirmed by another Arbiter.
As Arbiters have a serious and powerful role in the justice system, they will be subject to heavy mental conditioning, using highly potent forms of the Manchurian Restraints, and be subject to weekly psionic interrogation by the Inquisitors to prevent potential abuses of power. While it is unlikely that Arbiters will be able to override their programming, justice cannot rely on only one means of insurance.
Arbiters must be an Awakened-class or higher on the Trask Scale of psionic power, and be of the telepathic psionic discipline.
- ARCHDEACON: These are Priests that work exclusively with the SSR in their efforts to stamp out violent and organized crime. They will provide combat support similar to that provided by the Priests and Protopriests. ARCHDEACONS must be a Psion-class or higher on the Trask Scale of psionic power, and can specialize in any psionic discipline. Due to the dangerous situations and material the SSR encounter and participate in, the psychological profile of the Archdeacon is stricter and certain requirements must be met.
- DEACON: Much like the Archdeacons, the Deacons will provide support to standard Peacekeeper forces, although not necessarily in a military capacity. They will assist State Officers and Riot Control in their duties, and will be a highly visible presence much like all ADVENT Peacekeepers are, to acquaint and familiarize the general population with them and destigmatize the utilization of psionics for law enforcement or military purposes. DEACONS must be an Adept-class or higher on the Trask Scale of psionic power, and can specialize in any psionic discipline.
TRAINING BRANCH: Psions are awakened with powers, but none innately know how to use them without substantial practice and training. It is then imperative that there be a comprehensive training program for adult and child psions to fully explore and utilize their psionic potential, as well as determine where they belong within the PRIEST Division.
All psions will first be trained in this branch, and then will be deployed throughout ADVENT where they are needed most. During this time they will receive their implants and, when developed, implementation of the Manchurian Restraints. As of the time of writing this document, implants are being utilized, and the Manchurian Restraints are becoming close to deployable. XCOM has provided several of their own psions to assist in training programs, and as the PRIEST Division expands, they will be phased out and replaced by those in ADVENT itself.
The structure of the TRAINING BRANCH will be organized based on the age of the trainees and complexity of said training. One half will be devoted to the training of adults and advanced child psions, and the other half will be devoted to the training of child psions. The following hierarchy exclusively applies to the TRAINING BRANCH of the PRIEST Division.
- GRAND MAGISTER: This psion is in charge of the Training Branch, and has extensive authority over the inner workings of the branch, and is the one who determines training regimes, choosing designated teachers, in addition to personally approving potential recruits to join the PRIEST Division initially. The Grand Magister is continuously in heavy communication with the heads of all the branches to determine needs and receive feedback. The Grand Magister must be a Magus-class or higher on the Trask Scale of psionic power, and can specialize in any psionic discipline.
- MAGISTER: These are the primary instructors of adult and advanced psions, who are responsible for acclimating the newly awakened psions to their new abilities and further refining them to a usable degree. Once trainees have received an adequate amount of preparation, they will assist in choosing what branch they will join. MAGISTERS must be a Psion-class or higher on the Trask Scale of psionic power, and they may also specialize in any psionic discipline. Due to their role, they will also need to be able to manage and teach adults and meet several additional requirements.
- MENTOR: These are the primary instructors of awakened children who are not used to, or might become overwhelmed with their abilities. They will be instrumental in teaching children how to control, manage, and when to use their abilities over a period of years. In addition to psionic training, they will also receive regular schooling from other teachers. As this is a very influential position, Mentors will have tighter Manchurian Restraints than normal, and must be an Adept-class or higher on the Trask Scale of psionic power, and can specialize in any psionic discipline. Mentors are also encouraged to have an educational background to teach additional scholarly subjects.
CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH: While the applications for psionics in government and military are the obvious uses for such powers, they are also excellent for more traditional civilian work and public service. The implications of psionics on mental illness have yet to be fully realized, nor the impact of psions working in non-combat situations such as firefighting, explorations of hazardous zones, or dangerous construction work. In nearly all civilian fields there can be some application of psionics from the four disciplines, which can ultimately make them more effective, safer, and further destigmatize the fear which is surely to come with wide-scale psionic usage.
NOTE: The CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH of the PRIEST Division will NOT be activated until the development of Manchurian Restraints is completed. This requirement will not be lifted under any circumstances. Due to the amount of psions interacting with the general population, this is a risk that cannot be afforded, especially as these psions are the ones who will most often interact with civilians and impressions must not be tainted.
The Civil Service Branch is excellent for weaker psions, and those who might not be able to withstand the stresses of combat or that which comes from high-stress positions in ADVENT Intelligence or with the Peacekeepers. They can perform equally good work bettering ADVENT itself instead of strictly protecting it, and further the usage of psionic powers for non-combat situations. The following hierarchy exclusively applies to the CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH of the PRIEST Division.
- MONSIGNOR: This is the official leader of the Civil Service Branch, and is responsible for the deployment and utilization of the psions in this branch. The Monsignor will maintain tight relations with all organizations of ADVENT, especially those that pertain to infrastructure, public safety, diplomacy, and most non-military organizations. As the Civil Service Branch also has a large humanitarian component, relations with various charity and humanitarian groups will be maintained.
- COUNSELOR: These will be the dedicated medical psions of ADVENT, both for assisting hospitals and medics in various situations either providing protective or telepathic support/focus for medics or victims. In addition, they will be continuously experimenting and utilizing telepathy to assist in the treatment of various mental illnesses and the effect psionics can have on them. Due to their heavy utilization on telepathy and potentially critical role in an experimental field, the restrictions placed on them by Manchurian Restraints will tighter than normal.
- CHAPLAIN: These psions will work primarily in humanitarian fields and organizations, providing translation support, protection, and general mediation. They will assist in all ADVENT-sanctioned foreign work, and in the event that ADVENT encounters situations that require a translation for a language they do not know, Chaplains will be employed. While it will not be common, they may occasionally work with the ADVENT Diplomatic Service, though not in a significant capacity due to the implication or perceived threat. In situations on foreign soil, they will be permitted mediating powers in the absences of an authorized ADVENT authority, and are encouraged to come to a peaceful truce. If necessary, they can also be called as mediators for civil legal disputes without need for an Arbiter.
- VOLKHV: These will almost certainly be the most numerous in the Civil Service Branch, as they will be the ones utilized to assist in various ADVENT Projects and situations all over the world, from assisting construction projects to firefighting, to evacuating civilians in attacks. They will be highly versatile and be among the most visible psions in ADVENT.
RESEARCH BRANCH: In any aspect of society, it does not advance without continuous refinement and advancement. For psionics it is no different, and there will be a branch within the PRIEST Division that will focus exclusively on the research, experimentation, and application of all aspects of psionics. This will result in a refinement of currently available knowledge and abilities, and development of new abilities and our understanding of the field of psionics.
Unlike all other branches in the PRIEST Division, having a position within the Research Branch does NOT require the applicant to be psionic for all positions. There are many academic opportunities in the field of psionics, and for theory and experimentation one does not necessarily need to be a psion to propose new ideas or theories. As such, even psions do not necessarily need to be exceptionally powerful to hold a position within this branch, nor do they need to be of a specific specialization, as all fields are prime for further research.
The extent of psionic experiments that are allowed are dependent only on the proposal itself. All forms of experimentation are legal, but must be done through proper channels and must follow the same rules and regulations the ADVENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY and EXPERIMENTATION LABS are subject to. Failure to follow these regulations will result in immediate arrest, prosecution, and sentencing. The following hierarchy exclusively applies to the RESEARCH BRANCH of the PRIEST Division.
- MAHARISHI: The MAHARISHI will serve in a primarily administrative role and assist the various sections and decide high-level research paths as suggested by the various branches in ADVENT. They will also be responsible with handling requests from various research groups and requesting permission from the appropriate ADVENT bodies. There is no psionic requirement for this position, but extensive administrative/academic experience is required.
- ARCHIMANDRITE: The role of Archimandrites is the investigation and research of the Psionosphere itself, and ways to navigate, manipulate, or alter it. Techniques and abilities possibly discovered will be explored by the Savoraim and Qalandar and all research conducted is to be highly monitored as the nature of the Psionosphere itself is not fully known and dangerous experimentation could yield unknown consequences. There is no psionic requirement for this position.
- SAVORAIM: These scientists and researchers will primarily focus on psionic theory itself and be the primary academic authority on the nature of psionics and the scientific exploration of how it works and interacts with the world, Humans, and aliens. While there is no psionic requirement, psions will likely increase the overall accuracy of any research conducted.
- QALANDAR: These are composed exclusively of psions and work primarily with refining, creating, or otherwise experimenting with practical psionic usage and powers of all known disciplines. They will work with all other parts of the Research Branch and be instrumental in putting theories and suggestions into actual practice. In addition to this, they will perform independent experiments, though these of course must be appropriately filed and cleared with the Maharishi.
RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING: Recruitment will be conducted three ways: Targeted, Internal, and General
GENERAL: This is open recruitment that will be publicized to the general population, and allow anyone to come and be tested for psionic sensitivity. It should be noted that not all who are psionically sensitive will be psionically awakened. If it is determined that they are psionically sensitive, they will undergo a full background check and psychological evaluation to determine if they have the emotional, psychological, and mental capacity to use psionic powers responsibly. Additional factors such as family, education, employment, and physical condition will also be considered before deciding to awaken an individual psionically.
INTERNAL: This is specifically for those already employed within ADVENT who wish to be psionically awakened. The same restrictions and conditions for awakening apply to those within ADVENT, although in some cases where they have already been psychologically evaluated may bypass this step if they are found to be psionically sensitive.
TARGETED: This is when a specific individual who has been identified as a potential psionic candidate based on genealogical or genetic data is targeted for recruitment. ADVENT Intelligence will covertly determine their psychological state, history, and other information, and then if they are satisfied, they will approach the individual directly with the offer. Should they accept and they are indeed psionically capable, they will immediately begin training and will continue as a regular recruit. They reserve the right to refuse as well, though ADVENT Intelligence will likely attempt to sway them towards accepting long before they officially offer.
Once the individual is recruited, they will be taken to the primary headquarters of the TRAINING BRANCH, and they will be trained over a period of one or more months before being deployed into their designated PRIEST Division Branch. During this time their psionic discipline, skill, abilities, and other factors will be determined and refined. All recruits will be in excellent physical condition and certain military branches will receive genetic modification to further enhance their survivability.
AUTHORITY AND LIMITATIONS: As the potential for abuse is high within the PRIEST Division, there are certain steps that will need to be taken to ensure that these abilities are not used against ADVENT or any Human unnecessarily. The PRIEST Division is continuously subservient to the various organizations the branches are a part of. The Peacekeeper Branch ultimately answers to the Peacekeepers, the Military Branch is under the jurisdiction of the ADVENT Military, the Intelligence Branch answers to ADVENT Intelligence and so on.
The rollout of the PRIEST Division will happen over two phases:
PHASE 1: The deployment of the Military Branch, and the partial deployment of the Peacekeeper Branch (Pontiff, Archdeacon, Deacon) and the Training Branch (Grand Magister, Magister) into immediate service. During this time infrastructure and potential candidates for other branches will be selected in preparation of the second phase.
PHASE 2: The full deployment of the Peacekeeper, Training, Intelligence, and Civil Service branches into immediate service. This will come after the development of the Manchurian Restraints.
No member of the PRIEST Division will be able to legally act outside their own authority, and cannot override their superiors with very few exceptions which will be given on a case-by-case basis. While ADVENT does not wish to stigmatize our psions, ignoring the risks posed is simply impossible. As such, there will be multiple methods used to keep control over psions to prevent them from betraying ADVENT, going rogue, or turning on citizens.
NOTE: The following methods of control WILL be used on every single psion within ADVENT. There will be absolutely NO EXCEPTIONS.
EXPLOSIVE IMPLANTS: These will be implanted in each psion directly below the back of the skull. These will be a low-yield explosive that will instantly kill the psion, and only the psion. The explosion will not affect any others. Attempts to negate, hack, or otherwise remove them will result in the IMMEDIATE execution of the psion. All ADVENT Handlers, or other ranking officers who interact with psions will be given the means to execute psions who turn on them or otherwise break the law. Officers can request authorization from Command if needed as well.
Please note that in the event of an implant being activated, the one who sends the signal, as well as witnesses, will be questioned to ensure that the termination was valid and not an overreaction or done with malicious intent. All information relating to the list of detonation codes will be heavily encrypted and secured using KERBEROS, and/or other forms of security as deemed necessary.
MANCHRIAN RESTRAINTS: This is an internal ADVENT Project utilizing work first created by XCOM, particularly that of Dr. Moira Vahlen. It is a form of mental conditioning that involves the rewiring or reprogramming of the brain utilizing MELD as the primary tool to achieve this. Experiments are still ongoing, but initial results are promising and the completion of the project is estimated to be one or two more months. As XCOM is also working on this, if they complete their project (Identified to us as the Manchurian Program) and it meets our standards, we will immediately use that. Likewise if the Manchurian Restraints are completed before XCOM, we will share it with them as the risk of uncontrolled psions is extremely high.
Once the Restraints have been installed in the respective individual, they will be given a verbal series of limitations of their powers, which the brain will automatically force them to follow regardless of personal desire. The extent and complexity of these limitations will vary depending on their position and role within ADVENT, as well as the content of their psychological profile.
There are multiple forms of direct and passive control that are being experimented with at the time of this document:
CODE WORDS: These were the first and most obvious methods of active control. This would involve each psion, or potentially a group of psions, being given a code word or series of words or numbers that allows them to issue any order to the psion and it will be followed. It is simple, effective, and can be broadcasted over radio or loudspeaker with the same effect. The issues are present nonetheless, such as hostile parties gaining control of code words and the issues with storing the likely hundreds of thousands of code words themselves. These code words would only be available to a select few people, which would include other members of the PRIEST Division, but there are logistical issues with this solution.
PASSIVE BROADCASTING: An alternative solution without code words is, instead of using an active stop, a passive, invisible signal is used instead. The brain will respond equally well to subsonic or certain noises without the need for speech, and if the limitations are continuously maintained by constantly emitting invisible sound, either through devices in cities or helmets, it removes the risks of code words altogether. The issue would then be stopping a psion who would manage to find weaknesses in the programming, as there would be no easy means of control. This is still being investigated.
HARDWIRING: The third idea proposed is that instead of the commands and limitations being given verbally, they are directly programmed into the individual during the installation of the Manchurian Restraints. This would negate the need for any kind of broadcasting, and could be fine-tuned more easily than verbal instructions. It could also allow for direct installation of various contingencies in the event of the psion turning hostile. This will likely not be developed without further research as it involves an absurd level of precision and neuroscience.
CONCLUSION: The field of psionics poses many opportunities, and just as many risks. While it may be the key to our ultimate victory, it could also be our downfall if simply allowed to be used unrestrained. Human nature is fickle and dangerous, and we cannot rely on the idea of letting Humans with this power regulate themselves, as the risk is simply too high for those who cannot hope to defend against these powers.
However, in pursuit of this we must take efforts not to fully strip away the free will of the psions themselves, as many are perfectly acceptable individuals. They will provide humanity with a tremendous advantage, and while we do our best to honor and recognize that, we must never allow it to override our directive to act for the good of Humanity, especially when the greatest threat is ourselves.
"Why my job is necessary? A good question, and one most people should know about. I suspect you have heard about the PRIEST Program now, correct? Good, then I don't have to go over that again. So the answer to your question is pretty simple: Not everyone is cut out to be a psion."
"No, I'm not talking about physically. That's really a small part in our recruitment process. By the end of training you won't be an out of shape mess, regardless of where you end up in the division itself. Physically adept people are given a little priority, but that's really not nearly as important as the mental side of things."
"Yes, exactly. You know how it sounds. People having supernatural abilities, reading minds, lifting objects; people generally react to this in two different ways: They are either terrified by it, or think it's [REDACTED] cool. Generally it will be the older generation who is the former, and younger generations the latter. Science fiction, movies, and games have all played a part in making the idea of powers seem 'cool."
"And let's be honest here – both perspectives are right. Having psionic abilities is amazing, but at the same time, you have to understand the consequences of that. You can now control someone's mind. What is in place to stop someone from forcing them to commit things they otherwise would not? Murder, rape, theft, suicide, and you would not be able to detect it without another psion. What happens when a telekine snaps and begins killing everything they see, laughing off bullets they can easily deflect?"
"Mmm, people honestly should be scared of what psionics can do, but not the psions themselves. Most, I genuinely believe, are good people. But as you know, when people get a taste of power, they can change. So we have to walk the fine line between using this gift our species has, and ensuring that it is done responsibly."
"This is why we have the psychological component to our test. This is why we have background checks. We pass up powerful psions daily because they simply are not fit to be psions. At this stage of the Division, they can't be trusted to wield the power responsibly. You would be surprised how many sadists, bigots, and all around awful people seem to think that if they can wield the purple space magic we'll just give it to them. This, I can state unequivocally, is not true."
"You want to know if you'd pass? Well, Miss Wong, I can't say without the test, but if nothing else, you seem like a determined and honest woman. You wouldn't be able to be a journalist of course, but I can see you taking a role in the Peacekeeper Branch."
"Ah, that. No, you can't be a civilian and a psion at the same time. That is too much of a risk for the general population, and as harsh as it sounds, psions must be controlled. They need to be monitored and watched to ensure they don't become a problem. I find it slightly amusing how this is already garnering condemnation from various Human rights groups, because they fail to see that this is bigger than just the rights of a person, or lack thereof."
"On some level, I agree that psions should be treated well, and we are. But absolute freedom? No. You are aware of what XCOM's own Patricia Trask has done. She's something of a celebrity because of what she's done against the aliens. With that said, that could very easily happen to us if we are lax in our security. One psion is dangerous, and we already have thousands."
"If anything, we need more restrictions on our psions, not less. Sorry, repeat that? Ah, details? No comment, but if all goes well we'll have a much more reliable and humane way of controlling psions than an explosive device. We can't account for everything, but we can do everything we can to minimize the risk."
"How we're keeping XCOM under control?"
Pauses for a brief laugh.
"I have no [REDACTED] clue what XCOM is doing. But considering the restrictions were developed by the Commander himself, the aforementioned Patricia Trask, and their head scientist, the ever respected Moira Vahlen, I think they recognize the risks of psionics just as much as us."
"Probably more, in fact."
- ADVENT Intelligence PRIEST Timothy Gonzales in sanctioned interview to Journalist Jessica Wong
Operation: Purple Death
Division: Reconnaissance and Observation
Report Author: Zar'erina'dakka
Authorization: Zar'Chon
Zar'Chon,
As we have been expecting for some time, I am afraid our concerns have been realized and ADVENT has unveiled a robust and dangerous psionic division for their military as well as a dedicated research component. I am personally surprised at the size of the division and apparent skill of these psions themselves, which implies that this has been at least several months in the planning.
Even reviewing previous reports which covered the topic of ADVENT researching and applying psionics, as well as beginning limited recruitment, the original estimation that ADVENT was still several months from large-scale deployment and have likely conducted their recruitment in secret. Now that the so-called PRIEST Division is public, I suspect they will open it up to general recruitment immediately. There are some things that I have personally found interesting about the division which we did not anticipate.
1. The name: PRIEST stands for Psionic Research, Investigation, Enhancement, Specialization, and Training. I am convinced that it has this ridiculously long name because someone really wanted the abbreviation to be PRIEST. Considering the obvious supernatural component of psionics, I can see why this would be amusing to them.
They have taken this one step further and appear to have based their entire hierarchies on various religious titles (Primarily from the older Catholic Church and Orthodox Christianity), which I can only assume was because they liked the names and it fits with the odd pseudo-religious themes of the PRIEST Division. Here are a list of example titles:
- Pontiff
- Grand Magister
- Archpriest
- Protopriest
- Archdeacon
And so on.
2. Their recruitment process. Thanks to a lot of information that just went public a short time ago, ADVENT is surprisingly open about their means of selection. Contrary to what we would expect, they are not recruiting just everyone, just instead allowing anyone to be tested. The way they determine recruitment is based on a psychological evaluation which is supposedly to ensure that the person can handle psionics responsibly.
This is surprisingly…smart…I am impressed that ADVENT is actually looking at the short and long-term consequences of widespread psionic usage. This is both good and bad for us. Good in that there will be fewer psions, and bad in that there will still be thousands of them, and the ones they do have will likely be better able to handle their abilities.
3. ADVENT has not fully deployed the PRIEST Division. There is a partially deployed Peacekeeper branch, and they have released that there will be a "Civil Service" branch as well (Which might mean something else, as this seems an odd addition). The question then becomes what they are waiting for. Given their apparent understanding on the dangers of psionics, it's possible that they are trying to develop some more effective means of control.
What that control is, however, is unknown. It also raises the question of why they deployed the division to begin with if this was not finished. Perhaps they felt they had no choice?
Now that ADVENT has access to an army of psions, they are almost certainly going to expand them to every single part of their organization. They are already doing it for the Peacekeepers, and they will almost certainly do it for ADVENT Intelligence, and likely internal organizations like the Oversight Division. If they begin instituting psionic guards, this will make any infiltration attempt not only impossible, but highly dangerous for ourselves since they can now very easily extract information without resorting to torture or drugs.
The development of psionics is, and has, changed the war going forward. We now have to assume that since ADVENT has psionics, they will use them. Our current tactics are designed not for a psionic species, but for a standard one without the ability to read minds. The same is true for our military forces.
Against a psion, our own forces are woefully ineffective. We have seen what XCOM can do with only a few psions. Now we are going to potentially be facing hundreds of Patricia Trasks in battle, and our own forces are simply not good enough to protect themselves. We're seeing it now. Psions are allowing ADVENT to hold positions by deflecting bombardments, or attack through telepathy, telekinesis or offense. While extreme, enough psions could very likely protect them from orbital bombardment as well.
Here are the biggest identified vulnerabilities that ADVENT will exploit:
1. No telepathic protection
2. No means of penetrating psionic barriers
3. Weak armor units that most telekines can crush
4. Ineffective armor against psionic attacks
There are more specific ones, but these are the four major ones that are weaknesses that, if not fixed, must at least be addressed. I am not completely sure on the status of researching anti-psionic weapons, but regardless of what the standards are, they must be changed if we want to stand a reasonable chance against ADVENT going forward.
If they are giving us trouble with the relatively few Priests they have now, it will only get worse once they began recruiting by the tens of thousands.