Ethereals: Dossier
Sana'Ligna, Savant of the Empire
"She does not belong with us."
- Isomnum, Dread Lord of the Ethereal Collective
The day the Elder Sana'Ligna graced our species with her presence was one of the most important of our species, and without a doubt the most memorable for myself. All of us knew it the moment she entered the hospital. We did not know it was her, of course, but we immediately became more relaxed, more at ease.
Content and assured that we would be alright.
We all knew the stories; the days when our species was dying and Sana herself visited our worlds and healed who she could, even as she toiled over creating the cure which saved us. Days when those near death were healed as if they had never been sick. An Elder capable of working miracles, yet one who is modest about her accomplishments.
The feeling of calm and contentment became stronger. For perhaps the first time I felt no pain, even though I could still see that the wounds the Humans had dealt me still existed. It would not be strange to say that I could sense as she arrived, as she made her way to the end of the bed and laid a hand on the wounded, healing them.
Of course everyone rational scoffs when we say what happened. Such abilities simply do not exist. Telepathy, they say, or illusions. Medicine or nanites. Anything but the truth. The Elders are worthy of our respect and admiration, but even they are subject to rules of the universe. Even the Gift they wield is not limitless.
Yet I wonder. The Oyariah have recognized the Elders as a higher power since the beginning. Fanaticism, we believe. An odd religious belief that we accepted and moved on. Yet after seeing and experiencing Elder Sana'Ligna personally, perhaps they are the ones who are correct.
Who else can lay a hand on my body and have all my wounds and damaged organs heal as if they had never been touched? I saw the skin heal before my eyes. It is no illusion, no manipulation of telepathy. It is real, and it is a miracle. Her voice was beautiful and calming, one that dispelled any doubts or concerns I had left.
I was apprehensive of what to do, how to act before an Elder. But she did not seem to care. 'Rest, soldier' she said. 'You have already done enough for us. It is only right we repay your sacrifices'. Then I was healed. I consider myself to have been a rational individual, one who is not swayed by tricks and superstition, but I cannot deny what I saw with my own eyes.
The Elders have turned their gaze back to our species. They have turned them toward our enemies; the butchers on Earth. Now I know that we will win, and I am ready to fight in their name.
Notes of Runi'Siara'vitiary, shortly before being redeployed to Earth after suffering severe shrapnel damage and white phosphorus poisoning.
THREAT ANALYSIS: 111101000111
TARGET OF INTEREST: ETHEREAL 12 (SANA'LIGNA)
KNOWN ALIASES: "SANA" "SAVANT" "SANA'LIGNA" "HEALER"
CURRENT POSITION: UNKNOWN
SPECIES: ETHEREAL
INFORMATION OF NOTE: DEVELOPED REPUTATION WITHIN ETHEREAL COLLECTIVE
INFORMATION OF NOTE: EXTENSIVELY ADMIRED
INFORMATION OF NOTE: COMMANDS UNKNOWN PSIONIC ABILITIES
INFORMATION OF NOTE: INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF VITAKARIAN PLAGUE CURE
PSIONIC SPECIALIZATION: UNKNOWN – SUSPECTED TELEPATHIC ABILITIES
THREAT LEVEL TO ANDROMEDON FEDERATION (ALLIED): UNKNOWN – ESTIMATED LOW TO MEDIUM
THREAT LEVEL TO ANDROMEDON FEDERATION (ENEMY): UNKNOWN
ADDITIONAL MANUAL COMMENT: The Ethereal Sana'Ligna appears to be, at first glance, odd. It will only take a few days of observation to learn that she is not like any other Ethereal who is alive today. She is far more emotional, empathetic, and if I may say so, naïve, than any Ethereal has any right to be. It is as if this Ethereal has a more realized emotional capacity than others.
This seems…at odds with literally every other example of this species.
It is suspicious just how flawless she appears to be. I have yet to discover a single negative or bad word about her. She is practically worshipped by the Vitakara, the Mutons that encounter her are docile and almost child-like as they look upon her, the Hive Commanders speak of her with the utmost respect, and the Federation itself cannot find fault with her.
Nor can I, admittedly. There is nothing I can find which is objectionable. Or at least objectively objectionable. She is kind, respectful to aliens, goes out of her way to heal those she encounters, is a pleasant conversationalist, intelligent, and as close to the perfect Ethereal as one could probably hope for. I am certain telepathy is involved to a degree, but I do not think this is an act. She is exactly who she appears to be.
Which makes her stand out like an inferno in this Collective.
She appears to dislike violence, yet is party to working with the Battlemaster, who commands the most dangerous army in this galaxy. She treats aliens with respect and consideration, but appears ignorant to the treatment of the Mutons, the various castes within the Sectoids, and the glass cage the Vitakar inhabit watched by the Zararch.
Calling her a hypocrite is easy, but I am not convinced it is…accurate. It is entirely possible that she has no choice under the Imperator, and is doing what she can. I will also note that she has become more and more withdrawn from the public, especially once the Vitakara were cured. She is still spoken of with reverence, which is another indication of just how well-liked she was.
But this does beg the question of why she is with these Ethereals, who are opposite her in nearly all aspects. She does not belong here. She has the wrong mindset for this galaxy; one that is idealistic and almost naïve. But after reading some of her own documents and listening to recordings, I believe she knows that.
She knows the values she holds are unrealistic, but they are something she will strive towards even when the galaxy pushes against her.
She will obviously fail, but the drive is interesting to observe.
It still does not explain why the Imperator kept her around. Someone who is opposed to the difficult actions taken does not seem like an ideal partner. Based on what I have learned, it very likely has to do with her own psionic abilities.
Sana'Ligna is not an ordinary psion. This much can be said for certain. The most prominent examples of her abilities were during the Vitakara Plague. There is an extraordinary amount of documented evidence that this Ethereal somehow has the ability to control living matter. Bodies mended, minds healed, aliens who were dying restored to full health in minutes. This is not speculation, this actually happened. The documents are restricted by the Zararch, but the people remember.
I suspect those who read will come to a similar conclusion. If Sana'Ligna does not know Biomanipulation, she has learned something very close.
Unfortunately, we have no more instances of her utilizing her abilities. Outside of her Blacksite, she hasn't been seen in public in years. I do not know what it will take for her to reemerge, but for now we should classify her as a potential threat and learn as much as we can about why she is here at all.
I suspect that will give us more insight than the Healer herself.
RECOMMENDATION: INVESTIGATION INTO ETHEREAL EXPERIENCE WITH BIOMANIPULATION; BEGIN SUBVERSION OF BLACKSITE OCCUPIED BY SANA'LIGNA; REVIEW AND DOCUMENT ALL INSTANCES OF SANA'LIGNA'S ACTIVITY WITHIN COLLECTIVE SPACE; REQUEST PUBLIC VISITS FROM SANA'LIGNA BY THE FEDERATION
REPORT COMPILER: SPECIAL OPERATOR 109; ANDROMEDON FEDERATION; [ERROR! DATA NOT FOUND!]
END REPORT
AWAITING REASSIGNMENT
From the beginning everyone knew she was special. Not simply due to her psionic potential, intelligence, and drive, but because she was a twin. The rarest gift a family could receive in the Empire. From the moment she and her brother took their first breaths all knew that they would be destined for greatness in the Empire.
Both were, though perhaps not in the way they intended.
Despite growing up together, both developed distinct and contrary personalities. Sana'Ligna was a mediator, diligent student, and always willing to help those she could. She was always supportive of the Empire and the leadership, but grew into a proponent of increased alien integration – a move which allowed that idea to take firmer hold.
Sana eventually grew to be a powerful telepath, and a pioneer in the rare and developing discipline of Biopathy. Scientists never determined if the circumstances of her birth played a significant role in the ease of which she mastered this difficult field, but regardless, she grew to become a master of the discipline of Biopathy, and used if for the sole purpose of healing and protection.
The arrival of the Synthesized and the start of their attacks shook the Empire, but shook Sana far more deeply than others. Both she and Mortis were among the first to volunteer to strike back against this enemy, and both joined forces as they melded their own skills of Biopathy to be used against the hybrids.
The worlds and fronts they visited ranged from the pristine lines of the Division of Battlemasters, to the ruins of the outlying colony worlds. Both were divided on where to go, with Sana wanting to support the colonies and civilians, while Mortis wanted to act in accordance with the Grandmaster and greater Ethereal legions.
Compromise was reached, with both agreeing to participate in the larger attacks and defenses, but the rest of the time supporting nearly-overrun strongholds. Many worlds were held by nothing more than the twins supporting what remained of the defenses against an encroaching Synthesized horde. The wounded were healed and the defenders became invincible under Sana, while the legions arrayed against them melted before the sheer power of Mortis.
Their legend grew over time, and they became known to both ally and enemy alike. The twins shortly became targets; ambushed and facing overwhelming numbers wherever they went. Yet they believed they could persist; invincible in their manipulation of the Gift. A hubris they paid for dearly.
When the Synthesized ambushed the world of Decamias, and subjected the planet to continuous orbital bombardment, Mortis suffered substantial wounds. Wounds which would have killed him if not for Sana, who even with her skills could not bring him back to life as he had lived. Yet Mortis was not truly dead, but in a state where he knew nothing. All that remained was the bond with his sister.
A bond which she exploited and used against the Synthesized; puppeting her brother to fight as he had previously. The Dead Ethereal; invincible in the hands of the Savant of the Empire. A weapon in her hands which she wielded with growing skill and power as the war progressed.
She soon realized that the war would be lost, even with the arrival of the Imperators. But she has seen what awaits if measures are not taken, and no matter her personal disagreements with those above her, she will remain loyal to her species and the ideals of the Empire.
She will wield the Dead Ethereal once more in battle, and this time she will bring our species to victory.
- Sana'Ligna, Savant of the Empire (Excerpt) by Archivist Cogitian
XCOM Profile 193
Authorization Level: Internal Council
Subject: Sana'Ligna
Threat Level: Low
Assessment Author: Aegis
Approved by: The Commander of XCOM
SECTION 1: Physical Characteristics
Hair color: None (Ethereal)
Eye color: Solid Orange
Skin color: Dark Purple
Height: 9'1"
Weight: 208 lbs. (Estimated)
Distinguishing Features: Sana'Ligna does not wear a helmet, and prefers to wear either robes or light shawls or pieces of clothing which offer little physical protection but are suited for her work in either scientific pursuits or medical procedures.
Physical Condition: She is physically fit for an Ethereal, although she would not compare to an Ethereal designed for physical activity and combat. She has a surprising amount of stamina, and is capable of working at full capacity without sleep for a full day. Do not let her lack of physical strength fool you, she is more durable than you would assume, and her mastery of Biopathy allows her body to work even faster if necessary. She can transform herself into an athlete at nearly a moment's notice.
SECTION 2: Assessment
Sana'Ligna is one of the most considerate and kind beings you will ever meet in this galaxy.
She was not brought along because of it.
I am convinced that the Imperator only preserved Sana'Ligna solely because of her bond with her brother, Mortis'Ligna, known to us as the Dead Ethereal. I will not speak of this in great detail, as there is another file on Mortis himself. But it is important to realize that she was not brought along because of her personality, but because she has the sole power to control one of the most dangerous beings this galaxy has ever seen.
Sana is an Ethereal twin. To understand why this is significant, during the entire history of the Empire, there were only four sets of twins born. Children were rare already, and to have two at one time is a concept that is difficult to grasp for us. It was certainly a shock when I first saw the sextuplets of Mutons born, as well as learning that twins and even triplets are not atypical for Humans and most races of Vitakara.
Twins are always different. They are atypical. I do not mean their abilities; every single twin born was among the most powerful psions in history, and paved the way for new understandings and discoveries of psionics. They are atypical in that their personalities highly differ from the standard Ethereals. I would almost class some as 'rebels', as each one attempted to subvert or break convention in some way. None were successful the way they wished, but it made our species reexamine certain topics we thought settled.
Sana for a while appeared to not be afflicted by this deviancy. She was a rule-follower, obedient to authority, and a model student. This only lasted until she became a full adult and the Empire realized that her empathy, respect, and kindness did not stop at the Ethereal species, but extended to others as well. She was the one to begin pushing for greater cooperation and unity with other species, which to most Ethereals came out of nowhere, especially in comparison to her brother.
As a twin, she immediately gained support (She was the equivalent of a celebrity, if you wish to use Human terms), and this was considered…problematic. She had a significant amount of influence, and when Mortis backed her up, the situation called for distraction. Imperial Civil Command, instead of directly contradicting them, put them in charge of important psionic programs on Biopathy, out of the public spotlight, while they determined the best way to handle the Ethereals who had technically done nothing wrong.
It was easy to convince Sana of the benefits of this program. Biopathy is perhaps the most difficult discipline of psionics, but arguably one of the most useful – and dangerous. Appealing to her desire to help others, she was told that her pioneering this new field could wipe out disease and sickness. Not – I will note – an inaccurate claim. Technically.
The amount of Biopaths in the Empire measured in the dozens, and within a week Sana and Mortis had surpassed all of them. But through her experimentation and decades of long study, Sana eventually mastered the art and became a healer without equal. With this done, she planned to leave the Empire and travel to the wider galaxy, as Ethereals were not an unhealthy species, or one which regularly required healing.
I do wonder what would have happened if the Empire had allowed her to travel to the aliens instead of distracting her for decades. It could not have hurt us, in retrospect. But before she could, the Synthesized attacked and she was called upon to defend the Empire. Armed with her new mastered abilities she and Mortis began working together as the Synthesized attacked.
I do not know how many lives she saved, or how many in total they spared together, but it had to have been millions. Often it was just her and Mortis holding a small colony against thousands of the Synthesized, and when they participated in actual conflicts ordered by the Grandmaster, rarely was there a casualty.
More and more they were needed for strikes and on the front lines, and it soon culminated in the near-death of Mortis. Sana was able to keep him from death, but could not restore him fully to life. She and her brother had shared a bond through their lives, and I believe this is what allowed her to prevent him from dying altogether.
She soon realized that as Mortis was effectively brain-dead, it allowed her almost full control over him. Once the Grandmaster realized this, he ordered her to exploit it. She refused at first, not wanting to use him in such a way, but after being pressed by nearly every influential Ethereal, she relented for the good of the Empire and began utilizing Mortis as a weapon against the Synthesized.
I half-wonder if the reason she accepted the Imperator's offer was because she would not have to continue using Mortis in such a way.
I do not know how she will react when ordered to use him again. The Imperator did not bring him along to store with the Creator.
SECTION 3: Psychological Profile
Sana is a highly empathetic individual. She is considerate and caring, is impossible to offend, and views the galaxy with an almost childlike naivety. This mindset was atypical among our species, although not strictly impossible. But these views were always tempered by a pragmatism instilled from an early age. Sana never seemed affected by this.
Emotionally she is more…expressive than most Ethereals. Freer and more intense with her emotions, which is something that is usually repressed in Ethereal children. Passionate is a good word to describe her, and a usual characteristic of an Ethereal twin. In fact, I would compare her emotional capacity closer to a Human than to another Ethereal.
Humans are an interestingly emotional species already, more so than even the Vitakara. I have not decided if this is an advantage or a liability.
Returning to Sana, while she can be easily seen as naïve, I do not believe she actually is. She has a…bright outlook on the galaxy, but is not ignorant as to the darkness that permeates it. She shields herself from it, and works to bring what light she can when she can do so. Willful ignorance is unfortunately the best description.
She is, I believe, someone you would call a coward. She had her beliefs and ideals, but will not push them if there is significant difficulty. She opposes the worst practices of the Ethereals, but forgoes speaking up if given the opportunity. When she does raise her voice, strong opposition and influence will make her easily relent. At heart she is too passive and doesn't understand her reluctance only makes what she despises worse.
If this could be broken, she could change the Collective. She is highly critical of how your species was handled, but did little more than express her displeasure. Displeasure which first the Imperator, and then the rest of the Ethereals, ignored.
Even still she does not hate or despise any of her kind (With perhaps the exception of Isomnum), and indeed those words do not seem to be exercised by her. She does not have enemies. She is universally liked, and likely sees that as the only thing she can do. But as long as she remains the way she is, she will never act against the Imperator or Battlemaster, even if she has the power to do so.
SECTION 4: Concerns and Abilities
Sana is a biopath, which is the telepathic manipulation of cells and simple organisms. The details will be covered in a separate file, suffice to say that having control on a level so small is nearly impossible to detect and block, and gives unprecedented power over an opponent – or ally. Sana herself originally mastered the art of using Biopathy to heal, influencing cells to multiply and join together, allowing wounds to be healed in minutes and the body itself to reset or reform at her command.
Biopathy can, of course, do the opposite, and Sana controlled Mortis for long enough that if pressed, she has the capability to cause significant harm through Biopathy.
However, for now she uses her abilities for healing and recovery. She is also a powerful telepath in the traditional sense, and has mastered an ability which combines traditional telepathy and Biopathy, making allies stronger, focused, and nearly invincible, while at the same time weakening, disrupting, and otherwise wounding enemies.
Sana is also a combat veteran, though she would never call herself such. She would prefer pacifism and non-violence, but that should not fool you into believing she would be an easy opponent. Her experience during the Synthesized War makes her vigilant on the battlefield, and a dangerous opponent, especially if reinforced.
But as a threat, she is almost not one at all. She will not fight us, and almost certainly not another Ethereal. With that said, she may be forced by the Imperator to support other Ethereals and units. This will make them essentially invincible unless hit with high explosives, large-scale psionics, fast-acting nanotech, or similar large-scale attacks.
An opponent supported by Sana will not die, and she will heal herself similarly. While she does not pose a direct threat, she would nearly be impossible to actually kill. Attacking her telepathically is also not likely, as she is proficient in telepathic defense, and overwhelming her would be of questionable effectiveness or feasibility.
She is however weak to ambushes, and due to her non-Ethereal personality she could possibly be manipulated and influenced more easily than most others.