Sectoids: Unit

Vanguard

"This might be the most dangerous thing the Sectoids have created yet."

- The Commander

CODEX File ****

Subject: The Greater Hive Commanders Vanguard Unit

Location: Blacksite ***

Author: Geneticist Revelean

Despite the Battlemaster attempting to kill the undisputed leader of the Greater Hive Commanders, I confess to being slightly surprised that the Greater Hive Commanders have broken with millennia of tradition of their creation of pure drones or enslaved protectors, and put their considerable experience towards the creation of a highly powerful psionic unit.

The Sectoid view of psionics has always appeared to be limiting, but this latest project indicates to me that while they rarely employ their unique understanding of the Gift, the aspects they do know, they have mastered without question. It was perhaps a mistake to ignore their own methods in the manipulation of both psionic potential and manipulation, since the ability to create a moderately powerful psionic unit in such a short time is far beyond that of even the Empire.

In the more detailed examination of the unit in question, the genetic composition of the Sectoid designated as the "Vanguard", is curiously mixed which is even more surprising than their willingness to create this unit in the first place. At least a full quarter of the genetic sampling was originally based on the Human genome.

To clarify, it is not strictly speaking, the direct insertion of Human characteristics, such as what XCOM does to its own soldiers, but something that is based on Human genetics and traits, without being a direct copy. I suspect this is why the Hive Commanders were willing to allow it, since technically everything they have done here has maintained the Sectoid 'purity'.

This implies a much higher level of genetic expertise that even I had not anticipated, and has highlighted just how little we truly know about what they actually experiment on in their Hives. The ability to recreate complete genetic traits from another species without manipulating or inserting from the source itself, but designing them from nothing is dangerously close to Imperial-level expertise, though only the lower-ranking Imperial Geneticists.

Returning to the unit of discussion, the main features taken from the Human species appear to be many of their physical attributes including height, muscle mass, and certain psionic markers present in many psionic Humans. Without sustained field tests, it is as of yet impossible to determine just how these compare to Human psions themselves. However, they are trifling to deal with for any experienced psion of any discipline.

I believe it is clear that the Hive Commanders did not intend for the Vanguard to combat psions, but instead standard soldiers. Perhaps they wanted to combat Templars, due to the curious and inconsequential gauntlets designed. An interesting integration of psionics and technology, but ultimately nothing special.

They have largely been pre-specialized in telepathic applications of psionics, which is unsurprising in the light of the entire Greater Hive Commanders using telepathy as their primary psionic discipline and means of communication. What is curious is their ability to form a link with both an opponent and other nearby Vanguards which gives them the effect of being able to anticipate enemy actions.

While the scale is low, the fact that such a unit can perform a complex telepathic feat such as this is mildly surprising and concerning. This is more proof that this species has the potential to be the pinnacle of telepathic power, as both the Vanguard can perform this with seemingly little effort, and even the drone displays weak telepathic power. Ethereals are the pinnacle of psionic evolution, but until now I had not considered that there may be other species that may be the pinnacle of certain disciplines.

This requires further investigation, and with this in mind, it may be worth revisiting our relationship with the Greater Hive Commanders and solidifying it into something permanent that they cannot manipulate. They have not reached their potential yet, but they must be controlled every step of the way so that we are not one day taken off guard when they ultimately move against us.

Debriefing of ADVENT Officer Susanna Palvis Transcript by Oversight Coordinator Marianne Kennedy

[Marianne Kennedy]: "Please describe this alien to me."

[Susanna Palvis]: "Humanoid. Probably just over six feet tall. Black armor of some kind."

[MK]: "Species? It sounds like a Vitakarian."

[SP]: "Vitakara don't have psionics. I looked at one of the corpses. Is it some kind of Sectoid?"

[MK]: "That is the current hypothesis. And unfortunately, we don't know much more than that. However, these aliens caused a great deal of trouble, as I'm sure you're familiar with."

[SP]: Audible snort.

[MK]: "Describe what happened."

[SP]: "We had just pushed past a barricade which was primarily Mutons. Not too difficult, but we'd taken some losses. We called for reinforcements and were ordered to stay put. We had a few Lancers also helping us, so we were in decent shape."

[MK]: "Were you attacked from the front, or was it a flank?"

[SP]: "Front. One of the Lancers spotted the aliens coming up and ordered us to open fire. They then formed a line, and activated some kind of shield that stopped everything that we shot at them. We fired continuously for at least a half-minute and we didn't kill a single one."

[MK]: "Is that unusual?"

[SP]: "It's unusual for us to hit nothing, and remember there were two Lancers with us. And the aliens weren't just standing still either; they were moving their shields to block all of our shots. They had to be reading our minds."

[MK]: "Telepathy was a reported display of psionics. Do you have anything outside of speculation?"

[SP]: "I wish I didn't. Once the front line was established, there were several more of the aliens behind them. Once those started attacking, things went very bad. Four of my soldiers just marched out in front of the alien line and were shot. One of the Lancers started attacking the other, and more soldiers were having mental breakdowns left and right."

[MK]: "Consistent. And there were no other displays of psionic abilities?"

[SP]: "If you're asking if I saw them use something besides telepathy, no."

[MK]: "Did you throw any grenades or launch any projectiles at them?"

[SP]: "No, mostly because we didn't know if they were telekinetic and could throw them back. And our main Rocketeers were dead."

[MK]: "You had good instincts. These aliens do indeed have some minor telekinetic abilities, as several other soldiers have reported."

[SP]: Sigh "Of course they do."

[MK]: "How did you win?"

[SP]: "I'm going to say it was mostly luck. Snipers in a word. That was something these aliens couldn't predict. Turns out that there were actually four Lancers, and two were snipers. Even then it took them a few shots to kill even a few of the aliens. I called for an airstrike, and we hunkered and just hoped it would get here in time."

[MK]: "I presume it did."

[SP]: "Yes. A-10 strike. Ripped the aliens apart. Snipers took care of the rest. We held until reinforcements."

[MK]: "Noted. Thank you for your cooperation Officer Palvis. ADVENT is working to determine the proper response to this new alien, and your own insight is valuable."

[SP]: "Thanks, I guess."

[MK]: "My pleasure. Dismissed."

XCOM Autopsy SEC05

Species: Sectoid

Unit Identity: "Vanguard"

Codename: Violet Blade

Alien Autopsy Overseer: Head of XCOM Research and Development Dr. Moira Vahlen

Alien Armor and Weapon Disassembly Overseer: Head of XCOM Engineering Dr. Raymond Shen

Audio Notes of Dr. Moira Vahlen

"Upon initial sighting of this organism, one would expect the alien underneath to be a Vitakarian or some similar variant. However, contrary to what any of us could have predicted, the alien underneath is actually a Sectoid variant far more dangerous and powerful than any who have come before it with the exception of the Hive Commanders themselves."

"What is immediately noticeable upon performing an autopsy is how similar in stature and size they appear to Humans. At this moment I cannot completely confirm if the similarities are intentional, or they simply wished to emulate other bipedal alien species, Vitakarians being chief among possible inspirations."

"The psionic power, while it appears is not as extensive as our own psions, has already proven to be exceptionally dangerous to non-psions, and reports from the encounters themselves demonstrate an alien with invasive and precognitive telepathic capabilities which seem far too complex for a Sectoid which is not a Hive Commander."

"While the physical appearance of this Sectoid may be a coincidence, what is not is that it is a direct response to our own means of disrupting the species. Based on such a rapid evolution, I can only presume that the genetic virus introduced was successful and forced the Hive Commanders to consider us a serious threat enough to develop a specimen that is dangerous to us."

"The questions that need to be answered are these: How dangerous are these aliens, and is there an effective way of stopping them without resorting to psionics ourselves?"

Audio Notes of Dr. Raymond Shen

"While the Hive Commanders are repugnant and amoral beings, I cannot deny that there is a certain artistry with which they create their tools of war. The armor itself which covers these Sectoids is both protective without hindering mobility and possesses a glossy smoothness that implies a certain delicacy which one would not expect from the thick and crude armor of a Muton."

"As much as we enjoyed the Sectoids not practicing standard means of protecting their soldiers, we suspected in time the Hive Commanders would make some kind of effort, and that has come to pass with these Sectoids. Fortunately, the armor itself is composed of a medium-density alloy, and is perfectly capable of being eventually pierced by sustained gauss fire. It is also vulnerable to plasma, although resistant to laser and other energy weapons."

"What is most interesting is the gauntlet on their wrists. We were unfortunately only able to recover one intact, but even that has yielded some preliminary insights. The device is incredibly complex and delicate, which is why most were damaged upon recovery. The gauntlet is composed of multiple 'pins' which, when arranged in a certain way, allow the wearer to channel psionic energy into it, and the gauntlet will form the energy into a tool or weapon. We observed these Sectoids creating psionic shields and energy blades, but that might not be the only thing it can create."

"I find it interesting that out of all the aliens, the Sectoids are the only ones who consistently integrate psionics into their technology. It is apparent in the very base we are now in, all of their spacecraft requires a psionic connection to the pilot, and now some of their weapons do as well. The Ethereals are more powerful, but they very clearly keep psionics and technology apart, and an argument can be made that the Sectoids are putting this power to better use than the Ethereals have."

"I am loathe to imitate the Sectoids, but this is one area that is worth further investigation. The more we can harness and integrate psionics, the more options we have in dealing with the aliens themselves."

Report:

Overview, Physiology, Psionic Abilities, and Countermeasures sections written by Dr. Moira Vahlen

Equipment section written by Dr. Raymond Shen

Overview: After a complete autopsy of several of these "Sectoid Vanguards" (What Magus Fatima gleaned from one of the aliens who referenced them with the designation), I can come to the conclusion that this may be one of, if not the most dangerous specimens the Sectoids have yet created. On its own, the Vanguard is lethal against unprotected soldiers, but the troubling implications come in that this is clearly a proof-of-concept, and the Sectoids are unlikely to forego expansion on this concept.

Physiology: While I cannot be sure of the accuracy of this, it appears that the Sectoids are capable of directly manipulating the psionic potential of Humans. There are several reasons for this, namely that the psionic markers that are present in all Human psions are also present in Vanguards. The psionic markers that we had previously identified in Sectoids are no longer there, and have been replaced by ones which, while technically not Human genetics, are identical in every way.

This indicates both that the Sectoids consider Humans psionically superior, and that they can modify their power to suit their needs. Furthermore, while there is actually a small amount of genetic deviance between several of the Vanguard corpses we have (They appear to now be using templates, instead of identical clones), the psionic markers are exactly the same. If I was to establish a Trask level for the Vanguards, based on previous data, they would be placed in the 20-35 range. This is obviously nowhere near the full potential of a Human, and that means they will likely try to only make them more powerful in the future.

Physically, each and every Vanguard stands at six feet, two inches. The skin is no longer a grey-white, but a pinkish color which I presume is a side-effect of integrating human-based genetics. Aside from the muscle mass being greatly increased to Human-size proportions, the hands and feet are largely unchanged, just adjusted for the current heights.

The cranium is noticeably smaller and skull-shaped than previous Sectoids, although still distinctly irregular. The eyes no longer are the orange orbs, but instead pure black with no noticeable pupils. This change does not appear to have affected their eyesight, and appears to be another side effect of Human-like genetics. The eye shape itself is also noticeably rounded and closer to a Human's even if the radius is ultimately larger.

The mouth, like the previous Sectoids, is non-existent. The vocal cords that allow the Sectoid to communicate in their odd chitters are still intact, allowing some level of verbal communication, even if the primary method of communication is telepathy. The endurance and strength of these Vanguards is at minimum equal to an above-average Human, but they would be unlikely to overpower one of our soldiers.

Psionic Abilities: The Vanguards appear to primarily specialize in the telepathic discipline of psionics; not unexpected, but they are considerably more dangerous as a result. Reports by ADVENT and our own soldiers indicate that the Vanguards appear to form some kind of psionic 'link' with a target, which isn't powerful enough to affect their mind, but it does allow them to predict actions, which is a deadly advantage.

Furthermore, there is speculation that Vanguards can also form this link with other Vanguards, but as a means to share information, which in this instance, allows every Vanguard to predict the actions of an entire enemy force. The sheer amount of complexity and delicacy needed to execute just one of these feats is daunting, and yet the Vanguards do not appear to have many difficulties performing these feats.

In addition, they also have demonstrated minor telekinetic and defensive abilities; several Vanguards used small shields to protect themselves from aerial bombardments or sniper shots. They also use their telepathy offensively, causing sudden panic attacks, betrayals, disorientation, and other forms of mental damage. An individual Vanguard does not appear to be able to affect more than one victim at a time, but considering how simple telepathy is to use on an unprotected soldier, that does not mean much.

Equipment: The majority of this section will focus on the psionic gauntlet these Vanguards wear, as the armor itself is nothing special outside of its aesthetic, and the wrist plasma cannon is only a slightly more powerful iteration of the weapon used by previous Sectoid units. The gauntlet itself is the only truly unique piece of equipment used, and is different even compared to other Sectoid technology.

First, the gauntlet itself is not a simple attachment, but would be better referred to as an implant. Cybernetics extended from the gauntlet to implants on the arm which connected directly to parts of the brain, much like how our Archangel and MEC programs work. I imagine this was necessary because it allows the wearer to more accurately direct psionic energy into the gauntlet, as well as modify the formation of the pins which determine what the gauntlet does.

Theoretically, the pins can be configured in near-infinite combinations, all of which would make the gauntlet do something different. In practice, it is best used by the Vanguards as a literal shield and psionic sword. Both are directly formed out of psionic energy, and are nearly impossible to destroy as long as the wearer maintains the energy they put into it. What is interesting is that the gauntlet can directly manipulate the psionic energy, no matter the specialization of the wearer, and produce the same thing every time.

In theory, this could lead to an entire arsenal of psionic-based weapons and armor that only need psionic energy to perform specific functions. Just from this gauntlet, it could be converted to fire psionic bolts of energy, or create a directed telekinetic field. I do not think the Sectoids designed the gauntlet with this in mind, nor do I think they truly comprehend the importance of what they have gifted us, else they would have ensured that these gauntlets do not just break upon death, but are destroyed beyond any hope of recovery.

My team is already looking into this possibility, and we know we can eventually reverse-engineer the gauntlet itself shortly. It is only a matter of time.

Countermeasures: There are three main ways to neutralize Vanguards as of the time of writing this document:

1. Psionic support: Vanguards, while they are extremely dangerous to ordinary soldiers, are not a threat to any trained psion and can be dispatched without much trouble.

2. Sniper fire: The telepathic abilities of the Vanguards to link with their opponents is noticeably ineffective against long-ranged attacks, where they cannot predict the exact location of shots. This does not guarantee that snipers will always kill the Vanguards, but they have a better chance than soldiers, especially since Vanguards have notably eschewed cover in favor of their gauntlet shields.

3. Aerial attacks: Unsurprisingly, Vanguards are both rarely capable of surviving or predicting direct rocket blasts or A-10 bombardments. Every instance where this was carried out has had a success rate of 100%, and should be a default tactic until anti-telepathy measures are developed.

Additional Alien Comments and Notations:

[Sala'voriah'melonda, Vitakarian scientist and alien assistant to XCOM]: An interesting development to say the absolute least. Having limited experience with the Sectoids as a species, I am well aware of their barely hidden xenophobia and disdain for our own species, so the fact that they have actually gone to the effort of integrating genetic alternatives from other species is a much greater point than you seem to think it is.

Sectoids as a rule consider other species inferior from social, emotional, and genetic standpoints, so the fact that these Vanguards have clear Human-based traits in them is an extremely high compliment in an ironic way. The Sectoids making an effort to diversify their forces is also an understated development; you must have made them extremely scared to take these kind of steps.

I'm more disturbed by how quickly they were able to make these. They can't have been developed in more than a few months, and if they were begun earlier than that, it means the Sectoids have been preparing for this for a long time, or they can see the future. The alternative is that they were able to determine what Human genetics they needed, recreate them, design the Vanguard, and grow them in the span of months.

I don't even know if Ethereals could do it that fast. That is greatly concerning, and like Dr. Vahlen noted, this will likely not be the last.

[H'Osarra, Andromedon Xenochemist of the Federation Military]: The Federation has been anticipating a development of such a unit for some time. It was not a matter of if the Greater Hive Commanders would eventually move to the development of military units, but when. I suspect that this has been an ongoing project over a period of years, and only now have the Hive Commanders decided to use this conflict as justification for the development of purely psionic units.

Contrary to the Vitakarian's assessment, this could have easily been done from the beginning of the invasion. It is likely the psionic potential of Humans was discovered, and like usual, the Sectoids began experimenting to improve their own selves. Their notion of genetic purity is self-propagated propaganda. The Sectoids don't care about genetic purity, they only care about improving themselves. Now it is true that they generally consider alien genetics, with the possible exception of Ethereals, inferior. But the utilization of superior alien genetics is not out of character for them, nor unexpected.

The deployment of these Vanguards will raise questions within the Federation, and there will only be increased tensions as a result. The Sectoids do not consider your species a threat, nor do many of the Andromedons. The Federation will likely see this as an excuse for the Sectoids to begin the rapid deployment of militarized psionic units, which are a direct threat to our own species.

If Dr. Vahlen is correct, and this is a mere prototype, I would expect one of two things to happen. Upon the deployment of a newer iteration, the Federation will make moves to fully investigate or regulate the production of these units, or the Federation will force the Collective to end this war on Earth in preparations for a war with the Greater Hive Commanders.

I do not believe you fully grasp the threat of the Sectoid War Machine, Commander. While this is a potentially extreme step, there has been growing tension between the Greater Hive Commanders and the Andromedon Federation since the first contact. At some point, something will have to break, and this might be what pushes it over the edge.

[Aegis]: This development of the Sectoids is unexpected. The species is one that is resistant to change, regardless of the circumstances since the rise of the Greater Hive Commanders, and I am skeptical that they would take such an extreme step, both that of integrating alien-based genetics and moving from mono-cloning without outside intervention.

If I was to speculate, your genetic plague worked better than you likely anticipated, and the Battlemaster forced the Hive Commanders to make changes. Undertaking this unprompted would be extremely unusual, and would indicate that the Greater Hive Commanders are preparing for something, likely something that the Imperator has not approved of.

Concerning Dr. Shen's point about the lack of psionically integrated technology as opposed to the Sectoids, the answer is that such technology is unnecessary. It is a dilution of the pure psionic energy. We have no need to further shape psionic energy artificially, when it can be done naturally. Furthermore, the more psionic energy is integrated into technology, the higher the risk of catastrophes happening.

In the days of the Empire, we once encountered a weak psionic species. They were not hostile, but had harnessed their limited power in a variety of different ways. Their weapons, transportation, nearly every aspect of their society had some kind of psionic integration. However, at some point there was a dispute within their species and while we don't know exactly what happened, the planet was soon rendered uninhabitable due to a multitude of psionic explosions which ravaged the planet.

I suspect this was due to several of these species exploiting the psionic energy and making it expand, causing it to explode. Unfortunately, when every aspect of a society is wired with psionics, chain reactions are easy to cause. While the concept is excellent in moderation, expanding it beyond what is necessary only leads to higher risks which your soldiers need not subject yourselves to.