Ethereals: Dossier
Occidera, Nightmaiden of the Creator and Assassin of the Elders
"She strives for something she is never capable of attaining. One cannot become an Ethereal; they can only emulate them."
- The First Guardian of the Ethereal Collective
CODEX LOG 9792
PRISM PROFILE 07
PROFILE = OCCIDERA
PRISM SIMULATIONS ACTIVATED: 1052
VICTORIES ACHIEVED: 372
DEFEATS ACHIEVED: 680
PREMATURE DEACTIVATIONS: 0
ENEMIES DESTROYED: 8221
MOST DESTROYED ENEMY: ADVENT SOLDIER (2811 UNITS DEFEATED)
LEAST DESTROYED ENEMY: ALL UNITS DESIGNATED AS ETHEREALS (0 UNITS DEFEATED) | VENADIAR (0 UNITS DEFEATED)
NEMESIS: VENADIAR (122 DEFEATS TO THIS UNIT)
MOST USED SIMULATION: PARADISE (BLACKSITE OF THE CREATOR)
LEAST USED SIMULATION: ANDROMEDA PRIME SCENARIO 4 (0 USES)
UNITS WITH ZERO DEATHS ON THIS PROFILE:
- THE BATTLEMASTER
- THE FIRST GUARDIAN
- THE SECOND GUARDIAN
- VENADIAR
- AEGIS
- SPECTRE
- SICARIUS
NOTES ON COMBAT
STRENGTHS:
- EXCELLENT USAGE OF PSIONIC TELEPORTATION
- EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE AGAINST STANDARD ENEMIES
- EXCELLENT ASSASSINATION CAPABILITIES
- GOOD PERFORMANCE AGAINST MELEE OPPONENTS
- GOOD PSIONIC USAGE
- ABOVE-AVERAGE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
- ABOVE-AVERAGE SITUATIONAL ADAPTABILITY
WEAKNESSES:
- POOR PERFORMANCE AGAINST HOSTILE PSIONS
- POOR PERFORMANCE AGAINST MULTIPLE OPPONENTS
- POOR PERFORMANCE AGAINST LONG-RANGE OPPONENTS
- POOR PERFORMANCE IN OPEN COMBAT
- INCAPABLE OF DEFEATING ETHEREAL-LEVEL OPPONENTS
- INCAPABLE OF EFFECTIVE SPACE COMBAT
MOST RECENT SIMULATION: EARTH DESERT CITY 2
MOST RECENT VICTORY: EARTH SMALL CITY 7
LAST KILLED ENEMY: XCOM SNIPER
MOST RECENT DEFEAT: EARTH DESERT CITY 2
DEFEATED BY UNIT: N/A (STEPPED ON EXPLOSIVE ORDINANCE. OPPONENTS FOLLOWED UP WITH SUSTAINED AERIAL BOMBARDMENT)
To the Zar'Chon,
Despite the operation against Mexico not performing entirely as expected, we gathered significant and more accurate data on ADVENT defenses and personnel than had been known before. The intelligence gathered by Zararch agents, while appreciated, did not paint a complete picture of their capabilities as has been proven beyond any doubt.
Our soldiers were initially kept away from a foolish charge forward, as it was clear that any kind of advance would simply cut our soldiers apart by ADVENT weapons and explosives, but as a result, our own options in responding were severely limited. The capabilities of their 'Flak Towers' were far more than anticipated, and we lost the majority of our air superiority in the opening stages. I suspect ADVENT is already stripping the Fighters of their valuable components.
Long ranged attacks were more effective, and I use this word sparingly as 'effective' in this case translates to 'occasionally scored a hit'. The vast majority of ADVENT forces were in trenches built into the ground in a ring around the city, and it was difficult for snipers to get an accurate shot at the exceptionally small openings. ADVENT was not hindered by this, even if we eventually erected defenses of our own.
Our artillery and mechanical units also performed well below expected, as they suffered severe damage before even getting into the appropriate range from concentrated ADVENT fire, missile and artillery strikes. ADVENT had also seeded the battlefield with buried explosives and mines, which further damaged our units. Cyberdisks were close to useless, and Sectopods only fired a limited number of missiles at best.
Our most effective unit was the one that identified herself as Occidera, an Ethereal observer or so I was led to believe. While she was not able to be ordered about, she did assist in the operation to the best of her abilities. She first managed to cross to the ADVENT line and returned, with detailed layouts and intel about the defenses we were facing.
This allowed us to coordinate our own forces better, and prevent any more needless losses. Occidera returned to the enemy lines, with the goal of assassinating ranking officers and sabotaging critical equipment. There did appear to be disruptions noticed by our forces, although they were unfortunately not enough for us to gain a significant advantage.
She returned later, heavily wounded and explained that ADVENT had eventually forced her back, and that there were enemy psions in their ranks. The danger of telepathy was very clear, although if they had that capability, I had suspected they would have used it by now. She then informed me that she would have to have a reprieve from the operation to heal, and I allowed it.
I confess to not being aware of the capabilities of the Elders, but I genuinely do not know what Occidera is, nor do I know why more like her are not assisting. Even one allowed us to salvage something of this failed operation, and a larger number could perhaps be enough to turn our defeats into victories. I would ask that you inquire with the Elders about the possibility of having more of her kind be deployed.
Further details and documentation is enclosed in this message.
- Runi'satta'borelia, Runianarch Ground Commander
XCOM Profile 171
Authorization Level: XCOM Intelligence
Subject: Occidera (Sanctioned Ethereal Assassin)
Threat Level: High
Assessment Author: Abigail Gertrude; Aegis
Approved by: The Commander of XCOM; Shaojie Zhang, Director of XCOM Intelligence
SECTION 1: Physical Characteristics
Hair: None seen
Eye color: Solid Orange (Comparable to an Ethereal or Andromedon)
Skin color: Dark Purple
Height: 8'0" – 8'7" (Height unable to be accurately determined from footage)
Weight: 220 – 260 lbs. (Weight unable to be accurately determined from footage)
Age: 5 – 200 Years (Same situation as Senorium, Aegis assumes that this one was made at, or around the same time as Senorium. The similarities to Andromedons also give some credence to the idea that this one could actually be older)
Scars or markings: None seen. With how quickly it regenerates, it seems impossible to actually achieve.
Physical condition: Extent is unknown, but it certainly didn't get tired, and getting shot in the fucking head and coming back implies that it at least has some resilience.
SECTION 2: Assessment
I suppose that since I've been the one to interact with this…alien…the most, it makes sense that I'm the one to write this. Fair enough, but I'm not really sure it's going to be the ultimate guidebook to these things.
Anyway.
I first encountered this alien in Australia; it had managed to track down our cell and presumably proceeded to kill everyone in the area viciously. From exchanges between myself and the alien, this was likely not the only attack, and it's likely that she is the reason the Australian Resistance cell is, for all intents and purposes, dead.
I will also note that while I refer to this alien as a female…considering what I saw in Busan, I'm not sure it actually is one gender or another. The figure itself is very slim and agile, but the voice is distinctively raspy and deep, which I would put down to a throat condition or injury, except that nothing seems to hurt these aliens. It's possible she sounds like this because she was once another alien, likely an Andromedon from the physiology, and can't really change the effects that has.
Or it can be put to Ethereal tampering. This Creator sounds like someone who would like designing something as unnatural as this.
Addendum: Aegis – Without a doubt.
I am convinced I would have died if not for the intervention of the Chronicler, and the rest of the time they fought, I was trying to get Harper and the survivors out of there. Needless to say that, while I'm not a psion, she appears to be very skilled in some kind of psionic teleportation and other offensive abilities. She appears to be skilled with a sword as well, or it can be chalked up to the Chronicler not being as skilled.
Addendum: Aegis – Teleportation is an exceptionally difficult skill to learn, much less employ repeatedly in a combat situation. The fact that she can do this easily implies that she is highly skilled, even if not necessarily as powerful as the Warlock.
Either way, that was the last I saw of her until Busan, so I'll skip to that. I'll say that was very interesting since she wasn't after us, but instead her 'brother', as she called him (Even though they look nothing alike). I'm assuming I'll be helping with that write-up too, but I'll just focus on her.
I haven't really mentioned her impossible regeneration abilities, so I'll spend some time on that now. This alien can't seem to die. Even the Chronicler said he'd likely just delayed her, and not actually killed her. I'm going to list the injuries that should have killed her:
- Getting shot in the head
- Getting stabbed in the head
- Having multiple limbs chopped off
- Getting nanites thrown at her
For once, when an alien says they can't die, I'm actually starting to believe this one. I can't think of any reason how this could possibly work. Maybe nanotech, but even that seems absurdly powerful, and when her limb was chopped off, she just reattached it in the field. I guess this means that they can't regrow limbs, at least not instantaneously.
This is still very bad for us. I'm not counting on her being nice like that all the time.
Addendum: Aegis – I will briefly address the possibility of the origin of this alien. If we believe that Senorium was once a Muton, it is not out of the realm of possibility to believe she could have repeated the process with another alien species. The Creator is capable of it, and a mad experiment such as this is what she specializes at.
Her extreme regeneration capabilities are strange, as not even Ethereals have such resilience. I am currently at a loss as to how such a being can function. As this is the conclusion I come to, I am beginning to suspect more and more that the Creator has been more liberal in her usage of Sovereign technology, as no other explanation makes sense.
SECTION 3: Psychological Assessment
Explain to me how, exactly, I am supposed to know this?
Do you want me to guess? Alright, I can do my best.
She answers to the Ethereals, and doesn't have a problem with killing us. There.
Probably not good enough, so I'll elaborate.
At the very minimum, she doesn't appear to be some kind of fanatic like Senorium is. She mentioned answering to some Ethereals, but that isn't really uncommon. I would say that out of the Creator's trio of immortal aliens, she is the 'professional' one. She is given a job, completes it, and waits for the next one.
She does to some extent appear to have some flexibility. She actually worked with us to bring down the Hunter, which is…surprisingly open-minded. At minimum I think we can say that she doesn't have a burning hatred of aliens, or if she does, she can put it aside for the sake of her assignment. She would have killed us if we'd tried to stop her, of course, but the fact that she just left when she had her brother implies that she at least holds to her word.
Speaking of that, I'm getting the impression that these Chosen do not like each other. The Hunter mentioned that he'd wanted to shoot her in the head "For a very long time" and I assume the feeling was mutual. Can't really blame her for hating the Hunter, honestly, I'd have been tempted to cut his tongue out too.
So yeah, her motivations seem to be tied to the Ethereals. They point, she kills, so to speak.
Addendum: Aegis – This is highly in contrast to Senorium, and given the state of the Hunter, I am somewhat surprised these originated in all likelihood, from the Creator. Calm, rational, and following orders is not something she usually supports, which then implies that these aliens have more free will than I'd initially assumed.
From the descriptions, this is an alien that would be commissioned by the Battlemaster or Quisilia, not the Creator herself. I suspect there is some reason we simply cannot see.
SECTION 4: Concerns and Abilities
I'll keep the list short:
- She can teleport
- She can use offensive psionics
- She can easily kill anything that isn't a psion or enhanced
- She can get shot in the head, and be fine
- She really can't be killed
I don't know what else I can really add to this. Vahlen's probably looking over the body parts I brought back, but even knowing that, I'm not sure that is going to help. These seem to be aliens that you can't kill, so much as drive back. Maybe a nuke or nanoweapon would kill them, but regular weapons and even psionics don't seem reliable.
Given her designation as an "Assassin" indicates that she'll probably not appear in open combat much, if at all. She'll instead target officers, leaders, sabotage equipment, and so on. Anyone who uses her in any other capacity is an idiot, and since the Battlemaster is still in charge, I don't think that's going to happen.
In terms of power, I think we have quite a few that could beat her. In fact, the only reason I lived against the Hunter was because he made a bad decision that cost him his arm. Otherwise, he was easily outclassing her in combat. We could probably do the same thing. The problem isn't fighting her, but actually managing to kill her.
We can't beat something we can't kill.
With that said, from what I've seen, I'd put her at the bottom of Chosen we have to worry about. Senorium is more likely to be fought by us, and the thought of the Hunter showing up again is legitimately terrifying. Compared to him, the Assassin is vastly preferable and manageable.
A curious alien to encounter. Almost child-like in her manipulation of Psionics. She understands the basics, but not how best to use them. Her telepathic defenses were also very…minimal. She does not understand how to defend against such masters of telepathy, and as a result…what she is and where she came from has been…enlightening.
This Creator…she is toying with exceptionally dangerous forces if what I saw in her mind is accurate. The Blacksite of Paradise, the unnatural experimentations, the figures in cloaks…something that has not been encountered in millennia. He has learned to be more careful, if he is truly behind the Creator.
But if that is the case, these little aliens do seem to be possessed of some free will.
The fanatic is not worth considering, and the failure is simply more trouble than he is worth, although highlights that these aliens are not bound by some kind of conditioning. A foolish oversight by this Creator, and one which is sadly expected in her arrogance.
With this alien, there is a similar zeal to the fanatic, but a more controlled one. She does not wish to worship the Elders, but strive to be them. In her own way, she is as devoted as the fanatic is. She has dedicated her life to them, and seeks to simply be viewed by them with pride. It is not even about the Creator, but ones such as the Battlemaster and even the Guardians.
Even she seems to realize the Creator is doing things she should not be, but is bound to her all the same. Yet that does not stop her from idolizing other Ethereals from afar. For that was the desire I saw in her mind – Acceptance, pride, victory. All these are her motivations and goals. She, ironically, wishes the same thing as the heretic, to not just be the champion of the Creator, but all Ethereals.
Unfortunate she will never attain such. She will spend her days striving and perhaps one day she will realize that no matter what she does, she will never come close to matching them, much less gaining their approval.
And when that time comes, it will break her spirit forever. Far kinder for her to be killed if I encounter her once more.
- Notes of the Chronicler – Alien Encounter in Australia