Mutons: Unit

The Praetorian Guard

"I'm not joking when I say that Muton is probably smarter than you. And no, that isn't an insult."

- Quisilia

CODEX Log 1100

Subject: Praetorian Guard Latest Iteration

Location: Blacksite ***

Author: Geneticist Revelean

The Muton genome, the more I research it, is one of the most confusing and infuriating I have had the displeasure of witnessing. I suppose that this is the price we pay for encountering such a primitive species and deciding to subjugate it. The Muton genome has some of the most highly varied intelligence and perception sequences I have ever seen in a species.

The problem is that all are severely regressive and their evolution has prioritized the idiot Mutons that are common today. It is mildly upsetting to see a species that could be one of the most intelligent have the mental capacity of…well, a Muton.

The Praetorian Project was to unlock the hidden potential of the Muton species, and I am rather pleased to say that, for the most part, it has been largely successful. We can produce Mutons that are stronger, smarter, and better than anything the females can produce on their own. These are not able to be created naturally, although I suppose future iterations could fix this issue. All current batches are male, so as the template is largely completed, it is wise to move onto the remaining gender.

In addition to their heightened intelligence, I have also streamlined their physical stature to not be as cumbersome. Mutons are strong, but they are naturally clumsy. By trimming their bulk, they have a greater range of motion and any strength lost is made up with in MELD enhancements built into the body itself. As a result, even the weakest Praetorian can defeat a Berserker in melee combat, although I would personally attribute this to their heightened intelligence complimenting their strength.

To look upon a Muton Praetorian is to look upon one of the deadliest creatures in the galaxy. Their eyesight takes genetic material from the Dath'Haram, and the finest of the Zararch snipers, leading to Praetorians rarely missing their shots. Their skin has taken our own Ethereal genetics to harden it against the elements and weapons, with their own natural healing greatly improved. And their minds are at their fullest potential, certainly ones to rival the best of the leaders of the Runianarch. I am personally amused that the larger the Praetorian is, the smarter it would be, which is contrary to what many people assume.

Not without reason, but I have made a point to make them pay dearly for that perception.

Sadly, I have been unable to lower the gestation period for even the smallest Praetorian. While the results are certainly worth it, I do not advise we use these frivolously. It takes nearly five standard galactic years to fully grow, and losing large amounts of Praetorians would be utterly crippling and impossible to replace in a timely manner.

However, we will not lose them easily. In addition to their other abilities, I have ensured that their minds are immune to psionic interference – aside from the backdoor of sorts I have developed for only the Ethereals. They are genetically incapable of betraying us, and no hostile psion or Sovereign One will be able to gain control of their minds without destroying it in the process.

With this breakthrough, we should begin looking to apply it towards the more general Muton masses. An army's use is questionable when it can be dominated by one persistent psion.

I have been "encouraged" to document my experiences here to "reflect and learn" from them after my various trials. The Imperator quite likes using words like that; very smooth and flowing. He likes to try and make whatever he is saying sound like the Most Important thing you've ever heard.

Probably just in my head. No one's the same around him.

Regardless, whatever he said wasn't applicable to me. There was nothing they could throw at me that I can't kill. Failed Zararch agents, Mutons, Berserkers, compromised Runianarch or Fectorian's augmented soldiers, very little of it poses a challenge. You just pick them up and crush them. Most of the time they're either dead or too panicked to really think about doing anything smart.

And so they die. Usually quickly, unless I want to practice. Mutons are best for that. Easier than killing actually thinking aliens. Vitakara sound too much like Humans when they die. I don't like it.

As of the time of writing this, I have only actually been defeated twice. Both times by a Muton of all fucking things. But I'm very, very certain that this isn't a normal Muton. From how Cogitian described it, the "Praetorians", as they are called, are the absolute pinnacle of Muton evolution; likely a project of Revelean's.

I really want to know the justification for taking the Muton – already rather dangerous to a non-psion, and wanting to make it smarter. I suppose the Ethereals haven't figured out that you want either a large disposable army, or a smaller but loyal army. You cannot have both. It will inevitably lead to a disgruntled soldier deciding he's had enough and convincing a large number of followers to participate in a rebellion.

Foresight appears to belong to none, other than the Imperator it seems. They just keep creating and sculpting without much regard for the consequences. One of these days they're going to make something they can't control, and it's going to get one of them killed. It'll probably come from the Creator. Even the few stories I've heard make her sound like the type to do something that idiotic.

"Creator." Ethereals are certainly impressive with their naming capabilities.

Still not as bad as Zararch's intel reports though.

Returning to the actual subject, which is me losing to this Praetorian, the first time it caught me by surprise. I was facing the standard Muton team in the arena; six soldiers and a Berserker. So I naturally blew the soldiers back with enough force to crush them into the force fields, and decided to toy with the Berserker a little bit.

The problem was, as I watched the replay, one of the Mutons got back up while I focused on the Berserker. The Praetorian had put on the armor of a regular soldier, and I guess they're more durable because it didn't seem harmed. Once my back was turned it just threw a plasma grenade which blew off half of my body – honestly shocked it didn't just kill me, and then promptly shot my free hand, which I barely felt since half my body was blown up.

That hurt. At least I blacked out rather quickly. I do remember wondering what the fuck had happened.

That taught me a very valuable lesson: "Always confirm your kills." No more telekinetic pushes for me, snapped necks if I can. I've been very sure to kill any soldiers I fight; damn Praetorians made me paranoid.

The second time was…technically not directly because of a Praetorian, but more indirectly. As far as I know, whenever they send out the grunts to fight, they don't give them any plan. They just try and kill me. Fair enough, same thing for me. Sometimes they like to coordinate, or at least try before I pulverize them, but it almost never goes anywhere.

So, same Muton setup for this one. This was after the first incident. I knew what was coming, and I was prepared. Or I thought so until plasma grenades started flying towards me from the doors as the Berserker charged out. I caught and redirected the grenades, but by that time the Berserker was already on me and I had to focus everything on it.

Then I look up to see more grenades flying towards me – while I was trying to kill this Berserker – and I had to push it back and get out of the blast radius. That is where the first plasma bolt hits me. In the stomach, thankfully, and then I noticed that the regular Mutons had worked themselves into a semi-circle around me, the one in the back has a plasma grenade launcher, and is happily chucking them at me.

I killed several of the soldiers, though the Berserker sliced my arm up so it was essentially unusable, but I finally killed her with rather rage-filled crush. Which promptly resulted in me getting shot in the back by the surviving Mutons, and I don't remember how it ended, except I think I was too close to another grenade.

Come to find out that group of Mutons had been managed by a Praetorian who wanted to see if he could beat me.

Rather pleasant for a Muton. He quite helpfully told me how he did it and pointed out how easily I was able to be overwhelmed if I ever become unbalanced. The Imperator keeps saying to make trustworthy allies when you can, and much to my surprise, I now have a Praetorian advisor who actually isn't that bad to talk to.

I think he's actually smarter than me. A Muton. Lovely.

Muton or not, he's useful and that's what matters. I don't like the idea of fighting another one of these things, because going off my track record, there's a very good chance I'll lose again. I know these Praetorians share information, and they are probably already thinking of ways to beat me.

They're a good challenge though. I'll say that for sure.

- Personal Journal of Yang Shuren

I am different.

It is not obvious on the Temple Ship of the Imperator. It is merely what is expected here. There are only the Elders and those they find favor with. There are only the other Praetorians left. We do what we must in service to the Elders, but rarely are we allowed to glimpse what is beyond it. I do not know why.

We are not ignorant. I don't even know if the Elders realize what they have made us. We read, we are curious, and it is not natural. I know that now. I, nor the rest of us, are not supposed to be like this. We are the product of an inferior species the Elders have decided to uplift, either because they care or because they see us as useful.

We know about the Collective, the conflicts, the factions, and we keep ourselves separate from it, as it is not our purpose. But we hold opinions that our species should not be capable of possessing. I think of myself as independent, but after seeing how…slow and stupid our supposed brethren are, I do not know how this was even achieved.

Mutons are not supposed to be like we are. It is unnatural, and as a result, we are unnatural.

Perhaps they keep us here because they are afraid we would be offended at the operation which churns out their soldiers? If so, it is a misplaced fear. Those are so far removed from our kind as to be unrecognizable. I suspect the Sargons feel the same, even if they are technically inferior to us. But they too realize that our species alone is a failure. The Mutons deserve no better than what they have received.

If we are the result of the Elders attempts to improve them, than that is something to be thankful for and not to be condemned. When working with such a…limited species, anything is acceptable to improve upon it.

I don't know if I should feel this way towards a species that I came from. Yet whenever I see one of the simple Mutons I become exasperated and frustrated. Instinctively I know they are inferior. I feel apathy towards the thousands of dead Muton children because I know they would not have amounted to much even if they lived.

They are not my kind; I cannot consider them such.

Perhaps one day the Mutons will only be like us, and the inferiority of the past will be purged forever. I can only hope towards that day.

- Record of Praetorian 072, of the Temple Ship of the Imperator