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CTD - Psionic Theory


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  • 2 weeks later...

All right, I've taken out the part mentioning Xenium because it really should belong in the actual Psi-Amp text.

 

This is the (hopefully) final draft. Any last comments?

 

[Psionic Theory]

 

After initial encounters with several psionically-capable Alien entities, we began to realize that fanciful tales of telepathy and amazing mental feats were perhaps not as far-fetched as originally thought. Soldiers in the field have made distressing reports of Aliens being “in their head” and field commanders have begun making contingency plans should their soldiers fall inexplicably under Alien control. Fortunately, our scientists have finally pieced together a working [Psionic Theory] to bolster our understanding of these paranormal abilities, and hopefully, our capacity to counter them. Under this theory, the two primary measures of psionic competence are psi potential and psi skill, the former determining the brute strength of the individual's will, the latter determining how effectively the individual can command it.  Though psi potential is immutable, psi skill can be trained in dedicated facilities.

 

[Psionic Theory] has been quite an unusual research topic in more than one respect.  Though most research conducted in Xenocide bases involves Alien specimens and artifacts in an attempt to further our understanding of our enemy and their technology, [Psionic Theory] has, for once, allowed us the opportunity to further our understanding of our own nature.

 

Unlike other research we have conducted thus far, our understanding of psionic fields comes from equal parts trial-and-error, scientific method, and just plain luck. Our first attempts to understand psionics were utter and complete failures; our scientists just didn't know where to begin- or even how to approach such an ambiguous subject. Without additional clues, our research teams found it difficult to tease out solid details within the psionic disciplines.

 

Fortuitously, vital hints were uncovered from observations of live, psionically-proficient Alien prisoners.  In two separate incidents, incarcerated Aliens breached [Alien Containment], the first due to inadequate security measures, the other due to artifice, with both leading to significant upgrades in containment security.  Because each Alien escape attempt involved prisoners of different psionic Alien races, we were able to collect crucial information concerning the nature of psionics.

 

By scrutinizing medical data and environmental logs gathered from each incident, we pinpointed deviations in key markers and subsequently devised and launched a series of trial-and-error experiments attempting to replicate these biological and physiological alterations in volunteer test subjects. Although the majority of these tests were inconclusive, several individuals were found to exhibit an unusual affinity for psi-related tasks. By concentrating our remaining efforts on these candidates, our researchers gained a clearer understanding of the mechanics behind actively focusing and projecting psionic intent.

 

According to our studies, psionic fields (more popularly called "brain-waves" by base personnel) are normally a byproduct of neural networks found in sentient creatures. However, we have discovered that it is actually possible to force feedback into a neural network with a strong enough psionic field. The actual process by which one sentient creature psionically influences another is similar in principle to magnetic induction: an electrical current can be induced by the presence of a magnetic field; correspondingly, a neural impulse can be induced by the presence of a psionic field. By focusing and wielding his/her psionic field, the would-be psionicist can subtly influence the neural chemistry of the target, causing a result ranging from no effect to total mind control. The severity of such a mental assault depends on the psionic field strength generated by the assailant and how effectively it is wielded, as well as the psionic field strength of the resisting target.

 

We have concluded that there are two main indexes for psionic ability: psi potential and psi skill. These indexes are scored on an arbitrary scale from 0-100, with zero denoting virtually no ability and 100 denoting the most extreme cases observed. Due to the somewhat capricious nature of the scale, it may be possible to obtain scores above 100.

 

Psi potential is an assessment of the psionic field strength of an individual. We suspect that psi potential is hereditary, but we currently lack the time and resources to confirm this hypothesis. High psi potential scores indicate a natural talent for psionics, and individuals possessing them are capable of both generating potent psionic impulses as well as shielding themselves from them. Despite the fact that psionic abilities are generally latent in human populations, psi potential appears to subtly manifest itself unconsciously when people “project” their moods. Those exhibiting such keen mental acuities can become, with training, among our most talented psionic personnel, while those with low psi potential scores will be extremely susceptible to malicious psionic intents.

 

Psi skill, on the other hand, measures the proficiency of an individual wielding psionic powers. Unlike psi potential, psi skill can be increased through rigorous discipline and training; however, because humans have no prior experience with psionics, our base personnel are all initially rated with a psi skill of zero. Theoretically, the difference between low and high psi skill scores is akin to wielding a fuzzy blanket versus a surgical scalpel- the difference between projecting a diffuse mood to those in the vicinity and a sharp precise strike against a sole target. Thus, the ability to control psionic intent is much like focusing one’s attention, but with the relatively short attention spans humans possess, strict discipline is necessary during psionic training. Unfortunately, our scientists’ makeshift research devices are not adequate for scientifically assessing and quantitating the psionic indexes of our base personnel- and even less so for screening and training them- but plans for a new state-of-the-art [Psi Lab] facility have been drawn up and finalized in order to accommodate these express purposes.

 

Currently, our ability to use psionics as a weapon has been hindered by the abysmal ranges of human-generated psionic fields, regardless of their strength. Perhaps if psionic awareness and training regimens were enforced during the formative years immediately following birth, humans might fully harness their psionic capabilities; unfortunately for the X-Corps, we do not have the luxury nor the time to raise specially selected psionically-apt children for our immediate and pressing conflict against the Aliens. We must discern a method to expand the “area of influence” covered by human psionic fields before we can wield such mental powers effectively.

 

Using our existing inroads into [Psionic Theory], our scientists speculate that we might be able design a device to amplify the range of human psionic fields. Our scientists have already begun consolidating relevant data for the blueprints of the anticipated [Psi-Amp] device. They are quite eager for the upper brass to give them the go-ahead for the project.

 

Our scientists have also contemplated the possibility and feasibility of psionic shielding, but preliminary studies indicate a particularly steep, if not prohibitive, power requirement. Unfortunately, until we discover a manner to amplify psionic fields, such research will remain beyond our scope.

 

Some personnel have expressed reservations about our research into this field, foreseeing privacy issues and possible discrimination against the less psionically adept. The X-Corps High Command is presently implementing strict regulations regarding the usage of psionics in bases.

 

Man: "Zero?! ZERO?!! Ya stupid pencilneck! Whaddaya mean my friggin' Psi potential is ZERO?! Why, I oughtta..."

Scientist: "Hey, hey, hold on a minute!  I'll show you what it means..." (concentrates a moment)

Scientist: "All right squaddie, go steal the commander's uniform and burn it in the mess hall. Don't interrupt my research further."

Man: "...Yes, master."

- taped excerpt from an inquiry regarding Private Russell Harris’ recent discharge from the X-Corps

Edited by Astyanax
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Well, I will go to sleep right now, but I'll have a look tomorrow morning :)

I'll edit this post and make my comments then

 

Edit: Damn, that's a biiiiig CT, I'll make a new post for my reply

Edited by kafros
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X-Net://Pegasus.net/Alien/Research/Psionic Theory

 

After initial encounters with several psionically-capable Alien entities, we began to realize that fanciful tales of telepathy and amazing mental feats were perhaps not as far-fetched as originally thought. Soldiers in the field have made distressing reports of Aliens being “in their head” and field commanders have been creating contingency plans, should their soldiers fall inexplicably under Alien control. Fortunately, our scientists have finally pieced together a working Psionic Theory to bolster our understanding of this paranormal ability, and hopefully, our capacity to counter them. Under this theory, the two primary measures of psionic competence are psi potential and psi skill, the former determining the brute strength of the individual's will, the latter determining how effectively the individual can command it. Though psi potential is immutable, psi skill can be trained in dedicated facilities.

*Set “these paranormal abilities” to “this paranormal ability”. By reading the whole paragraph, it seems you mean psi skill at that part, which as you say is, the ability to use your psi potential. I think it’s nice overall, and undo my change if you don’t like it, it isn’t important really… :P

*Made-up the second sentence a little

 

Psionic Theory has been quite an unusual research topic in more than one respect. Though most research conducted involves Alien specimens and artefacts in an attempt to further our understanding of our enemy and their technology, we’ve been given the opportunity to better appreciate and comprehend our own nature due to the Psionic Theory.

*“in Xenocide bases” isn’t needed really, because 1) you may not already have 2+ bases, 2)probably this research isn’t conducted at my granny’s country-house, although that would be a hyper-top-secret place :D

*“Our enemy and their technologies”? And, I don’t seem to like “enemy”. I prefer “Aliens”.

*”Further our understanding” is used twice

*”For once” would fit if you talked about Xenocide research in general, which you don’t

*The first sentence doesn’t seem to fit very nice imho, tell me what you think :)

 

Unlike other research we have conducted thus far, our understanding of psionic fields is equally derived from the use of trial-and-error and scientific methods. Our first attempts to understand psionics were utter and complete failures; our scientists couldn’t even guess how to approach such an ambiguous subject. Without additional clues, our research teams found it difficult to tease out solid details within the psionic disciplines.

*Turned “just” into “even”.

*Trial-and-error IS luck :wink1:

*Messed-up with the second sentence. Any better?

 

 

Fortuitously, vital hints were uncovered from observations of live, psi-proficient Alien prisoners. In two separate incidents, incarcerated Aliens breached Xenomorph Holding Facility, the first due to inadequate security measures, the other due to artifice, with both leading to significant upgrades in containment security. However, we were able to collect crucial information concerning the nature of psionics, because each Alien escape attempt was conducted by different psionic Alien species

 

*Psi is the short of psionic/psionically etc, so we can use it instead of them, just like in “psi-proficient”. Psi sounds cool :), although it also exists as :

1 pound per square inch = 6 894.75729 pascals.

*Re-written the last sentence in order to make it sound better.

 

By explicitly scrutinizing environmental and biological factors gathered from XHF logs while and after each incident, we pinpointed deviations in key markers and subsequently devised and launched a series of trial-and-error experiments attempting to replicate these biological and physiological alterations in volunteer test subjects. Although the majority of these tests were inconclusive, several individuals were found to exhibit an unusual affinity for psi-related tasks. By concentrating our remaining efforts on these candidates, a clearer understanding of psionic mechanics was gained.

Done some changes in the sentences (typos, rephrasing, vocabulary changes), ideas remain the same

 

According to our studies, psionic fields (more popularly called neural waves by base personnel) are normally a by-product of neural networks found in sentient creatures. However, we have discovered that it is actually possible to force feedback into a neural network with a strong enough psionic field. The actual process by which one sentient creature psionically influences another is similar in principle to magnetic induction: an electric current can be induced by the presence of an electromagnetic field; correspondingly, a neural impulse can be induced by the presence of a psionic field. By focusing and wielding his psionic field, the potential psionicist can subtly influence the neural chemistry of the target, causing a result ranging from no effect to total mind control. The severity of such a mental assault depends on the psionic field strength generated by the assailant and how effectively it is wielded, as well as the psionic field strength of the resisting target.

*There is an official “brainwave” term, so neural wave field is a nice alternative.

*Various changes…

 

We have concluded that there are two main indexes for psionic ability: psi potential and psi skill. These indexes are scored on an arbitrary scale from 0-100, with zero denoting virtually no ability and 100 denoting the most extreme cases observed. Due to the somewhat capricious nature of the scale, it may be possible to obtain scores above 100.

 

*You talk about psi potential and skill at the 1st or 2nd paragraph. No problem really

Psi potential is an assessment of the psionic field strength of an individual. We suspect that psi potential is hereditary, but we currently lack the time and resources to confirm this hypothesis. High psi potential scores indicate a natural talent for psionics, and individuals possessing them are capable of both generating potent psionic impulses as well as shielding themselves from them. Despite the fact that psionic abilities are generally latent in human populations, psi potential appears to subtly manifest itself unconsciously when people “project” their moods. Those exhibiting such keen mental acuities can become, with training, among our most talented psionic personnel, while those with low psi potential scores will be extremely susceptible to malicious psionic intents.

*hereditary sounds good, although you could make it more tech-y and talk about a “genetic basis which promotes the individuals psi potential” or something :)

 

Psi skill, on the other hand, measures the proficiency of an individual wielding psionic powers. Unlike psi potential, psi skill can be increased through rigorous discipline and training; however, because humans have no prior experience with psionics, our base personnel are all initially rated with a psi skill of zero. Theoretically, the difference between low and high psi skill scores is akin to wielding a fuzzy blanket versus a surgical scalpel- the difference between projecting a diffuse mood to those in the vicinity and a sharp precise strike against a sole target. Thus, the ability to control psionic intent is much like focusing one’s attention, but with the relatively short attention spans humans possess, strict discipline is necessary during psionic training. Unfortunately, our scientists’ makeshift research devices are not adequate for scientifically assessing and quantitating the psionic indexes of our base personnel- and even less so for screening and training them- but plans for a new state-of-the-art Psionic Training Facility have been drawn up and finalized in order to accommodate these express purposes.

 

Currently, our ability to use psionics as a weapon has been hindered by the abysmal ranges of human-generated psionic fields, regardless of their strength. Perhaps if psionic awareness and training regimens were enforced during the formative years immediately following birth, humans might fully harness their psionic capabilities; unfortunately, for the X-Corps, we do not have the luxury or the time to raise specially selected psionically apt children for our immediate and pressing conflict against the Aliens. We must discern a method to expand the “area of influence” covered by human psionic fields before we can wield such mental powers effectively.

Luxury? Time alone should be enough for a reason

 

Using our existing inroads into Psionic Theory, our scientists speculate that we might be able to design a device which will amplify the range of human psionic fields. Our scientists have already begun consolidating relevant data for the blueprints of the anticipated Psionic Amplifier device. They are quite eager for the upper brass to give them the green light for the project.

typos and word changes

 

Our scientists have also contemplated the possibility and feasibility of psionic shielding, but preliminary studies indicate a particularly steep, if not prohibitive, power requirement. Unfortunately, until we discover a manner to amplify psionic fields, such research will remain beyond our scope.

 

Some personnel have expressed reservations about our research into this field, foreseeing privacy issues and possible discrimination against the less psionically adept. The [X-Corps High Command] is presently implementing strict regulations regarding the usage of psionics in bases.

 

Man: "Zero?! ZERO?!! Ya stupid pencilneck! Whaddaya mean my friggin' Psi potential is ZERO?! Why, I oughtta..."

Scientist: "Hey, hey, hold on a minute! I'll show you what it means..." (concentrates a moment)

Scientist: "Alright squaddie, go steal the commander's uniform and burn it in the mess hall. Don't interrupt my research further."

Man: "...Yes, master."

Taped excerpt from an inquiry regarding Private Russell Harris’ recent discharge from the X-Corps

 

Actually, have you heard about “morphogenetic fields”? We could implement it here somehow.

 

More info here: http://www.co-intelligence.org/P-moreonmorphgnicflds.html

 

Overall wonderful! Cool job Asty! :D

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Whoa! I'm going to have to print out the two versions to get a good feel for the changes you've made; scrolling up and down the screen just isn't going to work. :P

 

Thanks for the critique, kafros!

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Trying one's best is good! =b And yes, the comments are very helpful, kafros. Even if I don't use all of them, they allow me to look at the text from a different perspective.

 

Since I'm lazy, so I'll jump right into the text and respond only to a few of the comments directly. I do like a lot of them, and many changes reflect the ideas from your comments, kafros.

 

"trial-and-error IS luck" Hehe, oops :Blush: Though trial-and-error doesn't quite cover being in the right place at the right time...

 

XHF: I'm avoiding using this because I (and most readers, I imagine) don't know what this stands for.

 

brain-waves/neural waves: I had to use brain-waves because it's frequently used in the Psi-Amp CT which is "Complete". I do like "neural waves", but it's out of my hands.

 

Repetition of psi potential and skill: the first paragraph is supposed to be the "summary" paragraph for players who don't want to read the whole text, so I mentioned it in the first paragraph so players who don't want to read will still know about psi skill and potential.

 

hereditary/genetic basis: I don't really want to get too technical about a tangential topic, so I'll leave it as "hereditary" for now.

 

Psi-Amp/Psionic Amplifier: I don't think the name has been finalized yet; I don't see it in the "Final Names for Everything" thread...

 

go-ahead/green light: I'm undecided about this. Both sound about the same to me. Anyone else have an opinion on this?

 

[Psionic Theory]

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Alien/Research/Psionic Theory

 

After initial encounters with several psionically-capable Alien entities, we began to realize that fanciful tales of telepathy and amazing mental feats were perhaps not as far-fetched as originally thought. Soldiers in the field have made distressing reports of Aliens being “in their head” and field commanders have begun making contingency plans should their soldiers fall inexplicably under Alien control. Fortunately, our scientists have finally pieced together a working [Psionic Theory] to bolster our understanding of this paranormal ability, and hopefully, our capacity to counter it. Under this theory, the two primary measures of psionic competence are psi potential and psi skill, the former determining the brute strength of the individual's will, the latter determining how effectively the individual can command it.  Though psi potential is immutable, psi skill can be trained in dedicated facilities.

 

[Psionic Theory] has been quite different from other research topics in at least two respects.  Though most research is conducted on Alien specimens and artifacts to further our understanding of them, [Psionic Theory] instead gave us the opportunity to better appreciate and comprehend our own nature.

 

Also, unlike other research we have conducted thus far, our understanding of psionic fields comes from an unusual amount of trial-and-error and good fortune. Our first attempts to understand psionics were utter and complete failures; our scientists just didn't know where to begin- or even how to approach such an ambiguous subject. Without additional clues, our research teams found it difficult to tease out solid details within the psionic disciplines.

 

Fortuitously, vital hints were uncovered from observations of live, psi-proficient Alien prisoners.  In two separate incidents, incarcerated Aliens briefly escaped from confinement, the first due to inadequate security measures, the other due to artifice, with both leading to significant upgrades in containment security.  These breakout attempts allowed us to see and monitor the use psionics for the first time.

 

By scrutinizing environmental and biological data gathered from Xenomorph Holding Facility logs during each incident, we pinpointed deviations in key markers and subsequently devised and launched a series of trial-and-error experiments attempting to replicate these biological and physiological alterations in volunteer test subjects. Although the majority of these tests were inconclusive, several individuals were found to exhibit an unusual affinity for psi-related tasks. By concentrating our remaining efforts on these candidates, our researchers slowly began to understand basic psionic mechanics.

 

According to our studies, psionic fields (more popularly called "brain-waves" by base personnel) are normally a byproduct of neural networks found in sentient creatures. However, we have discovered that it is actually possible to force feedback into a neural network with a strong enough psionic field. The actual process by which one sentient creature psionically influences another is similar in principle to magnetic induction: an electrical current can be induced by the presence of a magnetic field; correspondingly, a neural impulse can be induced by the presence of a psionic field. By focusing and wielding his/her psionic field, a psionicist can subtly influence the neural chemistry of the target, causing a result ranging from no effect to total mind control. The severity of such a mental assault depends on the psionic field strength generated by the assailant and how effectively it is wielded, as well as the psionic field strength of the resisting target.

 

As mentioned earlier, we concluded that there are two main indexes for psionic ability: psi potential and psi skill. These indexes are scored on an arbitrary scale from 0-100, with zero denoting virtually no ability and 100 denoting the most extreme cases observed. Due to the somewhat capricious nature of the scale, it may be possible to obtain scores above 100.

 

Psi potential is an assessment of the psionic field strength of an individual. We suspect that psi potential is hereditary, but we currently lack the time and resources to confirm this hypothesis. High psi potential scores indicate a natural talent for psionics, and individuals possessing them are capable of both generating potent psionic impulses as well as shielding themselves from them. Despite the fact that psionic abilities are generally latent in human populations, psi potential appears to subtly manifest itself unconsciously when people “project” their moods. Those exhibiting such keen mental acuities can become, with training, among our most talented psionic personnel, while those with low psi potential scores will be extremely susceptible to malicious psionic intents.

 

Psi skill, on the other hand, measures the proficiency of an individual wielding psionic powers. Unlike psi potential, psi skill can be increased through rigorous discipline and training; however, because humans have no prior experience with psionics, our base personnel are all initially rated with a psi skill of zero. Theoretically, the difference between low and high psi skill scores is akin to wielding a fuzzy blanket versus a surgical scalpel- the difference between projecting a diffuse mood to those in the vicinity and a sharp precise strike against a sole target. Thus, the ability to control psionic intent is much like focusing one’s attention, but with the relatively short attention spans humans possess, strict discipline is necessary during psionic training. Because our scientists’ makeshift research devices are not adequate for scientifically assessing and quantitating the psionic indexes of our base personnel- and even less so for screening and training them- plans for a new state-of-the-art Psionic Training Facility have been drawn up and finalized to accommodate these express purposes.

 

Currently, our ability to use psionics as a weapon has been hindered by the abysmal ranges of human-generated psionic fields, regardless of their strength. Perhaps if psionic awareness and training regimens were enforced during the formative years immediately following birth, humans might fully harness their psionic capabilities; unfortunately for the X-Corps, we just do not have the time to raise specially selected psionically-apt children for our immediate and pressing conflict against the Aliens. We must discern a method to expand the “area of influence” covered by human psionic fields before we can wield such mental powers effectively.

 

Using our existing inroads into [Psionic Theory], our scientists speculate that it might be possible to design a device which will amplify the range of human psionic fields. Our scientists have already begun consolidating relevant data for the blueprints of the anticipated Psionic Amplifier device. They are quite eager for the upper brass to give them the go-ahead for the project.

 

Our scientists have also contemplated the possibility and feasibility of psionic shielding, but preliminary studies indicate a particularly steep, if not prohibitive, power requirement. Unfortunately, until we discover a manner to amplify psionic fields, such research will remain beyond our scope.

 

Some personnel have expressed reservations about our research into this field, foreseeing privacy issues and possible discrimination against the less psionically adept. The [X-Corps High Command] is presently implementing strict regulations regarding the usage of psionics in bases.

 

Man: "Zero?! ZERO?!! Ya stupid pencilneck! Whaddaya mean my friggin' Psi potential is ZERO?! Why, I oughtta..."

Scientist: "Hey, hey, hold on a minute!  I'll show you what it means..." (concentrates a moment)

Scientist: "All right squaddie, go steal the commander's uniform and burn it in the mess hall. Don't interrupt my research further."

Man: "...Yes, master."

- taped excerpt from an inquiry regarding Private Russell Harris’ recent discharge from the X-Corps

Edit- I think Az's Alien Goal CT is still longer. :P

Edited by Astyanax
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Even if I don't use all of them, they allow me to look at the text from a different perspective.
That's the main idea, isn't it?! :blink2: You aren't supposed to even have a look at them, they are here just to help you, not to make you include them :P. No offense or misunderstanding, but we always work as a team, some things are for granted :Hug:

 

Now, to work! :Coffee: :Deal: :NyaNyaNya:

 

XHF: I'm avoiding using this because I (and most readers, I imagine) don't know what this stands for. ANS: Eem, actually, it's just after the Xenomorph Holding Facility, so I thought it would be clear. Nevermind :D

 

brain-waves/neural waves: I had to use brain-waves because it's frequently used in the Psi-Amp CT which is "Complete". I do like "neural waves", but it's out of my hands. ANS: Ouch... :doh:

 

Repetition of psi potential and skill: the first paragraph is supposed to be the "summary" paragraph for players who don't want to read the whole text, so I mentioned it in the first paragraph so players who don't want to read will still know about psi skill and potential. ANS: Clever! :hmmm:

 

hereditary/genetic basis: I don't really want to get too technical about a tangential topic, so I'll leave it as "hereditary" for now. ANS: Better leave it that way, indeed :unsure:

 

Psi-Amp/Psionic Amplifier: I don't think the name has been finalized yet; I don't see it in the "Final Names for Everything" thread... ANS: I think we've voted for it and it was chosen: Psionic Amplifier. Darn, where's Azy when you need him? :rolleyes: :NyaNyaNya:

 

[Psionic Theory] It isn't finalised, but at least keep the other part of the header :NyaNyaNya:

[Alien Containment] That's the XENOMORPH HOlDING FACILITY!

[Psi Lab] That's finalised!

[X-Corps High Command] It isn't finalized yet

 

Haven't re-read the text, but I will wait for others to comment :rolleyes:

Edited by kafros
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I've edited my last post to address the nice comments you've made, kafros. :)

 

As for Psionic Amplifier, there was a poll by Bruenor where the name was decided. It's pretty old, so I've put the name in [brackets] for now.

Edited by Astyanax
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  • 2 weeks later...
Aside from the issue with the final name of the Psionic Amplifier (which can be sorted out during proofreading), I'm pretty satisfied with this text. Is there anything I should add to or clarify in the text? Anything else that needs more work on? Though kafros has helped me out with some great comments, I am still looking forward to wrapping up this CT. ;) Edited by Astyanax
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Well, as the barman told to Guybrush Threepwood in "Return to Monkey Island" (M.I. 4)

NO, GROG, FOR YOU!

At least not by me, yet, but what don't you really like with the text?

 

An alcoholic liquor, especially rum diluted with water.

 

[After Old Grog, nickname of Edward Vernon (1684-1757), British admiral who ordered that diluted rum be served to his sailors, from grogram(from his habit of wearing a grogram cloak).]

Edited by kafros
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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

Fixed forum software mess

PSIONIC THEORY

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Alien/Research/Psionic Theory

 

After initial encounters with several psionically-capable Alien entities, we began to realize that fanciful tales of telepathy and amazing mental feats were perhaps not as far-fetched as originally thought. Soldiers in the field have made distressing reports of Aliens being "in their head"? and field commanders have begun making contingency plans should their soldiers fall inexplicably under Alien control. Fortunately, our scientists have finally pieced together a working Psionic Theory to bolster our understanding of this paranormal ability, and hopefully, our capacity to counter it. Under this theory, the two primary measures of psionic competence are psi potential and psi skill, the former determining the brute strength of the individual's will, the latter determining how effectively the individual can command it. Though psi potential is immutable, psi skill can be trained in dedicated facilities.

 

Psionic Theory has been quite different from other research topics in at least two respects. Though most research is conducted on Alien specimens and artifacts to further our understanding of them, Psionic Theory instead gave us the opportunity to better appreciate and comprehend our own nature.

 

Also, unlike other research we have conducted thus far, our understanding of psionic fields comes from an unusual amount of trial-and-error and good fortune. Our first attempts to understand psionics were utter and complete failures; our scientists just didn't know where to begin- or even how to approach such an ambiguous subject. Without additional clues, our research teams found it difficult to tease out solid details within the psionic disciplines.

 

Fortuitously, vital hints were uncovered from observations of live, psi-proficient Alien prisoners. In two separate incidents, incarcerated Aliens briefly escaped from confinement, the first due to inadequate security measures, the other due to artifice, with both leading to significant upgrades in containment security. These breakout attempts allowed us to see and monitor the use psionics for the first time.

 

By scrutinizing environmental and biological data gathered from Xenomorph Holding Facility logs during each incident, we pinpointed deviations in key markers and subsequently devised and launched a series of trial-and-error experiments attempting to replicate these biological and physiological alterations in volunteer test subjects. Although the majority of these tests were inconclusive, several individuals were found to exhibit an unusual affinity for psi-related tasks. By concentrating our remaining efforts on these candidates, our researchers slowly began to understand basic psionic mechanics.

 

According to our studies, psionic fields (more popularly called "brain-waves" by base personnel) are normally a byproduct of neural networks found in sentient creatures. However, we have discovered that it is actually possible to force feedback into a neural network with a strong enough psionic field. The actual process by which one sentient creature psionically influences another is similar in principle to magnetic induction: an electrical current can be induced by the presence of a magnetic field; correspondingly, a neural impulse can be induced by the presence of a psionic field. By focusing and wielding his/her psionic field, a psionicist can subtly influence the neural chemistry of the target, causing a result ranging from no effect to total mind control. The severity of such a mental assault depends on the psionic field strength generated by the assailant and how effectively it is wielded, as well as the psionic field strength of the resisting target.

 

As mentioned earlier, we concluded that there are two main indexes for psionic ability: psi potential and psi skill. These indexes are scored on an arbitrary scale from 0-100, with zero denoting virtually no ability and 100 denoting the most extreme cases observed. Due to the somewhat capricious nature of the scale, it may be possible to obtain scores above 100.

 

Psi potential is an assessment of the psionic field strength of an individual. We suspect that psi potential is hereditary, but we currently lack the time and resources to confirm this hypothesis. High psi potential scores indicate a natural talent for psionics, and individuals possessing them are capable of both generating potent psionic impulses as well as shielding themselves from them. Despite the fact that psionic abilities are generally latent in human populations, psi potential appears to subtly manifest itself unconsciously when people "project" their moods. Those exhibiting such keen mental acuities can become, with training, among our most talented psionic personnel, while those with low psi potential scores will be extremely susceptible to malicious psionic intents.

 

Psi skill, on the other hand, measures the proficiency of an individual wielding psionic powers. Unlike psi potential, psi skill can be increased through rigorous discipline and training; however, because humans have no prior experience with psionics, our base personnel are all initially rated with a psi skill of zero. Theoretically, the difference between low and high psi skill scores is akin to wielding a fuzzy blanket versus a surgical scalpel- the difference between projecting a diffuse mood to those in the vicinity and a sharp precise strike against a sole target. Thus, the ability to control psionic intent is much like focusing one's attention, but with the relatively short attention spans humans possess, strict discipline is necessary during psionic training. Because our scientists' makeshift research devices are not adequate for scientifically assessing and quantitating the psionic indexes of our base personnel- and even less so for screening and training them- plans for a new state-of-the-art Psionic Training Facility have been drawn up and finalized to accommodate these express purposes.

 

Currently, our ability to use psionics as a weapon has been hindered by the abysmal ranges of human-generated psionic fields, regardless of their strength. Perhaps if psionic awareness and training regimens were enforced during the formative years immediately following birth, humans might fully harness their psionic capabilities; unfortunately for the X-Corps, we just do not have the time to raise specially selected psionically-apt children for our immediate and pressing conflict against the Aliens. We must discern a method to expand the “area of influence” covered by human psionic fields before we can wield such mental powers effectively.

 

Using our existing inroads into Psionic Theory, our scientists speculate that it might be possible to design a device which will amplify the range of human psionic fields. Our scientists have already begun consolidating relevant data for the blueprints of the anticipated Psionic Amplifier device. They are quite eager for the upper brass to give them the go-ahead for the project.

 

Our scientists have also contemplated the possibility and feasibility of psionic shielding, but preliminary studies indicate a particularly steep, if not prohibitive, power requirement. Unfortunately, until we discover a manner to amplify psionic fields, such research will remain beyond our scope.

 

Some personnel have expressed reservations about our research into this field, foreseeing privacy issues and possible discrimination against the less psionically adept. The X-Corps High Command is presently implementing strict regulations regarding the usage of psionics in bases.

 

Man: "Zero?! ZERO?!! Ya stupid pencilneck! Whaddaya mean my friggin' Psi potential is ZERO?! Why, I oughtta..."

Scientist: "Hey, hey, hold on a minute! I'll show you what it means..." (concentrates a moment)

Scientist: "All right squaddie, go steal the commander's uniform and burn it in the mess hall. Don't interrupt my research further."

Man: "...Yes, master."

- taped excerpt from an inquiry regarding Private Russell Harris' recent discharge from the X-Corps

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