Supernatural Defense Agency
“magicis, mentis, scientia” – motto (“magic, mind, knowledge” [Latin])
The SDA performs many duties, but the first and foremost among them is the monitoring and regulation of the users of magic and psionic Abilities, particularly those with abilities that can be used for the invasion of privacy and criminal activities. An outgrowth of the self-regulation that the supernatural empowered peoples did when their abilities were still for the most part secret and/or dismissed. The SDA is also in charge of defense against supernatural threats to Earth’s populace. Namely, they monitor and defend against renegade spirits seeking vengeance against humanity for the destruction wrought by decades of environmental mismanagement. Officially, the SDA is also in charge of the environmental cleanup efforts on Earth.
Operating outside of the command structure of the Terran Alliance Armed Forces, the SDA instead reports to the Council of Ten as a whole (as well as being on the Council). The Joint Chiefs technically have no command over them, but requests for support that are made of them are almost always answered, as are requests that the SDA makes of the Joint Chiefs.
The SDA is best compared to the a national guard or a militia. Almost all of its non-staff members go about their civilian lives as normal, save for routine training and deployments. Unlike the guard forces, however, SDA members are armed even when they go about their civilian life, normally with the agency-standard FN Herstal Five-seveN pistol, however more combat-oriented agents carry the tools of their trade.
The SDA is headquartered in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the United Kingdom, at Balmoral Castle. The Castle is on permanent lease to the SDA from the British Royal Family, and SDA High Council meetings are held here on a monthly basis. All Directorate chiefs have an office at the Castle, but for some of the Chiefs, these offices are only used for the few days surrounding the High Council meetings.
SDA staff with magical or psionic abilities who work directly for the SDA are referred to as ‘Agents.’ Those with magic and psionic abilities who do not work for the SDA are referred to as members.
SDA members may be activated to service at any time as situations demand, and must engage in SDA-run training for 1 weekend a month, and 2 weeks per year, barring extenuating circumstances.
The SDA maintains a small fleet of starships which are used for transportation of personnel as is needed.
SDA Standard Equipment – The SDA uses older firearms, preferring to rely on them as opposed to the newer caseless ammunition-firing ones used by the Terran Marines and Army. This serves two purposes. First, the older technology tends to hold up better around mages (electrical ignition gets finicky around some mages them due to spirit interference). Second, it allowed them easy access to ammunition, with the large stockpiles left over from World War III. Standard ammo is the 5.7mm round, used by the FN Herstal Five-seveN pistol and P90 assault rifle.
The SDA is broken up into several directorates, each covering a different aspect of the Agency's duties. Each member of the High Council oversees a different directorate. There are two major power blocs on the High Council, one that advocates greater freedom for mages and psions and increased involvement in the activities of humanity (some say they are driven by guilt over their actions during WW3), and another block that advocates restraint and a return to the withdrawn nature that the magically-empowered used to engage in.
1st Directorate - Earth Cleanup Operations
Oversees environmental recovery and repair operations, along with elements of the Martian terraforming plans and the environmental protection of the Alpha Prime colony. Chief: Waldek Wronski (SDA Classification: Shaman [Nature, Tradition Unknown] - The second-newest member of the High Council, Waldek Wronski was formerly a member of the Shaman's Council responsible for a block of territory in Eastern Europe. He is the second Chief of the 1st Directorate.