Department for Exophysics
The Department for Exophysics (DfE) is a state department of the Thames Republic concerning exophysics, including anomalies. It is known for its unorthodox methods, which have been labelled as dangerous by Raven, but have managed to avoid several disasters. It operates on a small scale with much lesser funding, but sports a highly competent and efficient workforce, and is primarily scoped to the Thames Republic and the neighbouring European Union. The organisation originated from civil defense and disaster cleanup efforts in the Southern Exclusion Zone immediately after the conclusion of the Independence Wars in 2052, and as such pre-dates Raven.
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| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 7 November 2052 |
| Jurisdiction |  Thames Republic |
| Headquarters | Thames National Laboratories Complex, Walthamstow, London |
| Motto | Learning & Protecting |
| Employees | 112,000 (Jun 2273) |
| Annual budget |  U€113 trillion; FY 2273 |
| Secretary of State responsible |
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| Department executives |
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| Website | dfe |
Reasons why Raven has avoided invading the Republic and shutting down the DfE include their successful surveillance operation, the professionalism of DfE staff, the small scale of the DfE's operation, valuable scientific knowledge collected from surveillance operations, the political optics of an invasion, and the Thames Republic's unwillingness to build a bridge laboratory on their own soil. Raven's own doctrine would force them to invade should they ever construct one.
Security
Unlike Raven, most of the DfE's scientific knowledge is not classified. Only knowledge which has the potential to result in the construction of weapons or threaten the stability of reality is. The open nature of the DfE's knowledge sharing in the past has had the side effect of making Raven furious, as it views information surrounding substratics in particular to be highly sensitive.
The DfE vetting system is based on standard government security vetting in the Thames Republic. All DfE employees require Developed Vetting (DV) clearance, which is carried out by the State Defence Section (SDS). Some positions require eDV. Once a positive recommendation is made to the DfE by the SDS, the DfE carries out its own set of internal checks. Unlike Raven, which uses a memory scanning system to ensure personnel integrity, the DfE utilises psionic psychologists with the ability to mind-read intent and assess truths from lies.
DfE and Raven
The Thames Republic, as a non-signatory to the Dimensional Security Accords, is under the jurisdiction of the DfE, rather than Raven. However, the real competency of the DfE, combined with its small scale and the valuable scientific knowledge Raven collects from partnering with it in secret backchannels and conducting surveillance has meant that Raven considers it more as an asset than a threat to its operational activities. Because of the Republic's existing policy of declining to construct bridge laboratories within its borders, Raven also does not need to worry about the country creating a dimensional incursion. The disastrous optics of mounting an invasion of the Thames Republic also safeguards the DfE against any potential military action. Raven and the Thames Republic routinely conduct intelligence operations against each other via the Strategic Intelligence Office and the State Defence Section respectively, which both organisations understand.