Witness tokens are your Loyal pieces.
You may move Witnesses you control. When you Catapult move ships, you may move Witnesses along with them.
Prelude: You may flip a Witness you control at a Psionic planet to its Psionic resource side and take it. You may declare Empath.
Act: 2
A: Yes. The control requisite still applies to Catapult Moves.
A: Yes. You must do the first part to declare Empath.