He ran his fingers over the smooth manila parchment that rested before him, thousands of crimson eyes resting on him. The elected High Syndic of the Chiss Parliament stood in silence for a moment, flipping through the documents that lay scattered before him. He cleared his throat, bringing his inky blue hand to his mouth to muffle his coughs. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but his nervousness remained overlooked by a great deal of those present. "The house of Syndics will come to order.." He started, slamming a durasteel coated gavel against the hard podium as he spoke, flipping a few pieces of parchment in the folder that rest before him.

Xilen sat in silence with the other House Syndics surrounded by his most trusted loyalists. Laran Nuruodo, Executor of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet's Special Operations Forces, Vequil Nuruodo, Captain of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet's Second Fleet Division, and Foggle Mixenhine, Lord Regent of the Karath System, and Chief House Nuruodo's Science Division. He folded his hands neatly before him as the High Syndic of the Parliament spoke of random issues concerning the Enclave. His mind seemed distant.... something that troubled Xilen. Was he aware of House Nuruodo's plotting against the Parliament?

Xilen reached to his left running his forefinger over the smooth skin of Laran's arm as she sat next to him. She was still recovering from the incident with the Seletekian Rebels, as was everyone that had been captured that fateful day. A day that would live in infamy throughout Chiss History. He shifted his gaze to the High Syndic as mention of the Seletekian Rebels crossed the agenda, a faint grin creeping across his face. If he only knew what House Nuruodo had in store for the planet of Seletek.

"As High Syndic, and Speaker of the Chiss Enclave, I strongly condemn the acts of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet, and Lord Syndic Aldrex'ile'Nuruodo on behalf of House Cspala, and the Enclave. Though it is painfully obvious that the Seletekian Rebels are a major threat to this Enclave, it is also obvious that unauthorized preemptive strike against them is not only careless.... it is murderous."

Xilen felt his face grow dark with frustration as the eyes of the several hundred members of Parliament rested on him, and his house. He clenched his jaw together as the speech continued, humiliating, and dishonoring House Nuruodo, the very house that had defended them for centuries, and maintained peace and order. Xilen stood as the High Syndic, a member of House Cspala, the House of Ancients spoke. A few gasped in shock as he did, for it was considered perfidious to disrupt a Parliament convention.

"I will not stand for this!" He started, his crimson eyes blazing against his dark blue skin. "House Nuruodo will not tolerate this fabrication of our honor, nor will we recognize ourselves as murderers. We were attacked, and hundreds of House Nuruodo loyalists lost their lives in defense of this Enclave... In defense of Ignias. I find your lack of reliance disturbing, High Syndic Feni'usi'Cspala, and I will not tolerate it. House Nuruodo here by withdrawals it's presence from the Parliament."

The room erupted into a roar of argument, and mindless dialogue as Xilen stood, followed by his closest advisors, loyalists, and the entire representation of House Nuruodo, and walked out of the Parliament building, frustration. Immediately, chaos erupted. House Inrokini called for a new election of House Syndic on the grounds of no confidence in High Syndic Feni'usi'cspala's leadership, while House Cspala argued that House Inrokini had not pulled it's weight, blaming them for the Rebellion against the Enclave.

"Captain Vequil, Alert all available officers that they are being called into active duty. Regent Mixenhine, and Executor Laran, please accompany me to my office.... there is much to talk about."

Captain Vequil looked across the Chiss Parliament Chamber with discuss. They were commiting a major mistake, and he would make sure that they payed for it, but later. He reached down to his comlink.

"Lieutenant Commander, activate all officers in the military. I repeat, activate all officers, and await for further orders. The Parliament is falling apart. More orders to come, but prepare to have a shuttle sent down to the planet to pick me up. Have Darkflame and Silent Night prepare for war. I want everything ready and waiting for me if I need it. Military Alert Status is Code Red. All pilots, report to your fighters, and activate the fighters in dry-dock, transferring 12 of them over to the Darkflame. Everything is going to be needed for the upcoming mission."

He signed off, saluted to teh Sovereign Admiral, and walked out of the Chiss Parliament Chamber.

The tunnels between the Parliment Building and the various Houses' Command Centers served as securred means of travelling between the two places, unnoticed by the general public in the streets above. It was through these tunnels that Laran followed the Sovereign Admiral with the good Doctor right behind them. She did not trust the Human and did not like that Xilen relied on him as much as he did. However, it was not her place to question Xilen, and so she held her tongue on the subject.

Yet on the subject of the Parliment's current actions, she would not remain silent.

" Do the other Houses not understand that it was the Selekian's that attacked first?" Laran spoke in a hushed whisper, not wanting the Human to overhear too much. " I was there when they issued the orders, was told to ready the medbay for casualties. I could speak to them, the Parliment, make them understand that had we not reacted the way we had House Nuruodo and the Chiss Empire itself would had suferred more losses than it already had."

Xilen smiled, Laran closely behind. Floggle seemed to lag, petting a few slugs, and talking to the voices in his head as usual. He rolled his Crimson eyes. Disgusting creatures.... Humans, yet sometimes necessary.

"Laran, everything is going according to plan." he said, turning to offer her a brief wink. "The Chiss Parliament will be thrust into debate, and dispute over our withdrawl. It will only be a matter of time now before they beg us to come back."

Xilen paused for a moment. His true intentions had become painfully obvious.... the fall of the Parliament.