Fiction:Great Xonexian Schism/Orion War/Behind closed doors/Flashes in Orion

Preface

For many of us, our forced surrender to Commodore Hlraka to join the Earth humans, and indeed other long competitive enemies was unconscionable. Unlike many others before, for centuries we had maintained independent sovereignty. We believed the temporary coalition would fall within weeks. However, we were dragged into the New Grox Wars shortly after and that continued for years. Once again, we believed we could restore honour to our warrior heritage and breathe power back into house bloodlines. That would mean bringing back the traditions of our feuds between the KC. But then we found ourselves at war with the Dominatus, defending Terrans! It was a reluctant defence. The Allied Terran Republic and Orion League had done their best to federalise us under their values, Kindred spirits they called it. But the only cognate values to share was competition and war. We felt they had put in brainwashed leaders. Now it is time to listen to us, from the perspective of the Kindred Coalition, not some Terran this time.

Part one: The Great Discord
I'll skip a few flashpoints to where my story begins. I remember things were getting increasingly heated in the galaxy and beyond. It was as if the whole political universe established by the hyperpowers had been balancing on the tip if a sword, of which was already tilting, but nobody was sure who or what to blame. Lets see... The Delpha Coalition of Planets had for the last decade or so become increasingly heavy handed finding every way to topple anyone who were competent and hostile. We would all joke how senility was creeping up on their multi-century old leaders, seeing evils which were not there. Hah, my people don't let age creep on them in the first place! But it wasn't just in their minds, now I think back. Not only was there new threats, several incidents had been driving confusion up the walls that these hyperpowers had erected. One such incident was the new threat of the Neraida Gigamatrix. The Old Earth Nations, overly proud of their achievements and recent expansion, plus the reminders of the Grox and Borg rallied themselves together in the face of the new attackers. But unexpectedly, the galaxy was attacked from above and below by a seemingly more primitive threat, a mindless beast swarm, the Mantisorac. Now I look back on it, we all underestimated them, for the Terrans were more busy facing a technologically advanced attacker, and we of the Kindred Coalition believed our shields could contain and trap the Mantisorac. Not only did they get through our defences, they infested whatever they conquered. While I admit we were all fools, all the Terrans would send to aid us was a defence force from the worlds of Corsica to correct their lack of aid.

Then all of a sudden, the more shady and powerful figures of the many members of the Kindred Coalition were contacted by the Delpha Coalition of Planets, who had been considerably more warm to us than anyone-else, but only because of our union. All who agreed were asked to prepare for transport beam. I was Chancellor Memeth Torg's first choice of security and was ordered to join him. I'm not quite sure how the DCP did it, but they locked on and beamed us half-way across the galaxy. There would be no joking about the DCP tonight... Suddenly, Memeth Torg and I found ourselves walking (we had been walking before pickup) through a corridor into a large chamber where we were welcomed by two Grimbolsaurian dignitaries almost twice our height, and a third quadruped alien unknown to me. There were other such chambers in the ceilings, walls and floors, made possible using artificial gravity plating, all leading to a central sphere with slits. Within the sphere, many other representatives of the Kindred Coalition were arriving including figures like Group Marshall Skraall of the Ninth Clone Army, a surviving System Lord Ambisagrus named after an Old Earth deity, Llhran Pardek the chief on intelligence and deception, Warmaster Dok of the Confederacy and so on. It was quite a sight, we came in different shapes and sizes through all humanoid. The biggest were the Reptilian races, and the Roburans. Some us required environmental suits as we head been tweaked to survive in different atmospheres, like Warmaster Dok, others were cyborgs, some reclaimed from the Grox assimilation. Lord Ambisagrus and his slaves wore Iron Age attire. There was even a couple of Terran humans. Sitting around a spherical cage several people of the DCP began to announce the meaning of this summoning. I can't recall exactly what they said, but it went something like this: "I'm sure you all know why we are here. A grave threat is posed against the honourable denizens of the galaxy, and humankind is caught in the middle of it all.  But instead of strong united leadership which was hoped for, your self-imposed face of humanity - the Earthers have allowed themselves to become pawns of extragalactic forces like the Draconid Imperium."  Then suddenly, the Roburan croaked "We do NOT WANT TO BE YOUR PAWNS EITHER". The Roburan was unusually receptive but had a knack of a short temper which often gave them a bad reputation. Everybody coldly watched, though none us were scared really. But the DCP officials carried on speaking, "Out of all of humanity, we find common interest and respect with your peoples the most. Some of you have been spacefaring for much longer than the Old Earthers, they have only just caught some you up technologically.  You have maintained warrior culture, a rare feat for so long."  Group Marshall Skraall and his squattish soldiers cheered, claiming it was down to having the greatest armies of the universe. I did notice the Grimbolsaurians and his group eyeing each other up. Centuries of competition perhaps? The DCP continued to congratulate us for our history, all the while comparing Terrans as disruptive. They began to pull out (obviously when I look back on it, cherry picked information) showing how other non-Terrans living within the Orion League were oppressed. It was very clever, they had rifled up centuries of bad blood. Finally, the DCP ambassadors revealed their roadmap to replace the current government of the Kindred Coalition swiftly and quickly, promising military support via the Milky Way Cooperative to rid the Mantisorac and that the Allied Terran Republic is also on our side. The roadmap also outlined the subversion of the Orion League, Lord Ambisagrus licked his lips at the thought of being a god once more, and Group Marshall Skraall continued to chant at the thought of victory. I really wanted Memeth Torg to speak, but he was merely surveying the situation, so to Llhran Pardek was silent.

The DCP laid out a feast and bar with over a thousand beverage choices. There was a variety of hunts made available, blade fighting, and war simulations. Now I was a young man, all this promise and drunken fun had laid an impression on me, therefore I was sold on the whole thing. Curious of Memeth Torg's silence, I asked him of his opinion. He had agreed that it was time to break up our relationship with Terrans, but was highly sceptical of the Coalition's intent.