Fiction:Great Xonexian Schism/Senatoral Outrage

Displeasure
Torvos Ultanos, the former viceroy of the 's colonies in the settled himself down in one of the upper balconies of the great chamber of the Homeland Council. Gathered here were praetors and representatives of the Imperium, however aside from a handful the chamber felt slightly empty without thepraetors of the Milky Way joining him. Looking at the central platform below he could see a speaker.

The woman was a large, robust, rust-red scaled Draconis with long braided strands of ivory hair. Adorning her body, aside various gems and threeded silks she wore long draping fabrics from her shoulders that reached odwn to her ankles. She had her hands wrapped around the lectern she stood behind and her wings open, the evening sunlight shone though and the synthetic material of her wing membranes glistened like fine purple silk. The beuaty of her wings however belied her tone, as Trovos could feel a definite tone of aggresion in her voice. News had been buzzing for days that the DCP had been gathering in Segmentum Ignotum, some 30,000 light years from the nearest Inner-Andromedan territories. Everyone knew what this meant, but this Draconis - who Torvos recognised as Alassora Terevus - was particularly vexed. He could see her arguing with Taron Alerov Savenium, one of the praetors of House Savenium.

Alassora - ''With all due respect to his grace the praetor of Balas-7, I fail to see what kind of redemption or reconciliation he envisions. This is the second infraction the Orbispiran Empire has commited when relations have opened up and the relation patterns match the event that occured a decade ago.'' Taron - Diplomacy forged our Imperium, dear speaker, I do not see how it cannot resolve these tensions. Alassora - ''You think me deaf Praetor Taron? Ten years of dealing with those reptiles and what has come of the efforts of the crown-prince of the Drallivian Republics? The answer is sitting on the outer rim!''

Alassora pointed in a nondescript direction to her side, presumably pointing towards Segmentum Ignotum, her teeth baring and her eyes narrow. Torvos had recalled his discussions with her, she was an elderly woman, coming on 745 years and as fit as she was in her prime. She was known to lament the offspring she lost in the skirmishes between the Imperium and the Vartekian Empire, presumably having no love for Lord Covaitan. And from her words, Torvos could deduce she extended her hatred to whoever Covaitan answered to.

Alassora - ''What hope is there when the Orbispirans make decisions like this? They are carrion birds, conspiring with hunters while the quarry is still thrashing and resisting its own demise! And you want to admit that things can recover?''

Another Draconis stood up and cleared his throat; Aleros Elevain Valocanus. Torvos remembered him as he was once on the council of Milky Way praetors. Torvos had come to trust him, he had flet with Torvos from the coup that had swept the territories months ago and had proven dependable while under observation. There were very few people that Torvos could trust after Ambigasrus' revolt.

Aleros - Paetor Taron, Humans have a saying that I have come to understand is applicable in a situation such as this, they say that "fool me once, the shame is on you. But fool me twice, the shame is on me." Alassora - ''Are you placing the blame of recent events on this council, Praetor Aleros?  Aleros - To an extent, as we fully had the option to keep out of their way.'' Praetor - The last time we dealt with the Orbispirans they pulled their own offer from the table and had attempted to sever our connection to the Tybusenian Federation. Alassora - ''Only this time it is the "noble" New Republic that has forced ties to be severed. For their accords have only severed the Commonwealth in twain!''

Alassora was interrupted as the chamber filled with a stadium cheer fro mthe other praetors, stirring passions amongst the reputedly-conservative Draconis.

Alassora - These capricornians are nothing but trouble to our empire. Taron - ''I object to that remark! They only want peace and stability!'' Aleros - The peace they want, praetor Taron, is likely to come from all of us wearing coalition reatraint chips.

Another roar of the empassioned crowds broke Aleros' answer as his voice was drowned from the expression of agreement by all the attendants.

Alassora - ''For the longest time, praetor Taron, they believed the Coalition to be in the right. They turned a blind eye to the violations of their own ethics largely because we were seen as the aggressors!'' Alaros - ''An amicable solution was admirable, yet despite all efforts the Coalition has refused to settle for nothing less than unconditional surrender and a stepping down. In challenging the Delpha Coalition of Planets, our Imperium has challenged the new order and quite naturally we are seen as the isntigators of this aggression. Yet not even the republic of France, whose involvement lit the first of the final matches, fire the first shot.'' Alassora - ''It wass only after this deal between the coalition and the Orbispirans that the New Republic finally realised the true faces of the expansionists they supported. Was this the final straw? Did they want non-interference until now? I say its newfound support for the Allied cause has come too late to preserve what our nations had.''

Alassora had worked the attendants into an aggressive frenzy, filling the room with roars, cheers and open wings.

Alassora - ''The recent fifteen-billion-plus occupants of the paradise realms demand to know why it took the involvement of Orbispira for these more liberal of these aliens to change their minds. For this I primarily direct the concern to one Aedanius Cretacea: the last president of their united republic, the man to establish their new republic, the man who made the runs and formed the and most-likely the man who convinced his peers to snub our cause and follow the Coalition into denounicng our cause while supporting theirs, allowing Drakonmi Terevus fell under the shadow of authoritarian dominion? Is it any coincidence that he was at the helm while the cause for Solinami Fretman democracy fell, rose and then slipped into complacency? Is it any coincidence that his policies divided the Dranvaman Commonwealth, nay, Dranvamus itself? I cannot speak for this council but I have lived too long to believe in coincidences or happenstance!''

Alassora's speech ended with another cheer fro mthe council. Torvos looked at the scene with concern, shaking his head at the emotional conflegration sweeping the most powerful political figures in the Imperium, perhaps Andromeda. Alassora had stirred feelings of hate and displeasure for the Cyrandia Cluster.

Taron - ''But we have yet to see how the New Republic will dmonstrate its newfound favouritism. They could turn the tide!'' Alaros - ''I have seen the ferocity with which the Coalition has harnessed to make sure our alliance does not oppose them. They are too far gone to simply be talked out of our complete conquest.'' Taron - They still hold ties to the Coalition. Alassora - ''Less than two months ago, the Coalition were contributing to weapons vollies on the Solinami Fretman outer rim. The longstanding agreement is that the Coalition saved the universe from anniilation, and for that, we should be grateful.'' Taron - And are you, praetor? Alassora - ''One act, no matter how large or charitable, cannot clean their slate. They may have simply acted to protect themselves given their spread.''

That was not all. Several praetors leaned forward in anticipation. Alassara stopped for a moment. She took an inhalation and contemplated on the question. But her answer did not please everyone, nor did it settle the air. Her eyes still burned with hatred and fury. By the time she had released her grip fro mthe lectern she realised she had cracked the wood it was made from. She took a moment to centre herself as dark memories came flooding back to her.

Alassora - ...Only the young can can use a single act of charity to forgive all of a person's sins. Alaros - And where do you stand? Alassora - I am grateful, but I do not pardon their judgement for carrying our this war. Alaros - ''An understanadble judgement. Is the council in agreement?''

The council roused a tone of agreement. Torvos did not want ot hear the end of the discussion and left the chamber as the praetors continued to passionately discuss this new sentiment amongst themselves. He had learned today that Alassora was a charismatic speaker. He decided to move fast, he was sure that not everyone outside of Xonexi looked unfavourably on the Allied cause, but inside his heart it gnawed at him; Emotionally charged as she was, was Alassora right in her beliefs?