"Sacrilege! This Katu'ul deserves to be paraded through the streets with his head on a pike!"
The uproar of the council chamber aided the words of the High Zealot as he stood before the Hierarchs; the Scions of Conflict, Providence and Deception. The council chamber was vast; fifteen long tiers of robed councillors were set on either side of the rectangular hall. Running through the center was a straight path flanked by honour guards which led to a platform that lay before a second, elevated platform. On the higher platform sat the Hierarchs, their status easily portrayed by appearance alone.
"The decision is not yours to make, High Zealot. It is this council's, and ultimately, ours", spoke Deception, rising from her throne. She was the only female Scion, and had been for the past five hundred years as the governor of the unseen hand of the Ven'Rayuun.
Providence stood and stepped forward, raising his arms to the council. He was lightly armoured compared to his counterparts,wearing robes with his black and gold plate, but he had earned his place as the strongest psionic in the V'Ruuni Empire.
"The word of the council demands for the execution of our High Zealot's prisoner, Thelan Tandaam, for attacking a Terran vessel in Terran space and launching a ground assault on the colony of Ranala III but failing to procure a Kal'Rayuun artifact. Commodore Tandaam, you have failed in your duties as Seeker and shamed the Zealots under your command by slaughtering civilians and drawing the eye of the Terran military. That said, you will not be executed."
Thelan Tandaam lay on his knees, stripped of his armour and his wrists in psionic shackles. The High Zealot stood by him, one hand on Thelan's braids, the other clutching a halberd that lay ablaze with yellow energy. The silence of the council was maddening. Thelan looked up at the Scion of Providence, his face contorted with the pain of his untreated wounds.
Providence slowly dropped his arms as silence filled the chamber. He suddenly pointed at Tandaam, his dark, muscled arm outstretched, "You will be the Shade of this hierocracy; stripped of rank, title, family, possessions. Everything but the name of Thelan. You will don the role of the Shade. Your life belongs to the Hierarchs and no other. Your missions will be perilous, suicidal. This council will have their corpse...".
The Scion dropped his arm, "This is the will of the Hierarchs. Krae'dan nar Rayuun!"
The council acknowledged the voice of their Scion.
"Krae'dan nar Rayuun!"
Applause and cheers echoed through the chamber, drowning out the High Zealot and his defiant remarks. The honour guards in their glowing yellow armour gripped the newly appointed Shade and dragged him out of the chamber sluggishly, the angered High Zealot following closely behind. The great circular door to the chamber spiralled shut; the centre, a sigil of yellow energy, pulsed as the sleek panels connected.
The council chamber drew to silence as the two Hierarchs reseated themselves. Conflict, who had remained quiet throughout the entire ordeal with Tandaam, now sat himself upright, bringing his eyes to scour the tiered seats. He produced a small, metallic discus-like object from his heavy plated belt and held it out towards the centre of the chamber. A holographic projection of a planet and a surrounding fleet with many orbital defense platforms filled the hall with its pale yellow light, drawing the eyes of the council.
The Scion of Conflict, supreme commander of all Ven'Rayuun forces stood before the council and his fellow Hierarchs. "Dealt with or not, Tandaam has provided a threat that cannot be ignored."
Conflict pointed his gauntleted hand towards the hologram. "The Terrans." Murmurs shifted through the seats like a wave.
"They are primitive before the Ven'Rayuun, their bodies brittle, armies weak and navies inferior, but they are still a threat. Their culture is oppressive, their economy based on the destitution of those who are unfortunate, their government is autocratic and militaristic, but they are still a threat. Their worlds are riddled with slums that writhe with plague and high rises that house those who stand on the backs of others, but they are still a threat!"
The council's distress grew more evident as the Scion spoke, as well as their fanaticism. The hologram changed to show a map of the galaxy, portions carved with different coloured borders showing all manner of empires, republics and unions of races unknown to a Terran. Terran space was dwarfed by that of the Ven'Rayuun and Kal'Rayuun, its borders meeting both empires and others.
A pedestal rose on the platform before the Hierarchs, three slots carved into its hexagonal surface. Twin energy blades erupted from Conflict's arms.
"I call for a declaration of war! These Terrans and their 'Imperium' generate a heresy that must be wiped clean. We cannot let this scourge become a greater threat to our valiant empire!"
He turned to the other Hierarchs.
"Scion of Providence, will you give us your wisdom and guidance?"
Providence nodded and slowly rose to his feet.
"Scion of Deception, will you give us your eyes and shadow?"
Deception looked down in quick hesitation, then nodded and stood.
The Hierarchs stood before the pedestal and produced three small similar T-shaped objects: Conflict's, emblazoned with red, Providence's with blue, and Deception's with green. They held the three keys above the three slots in the pedestal. They looked up to the council.
In unison, they questioned, "Will the council give us their voice and influence?"
The council acknowledged them with a cheer, and the Hierarchs slid their keys into their respective locks. The keys turned as if by an invisible hand, flaring with energy, and then sunk into the pedestal, burying into its metallic body.
A holographic display burst into life as the Scion of Providence raised his arms before the council.
"Citizens and subjects of the V'Ruuni Empire, hear the voice of Providence. Today begins a crusade against the United Imperium of Taranis! Let our cries be heard as we plunge the Terrans into oblivion and continue upon our path to salvation! Krae'dan nar Rayuun!"