Chiss Ascendancy

The Chiss Ascendancy was a portion of the Galaxy just inside the Unknown Regions that was ruled by the Chiss.

Government
The Chiss were governed by an oligarchy of extended Ruling Families from House Palace, located in the city of Csaplar. Each clan with the families was headed by leaders known as Aristocra who wore particular colors to indicate their clan and family loyalties. Standard and day-to-day decisions were made by a democratically elected parliamentary body from each of the 28 colonies. Issues were siphoned up through the parliament to a cabinet of appointed governors, and then to the ruling families, where a decision made by the parliament and/or cabinet could be approved for action. Each of the extended ruling families was responsible for a set of government affairs to manage: House Sabosen was responsible for social issues such as justice, health, and education; House Inrokini was responsible for industry and science; House Csapla was responsible for colonial affairs, agriculture and redistribution of resources; and House Nuruodo was responsible for military and foreign affairs. The Csapla's redistribution of resources amongst the Chiss colonies and Csilla was particularly important, given the collectivist-socialist economic system of the Chiss, and led to their relative position at the head of the families, with the others acting in an advisory role. House Nuruodo would be ranked as second, considering the importance of warfare on Chiss society.

Each family was equally represented in the Chiss government, although they went to great lengths to ensure that family identity was eliminated wherever possible. The leaders of the Chiss did not use names, but instead wore colorful robes to distinguish themselves. This helped ensure that decisions were reached in a fair and equitable method. Although the four extended ruling families were not known to face power struggles, lesser five clans often vied for greater authority and power, such as House Chaf, which was considered the fifth ruling family.

Armed forces
While their history was marked by nearly continual warfare and conquest of other worlds, the Chiss were generally not violent. They preferred to extend themselves only from a defensive posture, although their exposure to threats in the Unknown Regions and Outer Rim, such as the Ssi-Ruuvi and the threat of the Vagaari (who fought three wars with the Chiss), the Yuuzhan Vong War, and the later Killik incursion. There were two military organizations: the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet and the Colonial Phalanxes, which were both led by the Nuruodo family. The Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet patrolled the Chiss borders and space, although segments were known to combat forces beyond the realm of the Chiss in times of dire need. This fleet was considered to be a tool of foreign affairs rather than a military asset. Each of the 28 colonies was protected by a phalanx, which was commanded by a Syndic, or House leader, and responsible for handling any threats that slipped past the fleet. In times of crisis, Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet segments drew upon the nearby phalanxes to strengthen themselves and tighten boarder patrols. The formation of the Chiss Army and Navy was tributary, with each Chiss colony world sending a complete Phalanx to Csilla for command by the Nuruodo family.

In 965 BBY, the Ascendancy passed the Non-Aggression Law, prohibiting pre-emptive warfare.

Foreign affairs
The Chiss were very xenophobic, believing themselves to be superior to all others. Because of this, the Chiss were as isolationist as possible. They rarely engaged in trade with those outside their borders.

At some point prior to 1,000 BBY, the Chiss may have had some form of contact with the New Sith Empire, resulting in the Sith establishing a Chiss colony on Thule.

During the later stages of the Yuuzhan Vong War, the Chiss joined the New Republic in the fight against the invaders, and apparently maintained closer relations with the Galactic Alliance following the peace treaty.

One of the Chiss's major conflicts was the Swarm War. The insect creatures, the Killiks were disrupting Chiss space. This would eventually lead to all out war against the species when Jacen Solo and his friends unleashed a sneak attack to prevent Jacen's catastrophic vision from coming true. The New Republic would eventually be caught up in the mix once they realized it was the Dark Nest's influence on the colony that was provoking the war. The war was ended after the capture of the Colony's leader, Raynar Thul, and the destruction of the Dark Nest with the death of Lomi Plo after the death of Welk.

On 71 ABY, when the attack on Csilla occured, the Chiss were forced to declare war on the New Republic due to their laws. Thousands of Chiss lives were lost and many Ascendancy warships were destroyed through the explosion. The Chiss began to travel outside their borders to fight the New Republic. They even were forced to cross Venen Space and neiher species, neither Chiss nor Venen, liked each other. The Galactic Empire was quick to join forces with the Ascendancy with secret plans. The Chiss War had officially begun.

Planets

 * Csilla&mdash;ice-girt homeworld and political capital of the Chiss. Site of the city of Csaplar and the Expansionary Library.
 * Sarvchi&mdash;colony world from where Chaf'orm'bintrano sent a message to Jade Saber in 22 ABY.
 * Crustai&mdash;colony world where Chaf'orm'bintrano later rendezvoused with Jade Saber en route for Outbound Flight.
 * The Redoubt&mdash;dense star cluster developed as an interstellar fortress by the Chiss. Site of Brask Oto and the unnamed planet on which Outbound Flight came down.
 * Brask Oto&mdash;CEDF space station serving as the barbican for the Redoubt.
 * Tenupe&mdash;captured from the Killiks in the Swarm War.
 * Thrago&mdash;site of a CEDF supply depot anchored around a small moon, destroyed by rogue Jedi in 36 ABY.
 * Rata Nebula&mdash;an H II region, within which lies the system containing Rhigar.
 * Rhigar&mdash;site of a Chiss military academy in the Rata Nebula, with three moons: the green-hued Asdroni, the forest moon Rhigar 2, and the more distant, blue-tinged Rhigar 3.
 * Yashuvhu&mdash;remote hinterland planet with a Force-sensitive Human population; homeworld of the duuvhal, and of Force-talent Valara Saar.
 * Klasse Ephemora system&mdash;remote hinterland system surrounded by navigational anomalies, centered on the star Klasse A; location of the gas-giant Mobus.
 * Mobus&mdash;gas giant in the Klasse Ephemora system. Zonama Sekot sought refuge in a lunar orbit around Mobus after its flight from its home system in 29 BBY, and from 30 ABY, Zonama Sekot was resettled by the Yuuzhan Vong remnant.
 * Pesfavri

In total, the Ascendency consisted of Csilla and twenty-eight inhabited colonies, although the Ascendancy contained several hundred thousand star systems within or near its borders. Information on all planets and star systems visited by the Chiss were kept in the Expeditionary Library on Csilla