Defensive-only doctrine

The defensive-only doctrine, also known as the Ascendancy honor code,Dark Nest I: The Joiner King Chiss codes of conduct,Ultimate Alien Anthology or non-aggression laws, was a law of the Chiss Ascendancy that rendered first strikes in warfare illegal and punishable by exile. Through the influence of the ruling Aristocra and the Chiss Academy, Chiss society considered pre-emptive strikes taboo.Enter the Unknown The law was in place 1,000 years prior to 22 ABY and was one of the central tenets of Chiss society.
The Chiss Force Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, known as Thrawn, violated the law in 27 BBY, when he destroyed the Republic starship Outbound Flight. Thrawn convinced the Ruling Families to allow him to retain his position, although he had still created enemies for himself. After violating the law again in another conflict Thrawn was stripped of his rank and exiled to a planet on the edge of Imperial territory, where he was collected by Voss Parck.Vision of the Future
In 22 ABY,The Essential Reader's Companion dates the events of Survivor's Quest to 22 ABY. the issue on preemptive strikes along with their defensive-only doctrine became a subject of strenuous debate among the Nine Ruling Families.
In 36 ABY, Luke Skywalker considered the possibility that the Chiss Ascendancy had rejected the law in response to changing galactic circumstances, causing the Swarm War with the Killik Colony. Jacen Solo, aware of the Chiss policy on preemptive strikes, attempted to frame the attack of a Chiss supply depot at Thrago on the Killiks, hoping to incite a Chiss counterstrike.Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen
==Behind the scenes==
The Chiss law against first strikes was first mentioned in the novel Vision of the Future, written by Timothy Zahn and published in 1998 by Bantam Spectra. It was identified as the "defensive-only doctrine" by Zahn's 2006 novel Outbound Flight.
The law has a similar precedent in real-world political theory called the non-aggression principle, a fundamental axiom in individualist philosophy.
==Appearances==
*Outbound Flight 
*Outbound Flight abridged audiobook
*Vision of the Future 
*Survivor's Quest 
*The New Jedi Order: Dark Journey 
*The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic II: Refugee 
*Dark Nest I: The Joiner King 
*Dark Nest I: The Joiner King abridged audiobook
*Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen
*Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen abridged audiobook
==Sources==
* 
*Alien Anthology
*Ultimate Alien Anthology 
*The New Essential Guide to Alien Species 
*Legacy Era Campaign Guide 
* 
*The Unknown Regions 
==Notes and references==
Category:Chiss Ascendancy laws and acts
Category:Doctrines