We ran into this crazy situation tonight in a game of cosmic encounter. (shocking...)
The parasite had the chance to force an alliance with an attacking player and then win, but he had no extra ships. All of his home and foreign colonies had only one ship. He had three home colonies, so if he were to send any of his home ships to ally he would immediately lose his power.
Is the parasite able to form the alliance first, then send ships against the will of the attacker, even if he loses his power immediately when he sends his ship? Or is it impossible for the alliance to happen because he loses his power as he's sending ships?
No idea of this can even be definitively answered...