!

Tomoko was nervous as she stands near Sunset and her bodyguards who have them surrounded, using them as a wall. They’re on Stardust the world ship of Sunset’s great aunt Polaris who is the sister of her grandmother Cosmica. Sunset is talking with her other aunt Galatea who is Polaris’s granddaughter. Reminding Tomoko that Sunset is still a growing, Galatea is a fully grown adult and the differences could be seen very well. Plus she’s the only human on the world ship that’s outside of the solar system.

Galatea is a blue coated Alicorn with an orange and green mane and tail. Like the other adult alicorns she has seen, Galatea has massive breasts that are as big as her torso and a massive butt that her form fitting bodysuit shows off. And with her standing at 9 feet tall, she towers over Tomoko, who was already small compared to Sunset and her bodyguards. Around them are other adult female ponies with the rare male now and then, reminding her how small humans are compared to ponies.

“Hi girls!” a young filly around Sunset and her bodyguards age said running over to the group. Her mane is a strong cerulean with moderate arctic blue streaks in two ponytails. Her coat is a pale light grayish olive. She’s an earth pony who stands as tall as Lemon Zest, who has a larger chest at I cups.

“Tomoko meet Juniper Montage,” Sunset introduced the new filly to the human teen.

“So you’re finally ready to join?” Sunny Flare ask.

“Yup, the shoot is done and I can rejoin the Shadowbolts,” Juniper said.

“Juniper’s uncle is in the entertainment business and Juniper was busy while we were on Earth,” Sugarcoat said to Tomoko.

“Is she one of the human slaves?” Juniper ask.

“She’s a cousin of that human guy who kiss Sunset. The one that she likes,” Galatea said.

“Hey!” Sunset growls glaring at her aunt who just smiles at her niece.

“So why are you here?” Juniper ask Tomoko.

“I’m here to watch the negotiations,” Tomoko said. She had tagged along when Sunset told her that she and her bodyguards would be visiting her aunt on her world ship to see a court case happening there.

!

The Grand Court -

With the Equestrian Empire being the most powerful empire of the galaxy, many races who have trade or contact with them use them as mediators for negotiations with the royal family sometimes stepping in to end a conflict. The other empires avoid having a conflict with the Equestrian Empire the ones who didn’t, learn the hard way why the Equestrian Empire is the biggest in the galaxy. The Equestrian Empire for their part don’t interfere with other conflicts or other races, till they’re force to, or were asked for help. Many conflicts ended because one side asked for help from the Equestrians and they answered the call for help.

Of course the help doesn’t come for free, either in trade deals with Equestrians getting the better deal or the race who called for help joining the empire. Many planets join the empire out of fear of the wider galaxy, due to many of the dangers that space holds. Ranging from warlords and smaller empires looking to add planets to their region of space they rule, space pirates ranging from attacking ships to raiding planets, to hostile lifeforms that bring death to other planets. The planets that are under the rule of the Equestrian Empire are fully protected and are with all the benefits that come with it.

“So your grandmother acts as a judge?” Tomoko asks Galatea. Both of them are with Sunset and the others in the peanut gallery watching.

“Yes all of us royals are able to override any ruling from any of the judges in our legal systems. We can remove judges anytime we want with only another royal member can challenge our ruling. It’s to make sure that bribes and judges with their own views making unfair judgement, which is also why the courts normally have robot judges who can’t be bribed or their personal views cloud the ruling,” Galatea said.

“Oh, so that’s why many of the judges have been replaced by robot judges,” Tomoko said.

“Yes, the human judges were lacking to our taste and replaced with ones who make rulings and uphold the laws. The ones left know that they’re only allowed to maintain their jobs that gives them power over others, because we allow them,” Galatea said.

“The royal family has lots of power,” Tomoko said.

“We’re the ones who built the empire and maintain it. Of course we have the power, we’re the ones who have all the pressure and all the faults that happen are blame on us,” Sunset said. (1)

“That’s the price of being rulers,” Galatea said.

“So what’s the court case?” Tomoko asks.

“Grandmother is overseeing the claim from the Kalifadik race that the Jaws solar system is theirs because of a ship of theirs finding it but left. The reason they want it is because an Equestrian xenobiology team while studying the native life on the lone life baring planet also discovered it’s rich in rare metals. Their laws have any unregistered planet they find is theirs. While there are lifeforms on the planet who are as intelligent as you humans when grandmother Galactica first found you humans,” Sunset explains.

“Oh,” Tomoko said.

“You know of the Judge Dredd comics?” Sunset ask.

“Yes,” Tomoko said.

“The Kalifadik home planet basically followed that story line of nukes destroying and making most of their world a wasteland. With a system that’s has the government being nothing more than fascist, power-hungry thugs just like the comic. Also all crimes are equal with the punishment being death, wherever it be going below the speed limit in a warp speed zone to tearing off a mattress tag. They have no allies as making diplomatic ties with people who have the mindset that all crimes are equal is not worth it and trade with other races only happens outside of their boarders where they can’t enforce their laws. Their home system is only kept together by their brutal system and that the only ones allowed off their planet are their military police. It’s like North Korea but worst as they refuse any technology that could restore their world so that their people wouldn’t have to live in overcrowded megacities,” Sunset said.

“Why?” Tomoko ask.

“If they did restore their world and the people no longer are force to live in overpopulated cities. Where the brutal system is the only thing that keeps order, the reason for the system would be not needed and they lose their power,” Galatea said. (2)

“Oh,” Tomoko said.

“The team on the planet protested about the Kalifadik taking the populated planet that has intelligence life on it. Which was met with guns pointed at them and being told that the lifeforms would be put on reservations, for their own protection against any other race that wants to strip mine the planet. With the lead researcher being told that, ‘They need those resources. Long as the freaks need our protection then we're here to say. And, trust me, we'll make sure these dumb alien simps always need protecting.’ Which the lead researcher revealed that she’s a member of the royal family from a minor house. Cousin Dusty Zap,” Galatea said.

“That changed the Kalifadik landing party’s tune as they’re very aware of what happens to any race that kills a member of the royal family. So now they have to make a case that they can both mine the planet while keeping the emerging intelligence life safe and be able to evolve,” Sunset said.

“So any of you going to be visiting the planet and help the natives of that planet to evolve?” Tomoko asked as its now common knowledge that Galactica is the one who help the early humans to learn and evolve.

“It’s the reason why the Kalifadik are making the case to grandmother. They don’t want one of us making the planet a protected planet for emerging intelligent life. They filed the paperwork and before any of us could do that, they have a court case and we have to hear them out by our own laws. One thing about the Kalifadik’s that other races brave to deal with them, is that they have experts in every legal system,” Galatea said.

“What?” Tomoko asked.

“Yeah, they have an entire department in their government that deal solely in the laws of other races. They charge high but they can find every single legal loophole and work the legal system. It’s the only reason why many races put up with them and the only real lifeline of revenue that their race has,” Sunset said.

“So they’re slimeball lawyers?” Tomoko asked.

“No they’re actually very honest and help their clients with all legal matter. As if they do a bad job at a legal case, or any other underhanded thing that you think of when it comes to lawyers, they’re killed. For bringing shame to their legal system,” Galatea explains.

“Oh,” Tomoko said who sat back and waited for the court case to start.

!

Author's Note

1 - Being the one in charge also means the blame falls on you.

2 - Seeing how in the Dredd Comics there are plenty of alien and super technology around, which are never used to restore the Earth from being a radioactive wasteland. The only real reason why that hasn’t happen is because the Judges would lose their power. Besides the real life reason that it’s apart of the setting.