The Empire of Man has accepted the Pony planet into their empire as a commonwealth planet. Princess Celestia has long desired to start a proper colony with ponies only, without human intervention. She sends her student Twilight Sparkle to meet with the Emperor Augustus Constantin the Third (The Magnificent) to negotiate for a planet. She's intimidated, having never left Terra Equestria before. Her friends are coming, and stowaways abound, and Princess Celestia assures her that humans will not hurt her. But she has doubts. The Dauntless has been missing for years and space piracy is on the rise. The empire's cracking under it's own weight and Twilight fears that she will not be able to save herself or her friends.

cover art by Einik, used without permission.