Yaanari Judges

*"Even in the Yaanari league, there must be law, some kind of justice, for society to work. Of course, this is the Yaanari we are talking about, so you can guess their image of "justice" is not the same as ours"*

-Commonwealth diplomat, speaking of Yaanari customs and laws-

   Working as the secret police, judges and executioners of the Yaanari league, **Yaanari judges** make sure order is kept in all of the league's territories and that no separatist force ever dares to threaten the rule of their league masters and mistresses. Trained since their youth, and paid quite handsomely, Yaanari judges are known for being exceptionally loyal to the league, fighting tirelessly and without mercy against foes in and outside the borders of the Yaanari  realm.

Traditionally, centuries before the first Yaanari vessel began to travel the stars in search of fresh slaves, the judges were not an official force under the command and pay of the leaders of Yaanari society. Quite the opposite, early judges were illegal bands of criminals who infested the countryside around Yaanari cities. Acting almost like the mafia of Old Earth's Sicily, these early judges demanded money and resources in exchange of protection. Behaving like lords of the land, they fought rival judges and those city troops sent to stop them. The latter, badly-paid and as corrupt as their masters, sometimes joined the gangs, thus increasing the power of these early judges until they could challenge the city councils if united.

The tradition of Yaanari to always do what is good for business however stopped both sides before they could start a war. Knowing they would never be able to best them, the council decided to instead use the judge gangs, giving them pardons and payment in exchange for carrying on with their "duties", only this time following those rules made by the councils of the city.

The bet paid off even better than the council members could have hoped. Unlike their previous, ineffective and completely corrupt guards, the judge gangs followed very strict of rules.The boss was the boss and, as long as he did his work well, whatever came from his mouth became an order which could not be refused. A member who took a bribe without telling the boss would dissapear, alongside the Yaanari who paid the money and any other member of the gang who knew of what had happened yet chose to keep its jaw shut.

Centuries later, the higher ups of the Yaanari league have become the "bosses" of the judges. Trained from an early age using the traditional ways of the old gangs, plus some new techniques, the Yaanari lords and ladies made sure these Yaanari would follow their every order and perform whatever task was demanded of them, no matter how dirty. This nearly-fanatical loyalty was seen plenty of times as, during the Commonwealth  invasions to the Yaanari league of the mid 23rd century, only the judges stood to the end against invader armies, even when surrounded and outnumbered a hundred-to-one.

## Equipment

   While all judges always carry at least one long-range weapon with them, the traditional tool of their trade is the "Drinerin", a shock-maul which works both as a symbol of rank and a close-range weapon able to knock someone unconscious after a single swing. Not built to kill, judges use this weapon to capture criminals, spies and those other judges who have tried to betray the league.

Aside for that, most judges wear long, heavy black cloacks, perfect to conceal their weapons and armour as they go on missions across the Yaanari worlds. In times of war, they can also make use of heavier equipment, even vehicles, to slow down enemy forces while reinforcements arrive.