[Third Person Pov]
The moons are entry points to the planet," Yami explained casually, her voice as calm and detached as ever. "To officially enter you need to get their approval before they even let you set foot on their planet. However, with the Princess's status that shouldn't be an issue."
Clark nodded in understanding, his sharp blue eyes scanning the vast holographic star map projected across the cockpit. "Sol, get us to the nearest entry point."
"Course has been set…" Sol replied in its smooth, synthetic tone as he acted as the ship's personal AI. The vessel hummed with increased power as it accelerated toward the closest moon orbiting the vibrant blue planet below.
As they drew closer, the moon's surface came into sharper focus—not a barren rock, but a massive, engineered structure riddled with colossal docking bays and shimmering energy fields.
It was less a natural satellite and more an intergalactic space station disguised as a moon, large enough for entire fleets to enter and park inside its hollowed-out interior.
Clark's enhanced vision picked up the intricate network of gravitational stabilizers and atmospheric generators keeping the internal environment stable. It was impressive engineering.
"Approaching the docking threshold," Sol announced. "Request for communication is being sent."
"Accept" Clark ordered calmly.
A soft chime echoed through the cabin. "Communication link established."
The main viewscreen flickered to life, and a holographic image materialized in crisp detail. A blue-skinned alien with an oversized cranium, elongated head, and large, expressive eyes stared back at them.
The being wore what looked like an official uniform adorned with glowing insignias. Clark stared for a split second, then inwardly snickered. 'Megamind headass' he thought, the resemblance was almost too perfect. T
The alien's dramatic proportions and slightly exaggerated features were straight out of the movie, and Clark had to fight the urge to chuckle out loud.
"State your name, race, planet of origin, and reason for visitation," the blue alien intoned formally, his voice carrying the clipped precision of bureaucratic procedure.
Clark didn't even have to reply, the seats in the cockpit began to shift and rearrange with a mechanical whir. His own chair slid backward smoothly, while Lala's glided forward into the primary command position. She beamed brightly, her pink hair swaying as she leaned toward the screen with unrestrained enthusiasm.
"Hi there!" Lala said, waving with both hands. "I'm Lala Satalin Deviluke, Princess of the Deviluke Empire! I'm simply here for a visit~!"
She flashed her brightest, most innocent smile and then… said nothing else. Just sat there, grinning expectantly.
The blue alien froze. His large eyes widened comically. For several long seconds, the only sound was the faint hum of the ship's systems. Then he repeated back, voice cracking: "L-Lala…Sa-Satalin… D-D-D-Deviluke… P-P-Princess of the D-D-D-Deviluke Empire…" He stumbled heavily over her last name, the syllables tangling on his tongue. Sweat beads formed instantly on his smooth blue forehead, and he began to visibly tremble. "O-one moment, please!"
The holographic feed cut abruptly to black.
Clark raised an eyebrow. "That was… dramatic." He said sarcastically, almost snickering.
Curiosity piqued, he activated his X-ray vision, peering straight through the reinforced hull of their ship and into the interior of the moon-station.
What he saw was pure pandemonium.
Red emergency lights flashed across cavernous halls. Papers—actual physical documents mixed with holographic data pads—flew through the air as panicked aliens scrambled in every direction. Staffers were running in circles, arms flailing in the air, while some collided with each other mid-sprint, knocking one another unconscious in slapstick heaps.
Alarms blared. Someone tripped over a cleaning drone and sent it spinning wildly. The entire facility had descended into chaos the moment Lala's name left her lips.
A few minute passed before the blue alien reappeared on screen, looking even more disheveled. His uniform was askew, and a fresh sheen of sweat glistened under the station lights. "Y-you may proceed," he stammered, forcing a shaky smile that looked more like a grimace. "Docking bay seven has been cleared for your vessel. Welcome… Your Highness."
The massive outer doors of the moon-station irised open with a silent whoosh, revealing a brightly lit internal hangar large enough to accommodate hundreds of ships. Their vessel glided forward smoothly, Sol handling the controls with precision. Once inside, the enormous outer door sealed behind them, cutting off the cold void of space and restoring a breathable atmosphere. A second set of inner doors parted ahead, and the ship rolled gently forward on its landing gear toward a designated welcoming platform.
Inside the cockpit, Clark called out, "Sol, bring it out."
The storage compartment hissed open, and a compact drone zipped out, hovering toward Clark with a sleek black choker resting on its manipulator arm. He took it and handed it to Momo, who had been staring at the earlier exchange with visible confusion.
Momo blinked down at the device, tilting her head. "What's this, Kal?"
"It's a universal translator I made for you," Clark explained, his voice quiet. "Just in case you ever decided to come into space with me one day. Figured it might come in handy."
Momo's reddish-brown eyes widened, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "Awww, Kal…" She looked genuinely touched,. "That's so thoughtful."
"Yeah, yeah," Clark muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward. "Don't make a big deal out of it."
They began unhooking their seat belts as the ship settled into its final parking position. Momo suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her arms around her brother in a tight hug. "You can be really thoughtful when you want to be, you know that?"
Clark gently pushed her head away with one hand, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Alright, enough. Let's just go."
He turned to the group. "It's better if Lala leads the way. The rest of us will act as her guards while we observe the planet. Stay alert, but try not to draw too much attention."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Clark's Sunstone cape shimmered and shifted at his mental command, flowing upward to form a deep hood that cast his face partially in shadow, leaving only the faint glow of his half-lidded blue eyes visible. Momo fastened the choker around her slender neck, the device humming softly as it calibrated. Krypto trotted over to stand beside them, tongue lolling happily, while Yami fell into step with her usual quiet grace.
The ship's main door hissed open, and a set of stairs extended downward with a soft mechanical whir. At the bottom waited a long red carpet stretching across the polished hangar floor. The welcoming committee—dozens of blue-skinned aliens in crisp uniforms—stood rigidly in formation. As the group descended, every single one of them either dropped into a deep bow with foreheads pressed to the ground or snapped into perfect salutes, their bodies trembling with barely suppressed nervousness.
In one thunderous, anxious chorus, they shouted: "Welcome, Grand Princess Lala Satalin Deviluke!"
At the very end of the carpet stood the same blue alien from the holographic call, now clutching a hastily assembled gift basket filled with exotic glowing fruits and ornate data crystals. His hands shook so violently that the basket rattled. He stepped forward on wobbly legs and offered it to Lala with a deep, trembling bow.
"W-welcome, Your Highness," he stammered, voice cracking. "I-I will be your personal guide for the duration of your time in this station."
His wide eyes darted nervously toward the figures behind Lala—especially lingering on Clark's towering, intimidating stature and the piercing blue gaze visible beneath the hood. Lala waved a hand dismissively, still smiling brightly.
"Oh, don't worry about them! They're just my guards. No need to be so formal~!"
The guide swallowed hard and nodded, leading them through the futuristic corridors of the station. Sleek metallic walls pulsed with soft holographic displays, and floating orbs provided gentle lighting. Other station personnel kept a discreet distance but followed closely, their eyes wide with a mixture of awe and dread. As they walked, the guide cleared his throat, trying to regain some composure.
"If… if this humble servant may be so impudent as to ask, Your Highness… why has the Princess of the entire Deviluke Empire chosen our humble little planet for a visit?"
Lala tilted her head cutely, her expression pure sunshine. "I'm just here to have fun! That's all~!"
Clark watched in quiet amusement as the guide's soul seemed to visibly depart his body. The alien's posture sagged. He looked like a husk of his former self.
"U-um… if this one may be impudent once more," the guide continued, voice thick with desperation, "would it be possible for Your Highness to… perhaps return at a later date? Now is… not a very good time for visitors. There's really nothing interesting happening this time of year. You wouldn't find anything worth your royal attention, I assure you…"
The pleading tone was unmistakable—bordering on outright begging. The alien looked ready to drop to his knees and grovel right there in the corridor. Lala simply laughed lightly and waved him off.
"Nonsense! Fun can be found everywhere. It's all about perspective!"
The guide stared off into the distance as he became a sketched out figure from a manga, and a single tear traced down his cheek. In a hollow, barely audible voice, he whispered, "Very well…"
They soon arrived at a circular platform glowing with intricate energy patterns. The guide gestured weakly toward it.
"This is the planetary teleporter. It will transport you directly down to the surface station. Safe travels, Your Highness…"
As the group stepped onto the platform, the guide stood at the edge, waving goodbye with a forced smile that didn't reach his tear-filled eyes. Tears streamed freely down his face now, his features resigned to fate. Lala waved back jubilantly, calling out, "Thank you so much for being our guide! You were wonderful~!"
In the distance, Clark's keen senses picked up other aliens hugging each other tightly, sobbing openly as they accepted their impending doom. His lips twitched as he fought down the urge to laugh or show any outward reaction.
With a brilliant flash of light, the teleporter activated. The world dissolved into energy, and when it reformed, they stood in another grand arrival hall on the planet's surface. A second welcoming committee waited, looking equally tense and overwhelmed. It took them several long, awkward minutes of bowing, stammering introductions, and frantic gift presentations before they were finally allowed to proceed outside.
When they finally stepped out of the station and into the open air of the futuristic blue planet, the sight was breathtaking at first glance.
Towering spires of gleaming architecture stretched toward the sky, flying cars zipped silently along invisible traffic lanes, and vibrant holograms danced across building facades advertising everything from exotic foods to entertainment districts. Some citizens simply walked the polished streets.
But the very first thing Clark noticed was the overwhelming atmosphere of anguish. The people moved with their heads bowed low, shoulders hunched, taking cautious, deliberate steps as if afraid to draw any attention to themselves. Their faces carried an expression close to despair, a quiet, pervasive misery that tainted the otherwise stunning technological wonderland.
Krypto trotted alongside them for a moment, ears perked as he took in the sights. "You know, if it wasn't for the people looking like it was the end of the world, this planet would have been beaut—"
He stopped mid-sentence, nose twitching violently. His eyes widened with sudden, manic excitement.
"CAT! SPACE CAT! Come here!"
Before anyone could react, Krypto bolted forward in a blur of white fur, paws kicking up a dramatic dust cloud as he tore down the street after some unfortunate alien feline that had the misfortune of crossing his path.
"Krypto!" Clark called after him, but it was too late. The super-dog was already halfway gone, a fading streak of enthusiasm disappearing around a corner.
The rest of the group simply stood there, watching the dust settle with weary, resigned expressions. Clark face-palmed hard and let out a long, suffering sigh.
"Every single time…" he muttered under his breath.
Lala giggled brightly beside him, clapping her hands. "He's so energetic! This is going to be so much fun!"
Momo shook her head, though a small smile tugged at her lips. Yami simply sighed, already scanning the crowd for any signs of trouble. Clark lowered his hand, his hooded gaze sweeping over the despairing citizens and the gleaming city beyond.
"Alright," he said quietly, voice steady. "Let's see what kind of 'fun' this planet really has in store."
The group began to move forward into the heart of the city, the weight of curious—and terrified—eyes following them from every shadow.
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