Outside a nondescript downtown Sherman corner coffee shop, two individuals occupied a table. One of them was a high school girl with lustrous blond hair styled in a nearly crescent moon shape, while the other was an older man with silver locks flowing down to his shoulders, dressed in an outfit that could easily be mistaken for something a vampire might wear. However, in a city teeming with diverse eccentricities, the passersby hardly paid them any mind.

Yet, the girl was no ordinary teenager; she was Princess Ilana from alien world of Galaluna. Her companion was a man named Solomon, a high-ranking commander of the clandestine Galactic Guardian Group, known as G3. Their paths had crossed years ago as the Princess and her allies, Colonel Lance of the Galalunian military and the robot Octus, were discovered by G3. Former adversaries at first as G3 abducted them from the home they were living in as exiles, the devastating Mutraddi Tri-Beast attack one year ago forged them into valuable allies.

Solomon leaned forward, a faint smile appearing on his lips. "How are your studies coming along, Princess?"

Ilana delicately sipped her drink, her gaze thoughtful. "Lance, Newton, and I just completed our final exams at Sherman High. We've been meeting with the guidance counselor to discuss our career paths after graduation."

Solomon raised an eyebrow. "Graduation already? You’ll have to send me a invite to the ceremony.”

A slight chuckle came from Ilana at the thought of the stoic Solomon in his G3 get-up sitting in a crowd of onlookers. “If you insist.”

“Any thoughts about pursuing a college education?"

Ilana sighed. "I don't think Lance is seriously considering further education. He's been in and out these last few months, always claiming he's in the woods."

"Has he told you why?"

Ilana shrugged. "No, but I assume it's a way to maintain his combat readiness in case the Mutraddi threat re-emerges. It's just a hunch."

The conversation then turned to Octus,, “He spends most of his time monitoring Rift Gate activity but occasionally meets Kimmy."

Solomon nodded, recalling all the connections of family and acquaintances he had compiled on the trio. "The cheerleader, right?"

Ilana confirmed, "That’s right. Apparently, they had a strained relationship before he was knocked offline on your space station a year ago, and they're working things out."

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Solomon thoughtfully stroked his chin. "A machine and a human, huh?"

Ilana gently admonished the older man, "I appreciate it if you'd stop referring to him as 'the machine.' Earth has changed him, and both Lance and I see him as a fully realized person."

Solomon apologized, and Ilana accepted his apology with a nod.

As Ilana gazed into her coffee, the burden of her responsibilities weighed heavily on her. Thoughts of vacations, college, and jobs seemed futile when the fate of her homeland on Galaluna was uncertain. Over a year spent on Earth, and their path back home remained elusive. The lack of recent Mutraddi activity only added to her anxiety. She felt like a mouse inching toward a tempting block of cheese perched on a trap, the anticipation of the inevitable killing blow unbearable.

"I'm starting to feel like Lance did when we first arrived," she admitted. "The longer we're stuck here, the more meaningless our pursuits seem. What good am I in a job or at college when the plight of my people keeps me awake at night?"

Solomon offered his perspective, "I can't begin to understand your distress, Princess, but have you ever considered the possibility that returning to your world might not be in the cards for you?"

Ilana was taken aback by the casualness of the statement and responded with a more indignation than was probably necessary, "That thought has never crossed my mind."

Solomon continued, "I mean no disrespect, but based on what you've shared, it seems your father entrusted the protection of Titan to you three without specifying a means or timeframe for your return."

Ilana knew the point was valid, but it raised unsettling questions. Was Titan intended to guard Earth indefinitely, and was Galaluna forsaken to protect other worlds? How did her father even know about Earth in the first place?

"I don't know," Ilana admitted. "Even if we did return, there's no guarantee of victory, even with Titan."

Solomon placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "For now, all I can suggest, based on my years of experience, is to live one day at a time. Drowning in worries you can't control won't lead to any solutions."

In the hushed ambiance of the coffee shop, they fell into silence, absorbing the city's sights and sounds. Just as Ilana considered suggesting they explore other parts of Earth as some kind of summer vacation, Solomon's watch started beeping frantically. He tapped a concealed earpiece, listening intently to a report that grew increasingly dire. Finally, he ended the call and fixed his gaze on Ilana.

"Princess, you and your companions are needed at the Fortress of Deception immediately."

Ilana inquired anxiously, "Have new Mutraddi been detected?"

"It's better if you see for yourself," Solomon replied, his face grave. "I'm dispatching my agents to locate Lance and Octus. Where can we find them?"

"As I mentioned, Lance is likely in the woods, and Octus is with Kimmy at a cheer championship."

Solomon nodded, issuing orders to his G3 agents. The two hurriedly entered an inconspicuous black van that sped away without concern for local traffic laws. After a while the van engaged a cloaking device and transformed into an aerial vehicle that rocketed to the sky into the clouds above. As the van broke past the clouds, Ilana could see the G3 mobile headquarters, the gargantuan Fortress of Deception, shimmering like a mirage in the distance.