[theme music playing]
♪ One, two, three below! ♪
[indistinct chatter]
[gasps]
[scattered applause]
-Hi. -[mic feedback]
[chuckles, clears throat]
[inhales] Hi.
My name is Aja Tarron of House Tarron,
and I want to tell you a story. It's a good story.
It is very lively, with lots of humors and excitement.
It begins someplace very, very, very far from here,
on an entirely different planet called Akiridion-5.
[snarling]
[cheering]
Twenty on the win!
[barking]
-[girl] Luug, come back now! -[boy] You crushed my skill tech.
Come back here!
-[automated voice] Sector 7. -[horn honks]
[grunts]
-[barking] -[groans]
[grunts] Sorry! Lost pet! [chuckles]
You know, Luug, you are ruining a perfectly lively day.
[cheering]
Smile and wave. Smile and wave.
-Where is she? It's her ceremony, too. -You know your daughter.
-Aja's spirited. -Your Majesties.
-Have you found our daughter? -In a manner of speaking.
So, speak.
-It would appear she's run away. -[both] Again?
Hmm. [chuckles]
-You're late. -Sorry, Luug. Totally--
Don't "Luug" me.
If you don't get here in five mekrons, Mama and Papa will stomp you.
[chuckles] I think we both know I won't be there at all.
-[man yells] -[gasps]
And we both know I don't want to be queen-in-waiting.
Ugh! You're running away again? Hey, why are you actually running?
Luug decided to run away from me.
You're going to miss the ceremony.
Say "hi" to Mama and Papa.
Krel, my son. I have some bad news.
Aja ran away again and won't be attending the ceremony? [chuckles]
-I might have spoken to her. -I'm sorry, my boy.
It's fine. She's a free spirit.
One day, you will be king, your mother and I will be gone,
and you and Aja will be all the other has.
-What if I'm not ready to be a king? -Of course you're not ready to be king.
No one is ever ready.
What I mean is, what if I'm not good enough?
If I know anything, my son, it is that life is a series of choices.
It's what we choose in the small moments that makes our lives better or worse.
You will not face these choices alone because you will always have your family.
Including your sister, no matter how much she wishes to deny that she's a royal.
I did it!
-Impressive. -[woman] My liege.
We must begin the ceremony.
We are ready, Lieutenant Zadra.
Speak for yourself. [sighs]
Come along, Krel, King-in-waiting.
Fine. I'm ready!
-[cheering] -I guess.
-[Luug whines] -[Aja groans]
I see you, you little slime-bucket!
[grunting]
[barking]
Get back here, or I'll have you turned into flexel!
Sorry!
-[woman] Oh, my! -Luug, that is not a toy!
-[sneezes] -Luug! [groans]
Maybe even flexel is too good for you. [grunts]
[Coranda] For hundreds of keltons,
Akiridion-5 stood divided between two houses.
The House Akraohm of my ancestors, and House Ventis of my husband's.
Today, we celebrate the joining of these two great houses into House Tarron,
and declare the heir to the throne to be ready and good.
[Fialkov] This ridge is the mark of our ancestors,
and proclaims you worthy of the crown of Akiridion
that has stood for righteousness since ages past.
-[Coranda] It is done. -[cheering]
[Fialkov] The King-in-waiting
will now honor the tradition of a demonstration of combat.
[Coranda] Commander Varvatos Vex, step forward.
Varvatos Vex is prepared to crush.
-[gulps] -[people chanting] Vex! Vex! Vex!
-Relax. You'll be fine. -And if I don't?
You'll smile and wave. Like so.
Just go easy on me, would you?
Varvatos will give you the honor of a glorious death.
Vex, always with the death.
You do understand this whole thing is just for show, right?
Varvatos will show you glorious death!
Ay.
-[gasps] -[grunts]
Begin!
[grunts, groans]
Varvatos will make this a memorable pummeling.
-[beeping] -Huh? Ah!
What? What, what, what?
[chuckles]
Yes!
Oh, yes!
-[gasps] Oh, no. [chuckles] -[grunts]
You always leave your sword-hand side exposed!
You struck Varvatos! Glorious!
Varvatos will reward you with the most remarkable slaying!
Vex! Would you permit me the honor of sparring with my son, old friend?
-Your serrator, Varvatos. -My liege.
I sparred with my father at my coronation, as he sparred with his father before him.
This is a sacred honor, Krel.
What a family.
One day, you'll be able to best me in a duel.
-You might as well begin trying. -[lasers zapping]
Those are General Morando's Strykers.
Seklos and Gaylen, what's happening?
Seek refuge! Get to the shelter, now!
[screaming]
My lieges, we must return you to the palace at once.
We need to find Aja!
If the city's defenses do not hold,
we cannot guarantee your safety, my royals.
How did he disable the shield?
-There is a traitor in our midst. -[Krel] Mama! Papa!
-I'm not leaving you. -You're not leaving us!
You're following orders.
Now get Vex and Zadra, and go find your sister.
She needs you now.
Oh, Luug, we've got to hurry!
[gasps]
-Ah! Mama! Mama! Where are you? -Look out!
[barking]
Are you okay?
Davaros!
[sighs] Thank you, thank you.
No thanking. Just running!
[grunting]
Glorious death!
Get on!
Luug!
[barks]
Don't even think about it, you filthy animal.
-What is happening? -It's a coup.
General Morando is trying to usurp the throne.
-Krel, are Mama and Papa-- -Ah!
-We've been hit! We lost firepower! -Cover me!
What? Why? Oh! Because you're trying to kill yourself.
Okay, not so bad.
-Oh, no, no. It's bad. -Just fix it!
Vex, a little help here?
Does Varvatos look busy right now?
Krel! Status!
We have to reroute power from the secondary sub-manifold
to the ampule array.
-Target locked. -Krel!
Almost, almost, almost! Got it! Locked and loaded.
Gotcha!
[Vex laughing]
Glorious death to everyone!
Loyal soldiers, Val Morando is a traitor to Akiridion-5.
Your standing with him today is an act of high treason.
Is it?
From their perspective, it is treason not to stand with me. [chuckles]
I've returned from exile to claim back what is rightfully mine!
The time for empty talk is over!
Now arrives the horvath of action!
Stand fast.
Surrender and I will spare your lives.
-We can't trust him. -I wasn't planning to.
[together] For Akiridion!
For Akiridion!
[all yelling]
[squeals]
-Are you scared? -I am now the king-in-waiting.
I am terrified.
-[crashing] -[gasps]
[Coranda] Retreat!
Mama! Papa!
[gasps, sighs]
Mama, I'm sorry I ran away again.
There is no time for apologies.
You're safe. That's all that matters.
-Mama! -The Taylon have betrayed us.
We are forced to retreat. Don't worry!
As long as we're together, as long as we remain a family,
all will be well.
And you'll always have us and each other.
My lieges, without the protection of the Taylon,
there is nowhere on Akiridion we can guarantee your safety.
Lieutenant Zadra is correct. The planet is unsafe.
We must leave here at once. Please.
[barking]
[snarling]
[Morando] You cannot win, royals.
Surrender to me!
Get to the mother ship!
Fialkov!
Hmm.
Fire!
-[Fialkov grunts] -[Vex] No!
No, Morando! No!
Please, General! No!
-[Krel] No! -No!
Papa! Mama!
-My king! My queen! -[Fialkov] Varvatos...
Will you stand by my side one last time, my friend?
I will, my king.
Protect my children with your life, if necessary.
No! No!
No!
-Vex, lower the shield. -[shrieks]
-[Morando] He's taken the royal cores! -We should hurry!
I'll hold them back.
[Luug barking]
[Aja] Zadra, hurry!
Vex! You fool!
Take them to the mother ship. Keep safe!
No!
Zadra!
Varvatos mourns, too. But grief must wait for survival!
[automated voice] Engines starting.
[soldiers grunting]
[engines starting]
V-Stryker squadron, engage the mother ship! Destroy them all!
[automated voice] We have achieved maximum velocity.
-[Aja] Wait here. -[Krel] I had every intention.
-I'll be back. -[Vex] Unless we explode!
-Yes, yes, unless we explode. -Hang on, King-in-waiting!
[grunting]
Indicate operation.
Mother, save Mama and Papa. Take their cores.
-Here. -Initiating reintegration stasis.
Rewriting the King and Queen's molecular code.
Fix them, mother ship. Please fix them!
Time to completion, unknown.
[Coranda] Aja?
-Aja! -[gasps]
Royals don't need to skulk under the cover of darkness.
They do when they don't want to be caught staying up past curfew.
I can't be what you want me to be. I can't be a royal.
No one gets to choose their station in life, Aja.
Maybe I'll be the first.
There are those who would trade their life cores for royalty.
And I would trade my royalty for a life.
-A normal life. -You're remarkable, Aja.
[sighs] You say that because you're my mother.
Royal or not, you are extraordinary, Aja.
That is what you are constantly running away from.
You could leave this palace, fly far away from our world...
and your destiny would follow you.
[Luug whining]
Aja, it's going to be all right.
I'm not entirely sure how, but...
They're gone.
Our parents. [sobs]
And it's all my fault.
-Don't be ridiculous. -I ran away.
If I had been on time at the ceremony,
it would have started sooner, which means it would have ended sooner,
which means Mama and Papa would have been safe in the palace.
Hey!
And it would have ended sooner if I had done better in the duel.
If anything, we're both to blame.
I...
I miss them already.
So do I.
You look as if you need a hug.
I'll get Varvatos.
Varvatos? [chuckles]
Varvatos, little brother, he never hugs.
That's true.
[Aja giggles]
[imitates Vex] I am Varvatos. Varvatos destroys!
[grunts]
[Mother] The V-Strykers are not equipped for space travel. We are clear.
Mother, that won't last long.
We need to head somewhere they won't think to look for us.
The worse the planet, the better for us.
I can only locate two planets which fit your description.
One is about to be devoured by a black hole.
Mm. Maybe not that one.
The other is a floating ball of mud and water.
Its inhabitants named it after dirt.
-They call it "Earth." -"Earth!"
It sounds beautiful.
This is going to be quite the adventure.
I wonder what we will find there!
[gasps]
[yells]
Ouch!
[laughs] We didn't explode!
[chuckles] Of course not. Varvatos was at the helm.
And yet, we're still alive.
-We did it! -[Mother] Systems damaged.
[Vex] Engage protective force shield.
Force shield inoperable.
Reroute all power to the camouflage matrix.
Complying.
I have chosen a model based on the planet's primitive transmissions.
They broadcast at sub-light speed, so they're bound to be rather old.
[bell rings]
Wow. They really put this one up fast.
[Mother] One of the indigenous life forms is approaching. It may be hostile.
He wears massive shields over his eyes.
He must be a dreaded warrior.
Varvatos will slay him!
You cannot kill everyone. We are in hiding.
But for Varvatos, death is a way of life.
-[doorbell rings] -[boy] Hello?
-What is that awful noise? -Make it stop!
Anyone home?
Can I interest you in a subscription to the Arcadia Oaks Ledger?
[Vex] The cylindrical object in his hand...
-[boy] Hello? -...is it a weapon? [chuckles]
[Mother] The life form seems quite persistent.
-We cannot let it see us. -What does that mean?
We are trapped in here forever?
-Of course not! -[boy] Hello?
Eventually, we'll be found by Morando's forces
and massacred ever so slowly.
He's right.
We have to at least buy time for the ship to repair Mama and Papa.
Mother ship, what is the state of the transduction chambers?
[Mother] Nominal. What is your question?
You can reconfigure our energies into a form
-that resembles this planet's life forms. -They call themselves "humans."
Mother, you have to design forms for us that no one will ever pay attention to.
You need to make us invisible!
I have chosen three forms that people on the mud planet tend to ignore.
The first of such invisible forms is a girl.
Girls here are invisible?
The next is called a Latino.
I don't understand. What is "La-tino"?
That sounds fantastic. It sounds rather regal.
You, Commander Vex, will be reconfigured as...
a senior citizen.
Glorious! Varvatos should be senior to all.
All three forms sound like winners!
All right, maybe you're not home.
I'll just leave a complimentary copy here.
[gasps]
-Prepare to be destroyed, who-man! -[screams]
[Aja] So, you see, things did not go exactly according to plan for us.
But they weren't going according to plan for General Morando, either.
Say that again.
We couldn't track the mother ship.
It must've been some kind of cloaking device.
That's what I thought you said.
[energy charging]
There's no place in the galaxy the royals can hide that is beyond my reach.
Assemble the bounty hunters. No one can survive them.
[cackles]
[theme music playing]