I didn’t really want to save Earth,” Mick said as the children sat in the sun on the patio at the newly renovated presidential palace on Planet Royale. Jacob and Sarah rolled their eyes at each other and Dexter scoffed. Catalina seemed distracted by Mortimer, the pink dolphin.

“I was totally ready to blow it up,” Mick said. “Still might, in fact.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Dexter asked.

Mick jerked his thumb at Jacob. “Mr. ‘My Mommy Is on Earth’ made it politically impossible. The voters would have hated me for it. But I really would have done it. That whole Sarah thing was just political cover.”

Everyone rolled their eyes.

“You’re so full of it, Cracken,” Dexter said.

Sarah and Jacob laughed in surprise. Jacob never would have thought there would be a day when Dexter would be able to stand up to Mick Cracken. Dexter really had changed.

Jacob rested his head back on his chaise longue and thought about going home to his mom and sleeping away an entire week. He knew that wouldn’t be possible because there was school and homework and chores and all sorts of other menial tasks awaiting him on Earth, but at least he wasn’t facing endless meetings and trips around the universe like Mick was about to endure now that he was president. The elections for the Astral Congress were just a few starweeks away, and Jacob was a bit relieved that working with a new government wasn’t his problem.

“So…” Jacob said. “I guess this is it.”

The children glanced around at one another and then looked away, not quite sure how to say good-bye.

Princess Catalina stood up first and reached out her hand to Jacob. “Can I talk to you?”

They walked together in the gardens, and Jacob wondered what Catalina would say. He knew she was facing an uncertain future, no longer a princess and now Mick’s vice president, and he wondered how she had convinced Mick to name her his number two.

Princess Catalina stopped walking, and for a moment all of her composure and confidence slipped away and a tear slid down her cheek. She looked at Jacob with pained eyes, then averted them toward the ground.

“I wish you liked me as much as I like you,” she said quietly. Her words stabbed Jacob more than he thought was possible. He wished he did too. She was really great, he admired her intelligence and determination, and he felt bad that he was often so frustrated by her and didn’t return her feelings in the same way.

But just as suddenly as Catalina’s brash and confident exterior had vanished, it was back. She tucked her hair behind her ear and straightened Jacob’s collar. She gave him a dazzling smile and said, “But darling, there’s still plenty of time for that. We have a whole lifetime ahead of us.”

Jacob hugged Catalina and said, “Thank you so much. You’re… amazing. You really are.”

Catalina patted Jacob on the back in a friendly way. “I know.”

“How did you get Mick to name you vice president?”

Catalina twirled her hair. “Impressed, aren’t you, Jakey?”

Jacob laughed. “Yeah, I am.”

“Well, you were right. I should be more than just a princess. There are Astrals who still think there should be a royal family, you know. I could have made problems for Mick even if legally I wouldn’t be a princess. But I told him I wouldn’t make any trouble and I’d publicly give up my crown if he named me his vice president.”

“Wow,” Jacob said. He suddenly felt a little guilty that he had been the one who had prompted her to give up trying to be a princess, the thing she loved the most in the entire universe. But now she could finally decide who she wanted to be instead of just taking the life that was given to her. “That’s great, Catalina. Really.”

“And who knows,” she said with a sly grin. “Maybe Mick isn’t the only one in the family who could be president.”

“Don’t even joke around about that,” Jacob said, imagining the look on Mick’s face if he lost to his sister. “Because that would be the greatest thing in the history of the universe.”

They made their way back to the patio where the others were sitting, and Jacob stuck out his hand to Mick.

“Mr. President,” Jacob said.

Mick smiled. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing those words.”

“Probably not.” Jacob smiled.

Mick turned to Sarah, who still regarded him warily. “I’ll never forgive you for kicking me off your campaign,” she said.

Mick nodded uncertainly.

“But thanks for doing the right thing and saving Earth,” she said.

She punched Mick on the shoulder, which made him immensely happy.

Jacob knew it was time to go. He put his arms around Sarah and Dexter and said, “Shall we?”

“Wait,” Mick said.

Jacob, Sarah, and Dexter turned back.

“I’m officially naming you three my Supreme Ambassadors to Earth. President’s orders.” He gave a lopsided grin. “It’s quite a prestigious job, you know.”

Jacob laughed. “We’d be honored, Mr. President.”

They waved their last good-byes to Catalina and Mick and made their way to Praiseworthy. Jacob couldn’t wait to be home at long last, to smell Earth again and be back in his house.

But they had one more stop to make.