The child clutched Zana's leg like it was the only solid thing left in the universe. Her little antenna wobbled as she spoke, gasping between sobs.
"Mu- mum and dad both- both work at the Gwand Gala- tickita. They got imp-important jobs. If you go away, they- they won't have any jobs! We'll have no money! And they'll come take our home, our cawavan! I don't wanna move! We have so little! Please stay! So my mum and da- dad can have their jobs! Please- please!"
The little girl's button eyes flowed as she stared helplessly at Rivqua crouching beside her. The singer glanced at the child's mother. The alien lady's skin was deep purple and her eyes glistened. She had her hand to her mouth. Embarrassed but also moved by her little one's desperate plea to help her family.
Zana gently peeled the girl's arms off her leg and picked her up. She didn't weigh much.
"You really want us to stay?" Zana asked her. "For your mum and dad?"
The little girl nodded hard, making her antenna dance.
"Yes," she said, "And my bwother." The distraught child stared at Zana like she was the end of the road, then she hugged her neck and held on tight. "Please."
"See the kind of problems people like us run into?" Zana said to the detective inspector while patting and stroking the child.
The policeman took one hat off and scratched his head, looking a tad awkward. "Better you than me."
Rivqua rose and looked at Zana. A glance of reluctant agreement between the two. She turned to the secretary robot and raised her severe finger of seriousness once more.
"If we continue our residency, do we have your word that you will sort out our administrative hiccup as soon as possible? Preferably sooner?"
"You have my word," said the bot, head bowed.
"And the mother and father of this girl and her brother will carry on uninterrupted in the Grand Galactica's employ?"
"Certainly," the robot answered.
"Very well," Rivqua said, settling her fists on her waist. "We have no choice in a situation like this." She gave the parents a confiming nod. "The show goes on."
The mother and father bowed in gratitude and clasped each other's hands.
Zana pressed her cheek to the child's head. Somewhere in there under the mass of dark green curls was bound to be an ear. "Hear that, Flippine? We're staying."
The girl didn't budge. She held on tight.
"I love you," she said softly and rattled Zana's ear with a snivel.
"Sir Morris is going to have one of his philosophical spells," Rivqua told Zana.
Zana dismissed it. "The old fellow loves a good challenge."
Rivqua bent her lips into a small grin and agreed. "No he doesn't."
"Right then," said the detective, getting back to the task at hand. He mumbled as he jotted in his notebook, "Nothin' pertinent to add to the case by secondary staff. Still leaves one unsolved murder and one mysterious disappearance for me to solve," he added, looking up. "Aren't I the lucky one."
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