“Where are your parents, little girl?”

“Deleted.”

The voice was perfectly calm in the way that a recorded message was. The androids working in Bulk Departure had more expressive tones in their voices and they weren't exactly programmed for diplomacy. There was no situation in which a human would use that voice. The child with the pale face like a china doll, magenta hair in bunches and a black dress that looked like a school uniform peered up without blinking at the dark purple-skinned adult in the black suit with the red flatline logo on the lapel.

Zado held the unofficial title of Person Who Knows How To Deal With Children. Not many members of staff in her area of the Game Over Screen had that gift, even though there were just as many children on the Screen as there were every other conceivable entity capable of dying. She had even published a series of special books for children to help them understand how the Game Over Screen worked. Number 13 in the series was called 'Mummy Ran Out Of Continues'.

“I'm sorry.” she said in her own strong Haldorce accent.

“I ordered their deletion.” said the girl, “Their actions were in violation of Interplanetary Law under Clause 10 of the Acceptable Computer Use Act. So I reported them.”

“Ah...” began the woman. She had an odd, compelling sensation of there very little else she could say.

“I'm entitled to three Continues, a Game Gear with two day's worth of batteries and a meal.” said the girl. “Can I have them now?”

“Come on.” said Zado, holding out a hand and putting on her best friendly smile, “On the way, you can tell me a few details so I can register your Departure. What's your name, little girl?”

“Lunarian.”

“Mm... hm. And your age?”

“Ten.”

“And where are you from?”

“Hydlide.”

Zado would have guessed from her appearance she was from the old home world, probably Baklus Clan. Either that or an android.

“Well, Miss Lunarian, the Continue Shop is on the way, so let's go there first.”

The girl did not look at her or hold her hand, but followed her with a purposeful stride.

“Miss Lunarian, do you mind me asking...” she said suddenly, “How did you... er... Depart?”

“I dialled 000 and said it was an emergency.” said the girl. Then she stopped. Zado looked around to see what was wrong, when the girl suddenly pointed to a woman in a queue for the toilets, “That woman's run out of Continues.”