Star proceeded to the witness stand as ordered. She retained a look of swagger as she stood high at the center of the room. For Mina, it was tough to tell if it was natural confidence or she was bluffing in order to look good for the cameras. But when Star spoke, it became very clear.

"Defendant…" Divine Justice said, staring at the radiant and rather buff woman. "State your name and occupation for the record."

Star held two fingers to her forehead and offered a wink. "Ziggity Zap!" she shouted with a thumbs up. "Know who I am? Tune into channel Z and watch me on Venus Warrior from Mars at 7 (8 central)!"

The judge's old eyes buldged incredulously. "Tune into what at what central? Excuse me, young lady, this is a court case, not a chance to plug your TV show for hip, young attractive people!"

Star flexed her muscles by holding your hands behind her head. "So you think I'm attractive, eh? A chad-ess like me could hardly commit such a terrible crime!"

The judge banged her gavel so hard it nearly splintered the podium. "Sweetie. State your name and occupation before I slap you so hard with a guilty verdict that it leaves a mark."

Star winced so hard, Mina was afraid she'd fall off the podium. Clearly a good impression was the last thing she made. But fortunately, Star took it in stride, she slammed her forehead with a salute and shouted like a private in the military. "My name is Star Skye, ma'am. I am a famous actress at Rocketstar Studios, ma'am."

Blind Justice shook his head. "And just like your infantile TV show, you have just wasted 15 minutes of our time with mindless pablum. Miss Skye, I'm gonna cut right to the chase. What was your relationship with the victim?"

Mina turned her eyes to Star who looked like she needed a lifeline. "Like we rehersed," she said to her client.

Star cleared her throat. "I had a very professional relationship with my coworker, Dirk Lord. Whenever we were in the studio, it was strictly business. And our business was show business! We made intergalactic gold!"

A smirk curled on Blind's face as he reached into his back pocket. He whipped out a copy of Juicy Tabloids with Star in a tight black tanktop on the cover. Her eyelids hung seductively halfway over her eyes.

An editted picture of the nerdy Dirk Lord was in the corner with stars plastered over his eyes. The bloodcurdling headline read, "Dirk Lord…Star-Struck? Former Star Voyage actor spills the moon rocks on his latest crush."

"Strictly business?" Blind said with a confident jeer. "Because this does not seem like a business relationship. Unless the business is…pleasure."

Star gasped before she balled up her bulky tanned fists.

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"I sense your body heat increasing too," Blind said, very clinical. "Either you are flustered by the lewd insinuations of the magazine, or you murdered him in a crime of passion."

Star's ever reddening face looked to Mina like her whole body would boil over from embarrassment. Mina tapped her butterfly necklace and smiled. "Deep breaths," she coached her client. "Remember. If you tell the truth like you told me, there's nothing to fret over."

Star took a healthy gulp of air and her face returned to its normal bronze palor. "This kind of relationship was one sided," she answered. "Dirk was into me, but I was not into him. It's as simple as that. When he spoke to the tabloids, he only spoke about his feelings, not mine."

The judge who had been quietly following everything nodded. "Grandson," she said at last. "Her head might be harder than an asteroid, but I fully believe her about the tabloids. They really did a number on me when I was a soul singer!"

Ritchie Lord and Nick Beard both cringed, but the prosecutor remained stolid. "Very well," he said.

Mina smiled widely. Was he finally admitting defeat this early in the game?

"Miss Skye?" Blind answered. "Did Mr. Dirk Lord confront you at work about his feelings?"

Star turned bright red again and slammed her fist into her hand.

"I'll take that abrasive slapping sound and the rise in body heat as a yes!" Blind said with a winning smirk.

Fortunately, Mina was prepared. "Remember the mellow," she urged Star. "Close your eyes and see those fluffy green bunnies from outer space."

Star started panting heavily but closed her eyes. "I can't see the space bunnies," she growled. "All I see is red."

"Miss Skye," the prosecutor answered. "Need I remind you this is not a yoga session. Please answer my question right now."

Star gripped the stand tightly. "Yes, he approached me."

"When?"

"On the day he was killed…"

People in the audience gasped and started yammering among themselves.

"What did he say to you?" Blind demanded.

Star began to shake like she was a volcano of emotion about to blow. "He…professed his love to me. He told me it burned brighter than the thousand purple suns of Sector Z."

"And…" Blind grinned. "What else did he do…"

Star let out a loud of howl of anger. "He proposed to me with a ring made of a meteorite from Halley's Comet."

The bustling audience was silenced from her exclamation.

Goldie Digsy raised her hand. "Um…objection your honor!"

"What is it?" Divine Justice demanded. "This is getting so juicy!"

The ditzy blond security guard answered in a feather light voice. "I think those two should NOT be married. He should marry me instead!"

"Overuled!" the justice answered. "Your objection, i mean. Though need I remind you that the victim is dead."

"Til death do we part…" Goldie sighed.

"Anyway," Blind said. "How did you respond? Miss Skye. I bet you…"

"I rejected that creep!" Star shouted. "I can't believe he couldn't take a hint about me. As if my cabal of fangirls doesn't mean anything!"

"So you killed him…" Blind said.

"What?!" Star said suddenly panicked. "No! I didn't DOOOOOO IT!"

Star's loud howl followed by her breaking down in tears. Mina couldn't help but pity the gentle giant. Blind Justice was truly ruthless "Yowza!" Raven whispered to Mina. "Seems Star just supernova'd! Kid, you better do something before she confesses just to be thrown off the stand."

Mina tapped her necklace and summoned her EAP. She thought deeply. There was something very wrong with the scene Star described. It wasn't Star's rejection of Dirk that was strange but rather what happened afterwards.

Mina's eyes lit up like beacons in the night.

"Objection!"

Everyone turned to her. Blind Justice scoffed. "What could you possibly have to object about? My prosecution was flawless."

"It was…as is your face, handsome!" Mina giggled. "But I do have something to object to. You see, Star had no reason to kill Dirk…"

Mina smiled widely and threw her hands to the table.

"But…Dirk sure had a good reason to kill Star!"