Anna opened her eyes and sighed, "That's nice."

"You've said better words than that before," John pouted in her ear as his fingers traced over her stomach.

"You've usually done more by now." She leaned back to kiss him quickly, "Good morning."

"Good morning." He took her lips more slowly, working over her as his fingers trailed lower.

Anna gasped as they tickled over her folds, "A very good morning."

"I want to make it a morning you can't forget," He pried her open, slipping his leg between hers to better plunge his fingers into her, "So you can dream about it while I'm gone."

"Are you so sure I'd remember?" Anna heard the hitch in her voice at the end, responding to the scrape of his fingers inside her.

"I'll work extra hard so you don't forget." John's other hand gathered her hair to the side and traced kisses down her neck. "But I don't know if I'd be able to stay away from you too long."

"Longer than a week and I'll come looking for you myself." Anna gyrated her hips on his fingers, grabbing his wrist to move him how she wanted.

"Because you bed would be empty?"

Anna paused, shifting to sink his fingers in further while turning to kiss under John's chin. "Among other things."

John grinned, taking her lips before trailing his tongue down her neck to sweep her shoulders. "What other things?"

"Fishing for-" Anna gasped, her chest tightening when his other hand cupped her breast.

"Sorry," John pecked his way down her back, "I didn't catch that."

"Fishing for compliments?"

"If I'm fishing for anything it's your weak spot." He tugged at her shoulder to put Anna with her back to bed with his lips caressing over her hips and down to meet his hand.

"I've so many," Anna moaned, raking her fingers in his hair to find a hold and pull him toward her.

"And yet," John lifted slightly to look her in the eye, "None at all."

His head went down again, teeth tugging at her folds while his fingers spread her wide. In a moment his tongue delved deep, sucking at her, and Anna pressed her hips at his mouth. She fought the sound of blood thundering in her ears to better hear the glorious concert John performed pulling every bit of her wet heat he could into his waiting mouth.

Anna's back arched as the pleasure rose. She panted for breath, fighting her own body to gain the energy she needed. A moment later, between his skilled fingers and dedicated tongue, John sent Anna over the edge so white and black spotted her vision.

He went back to his haunches, licking his lips while leisurely drawing his fingers free. His movements massaged her down, bringing her to turn in his direction. Anna watched him lick at one digit and then hold the others close to his mouth. She surged up, seizing them in her grip, and buried all three digits in her mouth. If Anna felt malicious she would have giggled at John's eyes going back into his head at the feel of her tongue wrapping his three fingers, but instead she licked until her taste was clear of him.

John tugged his fingers free and took Anna's mouth, acquainting her with the taste there. Anna went for more but he broke the kiss and put his hands on her hips. He dug in a moment before resting his forehead on Anna's.

"How much do you trust me?"

"Trust you to do what?"

"Send you over the edge?"

Anna used her own hands to grab him, stroking until John's eyes fluttered shut and he groaned in her grip. "As much as you trust me."

John lowered his head, kissing at her neck, and flipped Anna onto her stomach. She rose on her hands and knees with the caress of his hands on her sides. Her move rubbed her ass along him, sending the vibration of his groan tingling through her. His fingers tightened at her sides and he responded to her eagerness by drawing himself down her, playing at her entrance.

John traced his hands up, holding her breasts in his steady palms, and pinched ever so slightly at her nipples. Anna hung her head, whimpering, while John rubbed himself at her entrance. He barely entered her, just opening her enough to send her into a barely contained frenzy trying to take him inside her. John chuckled and kept back just far enough to tease her more.

"I think you're ready."

Anna turned over her shoulder, "Make it memorable."

"With pleasure." John thrust in and Anna cried out.

His hands on her breasts massaged in time with his movements. The room soon filled with the slapping skin on skin at the piston of his hips and Anna's chorus of cries as he struck deep inside her. With each drive he found some way to bring out another note in the symphony they wrote with him as the bass line, she was the melody, and the meeting of the two of them as their harmony.

Anna used her knees and hands to return his thrusts, meeting John with all the force her body could muster. His fingers dragged over her entrance, dipping and pressing there to staccato her sounds and responses even more. When his hands slid to her hips, one slipping forward to pull at her delicate nerves, Anna gritted her teeth.

Her vision clouded, her whole body lost in the sensation of being on fire. A moment later John pressed down, ramming into her, and she broke. In the fog she felt him quicken his pace until he released.

His hands wrapped over her, lowering them both back to the bed, and he settled behind her. Anna adjusted their position, slipping off to face him. She drew a finger down his jawline and admired the hazy look in his eyes. "Were you pleasured, Mr. Bates?"

"I think the question was whether or not it was memorable Ms. Smith." John grabbed her fingers and kissed them, "That was the objective after all."

"I'm just trying to make sure you're satisfied with your service." Anna tried to sound serious, "I do run a business."

John laughed, "I think my satisfaction is obvious."

"Then I hope mine was too," Anna lifted herself to lay her hands on his chest, supporting her chin on them. "Both times."

"A man never likes to assume." John winked and Anna swatted at his shoulder. "But it's always an honor to know our work is appreciated."

"You're too much of a charmer." Anna craned her neck to see the clock, "Unfortunately neither of us have enough time to see what your charm will get you."

"I'll take a rain check for next time." John's face sobered, "If you want me back for a next time."

"Mr. Bates," Anna reached a hand forward to hold his chin, forcing him to look at her, "The moment I saw you on that platform I wanted you for next time. And the next time and the next time."

"Because of my leg?"

"It may have had some bearing on my decision." Anna sat up, "But I don't just offer a place in my room to just anyone."

"Then why choose me?"

"Because," Anna shrugged, "I've never wanted anyone the way I wanted you."

John sat up, "But why?"

"Fishing for-"

"No," John held up a hand, "I'm asking sincerely why, when you saw a crippled man on the landing platform, you flirted shameless with him before inviting him to your room to give him the three best days of his life?"

"I can't just say I did it because I wanted to?"

"There's a deeper reason than that."

Anna held John's stare, the two sizing one another up, "Intrigue, Mr. Bates."

"Intrigue?"

Anna nodded, "I recognized you as the war satirist not because I read your work but because I heard of you in the aftermath. I heard about the fund you started for the displaced citizens of Monte Cristo, the work you did to prepare other planets for possible government incursion, and how you were hounded out of three different establishments because you insisted that all be allowed common decency after they denied service to minority parties."

"You still didn't answer my question."

"Didn't I?"

John shook his head, "No."

"Then tell me exactly what your question was again. I want to make sure I'm direct this time."

John held up his fingers, "I want to know why you flirted with me, invited me to your room, and then spent three days with me."

Anna scooted closer to him, "I flirted shamelessly with you because you could flirt back and I'd never met anyone fast enough for that before. I invited you to my room because I wanted to have my way with you and I hoped I'd like it. Which I did, every time. And, finally, I gave you three three best days of your life because they were also the three best of mine."

"Truly?"

"Truly," Anna smoothed a hand in his hair, "I hope you're not feeling overly jealous when I tell you that you're not my first."

"I'm sure you know you're not mine."

"Practice makes perfect," Anna stopped her hand on his cheek, "I'd like to think you'll probably be my last."

"I know you've ruined me for anyone else." John put his hand over hers, holding it in place to kiss her palm, "I can't say I'm overly versed on the idea of love but I'd like to think I could find it with you."

"Not quite, though," Anna slipped off the bed, "I don't think we're there yet."

"No," John turned to the edge and fit the cap on his leg into the socket of cybernetic appendage and clicked it in place before standing. "We're not ready for love yet."

Anna went to the corner, flipping the water on and testing it with her hand. "It's cold. Why is it always cold?"

Her breathing hitched as John stood at her back, "I can help you warm it up."

Anna turned in his grip and pulled him forward, "Please do."


She shaded her eyes against the intensity of the boosters as the transport lifted off. Anna waited until the flare of it signaled the break of atmosphere before turning back toward the main road. Just as she was about to reach the stairs someone called out to her.

Anna turned, furrowing her brow at the sight of a man walking toward her, pistol at his hip. She slid her hand behind her to wrap her fingers on the grip of her own weapon. He stopped just short of her, glanced over her, and spoke.

"Ms. Smith?"

"Depends on who wants to know."

He smiled at her and extended a hand that Anna did not take. "My name's Mr. Green."

"Government agent?"

"How'd you figure that?"

"Besides your overly pressed clothes, the badge you keep trying to hide with your coat, that regulation gas pistol at your hip, and your obvious pseudonym last name?" Anna snorted, "It doesn't take a genius to smell it on you. Come to ask about my taxes?"

"No," He retracted his hand, holding it up in surrender, "I'm actually wondering about a room."

"I've got some to rent out for a night or two if you need it."

"I'm asking about your room, Ms. Smith."

Anna rolled her shoulders back, placing her unoccupied hand on her hip, "That's very forward of you, Mr. Green. Government agent or no, I could find grounds to file against you for that."

"Flattered as I would be to suggest what you've obviously misinterpreted from my inquiry, Ms. Smith, that's not what I'm asking."

"Then what could you possibly mean?"

"I'm asking about the man who, for the last three days was seen around your establishment and, as I have on good authority, shared your room for the last three nights."

"Whoever shares my room is my business." Anna set her jaw. "I can choose whomever I like to go and go as I please."

"Not if that person is a wanted criminal."

"If he was wanted, I wouldn't have shared."

Green narrowed his eyes, "Did you know that aiding and abetting a wanted man is a crime, Ms. Smith?"

"Only if you do it knowingly."

"What about obstructing justice?"

Anna crossed her arms in front of her, "Are you trying to insinuate I hid some kind of fugitive in my room and now I'm preventing you doing your job?"

"I'm suggesting you gave shelter to John Bates."

"Might've done, it's a common enough name and I've had common enough men in my room." Anna bit her tongue to stop herself smiling at the twitch of the muscle in Green's jaw. "Describe the John Bates you're looking for and maybe I could identify him."

"He's a cyborg."

"That's unfortunate, did the government take his leg?"

Green straightened, pulling at his coat, "The government would do no such thing. That's the stuff of penny holograms."

"There's always a bit of truth in the gore and conspiracy they lace on those files, Mr. Green." Anna took a deep breath, "But, I'll be honest, I do have a bit of a fetish for a cyborg so if one happened to pass through Plutonium I can't swear I didn't try a hand at them."

"Was this cyborg you tried your hand at a former war satirist?"

"We really didn't talk much. I don't pick out cyborgs for the conversation skills, if you know what I mean." Anna waited, "What's this John Gates wanted for anyway?"

"John Bates."

"Whatever, what's he wanted for?"

"Sedition." Green put a hand in his coat and Anna stiffened. But a moment later he drew a small disc out and held it toward her. "If you happen to see John Bates, press this."

"How'd you know it's the John Bates you're even looking for?" Anna just eyed the disc and let Green hold it.

"We'll be the judges of that."

"I don't know. I haven't seen the judgment of the government give a strong showing in the trust department lately. Not sure I can rely on the government to dispense all that justice fairly."

"Ms. Smith," Green stepped closer and Anna buried the need to put her hand on her own pistol again, "If we find that you've given any kind of help to Mr. Bates we'll come down on you like a ton of bricks."

"You'd be welcome to try." Anna pointed about them, "We're made of stronger stuff here on Plutonium and we won't be bullied or intimidated by the likes of you."

"Don't test me Ms. Smith."

"Then don't test me." Anna put her face in his, "Have you heard of 'wuthering hydrogen' Mr. Green?"

"No."

"It's a kind of tempest here that kicks up twice a year. Each time our little moon enters the apex of its rotation with our gas giant there we interact with an asteroid field. The air itself becomes flammable and I've seen men burn alive in the street because they were caught outside in it." Anna shook her head, "I've endured worse than you and I'm still here. Threaten all you want but if you really want to use that hot air for a purpose, blow it up your ass and fly away."

Anna turned to leave but Green grabbed her arm, "I know what you're doing Ms. Smith."

"And what's that, Mr. Green?"

"You're protecting him." Green sneered at her, "But he's not worth your time or your protection."

"I think," Anna tugged her arm back, "I'll be the judge of who does or doesn't deserve what I do or don't give them. I happen to believe that if someone makes me happy they're worth whatever I need sacrifice for it."

Green scoffed, "Don't tell me you think a cripple like him will make you happy."

Anna smirked, "If you must know he made me very happy and, if I had the chance, I'd do it all again. Good day."

She left the platform, walking back toward the Rock.