"Gawd, I love this!" Myina tiled her head back and let the water cascade over her face.

Hayes grinned at her from under his towel as he dried off his hair. "Yeah, I have to admit, it's been a little too long since I've had a good shower. But if you stay in there any longer you'll turn into a lakelurch."

Myina stuck her tongue out at him. "What, you would like my slippery scales?"

Hayes feigned a shudder and then laughed. "Well, I might not. But all the people whose hot water you stole might."

Myina sighed. "I suppose you're right." She reached down and turned off the water, then stepped from the tub and wrapped herself around the lieutenant, who'd just finished drying off.

"Hey hey. You're making me wet, there," Hayes scolded as he reached around and pulled her in front of him.

"Isn't that my line?" She giggled. Hayes cocked an eyebrow at her grinned wickedly.

"So that's the way you want to play it, huh?" He pushed her backward out of the bathroom, catching her mouth in a steamy kiss, tangling his fingers into her soaked hair. When the back of Myina's knees hit the mattress she pulled away from his mouth and trailed kisses down his muscled abdomen, perching on the end of the bed.

Hayes groaned as she took him into her mouth and swirled her tongue along his hardening member. After a moment or two, he brought himself back to full consciousness, as much as he could muster. "I don't suppose . . .you're sticking around . . . for awhile, are you?" He huffed between pants as she stroked him steadily with her hand.

She brought her mouth away from him, but continued her ministrations with her hand, torturously slow for his liking. "Sorry, sir. But I've gotta hit the road in the morning. I've already been here a day longer than I . . . intended." She grinned up at him and he began to lower himself toward her. Myina brought her arms around his neck as he leaned in to kiss her again.

"Shame." He sighed. "I figured you weren't here the settling down and all. But I hoped I might get to spend a few more leave days with you." As he spoke he let his hands caress her body, all the way down to her thighs, softly stroking the insides of them with his thumbs. "I do hope you'll come back to finish our training swap though." He let two fingers brush across her core and she shuddered beneath him.

"Maybe," Myina breathed coyley. "There are a few moves that you promised me-aahhh" she was cut off by an involuntary moan and Hayes dipped two fingers inside her, reveling in her excited state.

"What, like this one?" Myina could only gasp and she was wrenched from the revere of his fingers inside her when he hooked his leg around hers and grabbed her upper arms. In a flash, she found herself staring down at the lieutenant, who grinned, obviously pleased with himself, one of her arms at the side of his head, the other still clutching his arm, her thighs on either side of his hips.

"Why, you sly dog." Myina nipped at his collarbone as she righted herself atop him and slowly slid her hands down between their bodies. Hayes only smirked smuggly as leaned forward to message her breasts, kneading and pinching. She breathed in deeply as she reached for his hard length, sliding herself slowly down. Myina kept pace the best she could, which proved a little difficult when he began to match her thrust for thrust, and even more so when he captured one of her nipples between his teeth. Soon enough she was crying out in ecstasy as he took over, letting her ride out her orgasm. He followed suit not long after, and soon they were entangled in each other, sweaty and gasping for breath, giggling in their afterglow.

The next morning, Lt. Hayes helped her gear up in the hotel room, (after a farewell romp in the sheets, of course,) and then he and his men even gave her a new sidearm and a combat knife, which she equipped gratefully. The townspeople came together and gifted her with a handful of caps and some provisions for the road, which she happily accepted. But before leaving town, Myina knew she had one more stop.

The bells tinkled as she entered Nash's store. It was about time she fessed up to him about her missing package. She thought at first he might get angry or demand some reimbursement for the contract. But instead he shook his head in sympathy.

"Well I can't say I'm surprised. That job had strange written all over it. But we couldn't turn down the caps." He sighed sadly and nodded towards the fresh bandages on her forehead. "Looks like that was more than a mistake on my part though."

Myina only shook her head. "That's not your fault, so don't you go blamin' yourself for it." She eyed him sternly. "Now, what was so strange about it?"

"Well, that cowboy robot had us hire six couriers. Each was carrying something a little different. A pair of dice, a chess piece, that kind of stuff. Last word I had from the office, it looked like payment had been received for the other five jobs. Guess it was your chip that didn't make it."

Myina furrowed her brow. "Five other packages?"

Nash nodded, and then scoffed. "First deadbeat we hired to do the job canceled. Hope a storm from The Divide skins him alive." He declared angrily. Then he softened and bowed his head again. "Well, that's where you came in."

"He canceled?" A weird feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach. Something akin to fear.

"Yeah. Got this weird look when he saw you next down on the Courier list. His expression turned right around, asked me if your name was for real. I said, 'sure as lack of rain, you were still kicking.' Then he turned down the job just like-" Nash seemed to come to a conclusion. His eyes grew wider. "Just like that. I didn't even think about it. I'm sorry. All I asked was if he was sure, 'it was good money.' That's all I said. I'm so sorry."

Myina shook her head again. "Don't be. Really. I am still kicking, in case you haven't noticed. Anyway, this courier. Did he say how he knew me?"

"No." Nash shrugged, looking a little guilty still. "'Let Courier Six carry the package.' That's what he said. Like the Mojave'd sort you out of somethin'. Then he just up and walked out. Sounded like you too had a history of some sort."

Now it was Myina's turn to shrug. "No one I can think of." She had never really made friends with any of the other couriers. They met so rarely and were usually in competition with each other for jobs. And this one had paid good. It didn't make any sense her that someone would turn it down, none that she could think of.

"Maybe he thought your name was bad luck." Nash offered hopefully. "Hope he didn't see any trouble in that package of yours."

Myina pondered the idea for a minute, but seeing the look of remorse on Nash's face, she brightened up and shrugged it off. "Eh, no worries." She smiled. "It's probably just some superstition, like you said. Shit happens, right?"

Nash seemed a little comforted by her words and smiled. "Sure does, kid."

"Now," Myina took in a deep breath and pointed toward the corner counter. "Now, what's up with that heap o' metal over there?"