I had been with Sandra for quite a long time, so being with another woman was both new and exciting.

I didn't last long.

Much to my credit, neither did Alyssa.

It was barely ten minutes after I had signed the agreement when it's conditions were completed, and the both of us were breathing heavy.

“We didn't even make it to the bed.” Alyssa said and laughed.

“Give me a couple of minutes.” I said, and she tilted her head at a forty-five degree angle.

“But... the contract...”

“I distinctly remember that part of your argument was that neither of us can talk about what happens here.” I said and smiled. “I'm not going to tell anyone that we kept going.”

“I wish I could tell someone.” Alyssa smiled and laid down on the bed.

We ran the time out on the room rental, and we left the booth exhausted and happy. What we saw when we came out was both shocking and funny.

No one was wearing clothing; but, they acted as if they were. They danced, drank, ate, sang, played games, and checked out the things for sale at the various booths.

“D-d-don't look!” I said and covered Alyssa's eyes. “You don't need to see this!”

Alyssa snorted a laugh and eased my hand away from her eyes. “I've seen it all before, sir.”

“Then cover my eyes instead!” I said and held her hand over my face. “I don't want to see it!”

Alyssa laughed and led me across the square to a food booth with reconstituted hamburgers.

“Welcome!” The vendor said when we approached. “Guaranteed ten percent real meat!”

“Really?” I asked and smiled as I pulled Alyssa's hand down from covering my face.

The vendor recognized me. “Ah... I was mistaken, sir.” He swallowed loudly. “It's only five percent meat by volume.”

I chuckled, and Alyssa covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing. “Give us two burgers, with anything you can fit on it.” I said. “One norm, one cyber.”

“Sir.” The vendor said and made up two burgers, then handed them to us.

“How much?” I asked.

“No charge for the overall commander, sir.”

I put my hand on the scanner and it took six Points from me. “I don't ride on the backs of the people.” I said. “Thanks for the food.”

“You're welcome, sir!” The vendor said happily.

Alyssa and I moved down a couple of booths to a synthetic alcohol booth. Using actual yeast, wheat, or potatoes for making alcohol was a major offence, because they were staple crops and were desperately needed to feed the population. The crime usually resulted in hard labour for several years in the farm domes used for growing them, or conscription into the military for several years.

No one has been caught for the crime in almost 3 years; but, that didn't mean it wasn't happening.

“What's on tap?”

“Anything you want, sir.”

I leaned in close and whispered. “I've been digging in the trenches all day.”

“Did you break your shovel?” The vendor whispered back automatically.

“Over my knee when I was done.” I whispered, and the vendor's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

“S-s-sir.” The vendor said and discreetly handed me two small balloon-like items that I hid in my harness, then he gave us two normal cups of synthetic alcohol. I put my hand on the scanner and lost six more points, then I tapped my thumb. Ten more points were transferred, and I smiled.

“Thanks for the quick service.” I said. “Enjoy the tip.”

“I... I will, sir.” The vendor said and smiled. “I will.”

Alyssa led me back across the square and around the other side of the living quarters to where tables and chairs had been set up. I motioned for her to sit and she sat down, and I popped one of the balloon-like items into her drink and crushed it. It crumbled into dust and I sprinkled it into the liquid. I popped the other one into my own drink and did the same with that container. I sat down and took a bite of the burger.

“Oh, now that's good.” I said and started to chew.

“Sir.” Alyssa said, and I looked at her. “Did you just do what I think you just did?”

“I thought you said we couldn't talk about what happened in the booth.” I said, deliberately misunderstanding what she meant.

Alyssa sighed. “Jack.”

“I didn't do anything, you didn't see anything, and we will never speak of this again.” I said.

“Is that an order, sir?”

“I cannot officially acknowledge anything I've seen or done tonight.” I said and smiled at her. “Now eat up, so I'll know that I haven't wasted a bunch of points.”

Alyssa opened her mouth to say something, then took a bite of her burger instead. “That really is good.” She said and took another bite.

We sat in silence and ate, and sipped the very strong alcoholic drink. When both of us had finished eating, we stood up and walked over to a rolling stairway.

“Next stop: Overlook Walkway.” A robotic voice said and we stepped on. It brought us up to the top as it made it's way around the large square and the rowdy Community Party that was just getting into full swing. It came to a stop and I stepped off and reached a hand back. Alyssa smiled and took it, then shook her head slightly.

“Sir, you're treating me like a date.” Alyssa said.

“I'm taking my Head of Security on a tour of my command and combat troops.”

“That's what I said.” Alyssa laughed. “It's a date.”

I grinned at her and waved to the railing. No one was there so early in the night, so we had the place all to ourselves.

“Sir, I...” Alyssa stopped looking at all the troops below us and turned to look at me. I reached out and put a finger on her lips.

“You're welcome.” I said and moved my hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear mod. “When you told me that you hadn't ever been to a Community Party, I... ah...”

“You did this... all of this... for me?” Alyssa said, shocked.

“I did.” I said. “I couldn't let you go out to die without at least showing you what it was that you were fighting for.”

“I can't believe it.” Alyssa said. “T-tell me... tell me it's not true.”

I smiled and touched the spot where tears would have come out if she still had tear ducts, or even needed them for that matter.

“I'll lie my ass off if you want me to.” I said, and she let out a single sob.

“J-Jack, I...” Alyssa stepped close and hugged me.

“Hey, now.” I said and hugged her back. “Inappropriate touching is against regulation Zero-Two-One-Alpha of the military code of conduct.”

“I'm pretty sure this is the synthetic alcohol talking, but...” Alyssa said and looked up at me. “I wish I had another Exemption order.” She smiled. “An hour wasn't nearly long enough to be with you.”

“If I remember correctly, that was about 6 times longer than what I actually needed.” I said and she snorted a laugh.

“You can't talk about it, remember?”

I laughed. “I remember.”

“So, what are we going to do?”

“I know what I'm going to do.” I said. “I'm going to have a couple of dances, another synthetic drink, then I'll head home. Some of us have an early day tomorrow.”

Alyssa nodded and let me out of the hug. “I'll let the squad know.”

I reached out and touched her cheek. “Ma'am, would you care to dance?”

“M-me?” Alyssa asked, surprised.

“Do you see anyone else on this walkway?”

“But... I... I don't...” Alyssa sighed. “I don't know how to dance.”

I took her into a hug and held her tightly. “It's easy.” I said and used my hands to sway her hips from side to side while I did the same. Her body followed the movement and I put my arms back around her. “There.”

“T-that's it?”

“It's all the basics you need to know.” I said. “Now this only works with me, because I'm training you to be the perfect woman.”

Alyssa laughed. It was boisterous and full of joy, and also unrestrained.

If she still had normal eyes, she'd be crying again. I thought and laughed with her.

We danced for three songs, and it didn't matter what kind of sound and beat it had. We only swayed our hips from side to side and held each other. I was tempted to have another drink; but, I really needed to get home and get some rest for the battle.

“I really need to go.” I told her and let her out of the embrace I had her in. Alyssa leaned in close and whispered in my ear.

“Thank you...” Alyssa kissed my ear. “...for the all-inclusive party.”

“It was your pleasure.” I whispered back, and it made her laugh.

“I was trying to be serious.” Alyssa said and leaned back to look at me.

“...and I was trying to distract you.” I said and glanced down at her chest. Alyssa looked down and saw that her top was undone.

“How the hell did you do that?” Alyssa asked, surprised. “I didn't even feel it!”

I chuckled and wiggled my fingers, and she smiled.

“All right.” Alyssa said. “You worked hard for it; so, go ahead.”

I slipped my hands inside her top and she caught her breath, which was the perfect opportunity to kiss her. I did, and she put her arms around my neck. I let her chest go after giving her a quick massage, then broke the kiss a moment after that.

“Goodnight.” I said.

Alyssa unwrapped her arms from around my neck and tried to do up her top, then discovered that it was already securely closed. “How the...” She shook her head. “Goodnight, sir.”

I laughed at her expression and walked over to the edge of the walkway. A rolling stairway came over, and I stepped onto it.

“Tube car, please.” I told it, then gave it my override code. It took me around the square to the station and had shifted me to the bottom. I stepped off and right into an open car, and the Tube shunted me down into the express lane.

I was back home half an hour later, had a quick shower, and went to bed. My AI Amanda tried, unsuccessfully, to get me to tell her about the party. I didn't flatly refuse like she thought I would, though. What I did do... or rather, didn't do... was talk at all.

I didn't want her to know how much fun I had, mainly because I was denying it myself. I wasn't feeling guilty about what had happened, mainly because that wasn't what was wrong. I felt bad because I had spent an enjoyable night out... and it hadn't been with Sandra.

That was a new feeling for me.

I tried not to laugh at myself, mainly because it meant that I really did love her. I rolled over in bed and closed my eyes. The morning was going to come soon, and it was going to be a whole new way for me to feel bad. I was going to do what Sandra had absolutely forbidden me to do.

I was going to kill as many people as possible.

I sighed and fell asleep.

I opened my eyes and sighed, because I had fallen asleep on the little raft I had stupidly not attached a guide line to. I was adrift and floating across the large reservoir lake for the Cavern, and I didn't have Rusty or my communication pad because I was out on the water. That meant I didn't have my AI Amanda with me, either.

I berated and hollered at myself for over an hour as the very slow current pulled me closer and closer to the only spot I was warned never to go.

The Fall.

I had tried to paddle; but with only me on board and my weak paddling skill because I was so young, all I managed to do was spin the raft and increase the speed it travelled. I'd actually given up trying to do anything and dozed off for a while. Now that I was awake again, I knew things were going to get desperate. I thought about diving into the water; but, there was no way I was going to swim anywhere even close to the shore. All I would do was add my dead body to the world's only water supply, and I didn't want that at all if I could help it.

“Maybe the Fall is bottomless.” I said, then laughed. “I'll die just falling, anyways.”

I looked back at the shore in the general direction where I thought the vacation house was. I was so close to the edge of the Fall now that I felt the spray from the splashing water.

“Goodbye, Mom.” I said. “I love you.”

“That ain't no way to talk when you're about to be rescued.” A tiny voice said.

“What?!?” I looked around.

“We've had you on radar for about an hour.” The tiny voice said. “When you didn't change course, we dispatched a boat to come and see what's up.”

“Where are you?” I asked and looked around to where I thought the voice was coming from.

“I'm right here.” The tiny voice said and I squinted my eyes. What looked like a small fly hovered in front of me, and it waved a leg at me. “Drone 876 at your service.”

“I thought electronics weren't allowed on the lake!” I said, surprised.

Drone 876 laughed. “Electronics with heavy metal batteries are prohibited.” He said. “I'm thermal.”

“No way!” I said. “Wait, wait.” I closed my eyes and thought about what the design would be. “You're almost lighter than air!”

“You got it.” Drone 876 said. “Micro rotors that run on static charge kick in when I need them, though.”

“I didn't think they could pack an AI so small.” I said.

“I'm not an AI.” Drone 876 said. “I'm just a satellite program.”

“Oh! You're really well designed.”

“Thanks.”

“So, where's the boat?”

“It's coming.” Drone 876 said. “Right behind you.”

I turned around and saw a squad multi-purpose carry vehicle speed across the water towards me.

“T-tell it to stop!” I said, and started to panic. I grabbed my oar and paddled, and it turned the boat. I ran to the other side and paddled; but, it didn't make any difference.

“It's too late, Jack.” Drone 876 said. “Much too late.”

I turned around and saw the front of the vehicle hit my raft and then hit me. We all went through the water spray and out into the main part of The Fall.

“AhhhHHH!” I yelled, and woke up. “Goddammit!”

“Jack, you're awake!” Amanda, my AI said. “I've been trying to wake you for an hour.”

“Ugh.” I said and rubbed my head. “What time is it?”

“It's almost too late, Jack.” Amanda said. “The skirmish starts in 2 hours.”

“Dammit!” I said and hopped out of bed and ran to the shower.