" DASS clothing looks awful on me," Nova said. " What's your issue with being so covert about everything, anyway."

He picked at the waist of his pants.

" I just don't want everybody sticking their nose in our business," William replied. " It's not any sort of official nonsense, and I don't want to give off the impression DASS is trying to undermine the Empire's politics."

Nova looked over at him.

" You thought about that?"

" Well, I know how it looks, Nova. I've got you on me and then I snapped up Lyeha as well. Who wouldn't be suspicious of that?"

" Good point. I'm suspicious of that

" Well, you at least have a right to be."

" What does that mean?!"

" Hmmm, who knows."

" I'll figure that out when I get you bent over a table."

William seemed to have been taken offguard by that but quickly recovered.

" Oh? And when are you going to actually do that?"

" As soon as I'm in a room where I know no one's going to come barging in crying about the problem of the week."

" How decent and modest."

" Don't mock me for having the basic sense to not fuck someone when I could get caught."

" That makes it more fun, Nova."

" You're a criminal."

" Love you too."

" Fuck off."