Bitter - Sweet

The electro-atoms hummed as one side of the cell was deactivated. Nalia stepped down as a queen might alight from a dais.
"Ah, how I live for my weekly bath," she quipped in a bored-voice, "I do hope there is hot water." Her voice abruptly changed from bored to curt, "My last few baths have been like ice."
"You'll take what you get," a guard replied gruffly.

"Oh, poor Grayson," she cooed, brushing up against the guard in her threadbare shift, "I know you wouldn't willingly give me a cold shower, would you?"
"N-no..." Grayson, a rather young guard, stammered."
"Well, perhaps, "at this, Nalia ran a finger seductively down Grayson's chest, "I should repay you for your kindness later. Neither of us need be lonely . . . " Grayson stood speechless, mouth agape; Nalia sniggered as the second, older, guard roughly pulled her away.

"Grayson!" he snapped, "Don't let her charm you with her wiles, you should know better than to be seduced by an intergalactic prisoner!"
"Right, sir, sorry." Grayson saluted then turned to Nalia, "Alright, off you go!" he nudged her with the butt of his weapon.
"Ah, so you like a clean bedfellow!" she turned and blew a kiss in Grayson's direction, "For you."

The older guard pulled her all the way to the showers and shoved her through the door. Nalia laughed merrily as the door shut behind her.
Several minutes later, Nalia emerged damp and dressed in a fresh, though equally threadbare, shift. She discovered that Grayson had been sent away and only the older guard remained to escort her back to her cell.
"Where's the other, cuter, one?" She couldn't help but tease the older guard. While he treated her roughly in the company of other, newer guards, he actually was quite fond of the young woman.

"Grayson will not be in the range of the flirtations of the likes of you anymore tonight."
"Pity," both broke out in laughter.
"I wish you would be easier on the poor fellow, he actually has promise."
"But it's so much fun to get him flustered!"
"Yes, but if her ever actually acted upon your 'invitations' I'm afraid I would have to get rid of him. It's bad enough dealing with Darrell and Meig."

"Meig would have relations with anything male, you know that! I suppose it comes with the whole locked up because of prostitution thing. Why is she in my ward, again?"
"You know I cannot discuss other prisoners with you."
"Then I will simply have to keep that question for six more months."
"Is that all the more of your sentence you have left?"
"As of this morning. God, I am so ready to get out of here!" They were at Nalia's open cell now. As she stepped in, she happened to glance up.

"Fresh meat?" she questioned as the electro-atoms hummed, shutting her in."
"Be nice," the guard warned.
"But, I'm always nice!" she argued as her cell levitated up, "Aww, he's asleep anyway."
"Maybe you should get some sleep yourself."
"I'm not tired!"

"Suit yourself," the guard shrugged and turned away.
"Hey!" Nalia called, the guard glanced over his shoulder, "Could you get me a new book? I'm almost done with this one." She held up a tattered volume with a worn marker almost at the end.
"I'll see what I can manage," the guard walked down the ward before she could say thank you.