The morning of the date with Kobal, Marian called Andrea into the basic music room. Since Gara's arrival, Andrea hadn't had a chance to be alone with Tanner outside of the office. If not Gara, then Queen was there, hovering around with his mean look and his inhospitable commentary.

Seeing the two E's in attendance in the music room was surprising. On the wall across from the door, the projection of their opening ceremony played. Everyone there watched it, but Andrea just found interest in the floor as she listened to veteran students doing what she'd taught them to do, sing.

Once it was over, Marian tapped the interface to mute it, and the video looped. Andrea risked glancing at Tanner, who was sitting on a chair beside Queen near the door. Her dud E still watched the image on the wall. In time Tanner flashed her one pleased smile, and Andrea calmed. He liked it.

Marian's voice drew their focus when she asked, "Do you see the problem?"

Gara walked over to Tanner, who stood up to meet her. They traded a few words, and Gara nodded, confident.

"I'm with Tan. That was fantastic. Those kids can sing." When Marian didn't say anything, Gara looked to her for help. "Ma'am?"

"This is a music class. You do realize that not one of those children was playing an instrument?"

"Yes, but it was a choir, so...."

Marian put her fingers against the wall, and image after image scrolled of children singing. All of Andrea's confidence withered. Tanner's voice drew them, and they looked to where the E pointed.

Gara leaned forward and smiled. "Well, he's got a point; what about that kid on the triangle? Doesn't that count?"

A smile peeked through Queen's usual placid expression; he fought back a laugh. Eventually, a chuckle escaped, and Gara and Tanner joined in.

Marian didn't laugh, however, and neither did Andrea, whose face was warm from her blush. Tanner looked sheepish; maybe he hadn't meant to make a joke, but Andrea felt betrayed nonetheless.

"They don't play instruments," Marian repeated while eying Andrea. "A music teacher who cannot teach music. I can only imagine what she did to get that certificate."

Feeling about two inches tall, Andrea clenched her fists a few times, trying to make certain her heart was still pumping blood through her body because she'd gone numb.

Queen spoke up. "With all due respect, ma'am, it's unlikely that is the case. Her certification is certainly legit."

Andrea glanced at Tanner and then at Gara, who smiled. Finally, she looked at Marian, but her mother was doing anything but smiling.

Marian put her hands on her hips. "So that means she deliberately refuses to teach them. Because she's been requested to do so repeatedly." She nodded as if she'd just found another addition to put in her "'Andrea is useless'" scrapbook. "Meaning that she intends to sabotage us. It's a blessing that you decided to help us out this term, Gara. I'm deeply in your debt."

Gara had the grace to blush. "I could do with the assistance," she said, disappointed.

"No."

"But ma'am, Andrea does have perfect pitch. She'd be a valuable asset."

Marian zeroed in on Andrea, but said to Gara, "You assume I trust her to have this school's best interest at heart."

"Of course she does," Gara insisted.

"Fine." Marian folded her arms and waited. "Are you willing to cooperate, Andrea?" She nodded to Queen and Tanner. "Demonstrate to them why your class isn't a joke."

Andrea remained rigid, loathing the very sight of her mother. To be put on display was one thing, but she could see it in her mother's eyes—the woman wanted her to try and fail, and Andrea was not interested in giving her the satisfaction.

In time Marian shook her head, smug. "That's what I thought."

Gara wore an expression of encouragement, trying to beguile a note out of Andrea. What that traitor got was a cold look; Andrea was finished with them.

Marian turned to the smaller woman and said, "Please consult the E's about it. Hell, I'd rather you consult the children than this useless excuse for an adult biped." Tanner replied to her, and Marian nodded. "Excuse me. I am getting emotional, I know."

Andrea's jaw dropped. Is she using telepathy with him? Are you gaw-ro kidding me?

Maybe Gara and company hadn't meant to gang up, but Andrea knew her mother had intended for that effect. It worked. Andrea left the room wishing something would fall on her with each step she took back to the office. She had an early lunch and drowned her sorrow in sweets when she met up with Gulliver. The servant offered to make a special meal for her and Kobal in an effort to cheer her up.

She dressed well, trying with all her might to ignore the unfortunate reality that her clothes were starting to be a tight fit.

Kobal didn't come.

Andrea noticed the flashing light on the interface at around seven o'clock, a sure sign that a message was coming through.

She ignored it.

She noticed it at 7:15, and at 7:36, and finally as the light flashed now and then until 8:20, Andrea sat back, watching her hands in her lap.

The approaching footsteps did little to ease her disappointment.

"Evening." Queen's voice reached her, dragging Andrea's spirits deeper into a pit. The E was silent, but Andrea didn't look up from studying her own hands. "Kobal said to tell you that he and Rene cannot make it and would like to take you up on the offer another day."

Andrea closed her eyes and nodded, silent as she rubbed her left temple. She didn't say much else, and Queen didn't wait for something in the form of actual language. Shortly after, Queen left.

After locking up the office, Andrea made it to the kitchen and began to clean up. She could have had someone else do it, but she was bitter enough to do it herself.

Tanner hadn't come.

Who cares anyway? I should forget about these damn E's.

The cart against the wall with their would-be dinner held a plentiful, well-presented assortment of food. The food lately hadn't been the usual starvation-type rations. Gulliver no doubt felt sorry for her. That fact only served to remind her that it was all a wasted effort for people who weren't going to show. Andrea ate her own portion at first and then her own dessert pastry. She finished rather fast, so she ate the pastry for Rene, then the one for Kobal, and she felt awful.

The reality of the night hit her, and she felt doubly miserable.

No Tanner to deliver the message.

Andrea resolved to go to bed. She meant to go to her room, but instead she allowed her feet to carry her to the servant's recreation area. Being made into a servant was bad enough, so Andrea had promised herself to not set foot in that place. Yet here she was.

As she stood there staring at the door, out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of a tall figure in the distance. She bowed to the man who approached.

"Evening, London."

London searching for his wife, Gara, was nothing new. Gara's conquests were numerous and legendary, as were the small woman's efforts to sleep with anyone but her husband. Usually Gara was good about turning up in the nick of time before garnering a search; London's temper was nothing to trifle with.

"She's in there, isn't she?" London demanded.

Andrea shrugged. "I'm sure she won't stay too long. It's the weekend, so she and I had plans to meet up and watch a cube."

"What time?" London asked, his eyes narrowed.

Andrea tried to think of the actual time now; accuracy was crucial when lying. "Maybe about ten thirty. I just came to get her."

Lips pursed, London gave it some thought, and nodded finally. "Fine," he said and passed Andrea by. "I'll leave her to you then. Good night."

"Good night," said Andrea. She didn't bother watching London go. We're even, you skinny bitch, she thought as she opened the door. Her excuse for going in was that she had to give the warning to Gara so that their stories would match in the morning.

Loud noise erupted from the room as soon as the door slid back. Andrea stepped in and the steel glided closed, trapping her in this new world.

She seldom entered this area, but she had never seen the band there before. Queen stood behind Gara, and Tanner, of course, sat at the drums. A couple of other new staffers held guitars, and Gara was at the mic. The crowd quieted for her, and after she signaled Tanner to count them in, the music started.

To Andrea's surprise, Queen raised his hands and a violin came into view. The beat was pretty springy and cheerful, and many people stood to dance. Andrea sunk back into the crowd, careful to keep from view as she watched them.

Seeing them there in that band felt like a bigger slap in the face, and she remembered just why she'd decided earlier that day that she hated every one of them. Now Kobal hadn't shown, her diet was shot to hell, and to make matters worse, they were here in the staff's area in a band, rubbing their talent in her face.

After several songs they switched positions, with Queen on the drums and Tanner on the bass. Andrea cursed herself for feeling her bitterness fade with each second she kept her eyes on her dud E. The sight of Tanner's long body holding the bass guitar made the rest of the world fade.

If only you had hair. If you had power. I would have gone after you properly. And now it's too late.

If Tanner had power, Andrea could just offer to pay for a wish and be rid of the E, be done with him completely. She reflected on this for some time as Gara leaned her slim body back into Tanner's side as they danced.

Andrea imagined her heart literally breaking.

She hadn't understood it at first, why Kobal would have even considered Rene when most people would have run screaming. In fact, she wondered if Rene was looking to take Kobal's looks for her own with a wish. All sorts of morbid thoughts raced through Andrea's head, but now she saw it. She didn't care that Tanner couldn't give her a wish. Being with him, being teased and treated as if she mattered, was more than she could have ever hoped for.

Gara had opted for a long-sleeved shirt that night while everyone else was in cutoffs. The smaller woman took every opportunity to rub up against Tanner's body.

Andrea told herself it would be petty—and not just a little crazy—to march out of the crowd and kick another woman. With each minute that passed, she found herself chanting it more and more: It's petty, and nuts. Calm down.

She watched as Gara worked the crowd and concluded that Gara was everything she wasn't. Gara was a people person. Gara was a performer. Gara was an artist. Gara was skinny and dainty and sophisticated when needed. And then Andrea saw something she hadn't expected. A man in the crowd held out powder on a small piece of paper, and Gara snatched it up and took a long drag of whatever it was up her nose.

Andrea's jaw dropped. Gara is a drug addict?

She was the only one shocked. No one even looked twice as the object, devoid of whatever it once held, was tossed into the crowd to a rowdy cheer. Even Tanner didn't seem to care; the E just kept his eyes on the bass guitar. Tanner shifted focus from the instrument long enough to meet Queen's gaze. The dud E nodded to Gara, who was spinning around the room with a happy smile on her face, and Queen rolled his eyes.

They managed to finish the set without incident, and Tanner didn't hesitate to guide Gara through the crowd and out the room. Queen followed. Andrea reached the door before it slid shut. She waited for them to walk away and then she stepped out, careful to keep out of view.

She could hear Queen complaining. "By the Colony, I hate rich people. Why do they have to use every last dime they have to drive themselves into the grave? If they'd only be thoughtful enough to walk in there willingly, the rest of us po' folk would be all too happy to cover their useless asses up."

Tanner didn't agree—at least that's what Andrea hoped from his stern response. They stopped walking—Gara flopping around between them—squabbled, and did rock, paper, scissors.

Judging from the cheer, Tanner had won. The dud E laughed as he guided Gara down the hall and called back to Queen.

Andrea's heart broke yet again. What the hell? Even as a useless, high jackass, Gara is appealing? I mess with a few servants, I'm subhuman; she does it and she's cool? And she gets an escort while high out of her mind? On top of that she gets my gaw-ro hairless dud E? Andrea just couldn't believe that there was so little justice in the universe.

Tanner strode off with Gara by his side. They were no doubt heading to Tanner's room since Gara's was in the opposite direction. After hiding herself in a bend of the hallway, Andrea waited for Queen to turn off down another hall before she hurried to catch up with the couple, still careful not to be seen.

I'm lurking. I'm lurking and I don't even care.

She tried to look on the bright side. Tanner was too friendly. Too smart. Too well-defined. No one with a body like his—and such a cute smile—was ever nice to any of the Andreas of the world unless there was a joke involved. It seemed fitting that he was such a lowlife that he'd take advantage of someone under the influence.

Andrea just had to see it. Once she'd seen it, she knew she could get over this weird little fixation she had with the E. An E who she couldn't even physically touch anyway. She was being stupid, but the only way to stop herself from turning into a blubbering idiot around Tanner would be to see him for the disgusting human being he was.

Grandfather was the last flawless person known to man, anyway.

Andrea rounded the bend to the sound of Gara and Tanner's voices. They should have reached the room by now, so she wasn't sure why they hadn't ducked in.

Guess Gara's too sweet to wait, huh? Andrea wore a bitter frown as she leaned with her right shoulder against the wall. At least someone gets to put Tanner's gladiator body to good use, she thought.

She stopped slouching when Tanner yelled, "Sorry!" and shoved Gara hard into the room, sure to have made the smaller woman tumble.

Tanner locked the door next.

"No." Andrea muttered under her breath. "Don't be noble...don't you dare."

Tanner's English was heavily accented, but it was English, and it shocked Andrea to hear him say, "Just sleep. Yes?"

At the banging coming from the door, Andrea groaned between clenched teeth. "You bastard, why do you gotta be so damn nice?"

Tanner flinched; he had heard something. Andrea pressed herself back against the wall, hoping it would prove to be a good hiding spot. Luckily—or unluckily—the sound of two men approaching caught Tanner's attention. The men hurried past, but they didn't slow their jog to take note of Andrea.

The door opened shortly after, and Gara spilled out onto the floor in a graceless mess.

Andrea watched as Queen picked her up. That was confusing since Queen's utter contempt for the little woman-pixie was well-known. Instead of the usual green, Queen's hair was blue, and he had a silver necklace tucked into his shirt. Then Andrea caught sight of Tanner and...and Queen again.

Andrea did a double take, then a triple take, and froze as she remembered how Queen had greeted Gara when she'd arrived, saying, "You'll have to settle for the evil twin."

Twins. Andrea gasped. "Where the hell did he come from?" It was no secret that E's could travel the System at will without even calling up a command, but she had expected that computer to give some sort of warning or prompt before it allowed someone into their home unannounced. Did this mean E's were able to bypass the System and make portals completely on their own? Whatever the reason, the extra E was here now. A twin to boot. The idea of another ill-tempered E like Queen wasn't a very appealing thought.

Queen's twin was gentle as he pulled Gara to her feet, looked at his double and Tanner, and scolded, "Oi, ya bastards. What part of 'Is she sober?' don't ya get?"

With a slight shrug of indifference, Queen yawned. "It's not my fault you can't form a gaw-ro sentence. I thought you said 'so baaaa.' She certainly seems to be 'so baaaadly gawed up,' so maybe that's what you meant."

Groaning, the man scooped Gara up and entered the room, closing the door behind him.

That was the last Andrea saw of Gara for the next two days.