Heat was the first order of business. With Tanner's funds depleted, heat was going to be a big problem. Andrea had endured through that night, musing that it might have been warmer to remain in the tunnels.

To her surprise and secret delight, when she lay on the floor, Tanner lay shyly as well, pulling her close. She guessed the E's body heat was why the room was so cold because in Tanner's careful embrace, the warmth that filled Andrea offset the chill.

The next day Tanner went by himself to do his rounds and returned with some thermal blankets. He mentioned that they were far more expensive than he had expected. The Colony was rarely cold. Most places were heated evenly, so for the people of the Colony, blankets were simply a novelty and therefore somewhat pricey.

The next few days, he left before Andrea awoke, and each time he came back with something else. A chair, a table. He couldn't afford a bed, but he did manage to get a small sofa, which Andrea, not in the least accustomed to sleeping on the cold floor, was thrilled to see.

Each time Tanner came back, it was with a hearty meal. Andrea ate with a reserved smile at first. She'd been asked about what food she liked, but she'd dodged the question.

"The ones with high glucose seem to have a lot more energy. Figured that was more economical, but I can't get too many because it's a bit costly," Tanner said as he laid the small packages on the floor between them.

Without a hint of worry, Andrea savored the cake while licking her lips. Tanner still seemed fascinated with watching her eat. Unlike the school, where Tanner had observed her, this time he appeared almost enchanted.

Your lips get so red, like you're aroused.

With a blush, Andrea kept her head down to hide the fact that she'd heard Tanner's passing thought. She couldn't always do it, but she cherished the times she could.

That night when she slept on her new couch, she was alone at first but woke up with her head in Tanner's lap as the E snoozed sitting up. Andrea rubbed her face against the man's firm stomach, certain her own grin couldn't get any bigger.

In the morning there was an air of distress around her, and Tanner sensed it because he gave Andrea the look they'd often shared that simply meant "Tell me."

Andrea muttered, "Two things."

"Okay."

"First thing: I can't stay here in this house by myself. I'm going crazy. And the second thing...I'm...I'm sick."

***

The response time to addressing Andrea's issue was fast at least, because thirty minutes later, the cylinder door closed as Tanner walked out and someone else walked in. Andrea found herself in hell when Queen sat down before her. A stone chair rose out of the floor for him, and Andrea, sitting with her feet up on her new couch, tried not to meet his gaze.

How come Tanner can't make a chair like that?

Andrea focused on the green-haired E, and her spirits sank.

Queen sounded uncharacteristically sympathetic. "I know what you're thinking—"

"No, I can't say that you do."

"You're thinking, 'What the hell?' Right?"

Andrea was shocked. "Yeah, actually I was."

"Well, Tanner's hell-bent on paying for everything and I'm sorry to say, the cheapest junior medic around is...." Queen pointed to himself with a grin. "Moi."

Stomach twisting in knots, Andrea cringed. "No."

"Oh yes. I decided to drop my price. I don't know why I don't get many clients."

Andrea grumbled, "Could be your great bedside manner."

Queen laughed. "You've got a point. So all right. It's just us two here; what's wrong?" He met instant resistance and a sharp glare that made him shudder. "Wow. Talk about hostility."

"There's no way in hell I'm telling you."

"Then tell Tan." Queen smiled. "Or is it that you figure he might not like it? Or he might worry?" Andrea focused on the couch, and the E sighed. "Listen. Tan is going crazy. He's gone crazy. Keeping you, trying to feed and clothe you. He's already broke, so I'm guessing your taste for the finer things is zipping through his piggy bank pretty fast. You obviously don't work. The only thing you've got to do is stay healthy. He works mines for you. Do you know how dangerous that is? And all you have to do in return is just open your mouth and talk." Andrea still didn't regard him, and Queen sighed in defeat.

"Look at me." Reluctant, Andrea met his pale blue eyes, and Queen said, "This is Tan. You don't know me, but you know him. If he thought I was going to be mean to you—" Queen raised his hand defensively. "Beyond what I deem reasonable. Do you really think he'd ask me to come? Cheap or not?"

Andrea thought about it and then sighed. "Fine." She kept her eyes on the couch as she grumbled, "I can't go to the toilet." At Queen's raised eyebrow, she growled. "I can't pee; I can't crap. I can't do anything."

To her surprise, Queen sat up and nodded. "Oh. And you could before?"

"Of course I could before, you...you simp."

The edge on the words made the E's eyebrows rise. "Okay, okay. Calm down." Queen stood and considered what to do. "Well, I don't really have an answer. I'm...I'm more of a 'I broke my hip, help me fix it' type of medic. Meaning if your leg is hanging off to the side, anchored by a sliver of skin, I'm your man. This one I'm not sure of. But I'll be by with a follow-up tomorrow. Promise."

He walked out the door, and Andrea sunk into the sofa, feeling wretched. When Tanner came in shortly after with a hopeful smile, Andrea covered her head with the blanket. Her body language was enough to sour their mood for the rest of the day.

Dinner that night was meager, and that was good because Andrea didn't feel up to eating. The fact that Tanner made an effort to eat with her was good motivation to try, though, because as far as she knew, the E simply never ate.

The strange texture of the food still caused Tanner to make a face, and Andrea smiled.

"I'm glad this can cheer you up," Tanner muttered pitifully. "I'm sorry about the whole Queen thing. I should have sprung for a better medic." He kept his eyes on his plate as he pushed the food around. "And I'm sorry for not taking you to work, but I chose the safest mine when you were around. Alone, I opt for the harder ones. If we can hold off on the shower for a bit, then we can save up a good amount."

Andrea didn't say anything. She knew Tanner didn't shower, and the E had hinted that neither of them needed to now because he could clean them by breaking down any excess matter on their skin, but still she wanted a damn shower. It had been nearly a week, and although admittedly she didn't smell, she just felt like she wanted one more and more each day.

"I've got good news," Tanner said, "I talked to Red, and she's got room for you."

"Room?" Andrea picked at her food. "I don't understand."

"For Assist training. We're lucky she can squeeze you in."

Assist training? Andrea didn't find it as appealing as Tanner did. "But...I don't...you mean training to fight and such?"

"Sure."

Heart racing at the very thought, Andrea shook her head. "But I can't fight."

"Hence the training." Tanner shrugged. "You said you wanted something to do. And it's not like you're too busy to try it."

Andrea thought back to Red and what she remembered of the woman. Red was tall and slender, wearing black, loose-fitting clothes, but her muscles were toned. Of course Red was a fighter; she was built like an Amazonian warrior. Andrea thought about the gym she'd seen when she'd gone with Tanner a few times for him to work out. The idea of training there as well, in the open for others to see, was unsettling.

"Um...I-I did try the punching bag thing for a bit."

Tanner said, "I know it was a bit hard, but I've talked to her. You can just run. Don't worry; we'll take it slow. Just a one-hour jog every morning to warm up."

One hour? To...warm up? Is he crazy? Andrea tried to keep her eyes from bugging. Jogging. Andrea hated jogging.

The idea bothered her for a lot of reasons. Reason one: she hated to run. Her large size made her feel heavy when she ran. Parts of her body bounced and jiggled, and it made her self-conscious, wondering if anyone was staring at her stomach or her butt. Reason two: she didn't want to sweat. As far as she knew, she wouldn't be getting a shower, and even though she didn't smell, she didn't care. She wanted a damn shower. What was the point of getting worked up if there was no way to clean off? And reason three: she didn't see why she should subject herself to Assist training. She didn't need fighting training, and she didn't want it.

Her expression must have been telling because Tanner didn't look pleased. Rather than vocalize it, Tanner set his face in a stern frown and took interest in his meal. Andrea watched him with equal annoyance. She reasoned that just like Tanner, she didn't see herself as anyone's pet, either.

I don't need any damn fighting training. The thought of arguing with her E didn't sit well with her, but she figured Tanner had it coming. It would be better to get it over with early.

To her surprise, Tanner changed the subject. "So I can keep doing the mines, and you can find a job someplace nice."

This news sparked Andrea's interest. She'd never really worked anywhere other than for her family, so this might be interesting.

"The first thing we have to establish is what you like to do and what you're good at."

That inkling of interest faded. "Nothing."

Tanner smiled. "I mean, a skill or something. And maybe not good at, but interested in."

Andrea's voice was sterner that time. "Nothing. I'm not good at anything."

Tanner didn't miss a beat. "Well, all right. Then if you go to Training, you can learn a trade." With that Andrea took great interest in her meal. "What is it?"

"I...." Andrea shivered as she put the packaged food down. "I'm...I'm not good with Training. I had some bad experiences in school. So I quit."

The baffled E gasped. "You quit? I meant Training as in the main training facility for almost all skills and careers in the Colony. You know, school."

Andrea didn't appreciate the patronization. "I know what Training is. And like I said, I...quit."

"You actually...quit?"

She had quit; she'd quit often, in fact. Each time she went back, it didn't last. The last time she had finally quit was the drug party incident, but who could blame her? She risked looking at Tanner and saw total disapproval there for the first time.

"You can't just quit because something's hard. Or is that what you always do?"

Andrea was floored. "What?"

Tanner sighed and composed himself. "Just tell me at what age you dropped out so we can see about getting you back in."

The conversation came to a halt as Andrea sat up; she couldn't shake Tanner's last statement.

"So you're mad at me for not wanting the Assist training thing, aren't you?"

"I'm not mad about anything," Tanner said with a sigh. "I...I just want you to be content. You don't seem to be. You say you don't wanna sit here—"

"Well, if I had something to watch, some sort of program, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe a video game or two. I was pretty good at a few of them."

In an instant, Tanner's expression turned cold. "Are you telling me you have plans to remain in this room for the rest of your life?"

Andrea didn't like the way he'd phrased it. "No. I'm telling you that if this was more homely, like a real home, then it wouldn't be so bad. I could cook, or...or clean, or do something, or watch something. It's not my fault you're so damn poor."

After she said it, she covered her mouth.

Tanner's expression softened until he nodded. Sounding hurt, he said, "Sure. I'm not a good provider. You're right."

"Hey, it's...I didn't...."

"It's fine." Without finishing his meal, Tanner stood and walked to the slab of metal that still took up the center of the room. He sat there, legs folded, and closed his eyes. "Good night."

***

Two days later, when Queen arrived unexpectedly, Tanner simply stood and walked out of the room.

Queen moved fast to let Tanner pass by him. "Whoa. What happened to him?"

"He's getting fed up with me," Andrea grumbled. "What else?"

"Oh." Queen didn't inquire for more as he sat down near the couch. "I got your info."

Andrea perked up. "Yeah?"

"It's still a problem for you, even now, right?" At the nod, Queen hazarded, "When was the last time you went...at all? Before you left your home?"

"Yeah."

"Supposedly newly mated E's and Assists have a few adjustments to make. You're supposed to get briefed, but Tanner turned it down, so here I am. You see...." Queen clapped his hands together and brought them apart, causing a blue curtain of energy to cascade down. "This is an average human body, and this is that of an E's." On the curtain, the average person diagram had arrows pointing to the mouth and arrows pointing out of the rear end. "You draw energy from food. But for E's..." he explained, causing another diagram to appear. There were blue arrows all around the figure pointing in and red arrows pointing out. "The only by-product we have is negative energy. Once we've mated with our Assist, the Assist's body will become similar to that of an E's."

To Andrea none of that made any sense. "Meaning?"

"Meaning." He flapped his hands for the diagram to fade. It now showed two figures. The E took in the arrows, which then traveled to the average person, who took it in, and the red arrows shot out again. "Much like an E, you won't urinate or defecate because your body never changes."

"Ever?"

"Ever." Queen clapped his hands together with a smile. "You also won't age beyond this point. I mean, your mind will develop and grow, but the rest of you, not so much. It's theorized that E's do in fact grow, but the pace is so slow that it makes them appear to be unchanging."

Andrea gaped in awe. "Are you saying I'm immortal?"

"Hell no."

The edge of disgust on the words made Andrea wither. "Oh."

"No. No, you're not immortal. Are you kidding? A shitload of things can kill an E. For one thing, if you don't release negative energy, you will turn to stone and die."

"Oh." Andrea said, "Right. Okay."

"But if you do keep your E healthy, as well as yourself, you can keep your youth to a point."

"To a point...." Andrea considered it, wrinkling her brow. "Shouldn't you know all this stuff already? I mean...you're not only an E, you're a medic—"

"Junior Medic," Queen corrected. He smiled. "You ever get a wisdom tooth pulled?"

Andrea hazarded. "No...."

"Know anything about it?" When she shook her head, Queen took on a serious expression. "Well, I'm sure once you have, you'll become a gaw-ro expert. For your info, I've never mated, so it's not knowledge I've ever needed. Not that it's any of your business. All right?" Andrea nodded again. Queen said, "Take care with Tan. He might look unstoppable, and to a point he is. But he never studies something he won't use, and when mate education briefings were conducted, he made sure to never be in attendance. So take care with him. And just make sure to stay healthy. If the connection should ever weaken to the point where you can pee, you can just assume that you're no longer connected to Tan. For now you don't use that area of the body for anything but copulation, which will help you channel your energy."

***

Channeling energy was just one more thing they didn't do. Since their first night in bed together, they hadn't done so much as hold hands. Tanner's stoic attitude was unbending. Andrea hadn't felt this lonely in years. At least when she was alone, she didn't have anyone trying to take her to a sports game or their dirty work in the mine.

It was hard seeing the look on Tanner's face when she had finally built up the courage to tell him that she was leaving, but she didn't flinch away from it. Two weeks in the life of an Elemental was enough.

Her E sat on the floor before the couch, his usual area whenever they ate, and Andrea wrapped herself in a blanket while watching him from the sofa.

Tanner seemed disappointed at first as he looked around the place, now so much more cluttered than when Andrea had first arrived.

"I've given you everything you wanted."

"Not everything," Andrea said, finally. "You're not affectionate. I...I can be alone, but the lack of affection...that's the one thing I can't stand."

"I'm not affectionate?" Tanner asked, looking genuinely confused. "I thought getting all these things for you was my way of showing my affection."

"No. You misunderstand. I mean, with touching or kissing or...."

Her voice trailed off, and Tanner only watched her, bitter. "But you never do that to me, either."

Andrea's posture withered. "Don't turn this around on me. You said to be up front, and I am. I don't want to train to be an Assist, I don't want to go back to school, and I don't want to work the mines."

"Fine. Then what do you want?"

Andrea didn't dare answer. If she admitted to having wanted to be ELETE, it would just make things worse. Tanner would just overdo it. And the E wouldn't let her give up once she'd started. Now with the title being weak and out of reach—from the start ELETE had been impossible—she couldn't face reality with this last dream as well. She simply couldn't.

The lack of response made Tanner grit his teeth. "Stop telling me what you don't want and tell me what you do—"

"A shower." Andrea settled for a true desire that was attainable. "I want a damn shower. I want to get up whenever I want and buy whatever I want. I don't want to live like this. Stuck in this cave."

"You're not stuck," Tanner said, his calm words measured and even. "I've suggested you go to Training. Learn a trade so—"

"That's not what I want to do."

Tanner opened his mouth, maybe to yell, but eventually he closed it again instead. He took a deep breath and was calmer when he said, "I still can't afford the shower, and I am starting to wonder if it's even worth the investment. Everything I get you, it's like you need more and more and more. It's never enough. You just consume everything, and it's never enough."

Andrea froze. "Is this a jab at my weight?"

Granted, her body hadn't changed since Tanner had lost his virginity, but Andrea wished she'd known that she would stay like this. She could have starved for a few days first. Now she was stuck with this perpetual chub. The way Tanner leaned back, startled and annoyed, made it clear to Andrea that Tanner hadn't meant anything about her body.

"Everything for you always comes down to your weight, and it's getting tiresome. This isn't about your weight. This is about you and all your excuses. You want so many things, yet you refuse to do anything for them. Because we're linked, everything's slowed down, but you can gain muscle with time. The same with weight gain if we're not careful. It'd be more difficult to lose. We just have to work harder." When Andrea was silent, Tanner sighed and looked at the small assortment of food. "Let's talk about this when we're calm. Let's go ahead and try to make the best of tonight. Maybe things will look better tomorrow. If this food is getting bland for you, then give me a list and I'll see about getting it."

While Tanner spoke, Andrea hadn't looked away. Instead she stared at the E with such hate that she was surprised the man didn't burst into flames.

"Are you even human?" Andrea asked through gritted teeth. "You never show any emotion."

"You're one to talk, Ms. 'I'm Gaw-ro Fine All the Gaw-ro Time.' Why is it so hard to just open your mouth and say what you want?"

"Because nobody'll punch me if I don't!"

It came out in one breath. Tanner froze, but Andrea trembled with anger.

"No one'll notice me if I just keep my mouth shut, and I do. But even that's not enough. You act like you don't care about my weight, but you don't come near me. You don't try to be in any way affectionate with me—"

"Are you waiting around for me to sweep you off your feet? Wake up!" Tanner growled, "I don't even know how to keep you fed. I don't know what the hell I'm doing, and you won't tell me what you expect. You just clam up, and, when I let you down, you rub it in my face."

"Just say it already!"

Tanner fired back. "Say what?"

"Say what you really think," Andrea demanded. "Tell me what you're really thinking when you chew on your lips and give me that look like you want to smack me. Stop telling me it doesn't matter." Tanner began to do just that, chew on his lip, and Andrea had never felt as much hate for another human being before. "You think I'm lazy—"

"No."

"You think I'm more trouble than I'm worth—"

"No."

"You think I'm just this big waste of space. That I can't do anything right. And I never do, so why bother trying?"

Tanner closed his eyes finally. Shaking his head, he stood and made his way to a chair that he'd newly bought. "I give up. If you want to leave, go. Go register for a place with the Colony tomorrow. I can't do this anymore."

Andrea told herself she should have been happy. The meal wasn't even the usual rice and beans. It was pretty good for once. And now she didn't even have to make much of an effort to find a new place. She could be free. Free from all the pressure and the expectations. Maybe she could get a video interface or...or some books on diskette.

She was waiting for Tanner to sleep, but as the time rolled on and she didn't hear that familiar soft coo of his snores, she wrapped her blanket around herself and whispered, "People make fun of me. And they stare. And they make noises when I pass by or when I try to run or something. And they act like I smell, and I start to wonder if I do. And I quit school, but you don't know why. I tried to make friends, and they threw a party and got me high, stripped me naked, and left me in the main tunnels. And when I went back to school, they had put up posters everywhere of me naked.

"So I quit. And I don't want to be around anyone anymore. And you say I should do something about it, but when it comes to fighting, the only thing I know is how to take a hit. You're gone all day, and when you come back, you're stressed out. And you say it's not about the weight, but you haven't tried to touch me in a long time. When you have sex with someone and they suddenly lose interest...that says a lot."

Despite the darkness, she could make out Tanner's eyes. After a long bout of grueling silence, Tanner said, "I don't think people stare at you for the reasons you think. And even if they do, your reaction is what makes people want to pick on you."

"Yeah. Maybe it's my imagination, then," Andrea grumbled.

"No. It's not that at all. When it comes to bullies, the problem is rarely with you; it's with them. They are the problem. I'll admit though, I am actually a hundred percent sure you stand out. We're in a colony where you can die at the drop of a dime. You are obviously out of shape, so I think some people are actually afraid of you."

Andrea stifled a snort of contempt and doubt.

Tanner sounded at ease when he said, "I'm serious. For someone to survive as long as you have while seemingly defenseless, I think people get curious if you actually are, or if you're faking it. Not only that, and I know you don't want to hear it, but it's your rump, too."

"Sorry?"

"Your rump. Your rear end. It's rather...different."

"Huh?"

Andrea heard the E shift in his seat. "It's...round and a little big. And it stands out a bit. So I think people do stare."

"Yeah, it does—"

"And I like looking at it. I like it overall," Tanner said. "There are a lot of things about you that draw attention, so if you don't like them, then we can try to change it."

"I can't. I've starved myself before; the butt isn't a place that complies easily. Trust me."

"Not that. I mean...with everything else. You sound like you have some agoraphobia, so if we can make you look different, will you try to go out more and find something that you like to do?"

Andrea considered it. "C-can you do that?"

"Sure. But it has limitations."

"Then...yeah, maybe...maybe we can try."

"Good." Tanner fell silent again. In time he whispered, "And I cannot touch you intimately because I'm...I'm not used to that. Also, it's dangerous now to have a bare link. Besides, you didn't like me in bed."

Jaw dropped, Andrea gasped. "Are you joking?"

"When...when I kissed you, I tried to do my best, but...at the end I could feel that I let you down."

Andrea would have denied it on a normal day, but they were going for honesty, so she felt compelled to try. "It's true, you aren't the best kisser, but trust me, everything else was perfect. And it's stupid to ask now that I'm bigger."

"No." Tanner got to his feet and maneuvered to the couch. "My lack of ability has nothing to do with a lack of interest. Not really. I'm new to this, so please be patient with me. Please, just trust me."

When Tanner was close enough that their eyes could meet, Andrea said, "Trust you. Right."

"Trust me." Tanner whispered again. "Are you cold?"

Andrea shook her head, filled with longing. "No, but I'd love to have you up here with me."

The brown eyes shined in the dim light, and the E nodded with a smile. "You only need to ask."

With a grin, Tanner scooped Andrea up. The action was smooth, effortless, and Andrea had to stifle a laugh. Once Tanner sat with Andrea's body pressed against him, he dragged the blanket up to drape it around them. Andrea leaned in closer to him, sitting comfortably in Tanner's lap. The smile she wore reflected only a fraction of her contentment.

When Tanner did things like that, Andrea felt cherished. She leaned back into the thoroughly enjoyable embrace. Tanner's chin came to rest on her right shoulder. Andrea turned to see what had caused Tanner to do such an uncharacteristic thing. What she found was that the E was studying her, more specifically her face.

Andrea blushed under the scrutiny, and Tanner smiled, his voice a whisper. "Is it uncomfortable?"

"What?" Andrea hesitated. "Being close—having you close?"

With a simple shake of the head, Tanner moistened his lips and said, "My body against you. E's run hot."

"N-no. I don't mind it at all. I like it. But you've gotta know how good your body is."

The man's curious brown eyes softened when he smiled and whispered, "Can you be naked? Is it too cold?"

Andrea froze. She was rigid for so long that Tanner released her. Even that didn't help. Andrea refused to move.

Tanner took the initiative and leaned away to pull his own shirt up over his head. A patch of black hair was coming in on his scalp, but otherwise he was hairless. Andrea needed somewhere to focus, anywhere but that watchful gaze, so she looked at Tanner's shoulders—then lower.

Tanner asked, "What?"

Andrea shook her head, amused by her discovery.

"You still don't have hair under your armpits." She hadn't anticipated Tanner's forlorn expression. "What did I say?"

"Nothing." Tanner gathered up his shirt and tried to bring it over his head, but Andrea stopped him.

"Hey, your shirt doesn't have sleeves anyway, so it's not like it'll hide anything. I...I wasn't criticizing. Just observing. It's cute."

Tanner lowered his hands after being guided to do so, but his eyes remained on the black shirt.

"I don't even mind that it's not manly, but for an E, to have no hair...it...." Tanner sighed. "I might as well have no balls. Hell, no penis because I'd be just as impotent."

Seeing Tanner so defeated was a rare thing, and Andrea's stomach twisted in dread at the knowledge that she was to blame. With a new resolve, Andrea took in a deep breath and pulled her own black shirt over her head.

The sight of her bare body made Tanner's frown fade. When the E smiled, Andrea did, too, but said, "I...I'm not as trim as you—"

"You're beautiful," Tanner said. "I know you don't like when I say it, but I've never been around someone with such a soft body."

Tanner eased her up to stand. After the E shucked off his trousers and sat down, he pushed Andrea up on her feet and waited.

Pulse racing, Andrea fumbled with her own button. Once she was out of her underclothes, she stood there, arms crossed.

Tanner glanced down to the clothes with a somber smile. "You don't find the second layer constrictive?"

Andrea realized what he meant and chuckled. "Wearing underwear is normal."

"Sure it is. Come here." Tanner dragged her back down into his lap.

Once the position was set and the blanket was around them once more, Andrea moaned in satisfaction. She melted into Tanner's ardent body. Eventually, Andrea had to pull the blanket back to keep from sweating.

"You're like a furnace."

"I know. I'm sorry," Tanner said, putting his hand on Andrea's knee, then her waist, finally on her knee again. "If—"

"Don't you dare move."

Tanner hugged her, and Andrea moaned a second time. His light brown eyes took Andrea in, and Andrea didn't mind when Tanner's hands roamed her body.

Tanner put their palms together and compared the size. His were bigger than Andrea's, but that wasn't what drew his interest.

"Even your hands are soft."

Andrea lost her nerve. "And that's good?" The nod made her cautious. "Why?"

"Because you don't fight. Even female E's fight—sometimes more than men. My body's a constant reminder that I'll never really be safe. I have to train; I have to get better. I have to be better. I don't like the fight or the constant chase, but it's there. So I envy your body because it symbolizes peace and freedom." He ran his callused hands up to Andrea's shoulders and down again to her knees. "You're so supple and soft."

Andrea complied and parted her legs at Tanner's gentle urging. It took a moment, but once Andrea calmed, she notice something else.

"Tanner?"

The E moaned. "Hmm?"

Andrea closed her eyes. "You're erect."

Tanner went rigid.

"No. I don't mean that in a bad way." Andrea swallowed hard and eased back. "I mean...I'm not at all outraged."

Tanner neared again and Andrea waited for the man to say something. Stomach fluttering with anticipation, she risked looking at Tanner out of the corner of her eye. The shy smile she found made her laugh.

They both chuckled, and Andrea waited. Tanner had said that his lack of experience hindered him and not his lack of interest. Andrea wanted to hold Tanner's hand.

In her mind, the E would slide from the sofa and take the initiative by kissing down Andrea's body. She didn't want to admit that though she'd put her mouth on several men, none had ever returned the gesture.

Andrea focused on her own body—specifically the lack of tone in her stomach and even between her thighs. She hadn't thought it was much, but now it just seemed awful and pudgy. She could picture it; maybe she'd guide Tanner's hands, and the E would pull away or cringe.

Maybe he'd make a comment about my scar. Marian had said to remove that extra appendage would be strange and that another one was normal, but Andrea had started to doubt even that. Tanner had already complimented the mole, and...her butt, but the third insecurity was too serious for her to take the chance.

Tanner made a sound in the back of his throat and twisted his body, getting comfortable, and Andrea was saddened by the action. It was a similar sound to the one Tanner had made when they were intimate, and Andrea wondered if the E's mind was running along the same lines. Rather than risk it, Andrea tried to find an indirect way to know where she stood.

She watched as Tanner's hands, tanned and perfect, slid down her pale, less-than-toned thighs, past her knees, and came to rest on both of her ankles. Tanner still held her there, bringing the soles of her feet together so that they touched. Legs spread out, Andrea swallowed hard and took a chance.

"You ever realize you don't call me Andrea?"

"Yeah?" Tanner asked with a chuckle.

"Yeah. I noticed it. Not once. Not once have you ever called me by name. Why is that?" She needed to know.

"You mean to use private names? Like a married couple?"

Andrea's breath hitched. "N-no. Of course not."

The E's hands were still at work under the covers, kneading Andrea's feet. "So you don't mean like using formal and informal names? Like, if I call you Mistress Andrea, then that would change our whole relationship, wouldn't it?"

What Andrea wanted to say was that she wasn't sure there was a relationship, but since Tanner had caught on, she held her breath and waited.

"And if I call you Andrea, then we're kinda like friends. And if I get a nickname for you like Midge gave Gara, or even an informal name or a pet name, then we're...lovers or something?"

"Yeah, even London doesn't call Gara 'Lee.' I'm not trying to compare us to them. I just...I just mean that instead of choosing, you just call me nothing, right? And you never offer your own private name to me, just your call name."

"Names are powerful. They could mean a lot."

"I don't follow."

"Well...."

Deep down, Andrea knew Tanner kept a lot of secrets. The way he danced around answering directly was almost an art form at this point. When Andrea turned to look into her E's brown eyes, she was curious how he'd dance around this one. To her surprise Tanner lowered his guard and was candid.

"E's have three things that are a source of their power: their hair, their mates, and their names."

"Hair I know about."

"Right. Most E's hide their hair—the true length or even the true color. We hold a lot of our power in our hair. Cutting it will lower our ability to hold energy; we just won't attract as much."

"But...but you were bald."

"Yes." Tanner's face reddened. "I've been powerless for a long time."

"Someone cut your hair?"

"No," Tanner muttered. "Someone tried to use me and...and it numbed me, almost entirely. And my hair fell out and wouldn't grow back." He continued before Andrea could ask for more. "Our mate is another source of power. Depending on them, and their state of mind, we can be unstoppable. If our mate is weak, we are weak. But when our mates are strong, we are equally powerful. And then there's our names."

Andrea mimicked the flat tone. "Your name."

"An E can only be named once. When an E is named, it must be done with care. We can take on characteristics of what we're named after, so you have to be careful. A call name means nothing, but our true name is dangerous to give out. And an E's name is their code. With an E's name, you can track them until the day they die. You can summon them. And depending on who you are, you can control them. It's like having a master password to their entire being. So we guard it to our death. Most E's will average five names if they can. Some have more. I know someone with fourteen names."

Snorting, Andrea asked, "Oh yeah? Who?"

"The System." Tanner hesitated but Andrea was touched to see the man offer the same level of trust in her as he expected for himself. "The System is an E."

Andrea's eyes drifted up to focus on the ceiling. Till now she'd always thought of the System as a computer of sorts that opened portals from one room in the Colony to another. She'd call on the System to do something or give her information, and it would answer—the end. The idea that it was a person, a living and breathing person who could do virtually whatever he or she wanted, and listened to everyone, was surprisingly unsettling.

"Are you serious?"

Tanner nodded. "He's been broken, so he's anchored to the wall now. His mate took his name, all of it, and used it to break his resolve. So now he cannot walk around. Matter all around him breaks apart. That energy is consuming him, so he's a slave to it now. He exists only to channel that energy into the wall. To burn that energy off, he uses it to fuel the Colony. He keeps his sanity that way."

Andrea didn't think it sounded like much of a solution. "What about his mate?"

"His Assist?" Tanner shrugged. "I don't know where she is or what happened to her. She's relinquished all her rights to her E, though." He sighed. "Just wish she'd thought of that before trading him."

"Trading him?"

Tanner shook his head. "No one will tell me. I just overheard that his mate traded him for...for something mystical or something. I'm not sure."

"Mystic." Andrea said it to herself, but Tanner's interest wasn't surprising. She clarified, "It's called Mystic. It's a drug. A pretty powerful one."

The top of Tanner's upper lip twitched as he skinned his face up in disgust. "Are you telling me she traded another human being for drugs?"

Andrea whispered, "People do terrible things sometimes, especially when they get desperate for something they think they need."

"But at the expense of someone else? Is there really anything in this world that validates that?"

"No." Andrea was sympathetic, and she leaned her body back into her E's arms, hoping to calm the man. Their arousal had died, but she needed the comfort. "There's nothing in this world that's worth jeopardizing your soul over. And once you start seeing people as objects and currency, then I figure your soul's on the edge anyway."

"I suppose." Tanner nodded in agreement. "So far, of all the E's I know who have mates who are wealthy, only a handful haven't been violated like that."

Andrea wanted to act surprised, but she thought about how much was expected even of the children of the noble class. It wasn't just E's who were seen as chattel. She could understand the worry.

"Yeah. Force is something we rich gilts live by, I guess."

"Yeah? Well this average is too high." Tanner mused, "At this point it's almost a rite of passage."

Maybe Tanner had expected to garner a chuckle, but Andrea didn't smile when she said, "Don't ever say something like that again."