A/N: Please read the NEW ending to chapter 26 before continuing.

Oni resized the picture again and again. It wasn't the best rendition of himself, but it was better than nothing. They still weren't allowed to cut their hair yet. As such, his was simply out of control.

He'd washed and pressed his uniform well. But the hair. Seeing it in the holo image now made his spirits sink.

Something landed on the ground before him. The black band confused him until he reached for it. A strong elastic like this might be useful. When he looked up from his position on the floor to find the head cadet at his desk, ignoring him, he made a fast job of yanking his hair back and using the band to keep it in place.

The fine curls were soft enough now that he'd freshly washed it. Fortunately, the band worked well. Oni regained some confidence.

"Although you should just skip the party and stay here practicing more," Sen grumbled under his breath. He eventually added, "But then again, with how badly you'll wash out tomorrow, you might as well enjoy what you can of this place. You won't be here much longer."

Oni stared at the boy's back. Even now, nearly six months from when he'd started sharing this bunk, he still couldn't understand Sen.

Sen was still cold, short with his answers, and often lobbed insults Oni's way. And yet, he took the time out to explain anything about protocol when Oni asked. And even if it meant twenty demonstrations for Oni to understand a maneuver, Sen did it again and again without arguments or complaints. Some days Oni thought perhaps Sen was warming up to him. But then Oni realized it. Sen was bound by requirements, the same as any other head cadet. He was simply covering his own back to make certain Oni could never say he was neglected.

Somehow, this explanation didn't quite explain it all but Oni accepted it. Therefore, Oni stayed out of Sen's way and followed all orders. The party was still three hours away, and yet, Oni changed and readied himself when told. It was probably for mockery but that was all right.

Oni soon found out why Sen was ready so early. Sen's outfit didn't change much, though, he wore some embalms. One thing he never wore, which Sen took great interest in, was a sash on his arm like other head cadets. Maybe that meant his mother, whoever she was, had no double or triple digits.

"Come in," Sen said, dragging Oni from his train of thought.

When the door opened, Oni pressed his back against the wall and pushed himself up to stand. Tonight's goal was simple, do—say what he had to while he still could.

One head cadet walked in. "Um, need a new button for my uniform. Lost it in a scuffle."

To Oni's surprise, Sen gestured to a small, open container on the desk. It wasn't a typical decoration, leading Oni to believe it was brought out for this occasion.

The head cadet hurried to retrieve the button with a smile. "Payment?"

"The usual," Sen said without looking at him.

"Three days' food ration. Consider it done."

He reached the door before Sen called out, "Put some sweets in it."

The boy looked back once then left. For the next hour, head cadets came and went. Some wanted accessories, even piercings, hair bands, brushes, small things Oni'd thought all head cadets were privy to. More and more, the meager demands reminded him of the Outerlimits. Back home, even a hairbrush was a great find when scavenging. This place was supposed to be different.

It was when Sen tossed the flat container of hair gel at yet another cadet that Bray arrived.

Sen waited but when the boy didn't answer, he ushered the next person in. Once that head cadet left, Sen said, "Stand in front of the door."

Oni assumed he meant him, so he did just that, resembling a sentry.

Bray, having watched the floor for quite a while, looked from Sen to Oni then back again.

"I need to talk to you alone."

Sen scoffed. "Person like me doesn't do anything alone. And not in matters like these. I assume you're here about Olo, finally."

Oni's eyes widen.

He wasn't the only one surprised. Bray's voice quivered. "You knew?" At the shrug, he demanded, "And you didn't say anything?"

"No point in saying anything," Sen argued. "It wouldn't have changed where we are now."

For a long while, Bray lost all power of speech.

Sen eventually took to watching the floor as well.

"Well, this is just a courtesy," Bray muttered.

"Doubtful. I don't recommend trying to act tough with me."

Their eyes met and Bray hesitated before saying, "Fine. As a courtesy, I'm asking for permission."

Sen squinted. "To?"

Bray chewed his lips then let out a sigh. "To clip him."

The air was tense after that. Oni looked between them, desperate for a hint as to what was going on.

"Clip him?"

Shamefaced, Bray stared at the floor. He didn't answer—he didn't need to.

"The kid has one functioning arm. And you're asking to give him a permanent injury that'll excuse you dismissing him tomorrow before he could perhaps pass the water eval and muck up your crew? What're you gonna do? Knock his knee outta commission? You can't offer up his bad arm? And I hope you're not suggesting menging up his good one."

The angle at which Bray hung his head made him seem broken. Perhaps he was, because Sen's words left Oni hollow.

Lotsu'd said this. That if someone menged up but slipped through, a head cadet could force him out. But it wasn't like Olo took this head cadet's girlfriend. What was the offense? Just having a bad arm? The suit would compensate for that—everyone knew.

When Bray finally found his voice, he sounded beaten. "You believe in fate? In some kinda higher power?"

Sen stared him down. "I suppose you do?"

Bray hesitated then unbuttoned his shirt sleeve and rolled it up. The glint of the metal in his left shoulder caught the light.

The sigh Sen let out also had him sitting back.

Now that Bray'd made his point, he pulled down his sleeve once more. "I was careful. Everyone on my crew could read. All of them. None of them got eliminated for health or louse or any meng-up like that. I recruited forty. And you know how many passed the eval?"

Sen raked his fingers down his temple. "Forty."

"Because I'm not allowed to make a mistake. I didn't take sixty and shuffle through. I vetted all forty right there at sign up. Every single one. And this menga managed to slip through. And I can't go home with a mistake. I can't make a mistake!"

Through the tension, Oni tried to find interest in anything but the grim situation unfolding before him. Was this cadet really going to send someone home injured—on purpose?

"Especially if it's one that looks so similar to your shortcoming," Sen agreed. "I don't know about higher power, but I do know about subconscious. Of all the flawed people to get, because you checked eyes, hearing, everything else, you got the one thing that matched you. You weren't going to discriminate a limb, because the kid was clean cut, and no fool was going to try it with a bad foot. But he's got this far. You haven't used a lifeline. Not even one. So you've succeeded, meho. Isn't that enough?"

Face set in a weary scowl, Bray didn't answer.

Sen looked him over. "I figured you would have come to me sooner. So I'm guessing you've been worried over this for weeks now."

"I kept giving him an out," Bray said. "Brought him to the entrance to let him run off. The efos won't leave." He met Sen's gaze. "So I've gotta make him."

"Because parents get the first rundown the day after tomorrow."

"He can't make it through. So just give me your blessing, and...and I'll see to it. The party's hectic—I can make it hectic," he corrected. "He won't suffer long."

Sen scoffed. "You had a girl with a fracture so bad she couldn't train for weeks, courtesy of Dev's crew. For it to be an injury severe enough to justify him being shipped out of here...? Oh, he'll more than suffer."

Bray balled his hands into fists but released them again, willing himself to keep on with his plan. "I'm asking for your blessing. I'm willing to pay whatever I need to for you to turn a blind eye."

Speaking of eye. Oni caught sight of one from behind the glass doors. To his horror, Olo stood on the other side, guarding the entrance much like Oni on this side. He couldn't hear, which made the situation all the more disturbing.

"All right."

Oni's head snapped around. Those two words made all amicable feelings towards Sen for the last six months vanish.

"You can clip him."

Body now numb, Oni struggled to muster up the bravery to raise hell. This could be him. This could easily be him on a different crew if someone found his heart condition—a condition Sen knew about. What would his 'clip' be?

Despite the words of agreement, Bray didn't calm. In fact, he looked even more downtrodden.

"But let me talk to him first," Sen said.

His words had Bray picking up his head. He was reluctant but nodded. Maybe he wanted all the excuses he could get to maim someone and send them home with a life-long injury for ego's sake.

"Let him in," Sen ordered.

Oni stood defiant. Would Olo just be coming in? Or would they be 'clipping' him right here, right in front of Oni? And what would Oni do? Try to stop it and end up getting clipped, too? Maybe a fight would break out and Sen would take the excuse to send Oni on his way as well....

More than once, Oni thought to refuse to let Olo in. He'd meant to, but somehow, he soon stood before an open door, beckoning Olo near—and he hated himself for it, especially when he saw Olo's proud smile. To Olo, joining this private conversation was some sort of an accomplishment.

The glass door barely closed before Sen said. "How long now since you've lost the use of your left arm?"

Olo's eyes widened. "W—what? That's not—that's not true."

Sen took the small cup of buttons and said, "Catch this with your left hand then."

He readied to throw but Olo hung his head.

Bray didn't look much better off.

Oni's heart beat frantic. He had no business being angry on anyone's behalf, and yet, he began thinking crazy—formulating ways to stop all this. What was he going to do? Turn his kid gun on his head cadet? That would more than be enough to get him dismissed.

"Here's what I don't get," Sen said. "You're obviously educated. Like—educated, educated. And that doesn't happen in the Outerlimits easily. I know that even the poor has echelons. So, what are you doing here?"

For the first time since Oni'd known him, Olo reached up to cradle his unmoving arm.

"The suit."

"Yes. The suit would have been perfect if you'd have gotten any other crew. But you went with the strongest-looking head cadet and well, that's that."

The door slid open, and someone marched in unannounced.

Oni flinched. Upon seeing who it was, he closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

"You know," Sen said, "when I said guard the door...I meant from everyone."

"So—sorry." Oni turned to tell Pleasant off, but her cold expression had him shutting up.

Faced with the prospect of failing, Oni struggled for a possible course of action. He lost his chance, and his pride when Pleasant turned to close the door then stood before it, arms crossed, much like how Oni should have been.

Bray wasn't happy about the audience, "We have serious business."

The glare she cut him said she didn't care.

"It's all right," Sen said, staring her down. When he tore his eyes off her, he focused on Olo. "I'm betting whoever trained you only has the one kid. So, how's your singing voice?"

Olo stepped back. His face reddened. "I have to get to the third stage for that to mean anything."

Sen commanded, "Show me."

After opening and closing his mouth several times, Olo cleared his throat.

It was a low mutter at first but picked up. It grew until the gentle melody filled the entire room.

Oni let out a gasp.

Bray's expression didn't change.

Neither did Sen's. He did, however, tell the disgruntled cadet, "There you have it. His goal wasn't to stay on your crew, mucking up your stats. He was trying to make it to the recruitment stage and get scouted.

To say Oni was amazed was an understatement. Talent could leave the Outerlimits if recruited, but even they would have to make it through the Volunteer's program. There was a zero block of Volunteers but as they saw zero combat, their numbers were always steady and incredibly difficult to break through. But even good talent became stale in time. Oni couldn't remember the last time he'd heard of anyone joining that block. But then again, he'd never heard of anyone being trained in something as useless as singing either.

"This scouting thing is supposed to be a perk—one meant for real Volunteers. So answer me why you know this," Sen said, sitting back.

Olo didn't at first. Finally, he admitted, "My father sold all his A-CAN medicine to gain the info—a three-year supply. There's...someone in the cage fights who trades info for A-CAN."

Bray's grim expression didn't change. "He might not get it."

"Come on. A voice like that. I bet you he will." Sen stared Bray down then sat up and told Olo, "Your head cadet wants to clip you." At Olo's look of confusion, Sen explained what that meant.

The slow look of horror wasn't reflected on Pleasant's face but she did unfold her arms and stand at attention.

Olo's voice trembled. "I can leave—"

"It's not that simple, not with tomorrow's evaluation looming. It'll look bad for Bray and he won't allow that."

On the verge of tears, Olo nodded. "Right."

Sen looked between them. "All right. He's agreed."

That was hardly an agreement. It was a surrender.

Bray picked his head up. "What? Now? Here?"

At the silence, he turned to face Olo. The boy bit back a cry. "But I did everything I was supposed to do. My points were high, too. I never made a mistake."

His rambles came with a tear and Bray stared at him. Neither of them seemed to know what to do.

When the waiting became excruciating, Sen stood.

"That's what I thought." He told Bray, "You're not your father—never making a mistake. But you are like him in not having the nerve to cut a throat. There's a reason he didn't advance past the block he had."

Bray bristled. "He's no coward!"

Sen said, "Who said coward?"

Breathing heavy, Bray reached for the baton on his hip. He looked ready to prove a point.

"Six," Sen said, "I'll give you all my six life-lines, if you let him fight to the end of the line. That's six."

"So what! It could be a hundred. I can't use none of them!"

Sen raised both hands. "That doesn't matter. Getting extra lines shows authority. It shows smarts. And getting them and not using them is impressive. Think of it. Others will end with three if they're lucky. Your crew ends with ten."

Bray's breathing calmed. He still wasn't satisfied. "He still can't use his arm. People'll notice. He'll notice."

"Well, can he hold his breath—"

"Of course he can hold his breath. What do you take me for?"

Sen was impressed. "You trained him even though you were planning to clip him? Maybe out of respect?"

Bray found it hard to look at Olo's trusting expression when he said, "You're not a bad second in command. And you're efficient. But I can't have you on my crew."

"And you can't get rid of him. So, you fess up." Sen made his way to Bray and told him, "Fess up. Announce that you've got a single-handed crewman. Then you give him cover and make it to the end of the line with ten lifelines. He gets scouted, you graduate with everyone in a good crew. Done and done. Thus, raising your prestige. You won't have to fight to get a higher number." Putting a hand on Bray's shoulder, he said, "You can get married into it based on accolades alone. Say...maybe get it from a girl with a male number she can't use but wants to keep at arm's length?"

Bray was listening but didn't meet his gaze. "Everyone knows that number's yours...."

Oni's breath caught. They meant Dev.

"Don't be so sure," Sen told him. "I don't know how she thinks and I'm not in control of how she manages it. It's not up to me who she gives it to. And besides, there are other girls with their father's numbers to peddle."

The idea suited Bray enough—the wheels in his head were turning at least. Finally, he asked, "And how do I cover for him?"

"Easy," Sen leaned in and whispered, "by forcing your entire crew to do everything literally single-handed. Otherwise, you're gonna probably try to clip him without my say so...and then I'll be forced...to clip...you."