"And who’s to say that this boy isn’t exactly the same? We knew Simon much better than this boy, and we never suspected for a moment that he was anything but the man he presented to the world."

"Maybe it’s not a matter of pretending. People can change. Bad events do terrible things to them."

"And what terrible thing happened to Simon? His life was perfect. He had a beautiful wife, a bright little boy, and a brand new baby daughter."

"I don’t know."

"I don’t trust this kid, Mark. He’s got no loyalty to the IF. Neither does Solenis. They’re loyal to each other."

"Haven’t you ever been in love?"

"Love is how society rationalizes sex. I’ve no such illusions."

"Good for you. Wouldn’t want all that manic happiness clouding your judgement."

"What happens if they’re on an op together and something goes sour? You and I both know that there are times when the success of the mission and the safety of the unit absolutely depend upon leaving somebody else to die. Do you think that either of them would consider the mission or the unit for even a moment before risking everyone else to save a single soldier?"

"No."

"And that’s not even the biggest danger. If they’ve got no loyalty to the IF, what reason have they to sign up with us after they grad?"

"What else could they do? This is what they were trained for. They could never fit into normal society. And even if they wanted to, their graduation funds wouldn’t be enough to live off of until they adjusted well enough to hold a job."

"Perhaps they don’t even try for normal society right off. Perhaps what they do is go into business for themselves. I know you keep up on Earthside conditions, Mark. It’s ugly down there. Plenty of work for people with lots of skill and no loyalties. And I for one don’t want my other students to have to face off against them some day when they’ve been hired by the fucking Wolves."

"They wouldn’t do that."

"No? There’s lots of money to be made. They could roll up a nice little bank account and have years to work on fitting into normal society, with that to live off of."

"Will, I know this boy. I’ve been watching him for ten years now. Let me assure you that even if he and Solenis did decide not to sign up after graduation, they wouldn’t be a security risk. They would use their abilities to stay under the IF’s radar, and everyone else’s for that matter."

"You knew Simon too."

"Look, just watch them. Push them as hard as you need to, do everything in your power to break them, cheat, lie, tip the scales as much as you like; if they decide they are going to finish your course, they will. But make me one promise. Don’t separate them any more than necessary. Let them be each other’s strength. Don’t destroy the only pure thing in their lives. I think you may even find that together, they are more effective than any student pair you can assemble."

"I can leave them together for daily exercises. And for the first midterm I’ll assign them as a pair. Beyond that I make no promises."

"Not good enough. I want you to promise me that you will not attempt to hurt their relationship with each other. Keep them in the same cell. Let them have what little free time you allow them to themselves."

"When they get out into the real world there may not be any such thing as free time."

"Will, we both know that your AIT is harder than the real thing is under even the worst conditions."

"Aw, you’re making me blush."

"Just promise, Will. I won’t let you destroy them. I’ve seen love destroyed before, by betrayal, by death, by pressures that tore people apart. I don’t want that to happen to them."

"You have my word. Whatever I put them through, I will put them through together."

"Good. Hungry?"

"No. I need to get back. I promised the children that today would be an easy day. So I have to get back before they are released to lunch, or they might think I was serious."

"I sometimes think you enjoy your job just a little too much."

"Professional satisfaction, I assure you. Nothing wrong with taking pride in one’s work."

"You were born during the wrong century. Alright, go on then, play your mind games with the poor children, kick them and crush them and grind out their spirits if you can, because someone’s got to. Just remember that they’re the future. Someday it might be you they save."

"Yes. And they will perform perfectly, because I made sure that those that didn’t were left behind. Remember that the next time you’re stuck in a cell down in the detention center, relying upon a squad of former Scorpion students to rescue you."

". . ."

"Don't look at me like that, Mark. She'll be fine. Besides, I thought it was Gabriel that was your pet project. Or do you count them as a package deal?"

"They would have raped her. That doesn't bother you?"

"Your boy got there in time."

"Yes. Yes he did."

"She'll be fine. Could have been worse. Wish I could say the same for the older boys. They're good boys, you understand; excellent studets. Perhaps a bit overzealous . . ."

"They're gone. As soon as they're well enough to be transported, they are gone."

"Oh Marcus, don't be silly. Even drunk, they managed to coordinate themselves and sneak attack a sober target. We ought to be proud."

"She was off guard. She wasn't expecting them."

"Isn't that the whole point?"

"I don't want them in my school."

"Mark, you know you can't ice them. I have sole discretion within my program. You set that up, in fact, to ensure that no jackass bureaucrat would compromise my autonomy after you retired."

"I remember."

"So kindly cease this talk of expulsion. They stay. Except for Davis, of course, but he's hardly in any condition to begin his final semester anyways."

"You want boys like that in the SOTF?"

"We don't recruit our soldiers based upon their morals, do we?"

"Obviously not. You're here."

"Is that the sound of my heart breaking?"

"What do you propose we do about it?"

"Nothing whatsoever."

"You don't feel that any punishment is in order for this assault?"

"Mark, take a good long look at those boys on the monitor there and tell me punishment hasn't already been administered."

"And what of Gabriel and Solenis? We leave them to fend for themselves?"

"Depending upon what we decide, it may be a moot point. Though I must admit, the boy did put on a rather impressive show today."

"You have no soul."

"Thank you. I think, for now, he can stay. At the very least, we've seen that he doesn't freeze up when she's in danger."

"I'm sure they'll be overjoyed. Would you like to inform them yourself that they will remain in this place where their enemies can attack without fear of administrative retalliation for the next year and a half? Or shall I?"

"Oh, I'm sure they'll figure it out themselves. Really, Mark, you shouldn't be so dramatic. We aren't their mothers."

"No. Gabriel's mother is dead."

"Yes. Think about why for a long moment, and then tell me you aren't even a little afraid of what this boy might be capable of in the same situation, after what you've seen today."

". . ."

"Exactly."

"The boy is not his father, Will."

"So everyone keeps saying. But nobody's yet seen anything to suggest that he couldn't become his father, given the right set of circumstances. Nevertheless, they can stay. For now. I will be watching."

"I've no doubt. Good day, William."

"This morning. I met him in the docking bay. Pompous bastard. Smelled faintly of alcohol."

"And you expected something other?"

"Not particularly. But imagining him from the safe distance of several million miles and a few years is different from shaking the man's hand with his breath on my face."

"Not to worry. I'll keep an eye on him."

"Yes, you will. I've recommended to Command that your powers be amended to allow you to relieve him of his duties, given certain criteria."

"You'd put me in charge of the school, rather than Archer?"

"Yes, well, I suppose I didn't think it through as well as I should have. But who else has been here as long? Muraida, perhaps?"

"Point taken. He's a bit to sympathetic to the children for his own good. Still, he can relieve the Headmaster, can he not?"

"Again, given certain criteria. He has to prove that the Headmaster is unfit for duty, medically. Your powers will be a bit less . . . restricting."

"How nice of you."

"Well seeing as how the only traitor's son in the school is graduating soon, I figured that you wouldn't have much reason to abuse your powers. Not any more than I did, at least."

"That's not saying much."

"Speaking of which. I notice that you've not mentioned the boy at all today."

"Hard as this may be for you to believe, dear Marcus, my existence does not revolve completely around your pet project."

"Hah."

"He is out of my hands now. He'll take the L4 Final, and he'll pass, and then they'll let him graduate and then he and Solenis will go back to Earth, and it's my bet that we won't ever hear from either of them again."

"And what of your prized surveillance? I thought that was why you wanted them in your program in the first place."

"Our surveillance techniques were not designed to be able to track threats of this level of training. They were taught every trick we use, and they know how to counteract them all. They weren't supposed to have gotten this far into the program. And don't smirk at me like that."

"I've never known you to quit at anything, Will."

"I haven't quit. I've set in place as many surprises as my devious little mind could come up with. But he and Solenis have overcome every surprise I've thrown at them yet, and frankly, I've already used all my best. I will not make it easy for them, but I don't harbor any hope that it will be this final straw that breaks the camel's back."

"Why William. That sounded almost . . . noble."

"Oh be quiet. Don't you have some sort of retirement party to go to?"

"I didn't tell anyone. Felt it would be easier. Imagine their remorse upon hearing that I, their beneficent Headmaster, am leaving them forever."

"I'm trying."

"Well, there's also the fact that for a two hour overlap between the lapse of my ranking status and the departure of my shuttle, they are no longer required to treat me as their superior officer."

"Ah. Then yes, that would be best."

"So. When is your next scheduled Earthside leave?"

"I've several saved up. You know I don't often take vacations."

"Well. If you do."

"I'll look you up. Now stop that. If you're going to be sentimental, do it before you get on the shuttle, so I won't have to look at you afterward."

"Fine, fine. Go do something heartless to someone, then. It's what we pay you for."