SENTINEL 555: WAR ✔

31 THE BRIG

To say Oni'd be forever changed by what he saw that day would be an understatement. They'd worked well together, gathering new buckets from the supply room. She'd searched for seven but only found four. Therefore, they settled on the one, at least Dev did, but Oni wasn't sure why.

Gathering the sisters hadn't been difficult since they were training on time with Sen. Watching the morning unfold like that left a pit in Oni's stomach. It was the first time all seven gathered, eager and pleased to see Dev for once. Each stood at attention, each were well groomed, even Pleasant, and each smile they wore slowly dissolved when Dev plopped the bucket down on the table and made her demands.

The worst by far was when the tallest one looked around for some direction but made her way to the bucket and shoved her head in.

Now, looking back, Oni debated what a better course of action might have been. By the third sister, it was no longer about doing as they were told, but rather proving Dev foolish. At sister number five, Oni started to question his doubts about even Mercy.

Maybe she could pull it off.

He'd never know, not with Pleasant's words ringing in his ear. "He's a recruit, not your boyfriend."

It wasn't a matter of seconds but breaths. Before his sharp intake even ended, Dev darted forward, caught Pleasant by the hair, yanked her head down and kneed her in the face.

Pleasant's knees buckled under her but she didn't drop for the fist connecting with her gut. Then another.

By the time she was allowed to crumble to the ground, Dev had landed three punches in total.

Pleasant barely hit the floor when Dev raised her leg, intent on bringing her boot down.

Sen snatched her backward into a headlock.

Everything was still after that. No one moved, not even the sisters. One broke out in tears.

To Oni's shock, it was Mercy. Her tiny frame trembled, her shimmering light brown eyes fixed on her doom. Dev.

Oni had to finally look away when the other five stared down at Pleasant, unsure how to help her. Perhaps they worried if she were even alive, because Oni did as well.

Dev?

Dev resembled Sen in her rage. She twisted and thrashed in Sen's vice grip, kicking three cadets who ultimately gave up.

Sen tightened his grip on her arms until she cried out. Then, and only then, he could drag her away from the crowd and into the center of the room.

One spectator defrosted enough to approach them. "There's no hiding this one," Bray admitted. "And kicking other head cadets? Attempting to kick an already unresponsive recruit?" He scanned the room. "In front of everyone?"

"You don't have to say it," Sen told him, "I'm taking her to the brig." His focus shifted to Pleasant's still frame. "Two of those sisters, the shortest one, and the one injured, have switched names. Switch them back and get her into the med bay. Now."

Bray's disgust dissolved. Oni wasn't sure what into, but Bray's admonishment of Dev's behavior...shifted.

"Those...." The words muttered under his breath surely reached everyone. "How much more can she take from these lying mengas! I'd hit them again—"

"Bray!" Sen snapped. "Just shut up and do your job. Get her medical help."

Despite things happening fast after that, Oni's world moved in slow motion. Sen's eyes met his and it was the most ashamed Oni'd ever felt. He'd caused this.