So..the DRC (not Congo or China) told me what I expected.
I had thought that having some credit time carry in, I "a humble reserve" might be granted a line. While there were trips that would have granted me a line, it would have meant that those junior to me would not have been been able to have a line therefore creating additional open time.
Master PBS shall create solutions higher than my "reserve" brain could ever think about. So if PBS could make 3 lines available to junior pilots instead of 1 for me, and eliminate open time, it will always go that route.

Basically..No Soup for you!

Oh well...