Chapter One: It Is Arranged

Disclaimer: I don't own this stuff, except the stuff I create on my own.

It only takes one man to save us all… and it only takes one more to damn us…

"Colonel Mustang! Allow me to be the first to extend my congratulations!" These words were hollow and ominous, coming from a hollow and ominous Brigadier General with a sizeable stack of papers under his arm. It is never good when men like this extend congratulations. Mustang wondered who let this man into his office.

"May I ask what I am being congratulated on, Brigadier General?" Mustang replied, not rising from his desk.

"Recent developments regarding the Vyron Province have led High Command to determine that an influx of military presence in to area is required to ensure loyalty and economic stability of the region. In light of your ahem heroic exploits during the Ishbal campaign, it has been decided upon that you and the soldiers currently under your command are to be reassigned to command of a Light Infantry Combat Battalion to be assigned to peacekeeping operations in and around the city of Vyronas. I am here to present you with your new assignment, to offer congratulations on your return to active combat duty, and to provide you with the information concerning your new command."

Mustang was not happy to hear this. He didn't like combat, he didn't like Vyronas, and he hated Light Infantry. Moreover, he greatly enjoyed the almost civilian-like atmosphere of a bureaucratic posting; he loved Central City, and was perfectly happy with his current command, which consisted of only five other soldiers and a dog.

The Brigadier General sensed protest brewing in Mustang and hastily dropped the papers on Mustang's desk with a weighty thump before quickly scooting out the door.

Mustang sighed. "Lieutenant Hawkeye!" He barked. "Would you please come here?"

First Lt Hawkeye stepped into the office, leaving the door open behind her. "Yes, sir?" she asked.

Mustang tossed her the stack of dossiers, documents, reports, write-ups, and other assorted military paperwork that the Brigadier General had seen so fit to leave on his desk. "This is the

intelligence about my new command. I would like you to review it and condense it for me. Lt Havoc will assist you with this."

"Yes, sir," Hawkeye replied. The stack was surprisingly heavy and bursting at the seams with what appeared to be the single largest number of disciplinary write-ups Hawkeye had ever seen in one report.

"I need to clear my mind," Mustang said next. "I believe I shall take a walk." With that, Mustang rose from his desk and sauntered off.

Lt Hawkeye carried the report on the new assignment to her desk and sat down, not looking forward to condensing this weighty, thick, disorganized pile of papers into something concise enough for Mustang to read. She called Lt Havoc over to help her sort it. Havoc slid his chair over to her, scooting up next to her a bit closer than she would have preferred.

"What's this?" Havoc asked, smoke from his cigarette forming a dull cloud around his head.

"I'll tell you when you put that thing out." Hawkeye sternly replied.

Havoc made a noise like a disappointed puppy and obediently crushed out his smoke. Content Havoc was no longer blowing lung-blackening soot about the office, Hawkeye informed his of the news and of their assignment.

"Damn," he said.

"Yes, quite." Hawkeye replied. "Mustang wants us to take all this information and edit and condense it down into something more concise."

"Alright, I can do that." Havoc answered. "So, who's are new Unit?"

Hawkeye looked at the cover of the report. "It says it's the Seventh Light Infantry Combat Battalion."

Havoc nodded. "Okay, who's the commander? Anyone we've heard of?"

Hawkeye looked back to the report. "It says here the Commanding Officer is a Lieutenant Colonel Cooper Mordec-…" Hawkeye's voice trailed off.

"What is it Riza? DO you know this guy?" Havoc said, concerned.

Hawkeye leaned back in her chair, eyes toward the ceiling. "I thought he was dead… Mustang will not be happy about this…"

"What won't I be happy about, Lt?" Mustang said, striding back into the office, looking refreshed.

Hawkeye looked over at her Colonel. "The commanding officer of our new assignment, it's Cooper Mordecai," she said.

Mustang stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh, shit…" he breathed, plainly audible in the silence of the room.